Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

Ruminations

Roger Colton is lucky to have finished his column this week as his master is becoming more and more demanding of his time …

Published

22 years ago

April 10, 2003

Roger Colton

Welcome! Doing my part to brighten this little corner of the net, it’s another effort from the keyboard.

But first, here’s a quote from an upcoming column:

“Items are my game. Items are stories boiled down to the bone. Some are pseudo-stories, the shorter the better. Somebody said something to somebody that sounded funny at the time. In cold type in the cold light of the morning of the cold cereal and the cold coffee, it doesn’t read funny. It lies there like the oat bran in the bowl. Maybe nobody will read it anyway, any way at all. The paper comes out and it vanishes. Forgotten by 10, dead by noon, pulped by dark. And there’s always tomorrow. That’s the hell of it. All these wonderful people slaving desperately to put out the paper each day, a prodigious achievement and by 11 a.m. you see it fluttering down the street. More clutter for litterbugs. Please use the trash container. Thank you.”

The guy who wrote this won a Pulitzer and I for one miss his efforts more and more every day.

But for this week:

I’m here to tell you… Cats do not have owners. They have servants.

As I’m writing this, my own master is sitting here staring at me with a look of utter disgust. A twitch of the tale, and a stern meow tells me he is not amused.

His name is Cruiser, and he’s an orange lump. A very complicated lump.

The story began in the summer of 1998 as we were moving into our new rented townhouse. As I am unlocking the door for the first time and getting ready to enter, up strolls this cat. Now at this time, you could call me a dog person. Not that I had anything against cats mind you.

But having grown up in a house with two German Shepherds and numerous Cocker Spaniels, I had a definite canine bias. The Spaniels were a hobby of my mother’s. At one time, there were many weekends spent on the dog show circuit. First there were obedience trials, and then it was the full show treatment. Later came breeding and raising them for fun and profit.

Our family has always loved Disney’s “Lady & The Tramp.” We always laughed as we watched young Lady and marveled at how accurately the artists had captured the puppy so completely.

Michele on the other hand came from a family that was decidedly feline. When I first met her, the home was almost a cat factory with several litters of kittens and generations of ancestors all present. I even gave her a kitten one year, much-favored Calico she named “Munchkin”. (That was one of a litter from another favored cat from the railway museum I was volunteering at during those years. Her mother was named “Chessie” after the famed cat used with great results by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad to promote train travel for many years.)

So… When I opened the door, this orange cat walked right in just like he owned the place and thanks very much for letting him in. Michele had wanted to have a cat but previous rental agreements did not allow for one in the places that we had lived since we had been married. And truth be told, the rental agreement for this place didn’t either…

She shooed this cat back out the door and went about organizing things inside while I opened the garage door and went back out for another load, having left the door from the inside to the garage open. Less than 30 seconds later, the cat is back inside, having taken advantage of the opportunity presented.

This went on for the better part of the afternoon. She would help him out the door and he would come right back as soon as he got the chance, and it was a losing battle. While we were both amused, we didn’t expect that this would become a somewhat permanent arrangement.

As the weeks went by, we encountered that cat’s owner and learned more. Seems that the beast had a name. “Cruiser”. He was about two or three years old. When he was very young, he was found in a pile of debris out back of a sheet metal shop in pretty bad shape. He was the last one alive in a litter of feral kittens. His owner had taken him in and gotten him back to health. He got the name because he did just what it implied. He would cruise his territory, getting attention wherever he could find it, as well as any snacks he might encounter. While he was still somewhat feral, he also loved affection to the point of being an attention junkie.

Cruiser started becoming more and more a part of our lives. He would be there when we got home from work, ready to get petted and stroked. Somewhere along the way, we started feeding him on occasion, but he always went out for the night. A fairly intelligent beast, he was always letting us know when it was time to go outside, and never sprayed or spotted inside the townhouse.

