” South Park” extended its running gag on cryptocurrency in a current episode, taking goal at forecast markets, trading apps, United States regulators and political leaders connected to the market.
Now in its 27th season, the animated series has actually constructed its credibility on unhinged satire of international occasions. Crypto has actually consistently taken some hits.
Not everybody delights in being lampooned on television programs– the White Home just recently condemned its representation of President Donald Trump in a relationship with Satan– however earlier crypto recommendations were typically accepted within the market as evidence of mainstream acknowledgment.
Here are 5 minutes when digital properties crossed into popular culture.
We got Kalshi in South Park before GTA 6 pic.twitter.com/659PZHoAqb
— Kalshi (@Kalshi) September 25, 2025
Forecast market apps Kalshi and Polymarket make it to “South Park.” Source: Kalshi/Paramount+
Bitcoin is the future as NFTs end up being illness in “South Park”
” South Park” season 27 episode 5 is focused around forecast markets. It includes a parody of Fox News reporting on Kalshi and Polymarket bets: Will President Trump and Satan’s infant be a kid or a lady?
Previous episodes including Bitcoin (BTC) consist of the 2021 post-COVID unique aired on Nov. 25, where it’s a traditional currency– however likewise a Ponzi plan.
In December 2021, “South Park” buffooned non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as a get-rich-quick fad. The unique depicted an adult Butters– who is a buddy and schoolmate of the 4 primary characters on the program– losing his mind over NFTs, with anybody who listened to him ending up being contaminated and ranting about apes and over night riches.
” The Simpsons” and “Big Bang Theory’s” Sheldon discusses blockchain
In a February 2020 episode entitled “Frinkcoin,” “The Simpsons” ran a section discussing cryptocurrency and blockchain innovation.
The bit was told by Jim Parsons– best understood for playing Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory”– who broke down the essentials of how cryptocurrencies work. It made waves in the crypto neighborhood due to the fact that it avoided the satire and took an instructional technique.
Related: Who remains in the going to end up being the next CFTC chair?
Over a year later on, Bitcoin was included in “The Simpsons” once again. This time, the program forecasted that BTC would increase to infinity.
Fortune didn’t prefer Matt Damon’s Crypto.com advertisement
Hollywood star Matt Damon starred in Crypto.com’s October 2021 business at the height of Bitcoin’s bull run, simply weeks before the possession reached a then-record cost.
” History is filled with almosts,” Damon stated. “With those who practically adventured, with those who practically attained, however eventually, for them, it showed to be excessive.”
He then indicated explorers and innovators as examples of human development before concluding: “They relax their minds and steel their nerves with 4 easy words that have actually been whispered by the brave considering that the time of the Romans: fortune prefers the brave.”
The video camera then panned far from Damon, towards a cosmic background with the Crypto.com logo design. End of business.
Within weeks, Bitcoin struck a then-all-time high of about $69,000. However the list below year brought well-known bad luck: the Terra collapse, cascading insolvencies and a ruthless bearish market.
By February 2022, crypto was back in South Park’s crosshairs in a post-COVID hour unique. “What does Matt Damon state because Bitcoin commercial?” asked Eric Cartman, the program’s self-centered provocateur. “Fortune prefers the brave!”
” My father stated he listened to Matt Damon and lost all his cash,” another kid responded.
” Yes, everybody did,” Cartman stated. “However they were brave in doing so.”
Crypto’s Super Bowl takeover
In 2022, the Super Bowl drew the attention of the whole crypto world, as a number of digital possession business invested millions on prominent commercials.
Crypto.com doubled down on its “fortune prefers the brave” project with basketball legend LeBron James. Trading platform eToro promoted itself with both a business and a halftime bingo card minigame.
However Coinbase took the program with a QR code bouncing around the screen. Audiences who scanned it delighted in a $15 Bitcoin free gift and sign-up promo– a basic marketing project so popular it quickly crashed the app.
Related: Elon Musk and crypto: 6 times ‘Dogecoin’s CEO’ rocked markets
FTX’s business, starring comic Larry David, aged far even worse. In the advertisement, David dismissed transformative creations throughout history, like the wheel and the fork. The last little resourcefulness was FTX, which he once again declined.
” It’s a safe and simple method to enter into crypto,” somebody informed him.
” Ehhh, I do not believe so. And I’m never ever incorrect about this things,” Larry responded. “Never ever!”
Words then appeared throughout the scene: “Do not Resemble Larry.”
By November 2022, FTX had actually collapsed into insolvency after it was exposed that it had actually combined user properties. Creator Sam Bankman-Fried is now serving a 25-year jail sentence.
In a February 2024 interview, David confessed he was sorry for participating in the commercial. He stated he lost cash after getting part of his income in crypto.
Elon Musk’s Dogecoin “hustle” on “SNL”
In 2021, Tesla CEO Elon Musk consistently tweeted about Dogecoin, each post sending out the meme token greater.
Previously that year, Tesla had actually revealed a $1.5-billion Bitcoin purchase, offering the market a significant stamp of approval from among the world’s wealthiest executives.
The craze peaked with Musk’s “Saturday Night Live” look in Might 2021, which pressed Dogecoin (DOGE) to an all-time high of $0.76 ahead of the broadcast.
However the episode backfired for financiers as Musk called Dogecoin a “hustle” throughout a spoof, and by September 2022, the token had actually lost approximately 75% of its worth versus Bitcoin.
Publication: Stopping Trump’s leading crypto task wasn’t simple: Bo Hines