Butters Stotch
Encyclopedia
Leopold "Butters" Stotch is a fictional character
in the animated television series South Park
. He is voiced by series co-creator Matt Stone
and loosely based on co-producer Eric Stough
. He is a fourth-grade student who commonly has extraordinary experiences not typical of conventional small-town life in his fictional hometown of South Park, Colorado
. Butters is cheerful, naive, optimistic, and more passive relative to the show's other child characters, and can become increasingly anxious, especially when faced with the likelihood of his parents' punishments.
Butters debuted as a background character when South Park first aired on August 13, 1997, and his role gradually increased as the series progressed, beginning with the show's sixth season
(2002).
's 4th grade class. In "AWESOM-O
", he says his birthday is on September 11th. During the show's first 58 episodes (1997 through the season four
episode "4th Grade" in 2000), Butters and the other main child characters were in the third grade
. He lives in South Park as the only child of Stephen and Linda Stotch, by whom he perpetually faces the looming prospect of getting grounded. When the character of Kenny McCormick
was temporarily written off the show
near the end of the fifth season
(2001), Stan Marsh
, Kyle Broflovski
, and Cartman allow Butters into their group as the "fourth friend", a role he continued to fill until midway through season six. During this period, the boys would often take advantage of Butters's mild temperament by making him a stooge in their own personal schemes. The three eventually ousted him in favor of Tweek Tweak.
As a result, Butters vengefully adopted the alter ego of Professor Chaos, a character which references Captain Chaos
, the alter "super" ego of Dom Delouise's Victor Prinzim in Cannonball Run
. Intending to be a supervillain, Professor Chaos wears a green cape, and a helmet and gauntlets constructed out of cardboard and aluminum foil (a parody of Marvel Comic's Dr. Doom ). Butters as Professor Chaos received much focus during the back-to-back episodes "Professor Chaos" and "Simpsons Already Did It
", where he took on his younger friend Dougie as his sidekick General Disarray and ultimately failed at their several ill-prepared attempts to create "worldwide chaos". Professor Chaos has occasionally made a few appearances since, appearing to be a known supervillain to South Park's police force. Despite being displaced from both his role as the "fourth friend" and from the eventual return of Kenny, Butters has continued to be a major character in recent seasons. Still the social outcast, he has nevertheless been seen spending considerable amount of time with the other children, and continues to be a frequent source of help to Cartman, while also being the main victim of Cartman's pranks and manipulation (for instance in the season 11 episode "Cartman Sucks
" Cartman goes on numerous sleepovers with Butters so he can pull pranks on him while he sleeps). Though the act is customarily performed by Stan or Kyle, Butters will occasionally reflect on the lessons he has attained during the course of an episode with a brief speech, and will sometimes muster up enough courage to act as the voice of reason when his parents or other adults in town engage in irrational behavior.
On August 13, 1997, Butters first appeared as a background character when South Park debuted on Comedy Central
with the episode "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe
". For the episode, the character was composed of construction paper
cutouts and animated through the use of stop motion
. Since then, like all other characters on the show, Butters has been animated with computer software, though he is portrayed to give the impression that the show still utilizes its original technique. In the tradition of the show's animation style
, Butters is composed of simple geometrical shapes and colors. He is not offered the same free range of motion associated with hand-drawn characters; his character is mostly shown from only one angle, and his movements are animated in an intentionally jerky fashion. Butters' birthday is September 11. Butters has a large tuft of blond hair on top of his head, and is usually depicted wearing an aquamarine jacket with dark green pants. When voicing Butters, Stone speaks within his normal vocal range while adding a child-like inflection, a slight stutter and a Southern accent
. The recorded audio is then edited with Pro Tools
, and the pitch is altered to make the voice sound more like that of a fourth grader.
, whom Stone and Trey Parker
regard as a "goody-goody" because of his reluctance to offend. The nickname "Butters" evolved from Parker and Stone calling Stough "little buddy" for about three years.
