Ed Sheeran was just launching his music career when a 2005 episode of “South Park” took aim at those with ginger-hued hair.
In a new interview with Slam Radio, as reported by The Independent, Sheeran explained that while poking fun at “gingers” was common in the U.K., it wasn’t until “South Park” that ginger-mocking became a thing in he U.S.
“Having red hair in England was always a thing that people took the p**s out of you for,” said Sheeran. “But it was never something in America. People never knew what a ginger was in America.”
In the episode, “South Park” character Eric Cartman delivers a school presentation on “gingervitus,” a disease that curses “ginger kids” with “very light skin, red hair and freckles,” and “occurs because ginger kids have no souls.”
“That episode of ‘South Park’ f**king ruined my life,” Sheeran complained.
“I was going to America and everyone was like, ’I love your hair dude.’ And I was like ‘Oh my god, people like my hair?’” he recalled. “And then I remember that episode coming out and that was just it worldwide for the rest of my life.”