Something You Can Do with Your Finger
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Something You Can Do with Your Finger” | |
|---|---|
| South Park episode | |
 Will Cartman finally realize his dream of making $10,000,000 by starting a boy band? |
|
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 56 |
| Written by | Trey Parker |
| Production no. | 409 |
| Original airdate | July 12, 2000 |
| Season 4 episodes | |
| South Park - Season 4 April 5, 2000 – December 20, 2000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ← Season 3 | Season 5 → |
| List of South Park episodes | |
"Something You Can Do with Your Finger" is episode 56 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It originally aired on July 12, 2000.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
In a dream, Cartman sees himself and the rest of the gang becoming the next big boy band to sweep the nation: earning them (or at least him) the admiration of thousands of beautiful women and $10,000,000 (his pursuit of which becomes a running plot line over the following few episodes). Convinced his dream is a message from God, Cartman corrals Stan, Kyle, Kenny and eventually Wendy (since all boy bands must have five members) into making a band called Fingerbang. Cartman believes the term refers to the action of pretending one's hand is a gun, and it seems only Kenny knows the actual definition: unfortunately no one else believes him. The boys and Wendy then attempt to get a gig at the mall, but must first get past two ornery mall security guards by causing a stampede in the mall.
Meanwhile, Stan's father inexplicably throws a fit when he discovers what Stan is up to, and forbids him from taking part in the band. It is eventually revealed that he had once been in a famous boy band ("The Ghetto Avenue Boys") back in the 1980s. He dropped out of high school and left his friends and family behind to pursue this fame and, although initially wildly successful the band was quickly replaced, due to its members getting "too old." Deep in debt and properly shamed, he was forced to sell his possessions and return home with the remainder of his earnings to complete his education. However, after a heart-to-heart, father-to-son conversation he agrees to let Stan play, deciding that his son would have to make his own mistakes in order to learn. The two rush to the mall for the gig, where Cartman is desperately stalling for time while they try to find a replacement for Stan.
Stan and Randy arrive in the nick of time; just in time for Kenny to be crushed by an elevator, reducing their numbers once again to four. Randy gallantly steps in to replace Kenny and they do their song. Afterwards, when one of the few remaining listeners ask for an autograph, the group realizes that with all the "fame" they have earned they will never be able to live normal lives, and break up the band.
[edit] Kenny's death
Before starting to sing in the mall, when Eric is introducing the band, Kenny is accidentally crushed by a descending elevator.
[edit] Censorship
- In syndication, the shot of Cartman's mom urinating in the cup during the clip of the pornographic movie featuring Mr Mackey, which was on Cartman's audition tape, is removed.
- The syndicated version leaves in Wendy Testaburger's audition song, but mutes out the first part of "contaminated water" (sounds like Cunt-aminated) with a loud, piano chord sound effect.
[edit] Episode notes
- The mall manager is played by Marcus Vaughn who is a friend of Trey Parker and Matt Stone and appeared in Parker's film Orgazmo as a "stunt cock".
- "Fingerbang" was going to be the name of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's band. They admitted they thought this was a good idea for about a day. Somewhere in time, they settled on the pornography-derived name, DVDA.
- In this episode's commentary, the creators remarked this was the first episode where they really started to use the method of "straight-storytelling." Before this, almost all episodes had A-stories, B-stories, C-stories, etc. that would all come together in the end. In this episode, the creators said they learned that an episode can be about just one thing, with character's side stories all reacting to the main idea.
- Randy's fit of rage, ending in him smashing the glass doors of the living room cabinet and shouting "No! Nooo!!" is a reference to the scene in Star Trek: First Contact where Captain Picard says the same thing and smashes a cabinet. In fact, Randy's voice changes from Parker's to a sampling of Patrick Stewart's voice from the film.
- During the audition scene, the piano accompanist bears a resemblance to the character Schroeder from the comic strip and cartoon Peanuts.
- During the initial conversation between Cartman and the mall manager, pop singer Tiffany is mentioned, as she had gone around the country performing and promoting herself at malls.
- The group Randy Marsh participated in is called "Ghetto Avenue Boys", which is a parody to the Backstreet Boys, New Kids On The Block and other boy bands. The song which the Ghetto Avenue Boys sing is a parody of You Got It (The Right Stuff).
- This episode makes a reference to Merry Christmas, Charlie Manson! when Randy says "Come on, I'll buy you kids an orange smoothie." However the orange smoothie joke predates even that, going back to "The Spirit of Christmas."
- In the scene where Randy apologizes to Stan for being jealous of him, a visitor can be seen in the picture behind them, hiding in the design.
[edit] External links
- Something You Can Do With Your Finger at the South Park Studios Episode Guide
| Preceded by “Chef Goes Nanners” |
South Park episodes | Followed by “Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?” |