About a year had passed when things changed somewhat and we noted that he wanted to stay in with us more often, and went home less and less. I’ll admit to taking pity on him late one very rainy night and letting him stay inside with us. After that, it became somewhat of a more usual thing to stay inside and even sleep with us on the bed from time to time.

It turns out that there was a reason why Cruiser did not go home. Seems that one of his owner’s roommates was cleaning a pistol one night and it went off in the townhouse. Cruiser was in at the time, and the noise scared him so that he rarely, if ever, went back inside after that. To this day, he still does not take well to any loud noises.

We took formal custody of Cruiser when his owner moved on to a rural location that wasn’t suited to a house cat. It became even more formal when we paid that first veterinary bill of over $100 after he got into a fight and developed an abscess on one of his ears. It was somewhat comical watching him wear this big e-collar until it healed. That also brought on his first full-time indoor stay, with the resulting purchase of the cat-box and kitty litter. He survived the indignation. We also decided to let him out a bit during this convalescence with the aid of a harness and leash. He tolerated it, but was happier doing supervised walks then not being out at all. Since then, he has grown so fond of walks with us that he will actually follow us on trips through his domain. If he’s in a really good mood, he will let someone other than Michele or I to take him for a walk, as Jeff found out one afternoon.

Several fights later, along with more big vet bills, we developed a curfew for him. So now after 8:00 p.m. he is in for the night. Along the way, he has become more of an indoor than an outdoor cat. Lately he’s been the target of some fairly big birds (ravens or crows, I think), so he tends to spend more time in the townhouse than out. If he does go out, he’s either ready to come back in short order or he sits down outside the front door, just far away from us to be outside but still within the arc of safety, just in case…

Now Michele and I don’t have children. I don’t remember when, but she has taken to calling him her “furry child”. Even my mother has gotten into the act by referring to him as a grandchild. So now when we send out greeting cards for various holidays and birthdays, we sign the card for him using a rubber stamp we found of a paw print. Earlier, we actually used a non-toxic stamp pad and used one of his own paws to do that. Using the rubber stamp is less traumatic, too.

Speaking of trauma, we all have had our share, thanks to the word “bath”. Cruiser came in one afternoon with a great smear of black across the top of his head, after a close encounter with the underside of an oil pan. So I decided to take matters in hand, and get out the cleaning supplies. Some universal hand cleaner with a citrus smell had worked for me, so why not the cat? And away I went. It did clean the oil out of his fur, but it needed to be rinsed out with water. Now as much as he likes to drink from the faucets, standing under a full flow of it is another story all together.

I still bear a good scar from that incident, and Michele has the mental scar from his mournful wailing during the torture of first being washed and then dried. He on the other hand, or paw as the case may be, has forgotten the whole thing.

I’ve given him two other baths since, once for fleas and another because he simply smelled so bad, that there was no alternative. Now we leave this task to the professionals. It’s safer for all of us that way.

If there is one thing that this cat does that simply infuriates my wife is that he will walk all over her just to get to me. She’s that cat person, and always was. If any cat should pay attention to anyone, it should be her, right? Not with this cat! Remember that his first owner was a man? So now, it’s me, the dog person, who Cruiser looks for attention from first. If I am not there, he will go to Michele. If I am, he walks right by or over her to get to see me. If we both are sitting on the couch, he will jump into my lap and get comfy without even noticing her. Talk about insulting!

If I’m lying down on the couch watching television, he routinely will jump up and find himself a comfy place to sit and sleep. Frequently, this is either on one of my knees or on top of my chest. I have pants that have been ruined by kitty claws digging contentedly. And my knees also have all the small scars to prove when I’ve been wearing shorts pants… Weighing in at 14 plus pounds at this time of year, it’s something of a shock to have this lump land on your chest unannounced!

