Talk:Cartman Gets an Anal Probe/Archive 1

Kyle
what does kyle say at the end when he curses at the aliens? i only know of 2 words that get bleeped and i dont know what he said. does anyone have an uncensored one who knows what he said? -Thanks —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Kibitokai123 (talk • contribs).
 * I don't think there's an uncensored version of the first episode, so no one really knows what he said, not even Trey and Matt. --82.171.70.54 (talk) 11:06, 15 May 2009 (UTC)

Removed

 * In the recent UK poll Paramount Comedies' Top 10 Episodes, this episode was ranked number 4.

I removed the above. It was formerly in the "Unaired pilot episode" section, although the aired episode of Cartman Gets an Anal Probe was ranked number 4. I think this should be included somewhere else in the article. Sittingonfence 21:27, 12 June 2007 (UTC) I just read the article from the very beginning and realized that a mention of this is already made. Sorry.

UK airdate
Does anyone know when this episode was first broadcast in the UK? I know it was circa 1998 on Channel 4, but what's the specific date? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.129.31.175 (talk) 20:57, 3 December 2007 (UTC)

Edit war avoidance
Can we not use the episode itself as a reference? If not, how do we find references for TV show episodes? - Denimadept (talk) 16:35, 5 August 2008 (UTC)

Reception
I'm starting the hunt for external reviews, which we need if we ever keep this episode article. By the way, there's a discussion regarding possible elimination of some SP episode articles over alleged lack of notability. For now i've found: (I'll update this list as I find more) (to cite these click on "edit" and copy-n-paste the "cite web" template from
 * (although it look like a general review of the show it's really all about this episode)
 * (although it look like a general review of the show it's really all about this episode)
 * (although it look like a general review of the show it's really all about this episode)

I don't quite have the time to summarise all these myself, so I'd like someone or two to help me out, please. --Andrewlp1991 (talk) 22:22, 20 March 2009 (UTC)


 * I couldn't really get anything from the second two on the episode itself (notability would extend beyond merely reviewing the show too). Also, this is the actual template for citing websites. Alastairward (talk) 22:48, 21 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Thanks for your feedback. I agree; the Entertainment Weekly and NY Times sources are more in general; the Times even teases of two future episodes. But Template:Cite news is used "specifically for news sources" (i.e. NY Times). -Andrewlp1991 (talk) 23:05, 21 March 2009 (UTC)
 * I just wasn't sure whether or not you knew about the templates. Any positive reviews (for balance)? Alastairward (talk) 23:14, 21 March 2009 (UTC)
 * "Any positive reviews (for balance)?" Hmm.


 * Bozell = super-duper-negative (writing about South Park has been his part of his day job for over a decade now in his column)
 * EW, NY Times, Time = Average
 * At this moment I can't seem to find any "two thumbs up" type of reviews. Maybe the section should be POV-tagged? Also be sure to use American English in South Park articles and other American topic articles.--Andrewlp1991 (talk) 23:18, 21 March 2009 (UTC)
 * POV would probably only be for heavy use of weasel words or attempts to stifle addition of balanced sources or reviews. I know about the use of British and American English on wikipedia, but differences crop up so infrequently that I forget. Alastairward (talk) 23:27, 21 March 2009 (UTC)
 * BTW it was I who had tagged the other articles for possible lack of notability, I had thought a pilot episode should be kept anyway as the first of a show. Alastairward (talk) 23:29, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Plot section
I'm scanning through it right now and find it could use a bit of shortening and grammar fixes. --Andrewlp1991 (talk) 23:28, 21 March 2009 (UTC)

Referenced in other episodes
Some events in this episode also take place in subsequent South Park episodes. In City on the Edge of Forever, when the boys are stuck in a stranded school bus, Stan says they have been in worse situations. A flashback follows to this episode. Instead of a satellite dish, an ice cream truck emerges from Cartman's rear, and the visitors start eating ice cream. In Cancelled, the children are waiting for the school bus as usual, when Cartman tells his friends about his weird dream. Several events follow that are almost identical to those in this episode, until the boys and Chef realize that they are stuck in a "repeat". --82.171.70.54 (talk) 22:56, 18 May 2009 (UTC)

there is one in Free hat as well.


