UPDATED 00:19 EDT / SEPTEMBER 15 2017

EMERGING TECH

‘They took our jerbs’: New ‘South Park’ episode lampoons rise of smart home devices

Spoilers ahead:

In a return to form after a dismal 20th season, the television show ‘South Park’ returned to screens Wednesday with an episode that parodied home renovation shows, racism and, most importantly, the rise of smart home devices.

The episode, titled “White People Renovating Houses,” started with a scene with core characters, including Cartman and Kyle, making an original Amazon.com Inc. Echo device, driven by the Alexa voice assistant, order stupid things for the purpose of having the device say the stupid order back.

In a clever take on the rise of smart home devices and automation taking jobs, the Echo, along with the eventual introduction of a Google Home device as well, serves as a plot point throughout the episode about the rise of Amazon in particular taking away traditional jobs (“they took our jerbs,” in ‘South Park’ speak), with self-driving trucks also thrown in for good measure.

The well-meaning residents of South Park, Colorado, decide that smart home devices are indeed taking away traditional jobs and choose instead to employ unemployed rednecks to replace the devices — complete with the same people being placed into homes and businesses to provide information and take online orders.

Even if some may not be fans of the humor offered by ‘South Park’ creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, those who are, and who own Echo or Google Home device, reported that they were “triggered” by the episode, particularly a scene where Cartman, surrounded by dozens of both (above), decides it would be funny to have them communicate with each other.

“We have an Amazon Alexa and a Google Home and ‘South Park’ repeatedly screwed with both of them tonight,” the Hollywood Report noted one Twitter user said. Another viewer said he got so sick of his smart home device going off while listening to the episode that he had to unplug it. Of course, this being the age of social media, there’s also video evidence of an Amazon Echo being triggered by the episode as well:

Whether the age of automation and smart home devices really are taking people’s “jerbs” can be left to others to argue. But if you want to watch the episode, it’s available within the U.S. on the ‘South Park’ Studios page.

Image: South Park Studios

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