Comedy doesn't just come from nowhere. Years of experiences and traumas shape a person's sense of humor. This is particularly true for comedy writers like South Park's co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. Even though these two appear to have been born with insanely impressive comedic abilities, they've, in fact, developed them over many years. Perhaps one of the ways they've become so skilled at masterful, deceptively intelligent, and uproariously funny screenwriting is how they actually write the show. The intense one-week schedule leaves little time for overthinking. Instead, they just have to go with their gut. Eventually, this kind of boot camp writing makes you a master. But Matt and Trey have a lot of things to draw upon... including real-life people who've unwittingly inspired some of their most beloved characters.

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While it may come as a shock to some fans, especially those who can't seem to get over the fact that Casa Bonita is a real place, it is true that characters like Kenny, Mr. Mackey, and even Cartman are real. Well... they're sort of real... Here's the truth about the people who inspired the characters of South Park...

Kenny In South Park Was A Real Person

One of the many interesting facts about South Park is that Stan and Kyle are stand-ins for Matt and Trey's ideologies. In an increasingly polarized world where the Right has become more Right and the Left has become more Left, Matt and Trey can't seem to find a home. This is why Stan and Kyle are often stuck the middle of most of the town's conflicts while other characters, such as Cartman, are quicker to align themselves with an extreme. But you can't really say that Stan and Kyle are directly based on Matt and Trey. Kenny, on the other hand, is directly based on a real person.

During a 2017 interview on the 7 PM Project, Matt and Trey explained a little bit about the inspiration for Kenny, one of the most beloved adult characters on the show, and even a very Christmasy poo...

"Kenny's based on a real-life person, I understand. How does that real-life Kenny feel about [his portrayal]?" the interviewer asked Matt and Trey.

"He was based on one of your friends, right?" Matt asked Trey.

"I grew up with Kyle and Kenny, " Trey explained.

In an interview from 2000, Trey explained that the real-life Kenny was also one of the poorest kids in the neighborhood and even wore an orange parka that would obscure his face. And yes, it was really hard for people to understand what he was saying. So, aside from the fact that the real-life Kenny didn't always die and miraculously come back to life at the start of each episode, it appears as though he offered Trey a ton of inspiration.

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What Other Character Are Based On Real People In South Park?

"The truth is, all of the characters on the show are based on a lot of different people," Trey continued in the previously mentioned 7 PM Project interview. "But the worst one is, and he could sue us, I had a counselor named Mr. Lackey [who was the inspiration for Mr. Mackey]. And it was the first time I started doing voices because he would walk down the hallways and go, [in his Mr. Mackey voice] 'How's it going today, boys?' And we'd all go, [in his Mr. Mackey voice again] 'Fine, Mr. Lackey, how are you doing, okay?' And he never knew that we were all doing his voice back to him."

Of course, this definitely helped Trey construct the often oblivious and out-of-touch school counselor at South Park Elementary.

"What about Mr. Hankey The Christmas Poo?" one of the other interviewers asked jokingly.

"He's based on a real person, yes,' Trey joked back. However, Trey actually did base the ridiculous South Park character on a real-life experience. When Trey was young, he got into the habit of forgetting to flush the toilet. His dad, who was tired of walking into the bathroom and seeing a ginormous floaty in the porcelain throne, told Trey that if he continued to forget to flush that the poo would come alive and eat him. While this could have been a throw-away experience, Trey actually channeled it into the least cuddly Christmas character ever created.

Who Is Eric Cartman Based On?

If Eric Cartman was actually real, we'd all be doomed. Matt and Trey have even stated that Cartman is the character the represents the worst of humanity. He does and says everything that crosses our minds but that we fail to act on due to having a moral compass and, you know... compassion. Still, Matt and Trey did draw inspiration from two individuals while creating Cartman.

The first wasn't actually a real person but a character... Archie Bunker from All In The Family. Matt and Trey loved the totally politically incorrect character and wanted to replicate him. However, they didn't think that the character would fly in the late 1990s. The only way they could get away with it is if they made him a foul-mouthed little kid...

Matt Karpman Inspired Eric Cartman In South Park

But Cartman's name and general personality were based on a real-life person... Matt Karpman, a friend of Matt and Trey. Matt was known for being a bit overweight, pretty obnoxious, and extremely talented at nasty comebacks.

While he wasn't the downright awful person that the character ultimately became, many of his mannerisms helped breathe life into what is ultimately one of the best characters ever created.