When Bitcoin hits the big screen: how pop culture, especially South Park, shaped our view of crypto

South Park is at it again, making fun of crypto in its latest episode. But let’s be real, digital money like Bitcoin has been a perfect target for jokes in movies and TV for quite some time now.

The long-running cartoon just can’t stop taking shots at cryptocurrency. In its current 27th season, South Park went after prediction markets, trading apps, and even US regulators and politicians tied to the industry. Known for its unfiltered jokes about global events, crypto always gets picked on by the show.

While nobody likes being made fun of – just ask the White House, who weren’t thrilled about how South Park showed President Trump and Satan – early crypto mentions were often seen as a good thing within the industry. It was like proof that crypto had finally gone mainstream.

So, let’s look at five cool times digital money really popped up in pop culture.

South Park‘s unfiltered take on crypto

Remember when prediction market apps like Kalshi and Polymarket showed up in South Park? The season 27, episode 5 story was all about these markets, even making fun of Fox News reporting on bets like “Will President Trump and Satan’s baby be a boy or a girl?” Classic South Park.

This wasn’t their first time with Bitcoin, though. A 2021 post-COVID special, shown on November 25th, showed Bitcoin as a regular currency… but also called it a Ponzi scheme. They really don’t hold back!

Then, in December 2021, South Park totally made fun of NFTs, calling them a silly get-rich-quick craze. The special showed an adult Butters (one of the main characters’ friends) completely losing his mind over NFTs. Anyone who listened to him would “catch” the obsession, talking endlessly about ape pictures and getting rich fast. It was hilarious, and sadly pretty accurate for many people.

Even The Simpsons and Sheldon from Big Bang Theory explained blockchain

Believe it or not, The Simpsons got in on the crypto action too. In a February 2020 episode called “Frinkcoin,” they had a bit explaining cryptocurrency and blockchain. The best part? It was voiced by Jim Parsons, better known as Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory. What made this really stand out in the crypto world was that it didn’t make fun of it like usual; it actually tried to teach people.

Just over a year later, The Simpsons showed Bitcoin again, this time saying Bitcoin would shoot “to infinity.” We’re still waiting for that one!

Matt Damon’s “Fortune Favors the Brave” ad: a story with two sides

Hollywood star Matt Damon, you know, was in Crypto.com’s October 2021 commercial right when Bitcoin was at its absolute highest, just weeks before it hit a record price.

“History is full of almosts,” Damon said in a deep voice, “with people who almost took a chance, who almost made it big, but in the end, it was too much for them.” He then pointed to great explorers and inventors as examples of how far we’ve come before saying that famous line: “They settle their minds and get ready with four simple words that brave people have whispered since Roman times: fortune favors the brave.” The ad ended with a spacey background and the Crypto.com logo.

Within weeks, Bitcoin hit its highest ever at around $69,000. But the next year? Things didn’t go so well. We saw the Terra crash, tons of companies going broke, and a really bad market crash.

And guess who was there to rub it in? South Park, of course. In a post-COVID hour special in February 2022, Eric Cartman, the show’s main troublemaker, asked, “What does Matt Damon say in that Bitcoin commercial?” A kid replied, “Fortune favors the brave!” Another chimed in, “My dad said he listened to Matt Damon and lost all his money.” Cartman’s response? “Yes, everyone did. But they were brave in doing so.” Ouch.

Crypto takes over the Super Bowl

The 2022 Super Bowl was a huge deal for crypto, with several digital money companies spending tons of money on big commercials.

Crypto.com went all-in again with their “fortune favors the brave” message, this time with basketball legend LeBron James. Trading platform eToro promoted itself with both a TV spot and a fun halftime bingo game.

But Coinbase really grabbed everyone’s attention with its super simple ad: a QR code bouncing around the screen like an old DVD logo. People who scanned it got a $15 Bitcoin giveaway and a sign-up deal. It was such a simple, yet incredibly popular, ad campaign that it actually crashed the app for a bit!

Then there was FTX’s commercial, starring comedian Larry David. In the ad, David brushes off huge inventions throughout history, like the wheel and the fork. The final invention he rejects? FTX itself. “It’s a safe and easy way to get into crypto,” someone tells him. “Ehhh, I don’t think so. And I’m never wrong about this stuff,” Larry replies. “Never!” The screen then displayed: “Don’t Be Like Larry.” Given FTX’s massive collapse, that ad did not age well at all.

These moments show how much cryptocurrency has really sunk into our minds, moving from just a tech thing to a regular feature in our favorite shows and biggest cultural events. Sometimes it’s praised, sometimes it’s poked fun at, but one thing is clear: Bitcoin and its other digital coins aren’t just for tech geeks anymore.