Guitar Queer-o

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“Guitar Queer-O”
South Park episode
Stan practices his skills on Guitar Hero II with Thad Jarvis.
Episode no.	Season 11 Episode 166
Written by	Trey Parker Matt Stone
Directed by	Trey Parker
Production no.	1113
Original airdate	November 7, 2007
Season 11 episodes
South Park - Season 11 March 7, 2007 – November 14, 2007
With Apologies to Jesse Jackson Cartman Sucks Lice Capades The Snuke Fantastic Easter Special D-Yikes! Night of the Living Homeless Le Petit Tourette More Crap Imaginationland Imaginationland Episode II Imaginationland Episode III Guitar Queer-o The List

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List of South Park episodes

"Guitar Queer-O" is episode 1113 (#166) of Comedy Central's South Park, which was broadcast on November 7, 2007.^[1] The title and plot parody the video game Guitar Hero. The episode was broadcast ten days after the release of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in the USA.^[2].

1 Plot
2 Featured songs
3 Reception
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Plot

Stan and Kyle are obsessed with Guitar Hero II. Randy is impressed that the kids enjoy music from his generation, and attempts to impress them by playing "Carry On Wayward Son" on a real guitar. The kids are not impressed, and Cartman says that "real guitars are for old people".

Together, Stan and Kyle manage to score 100,000 points and are immediately contacted by Charles Kincaid, a talent agent. They sign a recording contract and attend a "sex and coke" party with many Colorado celebrities. The record company organizes an event at a local arcade where the two are to score 1,000,000 points to "I Wanna Be Sedated" in front of a live audience; however, the pair's manager takes Stan aside and tells him that Kyle is holding him back. Stan is told that he should dump his friend in favor of new partner, a child named Thad Jarvis, who is so good he can play Guitar Hero "acoustically" (meaning that he has memorized what buttons to press at what time and can therefore play without actually playing the game).

Stan and Thad begin playing together. When Kyle finds out, the two get into a fight and break up their "band". Stan becomes stressed out by the constant rehearsing of Guitar Hero, and stops by a video game store called "EV Games" (a parody of EB Games, which has merged with GameStop) to buy a game guide for Guitar Hero. The clerk suggests that he should buy another game to help him "ease the stress". The clerk offers him "Heroin Hero", a game in which the character does nothing but inject himself with heroin while literally chasing a dragon that cannot be caught, only chased. Stan's addiction shortens his temper, and impedes his skill. Thad loses patience and quits. Stan has to perform solo, and is unable to perform because he had stayed up three days straight playing Heroin Hero (a parody of a similar sequence in the film Sid and Nancy).

Meanwhile, Kyle plays Guitar Hero II in a bowling alley where the bartender lets him help around the bowling alley by playing in front of a microphone in exchange for free Frescas. After his meltdown, Stan goes back to the video game store where he buys a different game, and although the clerk tried to get him to buy a game called "Rehab Hero" (which apparently involves getting chased by a dragon), he gets mad and gets a driving game. Stan then sets up the game and plays with a radio playing next to him, when the radio begins to play "Carry On Wayward Son". He suddenly remembers all the good times he had playing with Kyle and "reverses" his vehicle (in the game, but looking backwards as if reversing in real life).

Stan seeks out Kyle, and after a brief confrontation with an angry Kyle, he admits that he was wrong and that he only enjoyed being a video game rock star when he was doing it with Kyle. Kyle forgives him and the two reunite and attempt to score 1,000,000 points privately and only in front of their friends. They score their million points, and the game congratulates them, but rather than tell them they have unlocked "Super-Stardom" as they expected, the game announces "You Are Fags!" for having played the game so much (explaining the title of the episode). Stan and Kyle angrily leave, and Cartman and Butters start to play, with Butters requesting that he gets to "be the one to betray you after the sex and drugs party".

[edit] Featured songs

These songs are either played or referenced during the episode, and most have appeared in the real Guitar Hero series (being marked with a star if they have). Based on the songs played, the game the children are playing is Guitar Hero II.

Stan and Kyle attempt to earn 1,000,000 points in Guitar Hero and achieve superstardom.

[edit] Reception

The episode drew in 4 million total viewers (P2+) and was the most watched telecast of the year on Comedy Central, as well as the most watched program in all of television for Wednesday night among men 18-34 and the most watched program on cable among persons 18-49.^[5] The episode was the highest rated since "Cartman's Mom is Still a Dirty Slut"^[6], beating the previous record-holder "Imaginationland Episode III", the episode that aired one week before "Guitar Queer-o".^[7]

Despite good ratings, the episode received some mediocre reviews. IGN called it a "lackluster episode" saying that it was "based on a concept that could have proved fun - but ultimately doesn't seem to be enough for an entire episode."^[8] TV Squad, on the other hand, gave the episode a somewhat positive review.^[9]

Jay Cutler, quarterback for the Denver Broncos, who was insulted in the episode ("You kind of suck, but my dad says you might be good some day") responded lightheartedly, saying "I thought it was funny. They can make fun of me if they want to."^[10]

Ron Zappolo, of the local Denver Fox news station, who also was shown in the episode, said that in his 37 years on TV, this cameo impressed his daughter the most.^[11]

A portion of the episode was used on NPR's Day to Day to discuss the idea that the popularity and interest in video games like Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock or Rock Band could supplant traditional instruments for kids.^[12]

Despite the episode supposedly lighthearted attempt to make fun of Guitar Hero players, the song "Timmy and the Lords of the Underworld" from the episode of the same name appeared later on in the year for the rival Rock Band video game series which is made by the same company.