Talk:Funnybot

Cultural References

Obama speech

Wasn't Obama's speech in the end of the episode a reference to the official speech about Osama Bin Laden's death? —Preceding unsigned comment added by LupusRexRgis (talk • contribs) 16:52, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

No, and I've deleted it. That happened 3 days before this episode aired. I'm sure they'll get around to it sooner or later, but you're looking for connections where none exist. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.97.172.60 (talk) 23:29, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

This is South Park. Half of the episode was made in the last three days. Not to mention the wording is VERY close to that of Obama's announcement. --24.12.214.185 (talk) 00:23, 6 May 2011 (UTC)

Yeah the guest editor is definitely wrong, the Obama stuff was deliberate. I'll restore it to the page. (NotorSB (talk) 04:24, 6 May 2011 (UTC))

German language

I think it should be noted that the Germans in this episode do not speak actual German but Pennsylvania German. There is also an error in the depiction of political ranking in German government, as the President is shown as the leader of government. In reality the German president may be official head of state but the chancellor is acting leader of the government. *nitpick* — Preceding unsigned comment added by German guy 84 (talk • contribs) 09:35, 25 August 2011 (UTC)

Please see WP:NOR, in particular WP:SYNTH. Nightscream (talk) 10:29, 25 August 2011 (UTC)

As a German (who btw found the episode hilariously funny) I have to say that the German in this episode simply sounds wrong. As far as I know Pennsylvania German is based on High German of the 19th century and a rhinelandian dialect. The German in the South Park episode, however, does not at all sound like this. It rather appears like English put into Google translator and then being read by someone who doesn't know German at all. It doesn't matter at all for the episode, though, just thought if someone wants to look it up he might be interested. Faerwynn (talk) 11:32, 21 November 2011 (UTC)

German efficiency and lack of humour

Germans have long been accused of not having a sense of humor. (Perhaps it is a different type of humor, as there is a specific word in German for laughing at other people's misfortune!) There is also a reference to German efficiency - instead of producing a funny German, they tackle humor from a cold analytical & computational standpoint and produce a funny robot. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 101.171.226.145 (talk) 11:55, 10 October 2011 (UTC)

Politicans

The depictured Germans in this episode are Christian Wulff as the german president, Angela Merkel, Ronald Pofalla, Jürgen Trittin, Christina Schröder, Peter Struck, Guido Westerwelle and Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger. I would have had added that, but your wiki doesn't let me. --Purist (talk) 19:00, 11 July 2016 (UTC)

Robot pop references

The robot is reference to any number of old sci fi robots speaking in a shrill monotonic voice. Daleks sure (yep it has the arm). Also Nomad from the Star Trek Original Series episode "The Changeling" (note the red handles they grab to carry him with at the end). I suspect the head is from something specific as well. The whole voice is an old trope for robots. 198.36.177.15 (talk) 19:37, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

I have revised the article to mention its resemblance to Nomad. Examples still need to be sourced, though. AlexanderKaras (talk) 06:05, 7 May 2011 (UTC)

Some references are also from Nick Swardson's gay robot, from the show Nick Swardson's Pretend Time, with the catch phrase "awkward". --98.216.243.219 (talk) 14:46, 7 May 2011 (UTC)

The end is a dr who reference to the episodes "The Pandorica opens" and its 2nd part (that's one of the titles i believe. 5x12 & 5x13) and the funnybot is definately designed after a dalek: one word catch phrase "Akward" which changes to the orignal "Exterminate". one eye on a rod, one plungerlike arm, the general casing, the round head. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.45.149.22 (talk) 20:49, 5 May 2011 (UTC) The Dr Who robots are based off the star trek episode, the daleks have the same basic shape as the nomad and the plot is similar to the star trek episode. The star trek robot constantly says sterilize throughout the episode.XavierGreen (talk) 03:46, 6 May 2011 (UTC) You do realise, that the first Doctor Who episode with Daleks in it was aired two years before the Star Trek pilot? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Daleks)87.184.42.39 (talk) 10:02, 6 May 2011 (UTC) The Box where funnybot comes out of also reminded me of the Genesis Ark. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.18.19.118 (talk) 18:25, 6 May 2011 (UTC)

