ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Tech

Satire from South Park creators shows how eerily real deepfakes already are

It's like South Park but with real characters instead of animations. It's sassy -- sassy justice.

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
October 30, 2020
in Tech, Technology, Videos
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

The year is 2020 and Fred Sassy is a reporter for the Cheyenne News at 9, a local TV station in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Fred is looking out for the consumer, and this week, he’s uncovering the truth about deepfake videos. Except Fred is Donald Trump in a cheap costume and a wig.

Fred is himself a deepfake, produced by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of “South Park”. Welcome to 2020, where everything can be faked.

Deepwhat?

Deepfakes are sophisticated forms of image or video forgery in which the actor’s appearance is changed to resemble someone else. It’s a form of synthetic media with serious implications for the future. Just think how much we’re dealing with fake news — and that’s in written form; what if the next generation comes in audio or video format? The scariest part is that this technology is already here.

To see just how real deepfakes can be, you need look no further than the viral video “Sassy Justice”. Fred Sassy, the spitting image of President Trump, is here to tell you all about it. See, I could ramble on for a thousand words about the dangers of deepfakes and how experts have been sounding the alarm for years, but in true South Park fashion, this video does a way better job at it by just showing the dangers.

Sassy interviews the likes of Al Gore, Julie Andrews, and Michael Cain, there an unscrupulous Mark Zuckerberg running a shady dialysis center, there’s a puppet Tom Cruise, an eerie child-version of Jared Kushne — all deepfakes, of course.

It’s all so confusing it actually does a perfect job at conveying the desired message.

The child-like version of jared Kushner is played by Betty, the 7-year-old daughter of Peter Serafinowicz, a voice actor who worked with Stone and Parker on the project.

See, this is the thing about deep fakes: they don’t necessarily need to convince people that someone said something, all you need to do is sow confusion about it. It’s South Park energy applied to a very scary technology.

RelatedPosts

Artist Transforms Junk Into Beautiful Street Art to Remind us of Pollution
Salema Porgy: the hallucinogenic fish
Tech experts band together to issue $10 million challenge against deepfakes
The longest known exposure photograph ever was captured using a beer can

“Before the big scary thing of coronavirus showed up, everyone was so afraid of deepfakes,” Stone said in an interview for the New York Times. “We just wanted to make fun of it because it makes it less scary.”

“It really is this new form of animation for people like us, who like to construct things on a shot-by-shot level and have control over every single actor and voice. It’s a perfect medium for us,” Parker added for NYT.

Deepfake Zuckerberg, making an honest(?) living.

For the artists, it was a way to immerse themselves in the technology and maybe even start a new venture (they even started a new studio and spent “millions” of dollars to make the video).

At the same time, it’s a reminder that deepfakes are here, and they’re probably here to stay. The next ones might not be as lighthearted as this one.

Tags: deepfakesocial media

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Science

Almost Half of Teens Say They’d Rather Grow Up Without the Internet

byMihai Andrei
3 weeks ago
Future

Denmark could become the first country to ban deepfakes

byMihai Andrei
1 month ago
Health

Using screens in bed increases insomnia risk by 59% — but social media isn’t the worst offender

byTibi Puiu
2 months ago
News

People Who Blocked Their Smartphone’s Internet for Two Weeks Report Big Mood Boost

byTibi Puiu
4 months ago

Recent news

A Chemical Found in Acne Medication Might Help Humans Regrow Limbs Like Salamanders

June 11, 2025

Everyone Thought ChatGPT Used 10 Times More Energy Than Google. Turns Out That’s Not True

June 11, 2025

World’s Smallest Violin Is No Joke — It’s a Tiny Window Into the Future of Nanotechnology

June 11, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.