Prior to making his first major speaking appearance in the episode "Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub
", crew members referred to the character as "Puff Puff" and "Swanson". Butters gradually became one of Parker and Stone's favorite characters, and for the show's season five finale they created the episode
"Butters' Very Own Episode
," which revolves entirely around Butters and his parents. The intention was to give the character a proper introduction to the South Park audience and prepare them for the larger role he would come to play in further seasons. Butters eventually took part in more and more scenes in which he is paired with Cartman, and Parker declares that the scenes involving the two together are his favorite of the series. Butters had no dialog in the 1999 film South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, though he did "ooh" and grunt during separate scenes. In a 2009 audio commentary for the Blu-Ray edition of the film, Parker and Stone expressed shock at how little the character was used, and agreed that any South Park movie made today would demand he play a role in the plot.
s; "oh hamburger
s" is one he uses frequently. Butters speaks with a mild stutter and tends to fidget with his hands. The other characters perceive him as "nerdy", and he obliviously maintains a wholesome attitude and mild disposition despite the tragedy and abuse that he frequently encounters. His happy-go-lucky persona has been described as resembling that of a typical 1950s sitcom child character, and is usually presented in stark contrast to the harsh treatment he receives at the hands of his friends and strict parents, including his mother's attempt to murder him after discovering his father's bisexuality. Stone describes him as embodying "permanent innocence". Butters however sees himself as a problem child because his parents tell him so and often expresses remorse at being "out-of-control".
, which was reissued straight-to-DVD
as a full-length feature in 2008. Butters is the main playable character in South Park Imaginationland, a mobile game for the iPhone
loosely based on the show's Imaginationland trilogy of episodes. In the video game South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play!, Butters can be selected as a playable character used to establish a tower defense
against the game's antagonists.
A DVD box set of 13 Butters-centric episodes, A Little Box of Butters, was released in September, 2010.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the animated television series South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
. He is voiced by series co-creator Matt Stone
Matt Stone
Matthew Richard "Matt" Stone is an American screenwriter, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of South Park along with creative partner and best friend, Trey Parker....
and loosely based on co-producer Eric Stough
Eric Stough
Eric Stough is the animation director and producer of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning television series South Park. He was also the animation director of South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and has worked with Parker and Stone on Orgazmo, Team America: World Police and the Broadway hit The Book...
. He is a fourth-grade student who commonly has extraordinary experiences not typical of conventional small-town life in his fictional hometown of South Park, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Butters is cheerful, naive, optimistic, and more passive relative to the show's other child characters, and can become increasingly anxious, especially when faced with the likelihood of his parents' punishments.
Butters debuted as a background character when South Park first aired on August 13, 1997, and his role gradually increased as the series progressed, beginning with the show's sixth season
South Park (season 6)
Season six of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on March 6, 2002. The sixth season concluded after 17 episodes on December 11, 2002. This season is notable for being the only one without Kenny as a main character, as he was...
(2002).
Role in South Park
Butters attends South Park Elementary as part of Mr. GarrisonHerbert Garrison
Mr. Herbert Garrison is a recurring character in the American animated television series South Park. He is voiced by Trey Parker. For the first eight seasons of the series, the character was known as Mr. Garrison but underwent sex reassignment surgery in the season 9 episode "Mr. Garrison's Fancy...
's 4th grade class. In "AWESOM-O
AWESOM-O
"AWESOM-O" is the 116th episode of the Comedy Central animated cartoon series South Park. It was originally broadcast on April 14, 2004.-Plot:...
", he says his birthday is on September 11th. During the show's first 58 episodes (1997 through the season four
South Park (season 4)
Season four of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on April 5, 2000. The fourth season concluded after 17 episodes on December 20, 2000.- Episodes :-External links:...
episode "4th Grade" in 2000), Butters and the other main child characters were in the third grade
Third grade
In the United States, third grade is a year of primary education. It is the third school year after kindergarten. Students are usually 8 – 9 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
. He lives in South Park as the only child of Stephen and Linda Stotch, by whom he perpetually faces the looming prospect of getting grounded. When the character of Kenny McCormick
Kenny McCormick
Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is one of the four central characters along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Eric Cartman. His oft-muffled and indiscernible speech—the result of his parka hood covering his...
was temporarily written off the show
Kenny Dies
"Kenny Dies" is the thirteenth episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 78th episode of the series overall. "Kenny Dies" originally aired in the United States on December 5, 2001 on Comedy Central. In the episode, Cartman comes across a truckload of fetuses...
near the end of the fifth season
South Park (season 5)
Season five of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on June 20, 2001. The fifth season concluded after 14 episodes on December 12, 2001...