The cat doesn’t have a tough life. He gets dry food (Iams) twice a day, and wet food (again Iams) on special occasions. While he used to drink water from the dripping bathtub faucet (not an option after the bathroom was renovated), he now has his own kitty fountain that offers a steady supply of running water twenty-four hours a day. Throw in a catnip mouse now and then, along with other kitty torture toys, and he’s got it pretty good. During our last few trips to Disneyland, he’s gone on vacations of his own, boarded at several different establishments. We think we found the best one, a feline medical center where he can bring his toys, food and blanket, so he has all the comforts of, if not the physical location of, home.

Michele and I are well trained. We talk to him frequently, and he’s more than happy to respond. We both have heard him clearly say “No!” on more than one occasion. If he wants to go out before curfew, we’re right there at the sound of our master’s voice.

So even though he started out to be just a visitor, now he’s a definite member of the family. Not bad for a lump…

Next week? Well, Roger has several projects in the wings including a joint effort on the wonderful world of sugar beets, a look at a genius of Southern California’s Car Kulture, the author of the quote at the top of this page and a big story about the railroad that got into the theme park business once upon a time. Stay tuned!

So? Like what you’ve been reading here in Roger’s columns? Well, here is one way to show your support! You can use his Amazon PayBox to keep him plugging along on more tales.

Television & Shows

The Untold Story of Super Soap Weekend at Disney-MGM Studios: How Daytime TV Took Over the Parks

Published

1 week ago

April 24, 2025

Jim Hill

Super Soap Weekends at Disney-MGM Studios

A long time ago in a galaxy that … Well, to be honest, wasn’t all that far away. This was down in Florida after all. But if you traveled to the WDW Resort, you could then experience “Star Wars Weekends.” Which ran seasonally at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Disney World from 1997 to 2015.

Mind you, what most folks don’t remember is the annual event that effectively plowed the road for “Star Wars Weekends.” Which was “Super Soap Weekend.” That seasonal offering — which allowed ABC soap fans to get up-close with their favorite performers from “All My Children,” “General Hospital,” “One Life to Live” and “Port Charles” — debuted at that same theme park the year previous (1996).

So how did this weekend-long celebration of daytime drama (which drew tens of thousands of people to Orlando every Fall for 15 years straight) come to be?

Michael Eisner’s Daytime TV Origins and a Theme Park Vision

Super Soap Weekend was the brainchild of then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner. His career in media began with short stints at NBC and CBS, but it truly took off in 1964 when he joined ABC as the assistant to Leonard Goldberg, who was the network’s national programming director at the time.

Eisner quickly advanced through the ranks. By 1971, he had become Vice President of Daytime Programming at ABC. That meant he was on the scene when One Life to Live joined the lineup in July 1968 and when All My Children made its debut in January 1970. Even after being promoted to Senior Vice President of Prime Time Programming in 1976, Eisner stayed close to the daytime division and often recruited standout soap talent for ABC’s primetime shows.

Fast forward nearly two decades to July 31, 1995. The Walt Disney Company announced that it would acquire ABC/Cap Cities in a $19 billion deal. Although the acquisition wasn’t finalized until February 1996, Eisner was already thinking ahead. He wanted to use the stars of All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital to draw people to Disney’s theme parks.

He had seen how individual soap stars were drawing huge mall crowds across America since the late 1970s. Now he wanted to bring dozens of them together for something much bigger.

Super Soap Weekend Takes Over Disney-MGM Studios

The very first Super Soap Weekend was announced in June 1996, just a few months after the ABC deal closed. The event was scheduled for October 19 and 20 at Disney-MGM Studios and was a massive success.

The weekend featured panel discussions, autograph sessions, and photo opportunities with the stars of ABC’s daytime dramas. Thousands of fans packed the park for the chance to meet their favorite actors. Due to the overwhelming response, the event became an annual tradition and was eventually moved to Veterans Day weekend each November to better accommodate attendees.

Longtime fans like Nancy Stadler, her mom Mary, and their close friend Angela Ragno returned year after year, making the event a personal tradition and building lifelong memories.

