I saw that article in the NY Times this morning. My reaction was 'good for them'. They earned it, even if they probably never imagined that their show would become the huge hit it is.
I still like South Park. It's always been a little uneven, even when it was a new show. When it hits, it's really good. When it misses, most of the time it isn't a total washout. I think overall it's still a good show, and much better than all the 'gross out' animated shows that came after it (Drawn Together, Family Guy, 2/3 of Adult Swim, etc.)