Top 20 Amazing Small Details In South Park
#20: DVDA
No, that isn’t an abbreviation for an alternative version of the home video format. In fact, it’s the name of a music act consisting of “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. They’ve attached the name to several songs heard both in and outside of their signature show. But it’s not just the soundtrack that hints at this name. Eagle-eyed viewers can spot a teenage girl in the Season 2 episode “Clubhouses” sporting a DVDA t-shirt. It’s both a nod to the duo’s band and the movie “Orgazmo” where the name gets its origins.
#19: Notable Narrator
Season 16 gave us a fantastic parody of reality TV programming when it delivered “I Should Have Never Gone Ziplining.” Parodying the likes of “I Shouldn’t Be Alive”, we’re treated to an overkill of detail on intestinal distress and the perils of sliding down a wire. Fans of the original show being mocked may however recognize the voice behind the narration. Eric Meyers provides the commentary in the same vein as his other reality TV gig. Meyers also provides his talents for the very show “South Park” is mocking, along with plenty of other reality TV-based programming.
#18: The Real-Life Liane
Top 10 Amazing Small Details In South Park
Any longtime fan of this show can tell you how promiscuous Cartman’s mom Liane is. Her exploits with men have been seen countless times over the show’s run. It turns out her antics, and her name, were inspired by a real-life Liane. The story goes that Trey Parker was once engaged to a woman named Liane who cheated on him. In retaliation, he wrote the movie “Cannibal! The Musical,” which included a horse named Liane that lets anyone ride her. This gag then carried over to “South Park” in the form of Cartman’s less-than-monogamous mother.
#17: The “Philadelphia” Connection
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Season 12’s episode “Tonsil Trouble” saw Cartman accidentally become infected with HIV from a blood transfusion. From that point forward, we see Eric dressed in a Philadelphia Phillies hat and gray scarf. Given how atypical this look is for Cartman, some might wonder what brought on the distinct apparel. However, film buffs may have recognized the wardrobe. Tom Hanks starred in the movie “Philadelphia” about a gay man who gets fired for learning he has AIDS. Cartman’s attire matches Hanks’ character’s choice of clothing to a tee. It’s both an obscure reference and a touching nod to such a powerful film.
#16: Sister Anne
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Have you ever watched the credits at the end of “South Park”? If you have, odds are you have seen the name Anne Garefino more than once. Anne has been an integral part of not only “South Park”, but several other projects run by Trey and Matt. So when the boys of “South Park” start attending Sunday school, they are introduced to Sister Anne. Any guesses as to who did the voice of Anne? Yes, Garefino herself provided the voice for both episodes the sister was featured in. Although she’d never grace her voice for any other episodes, she continues her work behind the scenes.
#15: Phil Collins
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The song “Blame Canada” from the “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” soundtrack was nominated for an Academy Award. Much to the disappointment of Matt and Trey, their song lost out to Phil Collins. Not happy with whom they’d lost to, Collins became the subject of much ridicule in “South Park.” Both his winning song and mannerisms were heavily mocked throughout the “Timmy 2000” episode of Season 4. Shown as a highly arrogant and vindictive man, he seems to carry his Oscar everywhere with him. Clearly, the show’s creators were not happy with who they lost out to.
#14: A Nod to 007
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It’s a literal blink and you’ll miss it moment, but it’s certainly a notable one. This nod comes as Kenny is delivered into the emergency room during “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.” In the back of the room, there’s a sign that lists the various assignments for doctors. One entry sees a request to disembowel Kenny, despite the fact he hasn’t died yet. But the real easter egg here is the “Kill Bond” note for a doctor named “No.” It’s a fantastic little nod to the 1962 James Bond film “Dr. No,” who also wanted to eliminate Bond.
#13: Independence Day
In 1996, a scientist named David Levinson found a way to thwart an alien invasion by giving them a cold. “Independence Day” may have been a fantastic film, but the defensive logic was a bit of a stretch. So it’s no surprise that “South Park” poked a bit of fun at this during their Season 7 premiere. They too are at risk of Earth being destroyed and a scientist, who bears a striking resemblance to Levinson, uses convoluted logic to save the day. It’s also not the first time the show references the famous movie. Season 3’s “Chinpokomon” also reuses a line of dialogue from the film.
