Trey Parker

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Trey Parker
Parker at The Amazing Meeting on January 20, 2007
Born
Randolph Severn Parker III
Other namesJuan Shwartz
Years active1989 to present
SpouseEmma Sugiyama (2006 to present)

Randolph Severn "Trey" Parker III (born October 19, 1969) is an Academy Award nominated American animator, screenwriter, film director, voice actor, actor and musician. He is most noted as one of the creators of the animated series South Park along with Matt Stone.

Biography

Randolph Severn Parker III was born in Conifer, Colorado, and is the younger of two children born to Randy Parker and Sharon Parker (who are the basis for South Park characters Randy and Sharon Marsh). He has an older sister named Shelley (who is the basis for Shelley Marsh). Parker's father set out to raise him in the Buddhist teachings of Alan Watts, the philosopher.[1] In 1985, Parker and his friend Dave Goodman (who was also a co-writer with Parker in South Park in a few episodes from season 1 to season 3) recorded an album titled Immature: A Collection of Love Ballads For The '80's Man on cassette, that was released in 1987 and afterwards a few copies were sold on eBay. Parker attended West Jefferson Junior High School and Evergreen High School in Evergreen, Colorado, where he was voted class clown. He graduated from Evergreen High School in 1988.

Parker went to Berklee College of Music in Boston before transferring to the University of Colorado, where he met Matt Stone. He majored in music, and, with a goal to someday score films, took classes to learn more about the film-making process. He made several animated shorts while attending the university, including American History which won a Student Academy Award, and The Spirit of Christmas: Jesus vs. Frosty with Matt Stone. Whether or not he was kicked out has often been debated, but Parker confirmed in a South Park Studios interview that the reason for this was that he didn't go to class for "nearly a semester" due to filming Cannibal the Musical.

Parker's first live action film was a feature length piece about Alferd Packer, a Colorado miner who was the first person convicted of cannibalism in America. A trailer was shot over the summer, and was used to help raise enough funds to shoot the film. Alferd Packer, The Musical began filming during spring break in 1993. Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma Entertainment, wanted to name it Fudge Packer, the Musical, but was unsuccessful in his efforts. It was renamed Cannibal! The Musical when Troma picked up the film for distribution in 1996.

Parker's college film caught the eye of Brian Graden, a Fox executive. In 1995, Graden commissioned Stone and Parker to create a video Christmas card based on their animated college short. The Spirit of Christmas: Jesus vs. Santa was the result—a five minute short that featured an uncensored Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman and Kenny McCormick watching Jesus and Santa battle it out for ownership of Christmas.

That same year, Parker created a pilot for Fox called Time Warped—a "musical romp through time" featuring a story about Aaron and Moses. Fox felt the idea would work better as a children's show so a new pilot, Rom & Jul was made for Fox Kids—a Romeo and Juliet-esque story about a Homo erectus and Australopithecus who fall in love despite the conflict between their species.

Parker wrote, directed and starred in his second feature film, Orgazmo, in 1997, about a wholesome Mormon who becomes a celebrity in the Los Angeles adult film world. Due to the NC-17 rating given by the Motion Picture Association of America it was not widely released.

Parker and Stone were then hired by Comedy Central to create a show based on the animated characters from The Spirit of Christmas: Jesus vs. Santa. The show tested poorly with audiences, but Comedy Central decided to pick it up for six episodes anyway. South Park made its debut on August 13, 1997, and has since gone on to be the highest-rated original series in the network's history.

File:Yasminebleethtreyparkerbaseketball.jpg
Trey Parker with Yasmine Bleeth in BASEketball.

In 1998, Parker starred with Stone, Dian Bachar and Yasmine Bleeth in BASEketball, directed by David Zucker of Airplane! and Naked Gun fame. The story follows a group of friends who take their homemade game from neighborhood driveways to the professional sports world. Parker rips on himself in the South Park episode, "The Passion of the Jew": Stan demands his money back after seeing the The Passion of the Christ, saying he should be able to get his money back "just like they did for BASEketball".

In the summer of 1999, Parker and Stone released their critically acclaimed feature length film, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, which was a musical. "Blame Canada", a song written by Parker and Marc Shaiman, was nominated for Best Song at the Academy Awards. The award was lost to Phil Collins, who was spoofed in later episodes of South Park.

