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The PopWatch Interview: Controversy on 'South Park,' what-what-what?!?

Mar 2, 2007, 11:46 AM | by Mandi Bierly

Categories: Television

Southpark_l South Park returns March 7 for an 11th season on Comedy Central, and though we don't need to tell you that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone still deliver after all these years, the fact that EW has dubbed their premiere our "Must Watch of the Week" — without actually knowing what it's about — does kinda say it. 

What speaks even louder: Neither the duo nor the network will be revealing the plot of the episode before it debuts, period. "If it got out what it was," Parker says, "someone would try to stop us from doing it before it got on the air." Impending controversy? Hooray!

Here's what they did tell us during our recent chat:

- They've got so many good ideas, it's hard to pick what the first one should be. Seriously, Stone said, "Please write that we've got so many good ideas, it's hard to pick what the first one should be." And apparently, he's not joking. As of Monday, the duo was still deciding which of two top-secret ideas should air first. (Yes, that means at least one other episode this season will be making "someone" pissy.) Parker credits their wealth of story lines to a particularly fruitful February writers' retreat in "geriatric" Palm Springs, where distractions were limited. "Yeah," Stone says, "we got to go places where it's not that fun to be."

- Starting this season, episodes will be available uncensored on iTunes.
Stone: "Oh, that's something that we can talk about."
EW: "That's cool, but can you tell us anything about the premiere?"
Parker: "Honestly, when you see it, you're gonna be like, 'I see why they couldn't tell me.' Unless, we end up not going with that one because it doesn't work, and we go with something else." [Laughter]
Stone: "You suck so bad."

 

- Norman Lear officiated Parker's Jan. 2006 wedding in Hawaii.
Parker: "Yeah, it was pretty great. Like, I couldn't imagine how else I would get married. I wasn't going to have some Catholic priest come down. And it just came out. I told Norman I was getting married, and he was like, 'Oh, well, I'm ordained. I can marry you.' He had married like four other couples or something like that. My wife didn't know who he was, so it was fine with her. She's Japanese, so it was basically a Shinto-slash-Norman Lear wedding. It was nice and simple and short and intimate."
EW: "Did you ever think you'd be doing an interview about your wedding?"
Parker: "No. No."
EW: "This is what happens, gentlemen, when you won't tell me a plot of a single episode."
[Laughter. Silence]
Stone: "You wanna tell her about 24?"

- One of the first seven episodes will be a parody of 24. "Basically, we've spent the last month watching like three or four episodes a day, studying what they do," Parker says. "We're fans of the show, and we're really impressed with the writing, but as soon as you have Cartman saying the same stuff, it's pretty damn funny."

- They're not planning on touching the Anna Nicole Smith media frenzy. For now.
Parker: "It's not to say it's not gonna end up in week 4 or 5, but so far, we just don't really have a take on it. Like things have happened in this off season that we really did get worked up about, and the Anna Nicole thing is like, we really just don't care."
EW: "So what worked you up?"
Parker: "Oh, you'll see." [Laughter] "Oh boy, you'll see."


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TragicEcho Mon, Mar 19, 2007 at 04:33 PM EST

I have to admit that I think that the show is creative entity that far surpases most shows on television right now. I have just recently been growingly confused over there position on pervasive cultural issues. For instance, they seem to go against cynicism in many episodes but then are cynical themselves. And the controversy that they create seems to be less than constructive criticism. It is just out right meant to offend. I know someone will write after me that it is free speech and that they are in some way advocates for it. But with the responsibility of free speech comes the responsibility not to abuse it to the level that might, ironically, might undermine the institution itself.

Tommy2Win Sat, Mar 17, 2007 at 01:14 PM EST

nice :D very nice

and @ naggers.. ofcourse you'r laughing.. ur just a kid ;) :P

seccery Sat, Mar 17, 2007 at 12:45 AM EST

With the hands of him,God`ll bend us,shape us,make us STRAIGHT! And guess what? He is jerking off!!