West Coast Events and the ABC Soap Opera Bistro

Disney even tried to recreate the event out west. Two Super Soap Weekends were held at Disneyland Resort, one in April 2002 and another in June 2003.

At Disney’s California Adventure, Eisner also introduced the ABC Soap Opera Bistro, a themed dining experience that opened in February 2001. Guests could dine inside recreated sets from shows like General Hospital and All My Children, including Kelly’s Diner and the Chandler Mansion. The Bistro closed in November 2002, but for fans, it offered a rare opportunity to step into the world of their favorite soaps.

SOAPnet, Port Charles, and the Expansion of Daytime TV at Disney

Eisner’s enthusiasm for soaps extended beyond the parks. In January 2000, he launched SOAPnet, a cable channel dedicated to prime time replays of ABC’s daytime dramas.

During his time at Disney, General Hospital also received a spin-off series titled Port Charles, which aired from June 1997 to October 2003. The show leaned into supernatural plotlines and was another example of Eisner’s commitment to evolving and expanding the soap genre.

The Final Curtain for Super Soap Weekend

In September 2005, Eisner stepped down after 21 years as head of The Walt Disney Company. Bob Iger, who had previously served as President of ABC and Chief Operating Officer of ABC/Cap Cities, took over as CEO. While Iger had deep ABC credentials, he didn’t share Eisner’s passion for daytime television.

In the fall of 2008, Disney hosted the final Super Soap Weekend at what was then still called Disney-MGM Studios. That same year, the park was rebranded as Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney began shifting away from television-focused experiences.

Within the next five years, the rest of Eisner’s soap legacy faded. One Life to Live was canceled in January 2012. SOAPnet was rebranded as Disney Junior in February 2013. Later that year, All My Children ended its 41-year run on ABC.

Only General Hospital remains on the network today, the last standing soap from the golden age of ABC Daytime.

A New Chapter for Daytime TV and Super Soap Fans

The soap genre may have faded from its former glory, but it’s not gone. On February 24, 2025, CBS premiered a brand-new daytime drama called Beyond the Gates, marking the first new soap launch in years.

Meanwhile, All My Children alum Kelly Ripa has been actively working on a revival. In September 2024, she mentioned a holiday-themed movie set in Pine Valley that would bring back many original cast members. The project was in development for Lifetime, though its current status is unclear.

And what about Super Soap? Fans like Nancy and Angela still hope Disney will bring it back. Even if it only featured the cast of General Hospital, it would be a welcome return for longtime viewers who miss that one weekend a year where the magic of Disney collided with the drama of daytime TV.

If you want to hear firsthand what it was like to be part of Super Soap Weekend, be sure to listen to our I Want That Too podcast interview with actor Colin Egglesfield. He shares behind-the-scenes memories from his days as Josh Madden on All My Children and what it meant to be part of one of the most unique fan events in Disney park history.

History

The Super Bowl & Disney: The Untold Story Behind ‘I’m Going to Disneyland!’

Published

3 months ago

February 6, 2025

Jim Hill

One of the highlights of the Super Bowl isn’t just the game itself—it’s the moment when the winning quarterback turns to the camera and exclaims, “I’m going to Disney World!” This now-iconic phrase has been a staple of post-game celebrations for decades. But where did this tradition begin? Surprisingly, it didn’t originate in a stadium but at a dinner table in 1987, in a conversation involving Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and aviation pioneers Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager.

The Unlikely Beginning of a Marketing Sensation

To understand the origins of this campaign, we have to go back to December 1986, when the Rutan Voyager became the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. Pilots Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager completed the nine-day journey on December 23, 1986, flying over 26,000 miles before landing at Edwards Air Force Base. Their historic achievement earned them national recognition, and just days later, President Ronald Reagan awarded them the Presidential Citizen Medal at the White House.