#12: “BASEketball”
“South Park” had barely been out a year when both Trey Parker & Matt Stone starred in the David Zucker comedy “BASEketball”. Although some fans swear by the film, the duo have gone on record as being less than fans of their efforts. So it’s no surprise that their distaste spilled over into an episode of their show. Stan and Kenny are repulsed by Mel Gibson’s film “The Passion of the Christ” and decide to hunt him down and demand a refund. It’s here Stan mentions getting their money back for “BASEketball.” It may be a quick little quip, but for true fans, it’s nice seeing these different works connected.
#11: “A Very Crappy Christmas” Mirrors Reality
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Did you know that an early “South Park” video Christmas card may have been one of the first true “viral” videos? “The Spirit of Christmas” was so popular that people were copying VHS tapes of the short film just to show it to others. In an ode to their roots, “A Very Crappy Christmas” features the four boys trying to create their own video Christmas card to showcase the true spirit of Christmas for the town. Not only does it feature footage from the original film, the characters are shown going through the same painstaking stop-motion animation work the original was built on. It’s an amazing ode to their origins and far more meta than you might have realized.
#10: “Orgazmo” References
1997 not only marked the debut of “South Park,” but also a feature film Trey Parker and Matt Stone collaborated on. Following a Mormon missionary who becomes an adult- entertainer/superhero, “Orgazmo” certainly earned its NC-17 rating. Although the film bombed financially and critically, Stone and Parker aren’t afraid to embrace it. In the “South Park” pilot, an “Orgazmo” poster can be found on Cartman’s door. Considering Cartman’s love of gross-out comedy, it’s not surprising that he still has the poster on his door in several other episodes. Orgazmo also makes a couple appearances in the form of a trophy, once at an award ceremony with Kathie Lee Gifford and again when the boys win a dodgeball championship. It’s not an Emmy, but it’ll do.
#9: Cartman’s Prison Number
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When Cartman lands himself in juvenile hall for chucking a rock at Token, he’s given the prison number 24601. To the average viewer, this might just sound like a random number. Fans of author Victor Hugo and composer Claude-Michel Schönberg, however, will know that Cartman shares the same prison number as Jean Valjean. Where Valjean was arrested for stealing bread, Cartman is far more deserving of being behind bars. Seeing how Parker and Stone would later dominate the Tonys with “The Book of Mormon,” their knowledge of musicals shouldn’t come as a shock. Although Cartman is assigned this number, his uniform actually reads, “26354.” This number is a nod to Rick Deckard’s ID in “Blade Runner,” giving us two references for the price of one.
#8: Artemis Clyde Frog
Throughout this Season 3 episode, Cartman channels Will Smith in “Wild Wild West,” mixing gunslinging with rapping. This subplot takes on a whole new meaning when you consider that “Wild Wild West” came out the same day as “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.” This episode aired only a couple weeks after the two films hit theaters. Parker and Stone weren’t exactly thrilled that their movie got beaten at the box office by the critically panned western. According to Parker, though, many underage moviegoers bought tickets to the PG-13 “Wild Wild West” and then snuck into the R-rated “South Park” movie. Plus, where “Bigger, Longer & Uncut” received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, “Wild Wild West” won a Razzie for Worst Original Song.
#7: Captain Picard
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“South Park” has made its fair share of “Star Trek” references over the years, but even the most diehard Trekkers probably didn’t pick up on this one. Enraged that his son has joined a boy band, Randy Marsh bashes his head into a china cabinet after screaming, “No! Nooo!” In this brief instance, you might’ve noticed that Randy suddenly sounds less like Trey Parker and more like a certain Starfleet captain. That’s because the audio is apparently taken from Jean-Luc Picard himself, Patrick Stewart. The way Randy smashes the glass is even reminiscent of a similar scene in “Star Trek: First Contact” when Captain Picard loses his temper. That’s cool and all, but it still doesn’t answer how many original “Star Trek” episodes there are.