(2001), Stan Marsh
Stan Marsh
Stanley Randall "Stan" Marsh is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by and loosely based on series co-creator Trey Parker. Stan is one of the show's four central characters, along with his friends Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman...
, Kyle Broflovski
Kyle Broflovski
Kyle Broflovski is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is voiced by co-creator Matt Stone. Kyle is one of the show's four central characters, along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman...
, and Cartman allow Butters into their group as the "fourth friend", a role he continued to fill until midway through season six. During this period, the boys would often take advantage of Butters's mild temperament by making him a stooge in their own personal schemes. The three eventually ousted him in favor of Tweek Tweak.
As a result, Butters vengefully adopted the alter ego of Professor Chaos, a character which references Captain Chaos
Captain Chaos
Captain Chaos is a fictional character in the Cannonball Run movie series. He is the alter-ego of mild-mannered mechanic Victor Prinzim .Whenever Victor or any of his friends are being threatened, Victor is instantly compelled to don his satin cape and mask to become Captain Chaos...
, the alter "super" ego of Dom Delouise's Victor Prinzim in Cannonball Run
Cannonball Run
Cannonball Run may refer to:* Erwin Baker's 1933 NYC to LA drive* Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an outlaw automobile race, memorializing Erwin Baker's drive.* Films inspired by the race;...
. Intending to be a supervillain, Professor Chaos wears a green cape, and a helmet and gauntlets constructed out of cardboard and aluminum foil (a parody of Marvel Comic's Dr. Doom ). Butters as Professor Chaos received much focus during the back-to-back episodes "Professor Chaos" and "Simpsons Already Did It
Simpsons Already Did It
"Simpsons Already Did It" is the seventh episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 86th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on June 26, 2002...
", where he took on his younger friend Dougie as his sidekick General Disarray and ultimately failed at their several ill-prepared attempts to create "worldwide chaos". Professor Chaos has occasionally made a few appearances since, appearing to be a known supervillain to South Park's police force. Despite being displaced from both his role as the "fourth friend" and from the eventual return of Kenny, Butters has continued to be a major character in recent seasons. Still the social outcast, he has nevertheless been seen spending considerable amount of time with the other children, and continues to be a frequent source of help to Cartman, while also being the main victim of Cartman's pranks and manipulation (for instance in the season 11 episode "Cartman Sucks
Cartman Sucks
"Cartman Sucks" is episode 1102 of Comedy Central's "South Park" and the second episode of the show's 11th season. It originally aired on March 14, 2007...
" Cartman goes on numerous sleepovers with Butters so he can pull pranks on him while he sleeps). Though the act is customarily performed by Stan or Kyle, Butters will occasionally reflect on the lessons he has attained during the course of an episode with a brief speech, and will sometimes muster up enough courage to act as the voice of reason when his parents or other adults in town engage in irrational behavior.
Creation and design
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
with the episode "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe
Cartman Gets an Anal Probe
"Cartman Gets an Anal Probe" is the first episode of the animated television series South Park. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on August 13, 1997...
". For the episode, the character was composed of construction paper
Construction paper
Construction paper is a tough, coarse, colored paper. The texture is slightly rough, and the surface is unfinished. Due to the source material, small particles are visible on the paper’s surface. It is used for projects or crafts....
cutouts and animated through the use of stop motion
Stop motion
Stop motion is an animation technique to make a physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence...
. Since then, like all other characters on the show, Butters has been animated with computer software, though he is portrayed to give the impression that the show still utilizes its original technique. In the tradition of the show's animation style
Cutout animation
Cutout animation is a technique for producing animations using flat characters, props and backgrounds cut from materials such as paper, card, stiff fabric or even photographs...
