The Pigskins Shame Spiral is an occasional feature tracking developments related to the name of D.C.’s beloved football team.

Who: Comedy Central’s South Park. 

Change the name? Yes, in a South Park kind of way. In a one-minute spot teasing its 18th season, the show lampoons the whole team name controversy. During the spoof, Dan Snyder makes an appeal to Mr. Cartman to stop calling his company name the “Washington [Pigskins].” “Don’t you see that when you call your organization the Washington [Pigskins] it’s offensive to us. …it’s derogatory, Mr. Cartman,” Snyder pleads. Mr. Cartman’s response: “When I named my company Washington [Pigskins], it was out of deep appreciation for your team and your people.”

And the icing on the cake? It aired in D.C. during Sunday’s Pigskins/Eagles game.

Why? Because it’s offensive. And, as this video points out, Snyder’s tired arguments in defense of the team name don’t really make sense.

Shame Spiral Rating: SMH. When South Park comments on a person or controversy, that generally means it is a culturally relevant topic that has entered the mainstream consciousness—-and not, say, an issue that is simply championed by a bunch of whiny liberals in the name of political correctness. South Park’s stance on this issue is not surprising, but the message is important because it could reach many more more people—-in terms of numbers and diversity—-than any editorial page or politician. Plus, it’s funny.

Illustration by Jandos Rothstein