 * Thanks, but this is akin to a WP:TRIVIA section, in my opinion. There are lots of internal South Park references in the episodes. I'm not sure why we should list them all. If there a published source commenting on the importance of them, I would be more inclined to do so. Awadewit (talk) 02:22, 19 May 2009 (UTC)

Historical Background
I'm not sure why the culture wars are significant for this episode. For the article on the series? Sure, why not? In the background section for this article, however, I think it's more relevant to give a review of when the show started, what its major themes had been to this point, etc. All the focus on culture wars makes me think the episode will refer to them (which, if memory serves, it really doesn't). Scartol •  Tok  18:26, 3 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Okay, I'm really dumb. I forgot this was the first episode of the first season. Therefore, it seems best to discuss Matt & Trey's background together, how they got approval for the show, the protoviral animated Santa v. Jesus thing, etc. Scartol  •  Tok  18:28, 3 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Thanks. I've added a paragraph on that. Awadewit (talk) 17:41, 5 July 2009 (UTC)

Link to Watch
Can I add a link to the episode for anyone that wants to watch it? Here's the link Can I add that to the external links section? C-Son-L Sweaters (talk) 16:56, 23 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Yes, it seems that site is sponsored by Comedy Central, so that is not a copyright violation. Awadewit (talk) 04:17, 25 November 2009 (UTC)

Infobox image
I saw that Awadewit removed an infobox image that I had added to this page, claiming it was violation of WP:NFCC #3. I added it back with the hope that we could talk about it here first and see what the consensus was; otherwise, the image is going to be speedily deleted since it's not being used in an article. Awadewit said in her chagne, "it doesn't matter what the rationale says (we can add the bit about obesity if you want) - the point is that we don't need TWO images of Cartman - it violates policy". My feeling is that this is not a violation of WP:NFCC #3. The point of this image isn't simply to demonstrate or illustrate Cartman. The rationale points out several other purposes the image serves, and I don't think they should be dismissed out of hand simply because Cartman happens to be in the image. Like I said, if the consensus is its a violation, I'll of course agree to its removal, but I wanted to hear some other thoughts... —  Hun ter   Ka  hn  05:09, 6 January 2010 (UTC)
 * The fair use rationale is insufficient, as I explained to the editor who added it in the first place. Here is what I posted to his/her userpage:


 * Cartman's obesity can be seen in the video - we don't need another image for that
 * Cartman's farting is only partially a visual element (and certainly "farting fire" can be described using words)
 * It is debatable that we need another fair use image in the article just to demonstrate the alien probe - we would need a stronger reason than this, IMO.
 * I explained quite clearly to the user who added the image why I felt it violated WP:NFCC - the edit summary was only a partial explanation (as most edit summaries are). Awadewit (talk) 19:52, 6 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Maybe I missed it, but I didn't get any explanation outside of the edit summary; I only got the generic orphaned non-free image notice from another user after it was already removed. But, in any event I wanted to give the chance for some more discussion to see if anybody uninvolved agreed or disagreed with your logic. Since I brought this to the attention of WikiProject South Park and others, and haven't heard back, I'll defer to your logic here Awadewit. You can go ahead and remove the picture. —  Hun ter   Ka  hn  18:23, 11 January 2010 (UTC)

Directed by
Can we please verify Trey Parker directed the episode? It says so in the infobox, and the production section says this: "Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of South Park, wrote "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" and Parker directed; it was made on a budget of $300,000." While this sentence does have a citation, unfortunately it requires subscription, so I can't verify whether the citation only refers to the budget amount, or the writer/director details as well. The end credits of the episode do not name a director. --Mondotta (talk) 00:37, 21 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Both facts are referenced in the article. Wadewitz (talk) 06:30, 21 January 2012 (UTC)
 * Thank you! --Mondotta (talk) 15:27, 21 January 2012 (UTC)

Every episode has an alien?
The article contains this line in the Production section, sourced to the Season 1 Commentary:

"Each episode aired has a hidden 'visitor' or alien that makes a secret appearance that is very difficult to spot even when trying to look for it."

Is this supposed to mean every single episode of South Park has an alien, or just Season 1? That's the season I'm the least familiar with, so that wouldn't surprise me, but it would blow my mind if they repeated this motif over the course of 15 seasons.

