AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a disease that's usually fatal when left untreated. It is caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and destroys the immune system. It is spread through unprotected sex, dirty needles, or contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. AIDS is featured on several episodes, first being seen in the Season Six episode, "Jared Has Aides".
Background[]
AIDS shown under a microscope.
In "Jared Has Aides", Jared Fogle said he had 'aides' (a personal trainer and dietitian), and he wanted to give everyone aides as well. Unfortunately, everyone thought he meant the disease, thereby ruining his reputation and almost getting him hanged. He was saved when the boys cleared up the confusion between his 'aides' and AIDS, causing everyone to laugh about misunderstanding him. Because of that, they declared that AIDS is finally funny after 22.3 years.
More than once, Cartman has joked about or suggested giving Kyle AIDS. In "Casa Bonita" Kyle walked into Stan's house where the other boys were. He says he has good news and Cartman says, "You have AIDS?" In "Cartman Joins NAMBLA", the boys were playing a game, and Cartman used a card and said he gave Kyle AIDS. In "Red Man's Greed", Eric Cartman suggests infecting Kyle Broflovski with AIDS to raise money, through charity, to buy South Park back from the Native Americans. In "Woodland Critter Christmas" the end of Cartman's story goes, "They all lived happily ever after... except for Kyle, who died of AIDS two weeks later."
In "Cherokee Hair Tampons", Liane Cartman says that Kyle has AIDS when he actually has kidney failure. Whether this was intentional antisemitism or just a misunderstanding is unknown.
While Clyde is taken to a clinic for head lice in "Lice Capades", a young girl asks what he was seeing the doctor for. Clyde, being embarrassed to reveal his condition, feigns that he has AIDS.
In "Tonsil Trouble", Eric Cartman contracted HIV - the virus that causes AIDS - from a failed blood transfusion and then gave it to Kyle Broflovski via a needle for laughing at him. They found a cure for it, that cure being "about $180,000" of "highly-concentrated" cash shot directly into the bloodstream.
In "The Death of Eric Cartman", Mr. Stotch tells Butters that he should be afraid of real things, like "super AIDS". He says it is "a new form of AIDS which is resistant to drugs," and claims that "just one teaspoon of super AIDS in your butt and you're dead in three years."
In South Park: The Stick of Truth, the player can get infected with Dire AIDS from getting attacked by the animals in Canada. The condition does damage to the player every turn, and the only way to get rid of it is by paying 5 Canadian dollars for an HIV test in Ottawa. Defeating the final boss of the game while having Dire AIDS awards the player with an achievement called “Outpatient”.
Prominence[]
AIDS officially declared to be funny.
- "Jared Has Aides" -Jared Fogle claims that he has “aides.” In reality, he was referring to a personal trainer that helped him lose weight. Fogle was saved when the boys cleared up the confusion between his 'aides' and AIDS, causing everyone to laugh about misunderstanding him. As a result, they declared that AIDS is finally funny after 22.3 years.
- "Red Sleigh Down"
- "Red Man's Greed" -Cartman suggests affecting Kyle with AIDS to raise money, through charity, to buy South Park back from the Native Americans.
- "Woodland Critter Christmas" -At the end of Cartman’s story, Kyle dies of AIDS two weeks later.
- "Imaginationland, Episode II"
- "Tonsil Trouble" -Cartman contracts HIV, the virus that causes AIDS from a failed blood transfusion. He later gives Kyle it for making fun of him for having HIV. Both would later be cured of it in the end.