’(‘llll.l)Rli.\"S (‘.~\R'l‘()().\'S HARMLliSS.‘ illiterally scream the headlines. A recent l'l'\' study titled ’(‘artoon (‘ra/y'." has just concluded that the kids can deal with animated \‘iolence.
(‘learly. the researchers hayen’t caught a glimpse ol’ Sour/i Park. in which the
In cartoon land, Beavis And Butt-head are about to meet their match.
Kenny is worryingly lamiliar with the terms l‘or ladies~ priyates and assorted sex aids and. perhaps l'or his crimes. meets his end each week in eyer more hideous ways. Hence the show's catchphrase: '()h my (iod. they killed Kenny? You bastardsll' Meanwhile Kyle is continually berated l‘or his .lewishness and
This is the evil spawn of Bod. This is South Park. Hiatus: Brian Donaldson
dysfunctional and li'zmkly disgusting liyes ol‘ a quartet of eight year olds has become the latest instant cult to hit America.
Iilsewhere. it has been billed as ‘l’mnnls
meets ." (lot/(work ()rungv‘ and. in terms ol~
hype. "I'liis Life meets lt’lt’llll)l)l(’.\". We would settle for Bod meets 'I'ltv I;'.t'or<'i.sl.
ln episode one alone. (‘artman is \‘lSllCtl by aliens who exercise their right to probe his anus. therein planting an S()l‘t satellite dish.
12 THE lIST 20 Elev-2 Apr 1.998
Stan is unable to conyerse with his sweetheart Wendy 'l'estaburger without chucking tip his guts.
Rugmis it ain‘t. lluge it certainly is —- Soul/i l’urk's [foil-like central characters beamed ottt from the lront coyers of [S mags Rolling Slow and Spin within six months ol being on air.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker are the warped minds behind Sour/i l’urk. haying preyiously
collaborated on liye action lilms with titles
like (‘unni/m/ The Musical attd ()i'gunno. l)espite their reputation for lo-l’i budget squee/ing. they led little shame in hiring big names to help the show along. Soul legend Isaac Hayes appears as the school chel who croons his dirty ditties while waiting l'or alien adyances. and lilx’ heart-throb (ieorge (‘looney pops up in a later episode as Stan's gay dog Sparky. Sour/I Park is a natural. ill somewhat gorier. accompaniment to the animated glories ol' King 0/ The Hill. The Sim/nuns et al. [I has sprung up in era when cartoons become instant cults. unlike the slow burners l'rom the ()Us and early 7(ls which took longer to bite but still turn tip in doped-out. late-night conyersations with the question ‘l)o you remember Bug/nus." Stone and Parker grew up with the likes of In]; (in. Yogi Bear and ('up/uin Scar/vi. while their British contemporaries watched Mr Benn. ‘l’ln' .l/Iugii‘ Ronni/(thou! and The llt'l'lM'. Belorc a cartoon series could blow us away with the same l'erocity as [S creations Iii'ui‘is
x‘lld Bull-limit! and NM SUN/Lyn)”. there
seemed to haye been an odd hiatus ol‘ about l'il'teen years. Yet us Brits have nothing that can hold a candle to America‘s creatiye talents. ('i‘upslon Villas is about the closest