Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus
Encyclopedia
"Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus" is the second season
South Park (season 2)
Season two of South Park, an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, began airing on April 1, 1998. The second season concluded after 18 episodes on January 20, 1999...

 premiere of 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...

, and the 14th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....

 in the United States on April 1, 1998. The episode follows the two titular characters, a duo of Canadians who attempt to save their country from the dictator Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...

 while performing repetitive toilet humour. Unbeknown to them, the plan was partially set up by their rival, Scott, a critic who is often displeased by their random jokes of flatulence
Flatulence
Flatulence is the expulsion through the rectum of a mixture of gases that are byproducts of the digestion process of mammals and other animals. The medical term for the mixture of gases is flatus, informally known as a fart, or simply gas...

. The script was written by series co-creators 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...

 and 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....

, along with writer Trisha Nixon.

The episode was an April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...

 prank on South Park fans, who were waiting to learn the identity of Cartman
Eric Cartman
Eric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...

's father after the cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...

 ending of the first season
South Park (season 1)
The first season of the American animated television series South Park initially ran for 13 episodes on the US network Comedy Central, from August 13, 1997 to February 25, 1998. The creators of the series, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, wrote and directed most of the season's episodes, while Dan...

 finale, "Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut
Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut
"Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut" is the first season finale of the animated television series South Park, and the 13th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on February 25, 1998. It is part one of a two-episode story arc, which concluded with...

". The prank angered viewers, and resulted in 2,000 angry e-mail complaints to Comedy Central within a week of the original broadcast. The broadcast date of the subsequent episode, "Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut
Cartman's Mom is Still a Dirty Slut
"Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut" is the second episode of the second season of the animated series South Park, and the 15th episode of the series overall. It premiered on Comedy Central in the United States on April 22, 1998...

", was moved up in response to the angry response. "Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus" received generally mixed reviews, with some commentators criticizing Parker and Stone for "duping" their viewers, and others praising them for taking the risk. The creators cited this episode as their favorite and response to it has become warmer since.

Plot

The episode begins with an announcement that viewers have waited four weeks for the answer to the mystery "Who Is Cartman's Father
Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut
"Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut" is the first season finale of the animated television series South Park, and the 13th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on February 25, 1998. It is part one of a two-episode story arc, which concluded with...

", but then points out that the answer will not be revealed in this episode; instead, there is a presentation of Not Without My Anus starring Terrance and Phillip. A caption wishes the viewers a happy April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...

. The drama itself opens in a courtroom in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, with Terrance on trial for the murder of a local doctor; Phillip is his lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

 while Terrance and Phillip's sworn nemesis, Scott, who has had a long hatred of the duo's toilet humour, is acting as the prosecutor. Scott uses a group of seemingly airtight exhibits such as a hammer, a piece of Terrance's shirt, and an incriminating haiku
Haiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...

 to prove Terrance's guilt, while Terrance's defense consists of nothing but a long string of fart jokes. Ultimately, the jury returns a verdict of not guilty. Angered, Scott promises vengeance. He is ultimately approached by Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

i dictator Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...

, proposing a deal: Saddam would assist in getting Terrance and Phillip out of Canada, in exchange for Scott assisting Saddam and his Iraqi associates into Canada. Scott is apprehensive about trusting Saddam, but agrees to the deal. The pair then conspires to kidnap Sally, daughter to Terrance and Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...

, and hold her hostage, as bait to lure Terrance and Phillip to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...

; Saddam's soldiers would then murder Terrance and Phillip on arrival.

Terrance and Phillip become aware of the kidnapping when they receive a letter, but they immediately locate Sally, unguarded, upon arrival in Tehran. Indifferently, the duo return Sally to her home, where Saddam has now taken control. Terrance's ex-wife, Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...

, is now dating, and has become pregnant by, a friend of the duo named Ugly Bob, who rather looks very much like them. While the couple discuss their relationship, Saddam interrupts and takes them hostage, with Celine having planned to sing at the "Roughrider
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...

 - Rough Rider
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...

  Football Game." Scott has also become worried about the presence of the Iraqi soldiers in Canada, but becomes infuriated when he finds that Terrance and Phillip have returned to Canada safely. He confronts Saddam about the double-cross, but Saddam's armed guards scare him into backing away. It is revealed that Saddam is trying to take over Canada as the first step in a plan for world domination. Terrance and Phillip arrive at the game. Instead of following a plan set up by Scott to commit suicide by using a bomb they come up with a new plan and put on gas masks. With brute force everyone farts a huge gas cloud which kills Saddam and his soldiers. Scott arrives, and is annoyed to find not only that Terrance and Phillip are still alive, but "that after all [his] criticism, it was farting that saved Canada". Terrance, Phillip, Celine, and everyone else (excluding Scott) celebrate their freedom with a rendition of "O Canada
O Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...

". During the credits, an announcement is made that the solution to who Cartman's father is would be answered in a few weeks.

Production

"Terrance and Philip in Not Without My Anus" was written by Trisha Nixon and South Park co-creators 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...

 and 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 directed by Parker. It was the second season premiere and first episode centered completely around Terrance and Phillip, fictional cartoon characters within the South Park show.

The episode, which first aired aired April 1, 1998, was an April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day
April Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...

 prank by Parker and Stone on South Park fans, who were anxiously waiting to learn the identity of Cartman
Eric Cartman
Eric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...

's father after the cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...

 ending of "Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut
Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut
"Cartman's Mom Is a Dirty Slut" is the first season finale of the animated television series South Park, and the 13th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on February 25, 1998. It is part one of a two-episode story arc, which concluded with...