Paddy Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 08:13 PM EST

No1 knows what matt and trey will do,so no point guessing it ruins the whole point of waiting for it,they make the ep's ina week so it could be nehthing,past or present,so no1 knows so leave it at that,
makes the wait that little bit better,
:D
Love Paddy,
"Pip "Whats Up Fellas?" Cartman "piss off pip im not in the mood" Pip "hmmm lunchie munchieeesssssss"

Naggers Thu, Mar 15, 2007 at 04:14 PM EST

Simply amazing... Eleven years and I'm still laughing. Keep up the great work, Matt & Trey!

Radu Andronescu,Timisoara/Romania

Wed, Mar 14, 2007 at 08:46 PM EST

don't care what they do, they're gods!

carryandfloat Sun, Mar 11, 2007 at 04:52 AM EST

they should air an episode more about the media frenzy than having the focus on anna-nicole smith. That could be a great episode.

seccery Thu, Mar 8, 2007 at 10:22 AM EST

Hey,the AVI file gets some problem that I cant play it~~Check and fix it!

Wed, Mar 7, 2007 at 10:35 PM EST

Ha ha ha i just saw it one of the best ever. "ohh naggers not niggers."

Wed, Mar 7, 2007 at 09:46 PM EST

i wonder if stan and wendy will ever be back together?

jerome Wed, Mar 7, 2007 at 09:11 PM EST

i cant wait for the new season. it is gonna be the best season of all time. i hope this season makes alot of people mad. that would be funny.

Screw you guys...I'm going home Wed, Mar 7, 2007 at 07:41 PM EST

The Ann Coulter "f*ggot" dustup is perfect fodder for Parker and Stone...think of it...Skinny Right-wing crack ho comes to give a speech in SP, hooks up w/Mrs. Cartman, while Eric is roused by her "suck my balls" attitude.
Add in the media frenzy, and tut-tutting Leftys (helloooo, Al Gore!ManBearPig redux!), plus a possible cameo by Dick Cheney/Bill O'Reilly/Sean Hannity/Rush Limbaugh, who rush in to "rescue" Ann from the liberal Jew evildoer (Kyle!) in Southpark. Stay the course!

It's too soon to get it done in the first ep or so, but some time in the first 7 is possible.

Spearhead Wed, Mar 7, 2007 at 02:23 PM EST

They wont be able to do a Saddam ep, because he is already in heaven making WMDs.

Unless that is one of his lookalikes ofcourse...

barbara Tue, Mar 6, 2007 at 11:15 PM EST

I just saw the new sesaon pemere picture on southparkstudios.com I cant wait to see it but I live in canada so I will need to wait which I don't like.

Somanea Tue, Mar 6, 2007 at 10:21 PM EST

I can't wait for this SP episode to air tomorrow night! It is gonna be freaking sweet!!

Cartman Tue, Mar 6, 2007 at 09:50 AM EST

He guys, that's gonny be sooo awesome!

vinnie Tue, Mar 6, 2007 at 05:32 AM EST

oh man, i cant wait......

seccery Tue, Mar 6, 2007 at 04:56 AM EST

whoopse,I haven`t really seen the 24.Seems I`m gonna buy some DVDs or download some old episodes~

kriminal Tue, Mar 6, 2007 at 04:49 AM EST

I can't wait. its gonna be an awesome season!!! keep up the good work T&M

Poopack Tue, Mar 6, 2007 at 03:14 AM EST

They already did your jackass idea

jerome Mon, Mar 5, 2007 at 09:16 PM EST

Southpark needs to make fun of the show jackass

Blinzer Mon, Mar 5, 2007 at 08:26 AM EST

Pwned. This is going to Kick Ass.

Dash Mon, Mar 5, 2007 at 04:11 AM EST

Ironman they usually do 7, wait 4-6 months then another 7

Iron-man-18 Mon, Mar 5, 2007 at 12:26 AM EST

are there only 7 episodes in this season? dont they usually air 14?