, Butters is composed of simple geometrical shapes and colors. He is not offered the same free range of motion associated with hand-drawn characters; his character is mostly shown from only one angle, and his movements are animated in an intentionally jerky fashion. Butters' birthday is September 11. Butters has a large tuft of blond hair on top of his head, and is usually depicted wearing an aquamarine jacket with dark green pants. When voicing Butters, Stone speaks within his normal vocal range while adding a child-like inflection, a slight stutter and a Southern accent
Southern American English
Southern American English is a group of dialects of the English language spoken throughout the Southern region of the United States, from Southern and Eastern Maryland, West Virginia and Kentucky to the Gulf Coast, and from the Atlantic coast to most of Texas and Oklahoma.The Southern dialects make...
. The recorded audio is then edited with Pro Tools
Pro Tools
Pro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
, and the pitch is altered to make the voice sound more like that of a fourth grader.
Development
The character is loosely based on South Park co-producer Eric StoughEric Stough
Eric Stough is the animation director and producer of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning television series South Park. He was also the animation director of South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and has worked with Parker and Stone on Orgazmo, Team America: World Police and the Broadway hit The Book...
, whom Stone and Trey Parker
Trey Parker
Trey Parker is an American animator, screenwriter, director, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of the television series South Park along with his creative partner and best friend Matt Stone.Parker started his film career in 1992, making a holiday short...
regard as a "goody-goody" because of his reluctance to offend. The nickname "Butters" evolved from Parker and Stone calling Stough "little buddy" for about three years.
Prior to making his first major speaking appearance in the episode "Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub
Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub
"Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub" is the 39th episode of Comedy Central's South Park. It is part two of the The Meteor Shower Trilogy. It originally aired on July 21, 1999. It revolves around the character of Stan. This episode is noted for being the episode in which Butters Stotch is introduced as a...
", crew members referred to the character as "Puff Puff" and "Swanson". Butters gradually became one of Parker and Stone's favorite characters, and for the show's season five finale they created the episode
"Butters' Very Own Episode
Butters' Very Own Episode
"Butters' Very Own Episode" is the fourteenth and final episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 79th episode of the series overall. "Butters' Very Own Episode" originally aired in the United States on Comedy Central on December 12, 2001...
," which revolves entirely around Butters and his parents. The intention was to give the character a proper introduction to the South Park audience and prepare them for the larger role he would come to play in further seasons. Butters eventually took part in more and more scenes in which he is paired with Cartman, and Parker declares that the scenes involving the two together are his favorite of the series. Butters had no dialog in the 1999 film South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, though he did "ooh" and grunt during separate scenes. In a 2009 audio commentary for the Blu-Ray edition of the film, Parker and Stone expressed shock at how little the character was used, and agreed that any South Park movie made today would demand he play a role in the plot.
Personality and traits
Though using profanity on occasion, Butters doesn't indulge in foul-mouthed language as often as the other children on the show, instead preferring to use minced oathMinced oath
A minced oath is an expression based on a profanity or a taboo term that has been altered to reduce the objectionable characteristics.Many languages have such expressions...
s; "oh hamburger
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
s" is one he uses frequently. Butters speaks with a mild stutter and tends to fidget with his hands. The other characters perceive him as "nerdy", and he obliviously maintains a wholesome attitude and mild disposition despite the tragedy and abuse that he frequently encounters. His happy-go-lucky persona has been described as resembling that of a typical 1950s sitcom child character, and is usually presented in stark contrast to the harsh treatment he receives at the hands of his friends and strict parents, including his mother's attempt to murder him after discovering his father's bisexuality. Stone describes him as embodying "permanent innocence". Butters however sees himself as a problem child because his parents tell him so and often expresses remorse at being "out-of-control".
In other media
Butters played a major role in the three-episode "Imaginationland" story arcStory arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
, which was reissued straight-to-DVD
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
as a full-length feature in 2008. Butters is the main playable character in South Park Imaginationland, a mobile game for the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
loosely based on the show's Imaginationland trilogy of episodes. In the video game South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play!, Butters can be selected as a playable character used to establish a tower defense
Tower defense
Tower defense is a subgenre of real-time strategy computer games.The goal of tower defense games is to try to stop enemies from crossing a map by building towers which shoot at them as they pass. Enemies and towers usually have varied abilities, costs, and ability costs...
against the game's antagonists.
A DVD box set of 13 Butters-centric episodes, A Little Box of Butters, was released in September, 2010.
External links
- Leopold "Butters" Stotch at South Park Studios