Image Credit: Michael Yarish; Jacob CohlSouth Park visionaries Trey Parker and Matt Stone officially join the Broadway community tonight with the first preview performance of their new musical The Book of Mormon. (Be sure to check out EW’s full Q&A with the duo in our new issue, on stands tomorrow.) And true to their hell-raising reputation, the pair aren’t making nice with their new neighbors — specifically Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. “It’s horrible,” says Parker of the problem-plagued mega-musical. “I don’t think there’s any bombshell in us saying Spider-Man sucks. Nobody thinks it’s good.” Adds Stone: “Obviously, art is subjective. But not in that case. That’s just not good.”
Stone says Spider-Man‘s subject matter and A-list creative team — including director Julie Taymor and composers Bono and the Edge — make the show fair game for criticism. And he’s expecting to get as good as he gives if The Book of Mormon doesn’t connect with reviewers when it officially opens on March 24. “[Spider-Man] wasn’t like a labor of love or somebody’s life story. They were making a f—ing Spider-Man [musical.] You don’t get cut slack when you’re Bono. And by the way, nobody’s going to feel sorry for us, either.”
When reached for comment, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark spokesperson Rick Miramontez replied with the following statement: “Everyone at Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark is, as always, flattered by the attention.”
Read more:
‘South Park’ creators’ ‘Book of Mormon’ to open on Broadway in 2011
‘Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark’: Which review is the harshest?
‘Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark’ seeking focus group feedback — EXCLUSIVE
‘Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark’ producer blasts critics — EXCLUSIVE
Matt Stone and Trey Parker.
You flipped their names. Hope you got it right in the magazine.
Snark!
I See a South Park Episode being Made!
they don’t care about South Park anymore, so even if they did, it wouldn’t be good
That response from the Spider-Man production’s spokesperson is actually pretty funny.
Haha I know that was definitely my favorite part
These guys made Orgazmo and Baseketball so they’ve made their share of mistakes too.
nice.
And they know it. They pretty much made fun of Baseketball in an episode of South Park once.
What was wrong with Orgazmo?
It sucked. Same with Cannibal the Musical.
But I love Trey and Matt. I’ll watch anything they do once.
I don’t like them, I hate South Park, but they’re right.
We’ll take your opinion into consideration. (Where’s the eyeroll emoticon here?)
I can’t understand why this play is being hailed as a complete bomb. Everyone knows that comic book geeks love musical theater. Who cares about plot or special effects? If it’s got musical numbers I’m there!!!!
Maybe they need to hand the reigns off to Bryan Singer. Superman as the messiah!?! Brilliant! Spiderman as messiah??? More brilliant.
It’s Julie Taymore’s mast**bation on a major level that sunk it, there is a NEW character in it, the spider goddess Arachne, who is the creator of Spider Man…. just like Julie Taymor is the creator of “Spider Man”… it’s egomaniacal wankery on a massive scale.
Except musical numbers SHOULD have a plot within itself. That is something practically everyone (sans fans of musicals) doesn’t realize. I mean, when Dr. Horrible came out, everyone was all, “I’m not a fan of musicals but this one’s good because the music moves along the plot.” Sondheim has been writing songs that way for 60+ years. Joss Whedon writes songs the way he does BECAUSE he’s a fan of musical theatre. Development within a song is not something new/unusual.
Doodle doodle dee, wubba wubba wubba.
I think it’s because the shoterr, closely-held legs make them seem cousin to animals we’re more familiar with, rather than the spindly, creeping legs found on scary spiders.
Nothing in what they said is as funny as the stupid EW.com headline: ‘Spider-Man’ musical ‘sucks’ — EXCLUSIVE” Wait, this news is exclusive? As far as I can see, EVERYONE thinks it sucks!
Well I never had any interest in this, but at this point it sounds so bad that I’d actually like to see it now.
I guess there really is no such thing as bad press.
When are these guys going to come out? Married? Oh, please! So was Rock Hudson!
What the f**k do you care? Get a real hobby, a**hole.
Wait Jay are you responding to what cameobrooch is saying? Taking it a little hard aren’t you…. someones gay.
P.S. pun intended
it really is the worst show I have ever seen
Why is everyone making fun of these two? They didn’t make “Spiderman The Musical”. Even as I type it, it sounds like a joke. South Park is still a really sharp show. They continue to relentlessly and cleverly poke fun at things that need to be made fun of. Team America World Police and That’s My Bush were both brilliant. Stone and Parker have proven their worth time and time again. I look forward to seeing their musical. As for Spiderman The Musical, it’s an embarrassment to live theater. The only reason I would ever see it is to have a good laugh, and that’s only if the tickets are free.
I love all of these clowns coming out of the woodwork to say they hated the Spiderman musical. I actually haven’t met anyone who didn’t like the show. I thought Spiderman Turn Off the Dark was a great show and very entertaining. These celebrities just want to get quoted to stay relevant.
Really? Because many of my friends have seen the show, and I haven’t met a single person who actually LIKES the show. I asked my friend if it was as bad as everyone has said. She replied, “Worse.”
I saw it. It really was the worst thing I’ve ever seen. Ever. I was hoping for it to be great but I really was astonished at how horrible it actually was. And I haven’t heard anything different from any of my friends who have seen it.
What, Rick Miramontez didn’t respond in ALL CAPS?
Love, love, love your comment.