Nothing encapsulates how fragile Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are more than their deranged response to the latest “South Park” episode “The Worldwide Privacy Tour.” In the episode, the cartoon couple based on the duo embarks on a worldwide “we want privacy” tour, which they ironically launch on the “Good Morning America” spoof “Good Morning Canada.”
The episode is some much-need cultural comic relief in the wake of Harry and Meghan’s real-life “worldwide privacy tour” for Harry’s autobiography “Spare,” which “South Park” aptly renamed “Waaagh,” and the couple’s new Netflix series in which they demonize their families for six hours straight.
Unlike the rest of the world, Harry and Meghan haven’t found the episode very funny, and the couple was reportedly looking into suing “South Park” (although now they are denying it). Royal sources dished that Meghan is “upset and overwhelmed” by the episode and “annoyed by ‘South Park’ but refuses to watch it all,” which seems highly unlikely if she was gearing up to sue.
Harry and Meghan’s unhinged reaction to being made fun of isn’t surprising. The couple has a history of retaliating against anyone critical of them. They’ve already sued the Daily Mail, and Meghan helped personally orchestrate the termination of Piers Morgan from “Good Morning Britain.”
Harry and Meghan supposedly fled Britain’s bigoted media to seek refuge in America — a country whose founding principles include freedom of the press. It’s unclear why exactly Harry and Meghan thought the American media would be softer than the British press. What we do know is that even the left-wing American media have taken jabs at the duo.
Instead of looking inward when their image didn’t change upon moving to California, the couple quickly began inventing another bogeyman (other than the royal family) to explain away their unpopularity: “disinformation.” Indeed, the couple’s recent Netflix series focused heavily on how Meghan is a target of conspiracy theories and trolling, with a “disinformation” expert even making an appearance to affirm the celebrity is a victim of hate and racism.
While “disinformation” is generally a code word for information that’s inconvenient for the political left, Harry and Meghan have co-opted it to include any information that’s personally unflattering to them. Essentially, the couple has made “we’re mad people are saying mean things” into an entire brand and career, as “South Park” hilariously pointed out.
In 2021, Harry accepted a job at the Aspen Institute, a U.S. think-tank that purports to tackle “misinformation” with its “Commission on Information Disorder” but actually attacks conservative ideas and anyone who uses free speech to espouse them. Since then, Harry has called the First Amendment “bonkers,” and both he and Meghan have tried to get another Spotify podcaster, Joe Rogan, fired from the platform for “COVID-19 misinformation.”
Britain has a serious free speech problem, particularly as it pertains to comedians. It’s apparently illegal in Britain to use snippets from House of Commons proceedings in a comedic or satirical context, discouraging British people from making fun of their leaders. The most pervasive attack on comedy in Britain came in the form of its 2003 Communications Act, which stipulates that sending or posting a “grossly offensive” or “indecent” message could result in punishment
In 2018, Scottish comedian Mark Meechan was arrested and convicted of “inciting racial hatred” after posting a YouTube video of himself jokingly training his girlfriend’s pug dog to do a Nazi salute. Meechan is one of several British comedians that have been reported and investigated for espousing alleged “hate speech.”
America is clearly dealing with its own free speech problems after the “Twitter Files” revealed the federal government is using Big Tech companies as a loophole to unconstitutionally censor particular people and opinions. However, the Constitution has so far protected Americans against any laws like Britain’s Communications Act.
If Harry and Meghan had their way, the creators of “South Park” would be off to the gulag. Fortunately, this is America. Harry and Meghan aren’t the only ones we’ve been angry at “South Park.” The animated series has upset celebrities with far more power and influence than the British duo, including Tom Cruise, Barbra Streisand, and Xi Jinping — yet it persists.
The Sussex temper tantrum is even more ridiculous when one recalls the media rumor that Meghan is thinking of launching a political career, with some reports claiming she has her sights set on running for president. U.S. politicians are American comedians’ favorite source material, so Meghan is in for a rude awakening if she decides to launch “Markle 2024.”
If Meghan wants to run for public office, she will need to get thicker skin. And unless the pair wants to get shipped back to Britain, Meghan needs to learn how to take a joke and Harry needs to back off our First Amendment.
Evita Duffy-Alfonso is a staff writer to The Federalist and the co-founder of the Chicago Thinker. She loves the Midwest, lumberjack sports, writing, and her family. Follow her on Twitter at @evitaduffy_1 or contact her at evita@thefederalist.com.
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