JCush Sun, Mar 4, 2007 at 05:39 PM EST

It seems the South Park Boys have a bit more class than CNN.

I'm not surprised.

Beeayeye Sun, Mar 4, 2007 at 11:55 AM EST

W00ts! 24'll be t3h awesome sauce, you watch!

I kinda want to see a parody of Norbit, only with Gerald and Sheila Broflovski...

ron jeremy jr Sun, Mar 4, 2007 at 11:30 AM EST

aqua teen hunger force terrorism controversy in boston and those guys talking about 60s hair..................more kyle jew bashing

Ballsack Teabagga Sun, Mar 4, 2007 at 11:27 AM EST

ideas for matt/troy......britney spears, youtube, nbc to catch a predator, mitt romney 08 pres he is mormon and obama muslim crap, saddam hanging for halloween episode, anorexic nicole richie, donald trump/fat ass rosie showdown, and someone like howard k stern and all the other anna nicole smith lovers need to dig her up and have necrofiliac relations

Franjo Sun, Mar 4, 2007 at 04:19 AM EST

I think there must be one with Borat too.... BORAT BORAT!

Sat, Mar 3, 2007 at 05:41 PM EST

Hey lets not forget suddam husan's death.

FahBlakk Sat, Mar 3, 2007 at 01:47 PM EST

The 11th season is definitely going to be the best 1 yet! As far as the Anna Nicole mess go, if they dont rip on her this time around, then she's going to get it when the second half of the season hits!

Sondre Sat, Mar 3, 2007 at 12:39 PM EST

I can't wait for the new season. And one of the episodes are a spoof of 24! I'am a huge fan of 24(but much more fan of South Park) so I can't wait!! :-)

Snarky Sat, Mar 3, 2007 at 02:33 AM EST

Its gotta be the diaper wearing astronaut in the first 2 episodes.

Ian Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 06:10 PM EST

Have they already done the Britney/Paris/Lindsey thing?

Kit Sung Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 05:04 PM EST

Cool! That means a South Park version of 24 AND a Simpsons 24 screening in may...

t3hdow Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 03:56 PM EST

I'd rather not hear anything else about Anna Nicole Smith's death, even from Matt Stone and Trey Parker. It's nice to know they're impartial to the whole event, especially since after Smith's death, Entertainment Tonight still hasn't shut up about it. I can understand the first couple days after her odd death, but it's been about three weeks now. Enough is enough.

dma69 Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 03:32 PM EST

Damn. I was hoping they would do SOMETHING on Anna Nicole. I can't wait to see their 24 spoof. If anyone can pull it off, Matt and Trey can.

t3hdow Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 03:28 PM EST

I gotta see the season premier and the 24 themed South Park episode.

Jen Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 02:59 PM EST

Oh...you have NO idea how excited I am. I've been a fan of South Park since the first season (when I was in middle school and it was definitely NOT appropriate for someone my age to be watching). I hope it lives up to the hype - but I'm sure it will!!!

I'm really glad they're not planning on doing an Anna Nicole thing, because the coverage is annoying. They can do much better!

rob Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 02:47 PM EST

mark my words: the aqua teen hunger force/terrorism controversy will be among the first 7 episodes.

Ep Sato Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 01:00 PM EST

I love the way this show has grown up over the last few seasons. The show went from immature rants to brilliant plots on how to make people eat their parents, beautiful parodies of genre films, and a pot smoking towel that made for the BEST.ACTION FIGURE.EVER

Louise Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 12:44 PM EST

I can't wait for the 24 spoof.

ceej Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 12:36 PM EST

It seems the South Park Boys have a bit more class than Fox News.

I'm not surprised.

Chris Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 12:20 PM EST

Damn...and I was thinking it was going to be Anna Nicole Smith. Next target: Barack Obama!

Ashley Fri, Mar 2, 2007 at 12:03 PM EST

i am such a huge fan of the show, i can't wait for the premiere on Wednesday! if they aren't telling anyone, you know it's going to be good!


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