I have warned User:188.223.133.60 about the long series of reversions of references to Funnybot's similarity to, and obvious parody of, the Daleks. While this should be sourced, there are likely plenty of places (the A/V Club, etc.) that review South Park and will have pointed this out. However, relentless edit warring is counterproductive, to say the least. ProhibitOnions ^(T) 19:21, 6 May 2011 (UTC)

Is this obvious similarity to Daleks still not sourced? Screaming "Errrrorr" "errrorr" is straight from Nomad of ST. Is it because these new reviewers were still in diapers or gleam in their parents eyes when these sci-fi icons were on air that we are missing sources? 97.85.163.245 (talk) 09:03, 21 June 2011 (UTC)

No it is because reviewing a show is not about listing its sources for the convenience of Wikipedia editors... Mezigue (talk) 09:17, 21 June 2011 (UTC)

PLEASE READ THIS:

It is ridiculous in the article to compare Funnybot to Daleks as you did ("Funnybot shares several characteristics with the Daleks, a villain species from the long-running BBC television series Doctor Who.") because it shares few of them. It should mention it shares elements of several famous sci fi bots, but mainly pulls details from Nomad in TOS: The Changling.

"Nomad" from Star Trek TOS because Funnybot actually has more in common with Funnybot thatn the Daleks. Sure its got the plunger, but I think the reason the original autor put Daleks in is because Doctor Who is fresher in the mind. Fact it Funnybot shares its vocal pattern, its personality, its desires with Nomad, and even the major plot point of the TOS episode is lampooned in the scene.

Please change it to mention Nomad, because it is much more accurate to the intent. BTW: There is also an R2D2 reference at the end when he is plugged into the data socket like R2 in the movies, and the red eye is HAL from 2001. But as written, the article makes it sound like the Daleks are the main inspiration for Funnybot, which it is only a minor inspiration.

Anyways, here are some specific references for Nomad as the main source of Funnybot.

1. Use of the phrase "Non Sequiter" by both robots. Here is an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZwVCjhq3YI

2. In the Wikipedia article it points out "Kyle remembers that robots can be confused by a logical paradox..." That is not from Doctor Who. this comes from TOS "The Changling" directly. From Memory Alpha at "Through a questioning to Nomad on its prime directive, Kirk confirms his suspicions that it must execute it with no exceptions, and then reveals that he is not Nomad's creator. He explains that Nomad had mistaken himself for Roykirk, the two men's names being similar, and as such Nomad has committed an error; furthermore, it has compounded that error with two more, specifically failing to realize its mistake and failing to immediately execute its prime directive as a result. This causes Nomad to lock up in an irreversible logic loop, its stubborn belief that it is perfect conflicting with the realization that it is in error, and Spock and Kirk manage to get it to the transporter and beam it into space just as it executes its prime function on itself." http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/The_Changeling_(episode)#Act_Four

The logic paradox scene is here, starting at 10:00 minutes into the video until 11mins 30sec in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpA_M_FppzE

Compare to the logic scene in Funnybot: http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/383460/logic-loop

3. Also note that Nomad had a force field with a similar effect stoppping the Enterprise crew from touching it, and the way Funnybot is carried out while in the logic paradox is exactly from that episode as well.

4. Nomad wanting to kill all life on Earth by misunderstanding its creators intent, so does Funnybot.

THANK YOU

--Stilleon (talk) 05:46, 3 July 2011 (UTC)

ADDITIONAL: Memoy Alpha mentions the parallels: http://memory-alpha.org/wiki/South_Park#.22Funnybot.22 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.130.17.239 (talk) 10:24, 3 July 2011 (UTC)

First of all, there is no reason for a new section/discussion, since this is part of the already-existing one on the in cultural reference of Funnybot. Second, when a new discussion is warranted, it goes at the bottom, not the top or middle.

As for your message, Please read this:

WP:USERG

WP:NOR

Thank you. Nightscream (talk) 19:22, 5 July 2011 (UTC)

Sorry, I haven';t really used discuss before. I do not fully understand the rules. Also, you are kind of terse, and slaggin me off with the above.

OKAY you want "authoritative," this is from the FAQ on SouthParkStudios.com. http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/2011/may

Posted on: May 11, 2011 QUESTION: Is Funnybot a parody of Dalek from "Dr. Who"? Is the Funnybot a parody of a Dalek from the show "Dr. Who"? Also thanks for the 15 years of comic genius!!