Meanwhile, Disney was gearing up for the grand opening of Star Tours at Disneyland, set for January 12, 1987. Following its usual playbook of associating major theme park attractions with real-world pioneers, Disney’s PR team invited astronauts Gordon Cooper and Deke Slayton to the launch event. But in a twist, they also invited Rutan and Yeager, who were still making headlines.

A Dinner Conversation That Changed Advertising Forever

After the Star Tours opening ceremony, a private dinner was held with Disney CEO Michael Eisner, George Lucas, and Eisner’s wife, Jane. During the meal, Eisner asked Rutan and Yeager, “You just made history. You traveled non-stop around the planet on a plane without ever refueling. How are you ever going to top that, career-wise? What are you two gonna do next?”

Without hesitation, Jeana Yeager replied, “Well, after being cramped inside that tiny plane for nine days, I’m just glad to be anywhere else. And even though you folks were nice enough to fly us here, invite us to your party… Well, as soon as we finish eating, I’m gonna go over to the Park and ride some rides. I’m going to Disneyland.”

Jane Eisner immediately recognized the power of Yeager’s statement. On the car ride home, she turned to Michael and said, “That’s a great slogan. I think you should use that to promote the theme parks.” Like many husbands, Michael initially dismissed the idea, but Jane persisted. Eventually, Eisner relented and pitched it to his team.

The Super Bowl Connection

With Super Bowl XXI just around the corner, Disney’s PR team saw an opportunity. The game was set for January 25, 1987, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena—just miles from Disney Studios. What if they convinced the winning quarterback to say, “I’m going to Disneyland” live on-air?

Disney quickly struck a deal with both quarterbacks—Phil Simms of the New York Giants and John Elway of the Denver Broncos—offering each $75,000 to deliver the line if their team won. Simms led the Giants to victory, making history as the first athlete to say, “I’m going to Disney World!” on national television.

A Marketing Triumph

That year’s Super Bowl had the second-highest viewership in television history, with 87 million people watching Simms say the famous line. The next day, Disney turned the clip into a national commercial, cementing the phrase as a marketing goldmine.

Since then, “I’m going to Disneyland” (or Disney World, depending on the commercial) has been a staple of championship celebrations, spanning the NFL, NBA, and even the Olympics. What started as a casual remark at dinner became one of the most successful advertising campaigns in history.

A Lasting Legacy

Jane Eisner’s keen instinct and Disney’s ability to act quickly on a great idea created a tradition that continues to captivate audiences. The “I’m going to Disneyland” campaign remains a testament to the power of spontaneous inspiration and smart marketing, proving that sometimes, the best ideas come from the most unexpected places.

To learn more about Disney’s ties to the world of sports, check out I Want That Too: A Disney History and Consumer Product Podcast.

Television & Shows

How the Creators of South Park Tricked A-List Celebrities to Roast Universal – “Your Studio & You”

Published

4 months ago

January 12, 2025

Jim Hill

Universal Studios has a rich and storied history, but few moments are as peculiar—and as hilariously cutting—as the creation of Your Studio & You. This 14-minute parody film, commissioned in 1995 to celebrate Universal’s new ownership under Seagram’s, brings together an all-star cast, biting humor, and the unmistakable comedic fingerprints of Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

Long before South Park debuted on Comedy Central in 1997, Stone and Parker were already carving out a reputation for their irreverent style, and Your Studio & You perfectly encapsulates their knack for turning even the most corporate project into something delightfully subversive.

Matt Stone & Trey Parker Before South Park

Stone & Parker were already known out in Hollywood as funny guys. Thanks largely to “The Spirit of Christmas,” which was this video greeting card that they’d crafted for a Fox executive – who then distributed this infamously funny thing (which had Our Lord Jesus Christ & Santa Claus literally duking it out for the holiday affections of Cartman, Kenny, Stan & Kyle) to friends & family.

