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South Park Takes a Break From Season 27 Tonight to Celebrate Its BDay

Though we're not getting a new Season 27 episode tonight, there are a whole lot of cool things going down to celebrate the anniversary of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's South Park.


To say that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been on a roll since Season 27 debuted last month would be an understatement, scoring huge viewing numbers while continuing to rage against the machine that is Trump and his lackeys like Kristi Noem and JD Vance. But if you know the importance behind today's date, then you know why Parker and Stone are taking a break to look back and celebrate the long-running animated series. That's right, S01E01: "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" debuted on August 13, 1997 – and that first episode is getting a re-airing on Comedy Central tonight as the anchor to a marathon of great past episodes. In addition, the show's social media accounts have been sharing posts from fans to show how they're choosing to celebrate the special day. For our part, we have a look back at the 25th anniversary live concert and highlights from a great podcast interview where Parker and Stone discuss the early days of the animated series. But before we get to that, here's a look at our most recent coverage of Season 27 and the national attention that the show's received so far:

South Park: Kristi Noem Goes on Dog-Killing Frenzy in P+ End Credits

Kristi Noem Using South Park to Promote ICE; What About Dean Cain?!?

South Park More Relevant Than Ever: Season 27 Sees Big Viewing Boost

South Park Response to Kristi Noem: A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

South Park: Kristi Noem Reacts to Episode She Didn't Watch: "So Lazy"

South Park S27: JD Vance Offers Baby Oil-Free Response to Episode

South Park S27E02 "Got a Nut": Noem Kills Krypto, JD Vance & More

South Park & The Road to S27E02 "Got a Nut": How Did We Get Here?

South Park
Image: South Park Studios

South Park The 25th Anniversary Concert: A Look Back

Filmed in Colorado at the renowned Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre back in 2022, the South Park The 25th Anniversary Concert celebrated the essential role music has played in the series since its debut 25 years ago. Parker and Stone performed many iconic fan favorites, with Primus and Ween also collaborating with their own songs in honor of their long-standing relationship with the long-running animated series. Though it originally aired on Comedy Central, viewers were given a chance to check out the complete broadcast version for free via YouTube- and we have it waiting for you below. From "Jackin' It In San Diego" and "Butters the Cat" to "The Ballad of Lemmiwinks" and (of course) "Kyle's Mom"- with a whole lot in-between- here's a look at what the South Park The 25th Anniversary Concert had to offer:

In the following clip, Parker, Stone, and Les Claypool offer their live take on the show's iconic theme song. Following that… did someone say they needed a "Montage":

The South Park 25th Anniversary Experience featured some incredible cosplay, karaoke performances & more as attendees had a chance to check out items from the show's archive, take photos with iconic moments from the series, and play lawn games with fellow fans. Take a look at some of the highlights:

South Park Creators Discuss Animated Series' Origins

Parker & Stone checked in with hosts Doug Herzog (former network executive at MTV, Comedy Central & FOX) & Jen Chaney (TV critic at New York Magazine/Vulture) on Basic!, a podcast series offering a look back to the glory days of basic cable history. While we don't want to spoil the episode for you because it's definitely a must-listen for fans interested in knowing a lot of the behind-the-scenes happenings, there were some highlights that we wanted to point out. First up, MTV passed on the series outright, while FOX was only interested if the series could be adjusted to focus on a family and not four kids (looking to apply to South Park what they thought it was about The Simpsons that made it work).

And at around the 21:20 mark, we have to give Herzog a ton of credit for throwing himself on his creative word by admitting that he tried to stop Parker & Stone from killing Kenny every week. That conversation segued directly into how Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo (S01E09), helped "mainstream" poop, as well as a great anecdote about how many a piece of poop was a bridge too far for one Comedy Central executive.

And then, starting around the 28:20 mark, the trio discuss the "The Gauntlet" short created for the 2020 MTV Movie Awards, spoofing Russell Crowe's Gladiator and John Travolta's Battlefield: Earth. When word hit that the short ended with a Cartman/toilet paper joke that wasn't too flattering to L. Rob Hubbard (author of Battlefield: Earth), Dianetics & Scientology, Isaac Hayes (Chef), who was a Scientologist, asked the show's creators if a Scienologist rep could see the short before it aired. Now, we get the backstory on how The Church of Scientology learned what was in the short at the same time as the rest of us did.

And here's your chance to check out the entire episode for yourselves – a "must" for any South Park fans:

Parker and Stone produce the long-running animated series alongside Anne Garefino and Frank C. Agnone II. Eric Stough, Adrien Beard, Bruce Howell, and Vernon Chatman serve as producers, with Christopher Brion serving as the creative director of South Park Digital Studios.


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Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
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