After a contract renegotiation in 2000, three more seasons were added to South Park and Parker and Stone had a deal to create a live action sitcom. Their idea was to parody standard-issue network sitcoms by depicting the Commander in Chief as a wacky, lovable stock-character caught in outrageous situations involving contemporary hotbed political issues. Its main character was to be whoever won the 2000 Presidential election—scripts were prepared for both George W. Bush and Al Gore. In 2001, That's My Bush! premiered. It was not brought back for a second season due to its high costs (reportedly US$700,000 per episode) and meager ratings. Another contract negotiation in 2003 picked up South Park for a ninth season, with an option to pick up a tenth.

Trey's next project was Team America: World Police. It is a satirical action movie (reportedly based on Jerry Bruckheimer's numerous productions, with special attention to those directed by Michael Bay) starring marionettes reminiscent of the Thunderbirds TV series from the 1960s. It depicts a special, all-American police force trying to save the world from terrorists with mixed results, despite their dedication to the American dream. It was released in October 2004.

On September 9, 2005, Comedy Central struck a deal with Parker and Stone for three more seasons of the show up until season 12. This surprised fans[citation needed] because both Trey and Matt had publicly spoken about being "bummed out" and "not wanting to do anything" after doing Team America.

There is currently talk that Parker and Stone are creating a stage musical with Avenue Q creators Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx.[2] They also have plans to form a production company, possibly with Paramount. In 2006, Parker and Stone signed a three-year production deal with Paramount Pictures. They named their new banner Trunity, a Mediar company, a division of True Mediar, a Unity Corpbopoly. Paramount and Comedy Central are both owned by Viacom, and have continued to be housed under the same umbrella even after the parent company split into two entities at the end of 2005.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are planning two new movies. First, "My All American", which will be a comedy set in high school, set for release in 2008. Second, "Giant Monsters Attack Japan!", which will feature "Men in rubber suits" as a homage to Godzilla, set for release in 2009.[1] Parker has also most recently performed the theme song for the Adult Swim show Saul of the Molemen. On August 26, 2007, the New York Times reported that Parker and Stone had signed a contract with Comedy Central for three more South Park seasons after season 12, bringing the total to 15 seasons.[3]

On September 28, 2007, Parker and Stone acquired the rights to the Canadian-made Kenny vs. Spenny[4] which is expected to premiere November 14, 2007 on Comedy Central with ten old and new episodes.

Trey resides in Los Angeles, CA.

Religious beliefs

Although Parker regularly mocks religious organizations on South Park, he is also known to mock many ideas considered secular. On a September 2006 airing of the ABC newsmagazine Nightline, Parker articulated his position:

"Basically...out of all the ridiculous religion stories—which are greatly, wonderfully ridiculous—the silliest one I've ever heard is..."yeah...there's this big giant universe and it's expanding, it's all gonna collapse on itself and we're all just here 'just 'cause...just 'cause". That, to me, is the most ridiculous explanation ever."[5]

When asked by the interviewer, Jake Tapper, if he believes in God, Parker replied "Yeah." He cautioned that it would take a long time to explain exactly what he meant by his belief in God. Stone subsequently quipped, "I still don't understand it."

Filmography

Year Title Role Type
1989 The Giant Beavers of Sri Lanka ? Short film
1990 First Date ? Short film
1991 American History Creator Animated short
1992 Jesus vs. Frosty Co-creator Animated short
1995 Your Studio and You Director Short film
Jesus vs. Santa Co-creator Animated Short
Time Warped Creator, actor, and composer TV series (not aired)
1996 Cannibal! The Musical Actor, composer, co-writer, and director Film
1997 Orgazmo Actor, co-writer, and director Film
South Park co-creator, voices, writer, director, and executive producer TV series (1997-present)
1998 BASEketball Actor Film
1999 South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut Voiceactor, additional music and lyrics, co-writer, and director Film
How's Your News? Executive producer Film
2000 Even If You Don't by Ween Director Music video
2001 That's My Bush! Co-creator, writer, executive producer, theme composer and performer TV series (cancelled)
2003 Princess Co-writer, voices, producer, and director Animated short
2004 Team America: World Police Co-writer, voiceactor, producer, and director Film
2005 The Aristocrats Guest appearance, voiceactor Film
2007 Kenny vs. Spenny Executive Producer TV series (2003 - present)

Miscellaneous

Voices on South Park

File:StanMarsh.svg
Stan Marsh, child from South Park based on Trey.

References

  1. ^ http://www.reason.com/news/show/116787.html Reason Magazine Interview
  2. ^ Maupin, Elizabeth (2006-11-26). "Swimming with big fish". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2007-03-22.
  3. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/27/business/media/27south.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
  4. ^ Cdn. show hits Comedy Central
  5. ^ Nightline: Parker Interview, Sept, 2006.

External links

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