December 31, 2004

Matt Stone never to work with puppets or Trey Parker again

MattStone.jpgIt seems that Matt Stone is tired, very tired. In an interview with the Sun Online (a bastian of modern journalism) picked up by The Guardian, he talks of the pressures of working on Team America: World Police and the negative affect on his life.

Team America faired not so well in the US and grossed a mere $32m (£16.6m) after being much hyped by many as destined to be the comedy hit of the year. Not so in fact, and it is destined for it's European rounds this January, albeit with the Germany release on the 30th of December.

...the 33-year-old Stone has pledged to stay away from making any further pictures with puppets or Parker after describing Team America, which opens here in January, as the lowest point in his life.

Harsh words...and they get even stronger.

"It was the worst time of my entire life - I never want to see a puppet again," Stone told The Sun Online. "It ruined all the serious relationships in my life. You just become a different person, get completely stressed out and don't pay attention to anything else.

"You work 20 hours a day, take sleeping pills to go to bed and drink coffee to stay up. You feel like a piece of s**t, none of your friends like you, your parents don't like you, but you have a movie at the end."

Now that sounds like fun! [Heavy sarcasm] Where does the creativity go blasted on sleeping pills and caffine and probably exceptionally tired and arguementative?

"I don't know why we thought doing a puppet movie would be fun because it was terrible," he continued. "It was really hard because they can't do anything at all."

You'd have thought that they would have investigated how hard it was to work with puppets well before getting into the confines of the movie process.

However, what I didn't know is that the White House declared the movie unpatriotic. Wow, they'll do that to just about anything nowadays.

I don't really know myself if this is a big blow for comedy movies or not, South Park was a great series, but it was one piece of work, albeit a large one. Perhaps these guys will find new things on their own. On Team America, I'm reserving judgement until I see it.


Posted by at December 31, 2004 06:07 AM


Comments

Wow - surprisingly honest!

It shows in the movie too - some high points and big laughs but a lot of folded-arms and toe-tapping in between...

Posted by: Tom Whitaker at December 31, 2004 07:27 AM

I imagine that the fine folks who brought us "Wallace and Gromit" and "Chicken Run" have a similar amount of work involved in making their films, but they don't seem to suffer from this type of burnout.

Perhaps those guys work on a more humane and reasonable schedule than 20 hours/day.

Reality doesn't always match perception.

Vic

Posted by: Screen Rant at December 31, 2004 12:34 PM

Well...it sucks that it sucked so much.

Posted by: Arethusa at December 31, 2004 05:27 PM

Does this add any veracity to the rumors that Matt Stone and Trey Parker had a falling out a long time ago, and now it's only Parker who writes and directs South Park episodes, and Stone just phones in his voice performances? Parker sounds pretty cool and with-it in interviews, but Stone sounds like an ass at times. Maybe behind the scenes, it's actually the other way around.

Posted by: Mark at December 31, 2004 05:35 PM

I guess I'd take this with a grain of salt. Stone said he'd never work with Parker _on a picture_ again. Beyond the headline, even the article admits that may mean little, since they claimed the same thing after the South Park movie.

The article claims "The picture received a drubbing in the US press." RottenTomatoes gave it a 78% rating, and Metacritic gave it 64, "Generally Favorable Reviews."

Also, The White House didn't call the movie unpatriotic. Apparently, an (anonymous) Bush advisor told Matt Drudge that he thought terrorism wasn't an appropiate subject, and thought that idea of a satire on the War on Terrorism was "not funny."

A bit too sensitive and over the top for a response? Certainly, but I've yet to see any news that the Bush Team called the movie unpatriotic.

Yeah, I'm guessing making a movie with puppets sucks. I haven't seen it either, but I probably will when it comes on video. I'm guessing it's a lot like South Park BLU - Hilarious, all-offending, and over the top. Still, I'm guessing that stories of puppet sex didn't help the box office.

Posted by: David Poe at January 1, 2005 03:32 AM

The movie was not only hilarious, it was probably the most intelligent satire I've seen in years. The same goes for South Park. It would be a shame if the comedic genius of Parker and Stone are overlooked simply because they chose marionettes as a medium to convey a message that most movies are afraid to touch. Here's hoping for many more years of great writing and intelligent comedy from the masters of our time.

