Tonsil Trouble

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“Tonsil Trouble”
South Park episode
Cartman sneaks into Kyle's room.
Episode no.	Season 12 Episode 168
Written by	Trey Parker
Directed by	Trey Parker
Production no.	1201
Original airdate	March 12, 2008
Season 12 episodes
South Park - Season 12 March 12, 2008 – TBA
Tonsil Trouble Britney's New Look Major Boobage Canada on Strike! Eek, A Penis! Over Logging Super Fun Time

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"Tonsil Trouble" is episode 1201 (#168) of Comedy Central's animated comedy series South Park. It is the first episode of the show's twelfth season and was broadcast on Wednesday, March 12, 2008. ^[1]

[edit] Plot

While having his tonsils removed, Cartman is accidentally infected with HIV from donor blood. Shocked by this, he attempts to gain the support and pity of those around him, but is unsuccessful because the AIDS fad has run its course and become antiquated, and the current trend is to be sensitive about cancer. Additionally, due to Cartman's cruelty to his classmates in the past, many find it hard to pity him; Kyle even goes as far as to laugh hysterically and almost involuntarily at the irony that Cartman has HIV, as Cartman has wished AIDS on Kyle on several occasions. When an AIDS benefit featuring Elton John is held in Cartman's honor, only $17 is raised, about only 8 people in attendance and even Elton John skips it in favor of a cancer benefit. Instead, Cartman gets Jimmy Buffett, who sings "AIDSburger in Paradise."

Furious at the lack of concern and laughter from Kyle, Cartman plots revenge by drawing some of his own blood and putting it in Kyle's mouth as he sleeps. When Kyle is diagnosed with HIV, he knows who is at fault and confronts Cartman in the playground, attempting to beat him to death until Mr. Mackey stops them both. Instead of punishment, the school authorities simply demand that Cartman apologize to Kyle for giving him HIV and that Kyle apologises for tattling about it. Angered by this injustice, Kyle decides to take matters into his own hands and hurries off to Cartman's house with a threat to break everything Cartman owns. True to his word, Kyle shatters many of the toys that Cartman owns, rips apart his prized Braveheart poster and tears off his beloved Clyde Frog's head. As he is about to break the most important and expensive thing in the room: Cartman's Xbox 360, Cartman pleads with him, telling him that he has done research leading him to believe that a cure for AIDS lies in Magic Johnson's longevity since being infected with HIV.^[2]

Kyle and Cartman fly to Johnson's house, after gaining free airline tickets by pretending to have "all-over" cancer (because AIDS is too "retro" a disease), and Johnson is sympathetic, offering assistance to the boys, but is unsure what he has in his house that helps. Upon investigating his house, they find that Johnson sleeps regularly with huge piles of cash (since he doesn't trust banks), which after further investigation prove to have the ability to neutralize HIV. Laboratory scientists experiment with a concentrated dose of "about $180,000 shot directly into the bloodstream" on the boys, which forces the HIV viruses to disintegrate. Word is spread about the cure for AIDS, and an event is held where Jimmy Buffett sings "Cureburger in Paradise". Although Kyle is now relieved that he's cured of AIDS for good, he announces to Cartman that he is still going to break his Xbox anyway, thinking that Cartman hasn't learned anything.

[edit] Cultural references

When Cartman and Kyle enter Denver International Airport, the female public address announcer from the beginning of the film Airplane! can be heard.
Cartman is dressed up in a red Phillies hat and coat, making a reference to the Tom Hanks character in the AIDS themed film, Philadelphia.