", the first season
South Park (season 1)
The first season of the American animated television series South Park initially ran for 13 episodes on the US network Comedy Central, from August 13, 1997 to February 25, 1998. The creators of the series, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, wrote and directed most of the season's episodes, while Dan...

 finale. Instead, Parker and Stone presented an episode entirely focused on a Terrance and Phillip cartoon, with nothing in the story about Cartman's father. Upset fans wrote more than 2,000 angry e-mail complaints to Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....

 within a week of the episode's original broadcast, and media outlets said some fans harbored a grudge against the show more than five years after the episode was broadcast. Matt Stone said to Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...

in response to the angry fan response, "If you get that pissed off because you don't know who a little construction paper kid's father is, then there's really something wrong with you." Comedy Central originally planned to air "Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut
Cartman's Mom is Still a Dirty Slut
"Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut" is the second episode of the second season of the animated series South Park, and the 15th episode of the series overall. It premiered on Comedy Central in the United States on April 22, 1998...

", the episode with the true identity of Cartman's father, on May 20, 1998, but the air-date was moved up to April 22, 1998, in response to the angry feedback from fans. Allan Johnson of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...

said Comedy Central was "punking out" with the decision.

Several reviewers noted a significant number of crude and vulgar humor in "Terrance and Philip in Not Without My Anus", even by South Park standards; The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...

noted the episode contained 29 separate fart jokes in the span of 22 minutes. Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...

 in Canada reported no complaints about the episode in the weeks after its release; Claire Buckley of the Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...

said this suggested, "that Canadians either have lives or are grateful for any representation on U.S. television, even as gassy animated cable access hosts."

Reception

Reviewers were mixed on Parker and Stone's elaborate April Fools' Day prank. Diane Werts of Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...

said of the episode, "Fans rioted. Some jumped ship and never came back. The lesson: Pay off our expectations, or you'll be sorry." Jim Minge of the Omaha World-Herald
Omaha World-Herald
The Omaha World-Herald, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the primary daily newspaper of Nebraska, as well as portions of southwest Iowa. For decades it circulated daily throughout Nebraska, and in parts of Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming. In 2008, distribution was reduced to the...

said South Park fans were "duped" by the episode. Philip Martin of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is the newspaper of record in the U.S. state of Arkansas, printed in Little Rock with a northwest edition published in Lowell...

, who said in May 1998 the South Park phenomenon was "dead", described the April Fools' prank as "lamentable" and part of the reason for the show's apparent decline. Others, however, praised Parker and Stone for making the move at the risk of upsetting fans. Tim Clodfelter of the Winston-Salem Journal
Winston-Salem Journal
The Winston-Salem Journal is a daily newspaper primarily serving the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and its county, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It also features coverage of Northwestern North Carolina and circulates as far west as Tennessee and north to Virginia.The paper is owned by...

said, "It was a funny, clever move (that) quickly separated the fans who truly "got" (Parker and Stone's) humor from those who were just watching for the dirty jokes." Jon Casimir of The Sydney Morning Herald said, "It is gratifying, in an entertainment world dominated by market research and common denominators, to see a program that obviously doesn't care if you like it or not." However, he said the characterization of Terrance and Phillip are too thin to be particularly funny, and added that the novelty of the prank is lost in repeats in later years.

Jakob Von Bayer said the episode continued a long history of South Park Canada-bashing: "South Park has gotten a lot of comic mileage out of Canada over the years. ... This episode portrays a country full of Bob and Doug McKenzie
Bob and Doug McKenzie
Bob and Doug McKenzie are a pair of fictional Canadian brothers who hosted "Great White North", a sketch which was introduced on SCTV for the show's third season when it moved to CBC Television in 1980. Bob is played by Rick Moranis and Doug is played by Dave Thomas...

s; Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

 is but a highway town en route to Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...

." "Terrance and Philip in Not Without My Anus" was among the episodes featured in a 2006 list by the Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg Free Press
The Winnipeg Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Founded in 1872, as the Manitoba Free Press, it is the oldest newspaper in western Canada. It is the newspaper with the largest readership in the province....

of the ten most memorable South Park episodes. The Toronto Sun
Toronto Sun
The Toronto Sun is an English-language daily tabloid newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for its daily Sunshine Girl feature and for what it sees as a populist conservative editorial stance.-History:...

listed the episode as one of the most memorable television moments of 1998, and the single most memorable moment from the month of April. The prank played by the airing of this episode was revisited a number of times in subsequent episodes. The episode "Cartoon Wars Part II
Cartoon Wars Part II
"Cartoon Wars Part II" is the fourth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 142nd episode overall. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 12, 2006...

" revisits it by appearing to begin with a similar spoof, though the episode then cuts to the actual plot. The fifth season episode, "Terrance and Phillip: Behind the Blow
Terrance and Phillip: Behind the Blow
"Terrance and Phillip: Behind the Blow" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 70th episode of the series overall. "Terrance and Phillip: Behind the Blow" originally aired on July 18, 2001 on Comedy Central. In the episode, the four boys learn...

", also references the controversy over the airing of this episode,, as does the thirteenth season episode, "Eat, Pray, Queef
Eat, Pray, Queef
"Eat, Pray, Queef" is the fourth episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 185th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 1, 2009...

".

Media release

"Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus" was released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....

on June 15, 1999, as a stand-alone episode. It was also released on DVD, along with the rest of its season, in June 2003.

External links

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