This was the early 1990s. No internet. Each copy of “The Spirit of Christmas” was made on VHS tape and then mailed. Went viral the old-fashioned way. It’s rumored that George Clooney made over 300 copies of “The Spirit of Christmas” and passed these VHS taps along to friends and family.

Things didn’t move as fast as they do today. “The Spirit of Christmas” still became a sensation out West.

Zucker Brothers

Matt & Trey also had other supporters in the entertainment industry. Among them David Zucker, who was one of the members of ZAZ (i.e., Zucker Abrahams Zucker), the talented trio that made “Airplane!” in 1980, “Top Secret!” in 1984 and the three “Naked Gun” movies.

The original “Naked Gun” in 1988
“Naked Gun 2 & 1/2 : The Smell of Fear” in 1991
and “Naked Gun 33 & a 1/3: The Final Insult” in 1994

All five of these parody films had been made for Paramount Pictures. But in the Late Winter / Early Spring of 1995, Universal had persuaded the Zucker Brothers to come over and set up shop in a bungalow on their lower lot. With the hope that – at some point further on down the line – David & his brother Jerry would start making funny films for Universal.

Zucker Brothers featured in "Your Studio and You"

And it’s during this same window of time (We’re now talking April of 1995) that news breaks that Seagrams (Yep, the adult beverage company. Who – at the time – was making an absolute fortune on the sales of wine coolers) was about to buy a majority stake in MCAUniversal. We’re talking control of 80% of that company’s stock. Which would effectively make Seagrams the new owners of Universal Studios.

Edgar Bronfman

And Edgar Bronfman – the owner of Seagrams – knew that Universal had had a tough time with its previous owners – which had been the Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. of Japan. Matsushita had bought MCA back in November of 1990 for $7.5 billion but had never really understood the entertainment industry.

This is why – after repeatedly butting heads with Lew Wasserman & Sidney Sheinberg (i.e., the heads of Universal Studios & the Universal theme park respectively) when it came to creative control of this company – Matsushita decided to wash it hands of the entire enterprise. Agreeing to sell their holdings in MCA to Seagrams for $5.7 billion (effectively taking a nearly $2 billion loss on this investment).

And Bronfman … He knew that some bad feeling had developed between Hollywood’s creative community and the Japanese owners of Universal. The thinking was that executives at Matsushita Electric had just not gotten what it took to make movies & TV shows.

And Edgar? Right from the get-go, he wanted to show that Seagrams was NOT going to be Matsushita Electric Redux. Bronfman was looking for a way to send a clear message to Hollywood’s creative community that Universal’s new owners got it. That they were willing to work with Hollywood to make the best possible movies & TV shows at Universal.

And how did Edgar decide to get this message across? By making a funny movie.

Zucker Commissions Trey Parker for “Your Studio & You”

Mind you, Bronfman himself didn’t make this film. The owner of Seagrams reached out to David Zucker. Who – after initially agreeing to produce this introduction-to-Universal film – then farmed out the production of the actual project to Trey Parker. Who – just two days before shooting was supposed to star on the Universal Lot – persuaded Matt Stone to come help him on this project.

Which brings us to “Your Studio and You.” Which is a parody of an educational film from the 1950s, right down to being shot in black & white and featuring a very generic soundtrack.

Now what’s amazing about watching “Your Studio and You” today is that this 14-minute-long film features some of the biggest names working in Hollywood back in the mid-1990s. We’re talking about people like recent Golden Globe winner Demi Moore, Sylvester Stallone, Michael J. Fox and Angela Lansbury. Not to mention two of the most powerful men in all of Hollywood, Steven Spielberg & Jeffrey Katzenberg.

And what’s especially interesting about watch “Your Studio and You” is that – as you watch these performers go through their paces in this motion pictures (which – most of the time – involves doing some innocuous task while holding a Seagram’s wine cooler) – you often get the feeling that this star is not in on the gag.

So how did Matt & Trey get away with this? Simple. There was never actually a script for “Your Studio and You.”