Anyone care to fill me in? 216.20.152.85 (talk) 04:53, 7 February 2012 (UTC)


 * The partial sentence about the aliens that you mention was added today, and its attribution to the season 1 commentary was incorrect. I have now corrected the sentence the following way:


 * "However, the crew started hiding aliens in the background in many South Park episodes, as an easter egg for fans; a tradition that goes back to Parker and Stone's first major collaboration, the 1993 independent film Cannibal! The Musical."


 * There are a lot of visitors hidden, but not in every episode, and I think the practice has been used less and less as the seasons progressed. There are fan websites that catalogue the aliens that appear. I remember reading that the aliens are often added by ex-animation director Eric Stough in the last minute. --Mondotta (talk) 10:53, 7 February 2012 (UTC)

"Carnivalesque"
Am I the only person put off by the pomo, first-year English-lit-major mention of Bakhtin and the carnivalesque? Doesn't it seem pointless to mention such when Bakhtin and "the carnivalesque" have been invoked in reference to anything vaguely satirical and/or "naughty"? It's like discussing Freudian theory in every article that mentions cigars. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.98.117.119 (talk • contribs) 16:55, 7 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Thanks for your input, but at Wikipedia we summarize what has been published on a topic. Reputable scholars published that essay on the carnivalesque. Wadewitz (talk) 02:48, 8 February 2012 (UTC)
 * Yes, I quite agree. I read it and thought "here we go again". The scholars may be reputable but the language don't half stink: "linguistic games that challenge official discourse" in the lede. I ask you. Ericoides (talk) 13:37, 9 February 2012 (UTC)


 * While I understand where you are coming from, Wadewitz, I don't think discussion of the carnivalesque sheds any real light on "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe". It seems instead that "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" is being used as an entree into a discussion of the carnivalesque, not the other way around. I think this content would be better placed in that article, not this one. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.98.117.119 (talk • contribs) 13:57, 9 February 2012 (UTC)

Cartman Gets an Anal Probe vs. Murder of Julia Martha Thomas
Compare vs.
 * = appeared at TFA, Today's featured article/February 7, 2012.
 * = appeared at TFA, Today's featured article/March 2, 2012.
 * See also this discussion at the talk page of the Main Page. (permalink)

All the complaints over this article and seemingly none about Murder of Julia Martha Thomas. Quite fascinating, I wonder why that is? &mdash; Cirt (talk) 22:09, 2 March 2012 (UTC)
 * Apparently you can't use the word "anal" without people complaining... Prioryman (talk) 22:50, 2 March 2012 (UTC)
 * I was totally offended! For so long I have lusted over the best human dripping to cook with my girl scout pies! And this article tells me the dripping i bought from that Irish Woman was probably fake?! An Anal probe is a perfectly legit medical process! This TFA is a fraud! No, honestly wut wut, I seriously doub't people would complain because their title scimmers. Pretty depressing. But these arguments can be pretty...amusing ^_^ Nutthida (talk) 23:08, 2 March 2012 (UTC)


 * http://stats.grok.se/en/latest/Cartman_Gets_an_Anal_Probe
 * http://stats.grok.se/en/latest/Murder_of_Julia_Martha_Thomas
 * (latter should update soon…)
 * NB: Jenna Jameson should do a film called Jenna Jameson Gets a Vaginal Probe. Then do a FA…
 * Alarbus (talk) 23:40, 2 March 2012 (UTC)
 * Here's an idea: get Vagina Monologues to TFA and see how many people complain. Some will, I'm sure of it. Such is life... Prioryman (talk) 23:46, 2 March 2012 (UTC)
 * Maybe a job for User:Jokestress (Andrea James). Alarbus (talk) 00:00, 3 March 2012 (UTC)

Omission?
Did they steal this idea from the kids in the hall? or are alien anal probes kind of like a jazz standard? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 149.171.173.56 (talk) 03:32, 30 July 2014 (UTC)

Isn't it usual to list those who voiced the characters of an animated show or short piece? Is there a reason the cast isn't included here, or anything about them in the Production section? Just wondering...--TEHodson 21:03, 7 February 2012 (UTC)


 * I think simply because all of the voices in the end product were done by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman and Isaac Hayes. I do know there were additional voice actors and actresses in the unaired Pilot though, before Mary Kay Bergman was hired. --24.12.214.185 (talk) 01:19, 8 February 2012 (UTC)


 * If you can find some reputable sources about the cast along with some important details for that section, please do add the material. It is often hard to find sources for this specific episode. Wadewitz (talk) 02:49, 8 February 2012 (UTC)