Within the past year, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have become some of the most talked about figures in pop culture. From their royal wedding to their recent move across the pond, there has been much discussion about their relationship with the public. In a surprising twist, Megyn Kelly recently commented on how South Park’s portrayal of the couple may have determined their future.
South Park is an animated series that has been on the air since 1997. It is known for its irreverent brand of comedy and biting social commentary. In October 2019, South Park aired an episode called “Turd Burglars” which spoofed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step away from royal life and move to Canada. The episode was widely seen as a condemnation of the couple’s actions and received mixed reactions from viewers.
Speaking on her podcast “The Megyn Kelly Show,” Kelly offered her opinion on South Park’s portrayal of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: “When South Park turns on you—that means you are done… That is it for them… You cannot recover from being satirized or made fun of or getting dragged by a show that people respect so much for its intelligence. And I think that sealed their fate in terms of public opinion… When you get treated like that by South Park, it’s a wrap.”
Kelly goes on to explain further why she believes this moment had such an impact: “South Park is smart enough not to make fun of anything if it does not know what it’s talking about or doesn’t have any facts… So here they were going after these two people who are beloved in many places around the world.”
Kelly’s comments suggest that she believes once South Park began lampooning Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, they had very few options left when dealing with public perception—and no way to recover from being made fun of by one of America’s most popular television shows.
In her podcast discussion, Megyn Kelly argued that once South Park turned its attention towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, there was no chance for them to recover from its scathing satire. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen—but one thing is certain; the couple will continue to remain in the public eye until further notice. As we watch how things unfold over time, only then will we be able to determine whether or not Kelly was right in her assessment.