#6: “They Live” Fight
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One of the most famous moments in the entire series sees Timmy and Jimmy face off in a street brawl. What most viewers don’t realize is that the fight is a direct parody of Roddy Piper and Keith David’s smackdown in “They Live.” The angles, dialog, and fight choreography are recreated almost to a T. Even the setup is similar, except Jimmy wants Timmy to put on a hat instead of sunglasses. This wouldn’t be the last time “South Park” borrowed from a movie to stage a fight. When Cartman and Wendy duke it out in the “Breast Cancer Show Ever” episode, it’s executed in a manner just like the final fight from “Snatch.” Upon delivering the final blow, Wendy also mimics Daniel Plainview’s famous final line in “The Will Be Blood.”
#5: Throwaway Celebrity Cameos
Where some animated shows like “The Simpsons” have a special guest star virtually every week, “South Park” mostly sticks to its principal cast. In the rare case “South Park” books a big name, the creators usually saddle them with an absurdly small part. Jerry Seinfeld once asked if he could voice a character but backed out; they asked him to play a random turkey. George Clooney, however, agreed to voice Sparky the Dog in one episode, even though the character just barks. Jay Leno signed on to voice Mr. Kitty in another episode, but only got to make cat noises. Although these were throwaway roles, Leno did previously voice himself in a special short while Clooney later voiced Dr. Gouache in the “South Park” movie.
#4: OMG, They Censored Kenny!
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Since Kenny’s coat muffles almost everything he says, you wouldn’t think much thought goes into his dialogue, but Kenny’s lines are in fact scripted. That being said, chances are most of them wouldn’t make it past the censors if they weren’t incomprehensible. He is perhaps at his most profane in the intro song. While the lyrics Kenny sings have changed throughout the seasons, there’s always something insanely dirty coming out of his mouth. Kenny’s lines are so graphic that we’re not going to repeat them here. Let’s just say that over the years, Kenny has talked about his preference of the female form, the size of his primary sex organ, and what he’d like to do with Britney Spears.
#3: Alien Sightings
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Disney has Hidden Mickeys; “South Park” has hidden aliens. The Visitors first appear in the pilot episode, “Cartman Gets an Anal Probe.” Since then, these aliens have popped up in more than 75 episodes, although you’d need a pause button to catch them all. Occasionally an alien image will appear on a poster, picture, or everyday items like money. Other times, an alien can be seen amidst a large crowd of people. Random aliens have also been found casually hanging out in the background from time to time. Some aliens are so elusive that they blend right into the background, as if they’re camouflaging. Seeing how Earth is an intergalactic reality show, it makes sense that there’d be a few aliens working on location.
#2: Characters Everywhere
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Before “Ralph Breaks the Internet” or “Ready Player One,” “South Park” had the ultimate clash of fictional characters in the “Imaginationland” trilogy. In this image alone, you can spot Optimus Prime, Count Chocula, Ronald McDonald, the Blue Meanies, a Care Bear, and Raggedy Ann and Andy. Now just imagine that attention to detail spread throughout three whole episodes! The 200th and 201st episodes were also huge ensemble pieces, reuniting virtually every celebrity the show has ever mocked, from Martha Stewart to Jared Fogle. Both episodes are full of callbacks as well, including Tom Cruise getting easily offended, Muhammad not being able to make public appearances, and Scott Tenorman’s connection to Cartman. Speaking of which, Tenorman’s Chili Con-Carnival is totally inspired by the Joker’s “The Killing Joke.”
#1: Sticking it to the MPAA
“South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” is basically one giant middle finger to the Motion Picture Association of America. In Parker and Stone’s eyes, it doesn’t make any sense that a movie full of senseless violence can get away with a PG-13 rating as long as it doesn’t have too many four-letter words. “Bigger, Longer & Uncut” went through a lengthy fight with the MPAA to secure an R rating. Apparently, the film would’ve been rated NC-17 had it featured 400 swear words or more. So, just to push the envelope to the edge of what the MPAA considers “bad taste,” the “South Park” movie packed in 399 swear words, 146 of which were f-bombs. We wonder if the MPAA considers “Barbra Streisand” a profanity?