Posted by: Doug Sklar at January 2, 2005 12:15 PM

matt stone used to be smart, he went into honor math....yey

that does not give them the right to trash talk the mongoloids in the actors guild

yes their fucking retarded, but that does not mean your any smarter than they are, matt. I am in multivariable and I am not in college yet matt, and I ain't bragging my ass all over the internet...or maybe I am--

-_-

I think matt stone and trey parker are two retarded homosexuals that are way out of their league.

They should have stayed and made christmass carols such as hannibal and crap, and crap like south park

cuz crap is what their good at, and I like it that way.

so don't make me cry any more

I'm going to bed.

Posted by: usher at January 2, 2005 11:45 PM

what ever anyone said, I love south park, and I LOVED TEAM AMERICA.

So go get em, Matt and Trey. You guys rock.

Posted by: Darielle at January 13, 2005 06:07 PM

Matt Stone is not an asshole. well he is, but whatever, thats none of your business. The fact remains that he works harder than most of you or your parents ever will or did in your whole or their entire life. He is sweet and affable, and kind and now, unfortunatley he's tired. So leave him alone. He's smarter than you and since you all care so much about what he does and doesnt do, have some respect, Acknowledge his talent, and go on about your business. Team America and South Park were and are just great. God doesnt like bitter, so stop it.

Posted by: wishyouknewdontyou? at January 21, 2005 07:53 PM

hey,why did u guy's break up all of your shows and movies r soo kool!! Me and my best friend love your show. It is an aosome show! OUr fave episode is the christmas specieal with Mr.Hanky. Get back together now!!!!!!!!!!
U GUYS R HARD CORE !!!!

Posted by: a 12 year old chick at January 21, 2005 09:06 PM

U GUYS R HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: same 12 year old chick at January 21, 2005 09:09 PM

Yeah Team America wasn't as good as South Park "BLU", but it was still the funniest movie I've seen in a while. Dodgeball, I laughed twice during that movie and it was just to be polite, not that the creators would even know. I can honestly say you guys are my heroes. I'd love to be able to work for you two because that is what I am aspiring to be, a funny guy who gets to make the whole world laugh. If you two ever happen to read this please be sure to contact me and I'd laugh to help you out.

Posted by: tim at January 22, 2005 11:37 AM

Need Trey or Matt email address or even fan mail address.
email it to [email protected]

Posted by: Chris Lee at February 1, 2005 10:43 PM

matt stone was pretty fucking cool and i use to love both trey parker and matt stone as a south park fan and other stuff they have done in the past. now i just like trey parker he is still
fucking awesome. and you matt stone suck big
time asshole. if you did not want to work with trey right now with team america or anything you two come up with then duh you should backed away from it and trey fucking homophobe.

Posted by: steven at February 19, 2005 10:17 AM

Trey is SO hott. I don't believe this story. And even if it WAS true. Trey's better off. He's the hottie. If it was over. How come we got SP season 9? With sexy Trey and... Matt. I don't like Matt. But I still don't believe this crappy story. LIARS!

Posted by: Luffy at March 28, 2005 01:10 PM

i think that this story is a fake matt stone and trey parker are the bestest friends i wish i was one of them.

Posted by: kyler at April 3, 2005 01:57 PM

yeah,he's a nut! creative people all have highs and lows and get in these moods. who knows?!

Posted by: nick ames at April 9, 2005 04:41 PM

if i had to guess i would say that trey parker was not happy with the final product of "team america." he is not a control freak but needs to have complete creative power over all his films. i think that "cannial! the musical" and "orgasmo", with smaller cast, crews, and less mainstream financial involvement, were able to properly exemplify parkers true talents as a director, actor, singer/songwriter and producer. assumptions about his hoosexuality can only be confirmed by him, but all writers communicate many sides of themselves through their character creations and almost all his represent a part of him from the cynical, proverbial cartman to the sexually flamboyant mr garrison.
parker and stone have claimed that they will never make another film but i implore them, as they are young and unlike martin scoresese, haven't lost the diverse, original, mircocosmic quality of their past works.

