The 'South Park' Season Premiere Set Off Viewers' Alexa and Google Home Devices
If you own a personal assistant device like Amazon's Alexa or Google Home, you may have been hearing double while watching "South Park" on Wednesday night: Fans of the foul-mouthed animated comedy took to Twitter to report that the show's Alexa-centric plotline messed with their own gadgets.
The season 21 premiere featured Cartman and his pals fooling around with his Alexa, getting her to add NSFW items to a virtual shopping list, and later, setting up a roomful of Alexa and Google Home devices and making them speak in a loop to each other. And audience members who had their own personal assistants turned on at home discovered that those devices are pretty good at taking commands from animated people, too.
(WARNING: Some of these clips feature some pretty dirty language, courtesy of the show. Click "play" at your own risk.)
"My Alexa is answering cartman in this episode of South Park more than she ever answers me!" one user wrote. Another reported that the episode set off his Alexa so many times that he unplugged it out of frustration. And plenty of people had some surprising items unwittingly added to their shopping lists.
My Alexa is answering cartman in this episode of South Park more than she ever answers me! pic.twitter.com/s79fqdR7nr
— Tay (@taypoppinpill) September 14, 2017
Who else's Alexa's keep going off every time Cartman says something on the Alexa during this South Park episode ???? #SouthPark21pic.twitter.com/strwnTST23
— Kenny Eaton (@Kenny_623) September 14, 2017
This @SouthPark episode has set my @amazon Alexa off about 15 times so far. Had to unplug it
— Chris (@ChrisMn84) September 14, 2017
Thanks @SouthPark#alexa ???? pic.twitter.com/c1wfUKTzhS
— Erica (@ErockaRobot) September 14, 2017
I'm not sure if I should be insulted or flattered that Alexa thinks Cartman sounds like me. Thanks #SouthParkpic.twitter.com/s9Pp3fOUno
— moody12381 (@moody12381) September 14, 2017
Watching the new @SouthPark episode & my Alexa went off ???????????? #SouthPark21pic.twitter.com/0ehBuAxVpp
— Jessica Plunkett (@Jesserican) September 14, 2017
@SouthPark nailed it tonight. In other news I have an erroneous alarm set for 7am and a set of hairy balls on my shopping list. #alexa
— Barto (@scottbarto) September 14, 2017
It's safe to say that "South Park" probably knew exactly what kind of real world effect this storyline would have, and we wouldn't put it past creators Matt Parker and Trey Stone to insert similar shenanigans throughout the rest of the season. Alexa and Google Home users who don't want to hear an echo (especially from their Echo) may want to turn off their devices while watching from now on.
[via: Twitter]