Matt Stone and Trey Parker didn’t expect Donald Trump to become the 45th president of the United States. In fact, they, like many others, were so sure Hillary Clinton was going to win that they had to completely re-write the post-election episode of South Park — which was originally titled “The Very First Gentleman” — within 24 hours of the results. The thing is, Stone and Parker didn’t want the season to be about Trump, or Clinton, or anyone or anything having to do with the election. They just wanted to make fun of Star Wars.
“What was so funny was all the Trump sh*t that was going on and we’re actually having this whole election year and everything,” Parker said on The Bill Simmons Podcast, “but really weekly what we’re talking about is going, “Yeah dude, f*ck Star Wars, man.’ To me, I kept equating it to the Happy Days reunion special where they would do that reunion thing where they get all the people back and they kinda do a half-ass story, but it’s all just about having people walk onto camera and having everyone clap for them and everything, and that’s exactly how the new Star Wars felt… It was just a reunion special.”
That’s where the (brilliant) Member Berries came from.
Stone admitted that he and Parker were both “so exhausted” by the end of last season. It’s hard enough writing on their “7 Days to Air” schedule, but it’s especially tricky when one of their man targets is beyond parody.
“[Trump] is taking a little something, which is like the button pushing,” Parker explained. “He takes that from you first and then you can make fun of that, but it’s like, ‘F*ck, I mean, what do you do?’ You wanna push the button. The comedian pushes the button, that’s the natural order of things.” Parker compared the president to a monkey repeatedly running into a wall, while Stone went with the “principal flipping off the student” analogy. Either way, they’re happy “we’re not putting anything on the air right now.”
For season 21, Stone and Parker should ditch Trump completely, and go back to doing what they enjoy the most: random Robert Smith appearances.
You can listen to the podcast below.
https://soundcloud.com/the-bill-simmons-podcast/south-park-competing-with-snl-and-the-future-of-comedy-with-matt-stone-and-trey-parker-ep-208
(Via The Ringer)