Posted by: jemima at April 11, 2005 08:16 AM

if i had to guess i would say that trey parker was not happy with the final product of "team america." he is not a control freak but needs to have complete creative power over all his films. i think that "cannial! the musical" and "orgasmo", with smaller cast, crews, and less mainstream financial involvement, were able to properly exemplify parkers true talents as a director, actor, singer/songwriter and producer. assumptions about his hoosexuality can only be confirmed by him, but all writers communicate many sides of themselves through their character creations and almost all his represent a part of him from the cynical, proverbial cartman to the sexually flambuoyant mr garrison.
parker and stone have claimed that they will never make another film but i implore them, as they are young and unlike martin scoresese, haven't lost the diverse, original, mircocosmic quality of their past works.

Posted by: jemima at April 11, 2005 08:17 AM

if i had to guess i would say that trey parker was not happy with the final product of "team america." he is not a control freak but needs to have complete creative power over all his films. i think that "cannial! the musical" and "orgasmo", with smaller cast, crews, and less mainstream financial involvement, were able to properly exemplify parkers true talents as a director, actor, singer/songwriter and producer. assumptions about his homosexuality can only be confirmed by him, but all writers communicate many sides of themselves through their character creations and almost all his represent a part of him from the cynical, proverbial cartman to the sexually flambuoyant mr garrison.
parker and stone have claimed that they will never make another film but i implore them, as they are young and unlike martin scoresese, haven't lost the diverse, original, mircocosmic quality of their past works.

Posted by: jemima at April 11, 2005 08:18 AM

if i had to guess i would say that trey parker was not happy with the final product of "team america." he is not a control freak but needs to have complete creative power over all his films. i think that "cannial! the musical" and "orgasmo", with smaller cast, crews, and less mainstream financial involvement, were able to properly exemplify parkers true talents as a director, actor, singer/songwriter and producer. assumptions about his homosexuality can only be confirmed by him, but all writers communicate many sides of themselves through their character creations and almost all his represent a part of him from the cynical, proverbial cartman to the sexually flamboyant mr garrison.
parker and stone have claimed that they will never make another film but i implore them, as they are young and unlike martin scoresese, haven't lost the diverse, original, mircocosmic quality of their past works.

Posted by: jemima at April 11, 2005 08:18 AM

is there anyone out there a downloadable version of orgasmo? plaese send it to me. thanks, p.s love ur work!

Posted by: Glenno at April 15, 2005 09:32 AM

your breaking my balls chuck. this story dont make any sense.

Posted by: olddirtypinkledstone at April 19, 2005 06:21 PM

South Park just seems to be getting funnier and funnier, just a shame that we're just getting series 8 in drips and drabs over her in England. Trey is quite obviously the Organ Grinder!! But both guys are funny in their own right. Keep up the good work!

Posted by: Monkey Aids at May 3, 2005 06:26 PM

puyyang ne shome perr!!

ching chong highcherr!!

hoyyong hon chin chow!!

Posted by: heatscore at June 7, 2005 05:22 AM

i dont beleive this story, i think its a load of crap made up by some crazy person to get publicity. but if it is, look at the credits of every trey parker and matt stone movie/episode trey does almost everything.
so if it is true, then trey parker can manage on his own.
and its not true!!
and treys hotter too!
and smarter!!(well at least i think he is!!)

Posted by: bambi at June 10, 2005 02:04 AM

yeah

Posted by: bambi at June 10, 2005 02:08 AM

yeah i used to think crazy people wrote things on these websites and bothered sending them in, i was right and now im one of them!!!!

Posted by: bambi at June 10, 2005 02:09 AM

These two are geniuses. Their material can be rather risque at times, but name anyone else who could make it this far. I love everything they do, and even if I find some things offensive I'm glad that they're not afraid to speak their mind. Team America ruled! BASEketball was hilarious! And South Park is the best show in history. Trey is kinda hot. And I don't give a shit if they're gay or not, because either way they still kick ass!!!

Posted by: Erin Azbill at August 31, 2005 02:08 AM