A South Park Origin Story
How a silly short film created a legendary series
As the highly-anticipated 27th season premiere of South Park coming on July 9th, let’s take a look at how the show was created out of delightful short film only intended to be seen by a few people. I still remember, in the pre-YouTube era, when Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s first two short films were the stuff legends are made of…and now we see the origins of South Park for ourselves.
The story—
While attending film school at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Trey Parker recalls weekends where “Matt [Stone] and I would always end up either running cameras or running sound or something. Shoots are so fucking boring…we would always talk like these little kids and make each other laugh.”[i] Matt and Trey were known to do these voices in class to the derision of their professors. Parker thought about doing something unique with student film screenings just before Christmas break. Building on the silly voices they had been perfecting, the two decided to make an animated short film titled Jesus vs. Frosty. Parker previously won a student award for another animated short called American History. Matt and Trey used the same cardboard paper cutout aesthetic for the new film.
Jesus vs. Frosty features four young boys (Cartman was originally named Kenny) who put a magic hat on a snowman. Coming to life as an evil monster, the snowman kills two of the kids, prompting the first iteration of “oh my god, they killed Kenny.” The two remaining boys seek help from Jesus, who decapitates the evil Frosty with a boomerang halo. Setting up the show’s “I learned something today” motif, the boys forgot about their dead friends as soon as they remember the real meaning of Christmas – presents! The student audience at UC-Boulder went wild, recalled Parker, “it was just the fact that there were little-kid voices and cute animation and that they were screaming ‘fuck!’ People hadn’t really seen anything like that before.”[ii] The film marked the arrival of a small production company called Avenging Conscience, named after a silent D.W. Griffith film they saw in class.[iii]
Trey Parker’s first feature film, in partnership with Avenging Conscience, was Alferd Packer: The Musical (1993), based on the infamous Colorado Cannibal. Packer was a nineteenth century prospector who was convicted of cannibalism. Some believe Packer intentionally killed the other members of his party and subsequently ate them, leading to his murder conviction. Others believe Packer was snowbound and resorted to cannibalism for survival. The legend was widely known by those who grew up in Colorado. The film was picked up by Troma Entertainment, who changed the name to Cannibal! The Musical so that audiences not familiar with the Colorado legend could get a sense of the film’s musical man-eating outrageousness.
Turning a story about cannibalism into a musical is quintessential Trey Parker. Making light of a serious situation draws a unique kind of attention and would soon define the type of comedy in which South Park reveled. Alferd Packer: The Musical premiered at the University of Colorado on Halloween 1993. The film showcased Trey’s interest and ability not only in comedy but also music and choreography. Trey billed himself as “Juan Schwartz,” which was an alias Packer used to evade capture. Packer’s horse in the film – Liane, who let every man in town ride her – was named after Trey’s ex-fiancé who he caught cheating just before their wedding. Liane would also be the name of Cartman’s promiscuous mom in South Park. Channeling frustration into comedy is something Parker and Stone have since perfected. Cannibal! The Musical set the stage for what was to come and has since been adapted into several stage adaptations.
By 1993, Parker and Stone were living in Los Angeles, screening Cannibal! The Musical, crashing on friend’s couches, finding work as landscapers and production assistants, and sharing a 1985 Buick. After meeting Fox executive Brian Graden, the producer asked to see some other work.[iv] Graden received a copy of Jesus vs Frosty. Floored by its brazen humor, Graden quickly asked permission to send it out as a VHS Christmas card. The producer recalled “the way they used pauses and their rhythms of comedy were so observational and genius.”[v] Parker and Stone were amused at the feedback but didn’t yet see the South Park story as more than a practical joke. The buzz led Graden to ask for another film. Matt and Trey were given $2,000 to produce a second holiday special and were told to keep in mind that this might be worth pitching as a television show.[vi]
The Spirit of Christmas (a.k.a. Jesus vs Santa, 1995) opens with an important addition – a South Park sign identifying the location. Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny are waiting for the bus singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” When Stan reminds Kyle he is Jewish, Kyle changes to “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel.” Viewers can see the main drag in South Park, which includes Tom’s Rhinoplasty still seen in current episodes. A rivalry is born when Cartman tells Kyle that “Chanukah sucks.”
“Don’t you oppress me, fat boy” Kyle shoots back. “Don’t call me fat you butt fucker,” screams Cartman.
“Then don’t belittle my people you fuckin’ fat ass” Kyle shouts as Jesus descends from the heavens.
Jesus, who will soon have a public access TV show in South Park, was seeking retribution from Santa Claus for secularizing Christmas and turning it into a commercial holiday. Santa is found at the South Park Mall, words are shared, and fighting commences. “Go Santa,” yell the kids. “Go Jesus,” they cheered when the son of God glares back. The kids are torn between God and presents, so they ask, “What would [figure skater] Brian Boitano do?” (a joke that was rehashed in the South Park film). Kenny dies again, collateral damage of the epic showdown. This time Kenny dons the iconic orange hood we know from the series.
Jesus vs Santa began the South Park trope where the level-headed kids sort through the adult’s child-like overreactions. As Jesus and Santa fight, the boys remind them that they reinforce each other’s purpose at Christmas. In another “I learned something today” bit, Stan proclaimed that Christmas is not about being Christian or Jewish. All should celebrate because, of course, presents! Kyle reminds his friends that Jews get presents for eight days instead of one. The boys walk away, singing the Dreidel song, dreaming of presents. The new short film was a hit, but Matt and Trey could never have expected where it was about to take them.
The Spirit of Christmas went viral during a time before online trending. Graden’s friends copied the VHS at a staggering pace, each one sending out to their friends. Rumor has it that George Clooney copied the film 300 times. The film went far beyond the confines of the entertainment industry.
There was only one problem, Matt and Trey did not put their names on any of the frames. As far as they knew, this was just another fun joke and this time they got a little cash for the job. A few months later, Matt and Trey were at a party where the host had everyone watch a short film they discovered.
It was The Spirit of Christmas.
Parker recalled telling them “dude, we made this” and their friend responded “no, we know the guys that made this – and they just got a meeting with MTV.”[vii] Fortunately, Graden was able to set the record straight for the inquisitive industry.
…more to come about the initial reaction to the first season of South Park.
[i] Trey Parker, from Hibberd, James, “How South Park Was Born: An Oral History of The Spirit of Christmas,” Entertainment Weekly, http://microsites.ew.com/microsite/longform/southpark/
[ii] Parker, interviewed in Hibberd.
[iii] The name was based on the 1914 D.W. Griffith film of the same name, starring Blanche Sweet. Parker and Stone had seen the film in class but didn’t like it much.
[iv] Matt and Trey also met producers Scott Rudin and Pam Brady who would all play a role in future Parker and Stone projects.
[v] Graden, interviewed in Hibberd.
[vi] The money varies depending on the source, but this one came directly from Parker and Graden in the Entertainment Weekly oral history quoted above.
[vii] Parker, interviewed in Hibberd.