Love it or hate it, South Park is one of the most intellectually challenging TV show there has ever been. The show has a reputation of stirring the minds of people no matter what they identified with. Despite the uncompromisingly satirical nature and the profanity involved, the show has garnered huge following and is perhaps one of the most highly regarded shows by the critics.

So here is an interesting list of facts about South Park that we have collected from IMDB and other sources to help you celebrate the show and its fabulousness.

1 The credits at the end of the South Park episode “Trapped in the Closet” were either “John Smith” or “Jane Smith” so Tom Cruise and other Scientologists can’t sue them.

2 The concept of Kenny’s repeated death and resurrection came from MTV’s cartoon “Aeon Flux” in which Aeon Flux is killed at the end of every episode only to be alive in the next as if nothing happened.

3 George Clooney, who was a big fan of the show, was offered the role of a dog called Sparky in the episode “Big Gay Al’s Big Gay Boat Ride” and all he had to say was “woof”. It was in keeping with the tradition of having celebrities play minor roles in the show unlike The Simpsons.

4 The film “South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut” was originally given an NC-17 rating, and every time the creators sent it to MPAA for a re-rating, they edited in more vulgar scenes. Jack Valenti, president of the MPAA, said that he regretted not rating it NC-17.

The film screened six times, each time receiving the same rating and the last screening was two weeks before its release. A marketing agent from Paramount (which was also part of Viacom along with Comedy Central) called and told the creators that they must have an R-rating. So, Mark Stone called the producer, who in turn called Paramount, after which the rating was changed to R even though nothing was removed from the original film.(1, 2)

5 The character Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo, was inspired by something Trey Parker’s father used to say during his childhood. Every time Trey wouldn’t flush his toilet his father would tell him that “Mr. Hankey” would come out and eat him.

The concept of his father’s Mr. Hankey stayed with throughout his childhood and he often drew pictures of the character wearing a sailor’s hat. Trey and Matt Stone later made an initial three-minute short film with Mr. Hankey and a boy who befriends him, when they met and decided the concept at University of Colorado at Boulder.(source)

6 In the first season’s theme song Kenny was actually saying “I like girls with big fat ti*ties, I like girls with deep va*inas!” The filmmakers were able to get away with it because his voice was too muffled and the words could barely be made out. 

Lyrics:

I’m goin’ down to South Park gonna have myself a time,
(Kyle + Stan) Friendly faces everwhere humble folks without temptation,
I’m goin’ down to South Park gonna leave my woes behind,
(Cartman) Ample Parking Day or Night, people spouting, “Howdy, Neighbor”
I’m headin’ down to South Park gonna see if I can’t unwind,
(Kenny) I like girls with big v*gina, I like girls with big fat ti*ties
So come on down to South Park, and meet some friends of mine