Randy-based episodes are hit-and-miss but he can be hilarious when he's struggling to make himself into a victim (whether to justify his alcoholism ("Bloody Mary" 2005), his unsanctioned use of racial pejoratives ("With Apologies to Jesse Jackson" 2007) or, in this episode, his new-found post-colonial guilt). The episode overdid his initial assaults on 'Columbus' (petitioning to cancel "Columbus Day" or to get British Columbia to drop the "Columbia" had that touch of plausibility that makes for great satire; but calling everyone in Columbus OH and yelling at them was just stupid filler, as was the s**tting on NY t-shirt). The episode really picks up when he sees the 'DNA and Me' ad (a clever satire of "23 and Me" ads and of victim-wannebes), and tries to 'game' the test by swapping saliva with an person of indigenousness. Other than raising the issue of who gets to edit/censor history, culture and public spaces, the episode cleverly embeds the issue of self-determination and inclusion – biological, cultural, or both (and if both, how do you (or others) reconcile discrepancies between your biological and cultural heritages)? The ending of Randy's journey to victimhood is a classic. Neanderthals have been denigrated for years by 'modern' society (i.e. H. sapiens) and may have been colonised/assimilated/driven to extinction by our ancestors, so Randy now self-identifies as member of perhaps the most victimised group in human history.
Review of Holiday Special
