Poor and Stupid

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"Crippled Summer"

"Poor and Stupid"

"It's a Jersey Thing"

"Poor and Stupid"
Episode no.	Season 14 Episode 8
Production no.	1408
Original airdate	October 6, 2010
Episode chronology Previous Next "Crippled Summer" "It's a Jersey Thing"
List of all South Park episodes

"Poor and Stupid" is the eighth episode of Season Fourteen, and the 203rd overall episode of South Park. It aired on October 6, 2010.

Synopsis

Cartman dreams of being a NASCAR driver and he's willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

Plot

Spoiler warning! Plot details follow.

The episode begins with Cartman crying in front of his locker. When Stan and Kyle approach him, he explains that he is upset over the fact that Mr. Garrison assigned an essay about what the students want to be when they grow up, and he does not like to think about that subject. He then explains that it is his dream to become a NASCAR driver and that he believes that this could never happen to people like him. Stan and Kyle, believing him to be talking about his excessive weight, try to comfort him. He reveals that he was actually referring to the fact that he is not poor and stupid, as he believes all NASCAR fans and racers to be, using Kenny for proof. The other boys, now disgusted at Cartman as he yet again reveals his usual prejudice, effectively convince him that he is, in fact, very poor and very stupid (trying to insult him back in the process).

Cartman takes their "encouragement" to heart and recruits Butters to be his pit boss, then sets out to become poor and stupid enough to race. He gives Butters all his money, which Butters spends on canned food and blankets he then donates the “needy” NASCAR fans (Kenny included) at the South Park Mall. Attempting to become more stupid, Cartman watches Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men while hanging upside down, and by chance sees a Vagisil commercial. One of the side effects of Vagisil is that it may cause temporary memory loss. Seizing the opportunity, Cartman eats many tubes of Vagisil at a pharmacy and when caught, feels stupid. This convinces him that the Vagisil plot has worked, and he decides he is ready to race.

On race day, Cartman manipulates his way onto the track by having Butters convince one of the racers (Dale Evans) that his wife was raped. The resulting catastrophic accident (he crashes into a lake) leaves 11 people dead and sends Cartman to the hospital, reconsidering his decision to be a racer. The doctor tells Cartman that his accident is among the stupidest things he has ever seen, and Cartman is hopeful again that he may be stupid enough to race, much to the joy of Butters.

Meanwhile, Kenny is reading NASCAR 2010 when he sees a newsflash reporting on Cartman's accident. The newscasters agree that this incident proves NASCAR fans are poor and stupid. Kenny becomes angry and storms off to Cartman's house to admonish him. He discovers Cartman, in an attempt to make himself still poorer, has been purchasing expensive items on credit, causing the two boys to angrily argue. The creator of Vagisil (Geoff Hamill) then knocks on the door and awards Cartman a new NASCAR racing vehicle, stating that his accident has increased awareness of the product. This infuriates Kenny even further.

During a press conference prior to the next race day, Cartman begins interrupting and taunting other NASCAR drivers with off-topic comments in a “redneck” accent. Later Cartman releases an internet video with Butters, ingesting Vagisil and saying President Obama is “gay as hell”. Upon seeing the video, Kenny becomes livid and decides to put a stop to Cartman's antics.

On race day, Cartman is behaving as stupidly as possible. At the same time, Geoff Hamill has joined the announcers, and frequently references his wife's vaginal odor, which appears to embarrass her. Kenny arrives and tries to smuggle a sniper rifle on to the track, but it is confiscated by a security guard who says this is the kind of thing that is making NASCAR look stupid, and that Kenny will need to buy one inside at the gift shop. Cartman leads the race in the beginning (after eliminating many drivers and killing even more people), but Kenny then jumps onto his car to try and stop him. Cartman throws Kenny off by braking suddenly, and Kenny narrowly escapes being run over after two of the other drivers. Meanwhile, the Vagisil creator's wife, Patty Hamill, takes 7-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson's wrecked car and uses it to win the race, much to Geoff's horror and/or frustration. In the end, Cartman decides that he was just not poor and stupid enough to be a NASCAR champion. He gives a rare apology to Kenny before demanding Butters give back his money. Cartman and Butters walk away arguing, while Kenny stares in complete confusion, ending the episode.

Reception

This episode had received mixed reviews. The A.V Club given it B- rating. IGN gave it a score of seven out of ten.