Has Bart Simpson become so dangerous that Islamists want to kill him?

South Park: Funny, and fearless "South Park – We'd stand beside you if we weren't so scared." Bart Simpson's words – scrawled on the blackboard in the opening credits of last Sunday's The Simpsons – are looking mightily prophetic in the light of yesterday's huge, failed car bomb in Times Square.

Although details remain unclear, one possibility being investigated by police is that the bomb was placed near the New York headquarters of South Park's owners, Viacom, by angry Islamists in revenge for the cartoon series' irreverent treatment of their prophet Mohammed.

Earlier this year, South Park's co-creator Matt Stone defended the controversial episode as being a vital bastion in the battle for free speech: "Cartoonists, people who do satire - we're not in the army, we're never going to be f---ing drafted and this is our time to do the right thing."

Now, by the looks of it, Stone may have got just the fight he wanted. And there will no doubt be many who are wondering: couldn't this irresponsible, potty-mouthed troublemaker have been a bit more careful about the things he wished for?

It's not hard to see why some people might feel this way. For one thing, South Park's satire is the most gratuitously offensive in the history of television. For another, South Park is ugly to look at, unpleasant on the ear, badly drawn, execrably voiced, puerile, cynical, expletive-ridden, vulgar, trashy and almost entirely free of likeable or, indeed, psychologically plausible, characters.

Perhaps you have tried watching it on Comedy Central to see what all the fuss is about, but never got beyond the hideous, calculated-to-annoy theme tune. Perhaps, you've got a bit further, only to be left shocked, reeling and determined never to watch again, by one of any number of disgusting storylines: the one where Britney Spears has dramatically to alter her vocal technique having blown half her head off with a shotgun, maybe.

If so, then you've missed a treat.