The Low-Down: No, Yelp Is Not Suing South Park For $10 Mill for Mocking It's Reviewers

What is most interesting about this story is that so many people believed it. And they did so, probably, because both the parodied accusations against Yelp and its reviewers seem believable. The lesson appears to be both that Yelp and its reviewers, do hurt legitimate businesses and their owners with reviews that can be more than a little self-righteous, if not vicious.

The broader question is whether there may be a growing loss of confidence in internet reviews due to the well-known falsification of commentary on Amazon in order to stimulate or hurt sales - and because ordinary consumers may be beginning to wonder whether the opinion of anyone who has the time to go into such detail - with such vitriol - should really be believed. JL

Khushbu Shah reports in Eater:

The parody article includes a well-crafted fake statement from a Yelp spokesperson that reads: "To compare the users of Yelp to terrorists is... cruel." It also features a statement allegedly from the creators of the show: "We've taken a hard look at the information presented to us, and after reviewing it, we have given Yelp and their lawsuit only one star. "
A parody article is floating around saying that Yelp is upset over the show's skewering of the review site.

Yelp can actually take a joke: There is a very well done satirical article from parody site NBC.com.co that says Yelp has filed a lawsuit against Comedy Central and South Park over the show's recent episode that unapologetically lampoons Yelpers. The episode, which aired last week, is titled "You're Not Yelping" and features various characters going on power trips at restaurants because they believe writing Yelp reviews makes them legitimate food critics. It also compares Yelpers to ISIS.

A parody article is floating around saying that Yelp is upset over the show's skewering of the review site.

Yelp can actually take a joke: There is a very well done satirical article from parody site NBC.com.co that says Yelp has filed a lawsuit against Comedy Central and South Park over the show's recent episode that unapologetically lampoons Yelpers. The episode, which aired last week, is titled "You're Not Yelping" and features various characters going on power trips at restaurants because they believe writing Yelp reviews makes them legitimate food critics. It also compares Yelpers to ISIS.
The parody article includes a well-crafted fake statement from a Yelp spokesperson that reads: "Our company, along with its millions of users, take Yelp very seriously... To say our critics are out there trying to get free food and using racist slurs on little Mexican children is beyond ridiculous. To compare the users of Yelp to terrorists is not only cruel, but the definition of libel and slander."
It also features a hilarious statement allegedly from Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of the show, who gave the lawsuit a one-star review:

"We've taken a hard look at the information presented to us, and after reviewing it, we have given Yelp and their lawsuit only one star. Their lawyers delivered us legal documents in a very unprofessional manner; not bothering to smile or even a quick handshake. The writing on the envelope was barely legible and in two different colors. It is our personal opinion that Yelp could do a much better job by not suing us for ten million dollars."
A real Yelp spokesperson tells Eater that the company has no plans to actually sue South Park. "The rumor about a Yelp lawsuit is entirely untrue and was started by a satire site that has received far too much media credibility." She adds, "We have no interest in legal action against the fantastic team that makes the South Park magic happen."

It also features a hilarious statement allegedly from Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of the show, who gave the lawsuit a one-star review:

"We've taken a hard look at the information presented to us, and after reviewing it, we have given Yelp and their lawsuit only one star. Their lawyers delivered us legal documents in a very unprofessional manner; not bothering to smile or even a quick handshake. The writing on the envelope was barely legible and in two different colors. It is our personal opinion that Yelp could do a much better job by not suing us for ten million dollars."
A real Yelp spokesperson tells Eater that the company has no plans to actually sue South Park. "The rumor about a Yelp lawsuit is entirely untrue and was started by a satire site that has received far too much media credibility." She adds, "We have no interest in legal action against the fantastic team that makes the South Park magic happen."