ANSWER It's impressive to see how many people caught that "Dr. Who" reference! Yes indeed, elements of Funnybot pay tribute to that classic cyborg from planet Skaro. Also, Trekkies may have noticed the nod to the awesome Star Trek episode "The Changeling" from the Original Series. The name of the Trek robot is NOMAD and he similarly hates biological imperfections. AWKWARD!!!

I mean, one of the two reference sources currently in the article is a one paragraph comment on ComBom: http://www.combom.co.uk/2011/05/south-park-funnybot-nod-to-daleks.html

Is this authoritative (quote from that site): "This is from the new series of the dark comedy cartoon South Park. In this clip here the FunnyBot decides to commit the ultimate act of comedy: to "exterminate" the human race, complete with the screechy voice." Authoritative research? Come on.

The other a review at IGN. Neither are hardy "authoritative" or are in any way researched. Its just a writer guessing. Where are his footnotes?

Using your reasons not to put Trek in should also eliminate these to sources as well, which means you should remove the bit about the Daleks in that paragraph, because it is one of many reference but hardly the most important as it seems it is now.

— Preceding unsigned comment added by Stilleon (talk • contribs) 06:12, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

Don't sweat it. I was just informing you FYI. As for my terseness, I apologize, but I figured it was par with your message, which included the same format (insofar as the matter of the episode content), and a number of remarks in all-caps, which is considered the Internet equivalent of yelling.

Please read WP:Identifying Reliable Sources. The standard is reliability, not authoritativeness or officiality. Anyone can have a YouTube channel or edit a wiki like Memory Alpha, so a person on those sites is not a reliable source. Similarly, a video on South Park Studios, by itself, without any clarifying commentary from the creators, only contains the episode content. Relying on such a video to argue a conclusion or observation is called synthesis, which is a form of original research. IGN, by contrast, is considered a reliable source, and is used as such in articles pertaining to comics, games, cartoons, etc. Ramsey Isler, the author of that review, perceived the Dalek similarities, so the article attributes that observation to him. It does not state, as a question of fact, that this was the intention of Parker & Stone, (which would require a source that is not only reliable, but authoritative).

As for the South Park Studios FAQ page, kudos for pointing that out. I've added that material and that source to the article. Many thanks.  :-) Nightscream (talk) 07:50, 6 July 2011 (UTC)

Comedy Awards

Should it be mentioned that this episode aired 9 days after South Park won Best Animated Comedy in the first annual Comedy Awards on Comedy Central? 65.95.180.222 (talk) 05:14, 8 September 2011 (UTC)

Only if someone reviewing or commenting on the episode in a reliable source mentions it. Nightscream (talk) 14:28, 8 September 2011 (UTC)

Robot Sources

I see more than Daleks and Nomads. Its pretty obvious that it is also based, at least partially, on the robot from Star Wars IV. The floating spherical one that Vader uses to interrogate Leia on the Death Star. It is definitely the only possibility from a widely known classic sci-fi media source that makes sense. The Star Wars reference is almost assured, due to the scene in which Funny bot interfaces with the "mainframe." He uses the same type of interface plug thing that robots in the original Star Wars films use (R2-D2 uses the little probe that spins in the interface ports). Elements of the appearance are possibly also based, at least partially, on Hal from 2001 (the red "eye" in the center). I point this out because it seemed immediately obvious to me, yet there are few if any references on the net in general, in this article or the discussion, or anywhere else for that matter. It may not be necessary to individually list each reference with absolute certainty. A line to the effect of: "The robot's appearance is a combination of many different elements and styles of well known robots from a variety of classic science fiction films and television shows including, but not limited to, Star Trek (Nomad reference/link goes here), Dr. Who (Dalek reference/link), Star Wars (Link/reference), and possibly even Hal 9001 (2001 reference/link)." I would edit the article myself, but I am a guest and guest edits are usually reverted on pages with interest like this. 68.6.76.31 (talk) 22:54, 29 October 2011 (UTC)

Sources for such assertions are indeed required under WP:V, WP:NOR, WP:IRS, WP:SYNTH, et al. We cannot add the line you suggest without such sources. Nightscream (talk) 00:38, 30 October 2011 (UTC)

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