The creators of "South Park," Trey Parker and Matt Stone, made a memorable appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Monday night, bringing along a very special prop that fans of the long-running Comedy Central series will instantly recognize.
Deepfake Technology and a Finger Puppet
During the interview, Parker explained that in a recent season of "South Park," the show utilized deepfake technology to depict the former president. "So in that season of 'South Park', we did a deep-fake of the president," Parker said. "And it kinda got famous. So we actually brought our deep-fake AI rig to show you how we did Donald Trump’s wiener in the show." Stone chimed in, calling it "very sophisticated technology."
Parker then revealed the simple prop: a beige-colored finger puppet with hand-drawn "South Park"-style cartoon eyes. "For the show, we just put it on like this. And there’s his little guy. Can you believe we did that?" Parker said as he demonstrated for the audience, eliciting laughter.
Kimmel's Reaction
Kimmel responded with his characteristic humor, saying, "I think you’re being generous, I have to say." He then joked about the puppet's potential legacy: "If he [Trump] doesn’t burn down the Smithsonian, I hope that that winds up in the Smithsonian one day."
The Infamous Episode
The finger puppet made its polarizing debut last summer in one of the show's most notorious episodes. The episode concludes with the residents of South Park settling a lawsuit with President Trump and agreeing to produce more pro-Trump public service announcements. In the final scene, a realistic-looking Trump tears off his clothes in the desert before collapsing, revealing the small finger puppet penis.
The segment provided a humorous behind-the-scenes look at how the show achieved its satirical effect, using a combination of advanced technology and low-tech puppetry.