Filming “Your Studio & You” at Universal Studios Hollywood

Mind you, David Zucker would always insist that there was. Especially when he’d phone up celebrities on the Universal Lot and say “Hey, I’m sending over a couple of college kids later today. They’re working with me on a new parody film. It’s something that we’re doing for the new owners of Universal. I need just a half hour of your time. We’re shooting something special for the party we’ll be holding when the Seagrams people first arrive at the Studio. Absolutely. You’ll definitely get an invite to that party. So can I count on you to help these kids out? Beautiful. They’ll be over there later this morning.”

And then Matt & Trey would show up and say “… Dang, Miss Lansbury. We’re sorry. We must have left our copy of the ‘Your Studio and You’ script back in our office. Which is clear on the other side of the Lot. So – rather than waste your time – why don’t we do this instead? Follow us over to the Psycho House. Where we’re then going to get footage of you painting the front porch on Mother Bates’ house while you say ‘Gosh, with all of the wonderful improvements going on around here, everyone is going to want to work at Universal.’ Oh, and can we also get you to wear this button on the front of your blazer which reads ‘Universal is A-OK’ ? “

And over & over again, the biggest names who were working for Universal at that time took part in the production of “Your Studio & You” because A) David Zucker vouched for Matt Stone & Trey Parker and B) this was something that was being made for the new owners of Universal. And it’s just natural to want to get in good with the new boss.

Steven Spielberg, Jeffery Katzenberg, and Jaws

But no one at Universal anticipated that “Your Studio & You” would wind up being as sharp edged as the finished product turned out to be. I mean, it’s one thing to bite the hand that feeds you. But “Your Studio & You” ? It doesn’t just bite the hand. It takes the hand off at the wrist.

It’s a brutally funny film. With one of the meanest moments reserved for Steven Spielberg, who plays a driver on the Universal Studio Tour who’s trying to persuade a tram full of bored tourists (one of whom is played by Jeffery Katzenberg) that the “Shark Attack” scene down by Jaws Lagoon is actually exciting.

Spielberg actually says lines like “ … Whoa, whoa. What is going on here? Ladies and gentlemen, this never happens. Look out! It’s a shark! Whoa, that is one big scary shark.”

Mind you, as footage of this mechanical shark repeatedly coming up out of the water is shown, “Your Studio & You” ‘s off-screen narrator (who is voiced by Trey Parker says):

“But what about tomorrow? If we don’t keep in step with the times, things that were once neat and thrilling can become old and stupid.”

“Your Studio & You” Reception

This film was supposed to be shown only once at the welcoming party for Seagrams executive on the Universal Lot. And I’m told that – when Edgar Bronfman saw the finished product at that party – he reportedly turned to David Zucker and said “ … That’s a little more mean-spirited that I think it needed to be.”

And with that, “Your Studio & You” was supposed to go back into the Universal vault, never to be seen again. But when “South Park” debuted on Comedy Central in August of 1997 and then became a sensation for its biting humor, there was suddenly a lot of interest in what else Matt & Trey had done. Which is why copies of “The Spirit of Christmas” began to circulate. And – over time – copies of “Your Studio & You” began to bubble up.

Which – as Stone & Parker have repeatedly pointed out – was just not supposed to happen. Largely because none of the celebrities who appeared in “Your Studio & You” had never signed releases for Universal’s legal department. Because – again – this was for a movie that was only going to be shown once at a private function on the Universal Lot.

Matt mentioned (as part of a career retrospective at the Paley Center in LA back in 2000) that “ … they wouldn’t even let us keep a copy of the finished film.”

It’s a funny but brutal movie. And worth taking a look at today especially if you’re a theme park history buff because it shows Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Jurassic Park: The Ride” still under construction on the Lower Lot. That attraction would finally open to the public in June of 1996.

“Your Studio & You” became a lot easier to see after Seagrams sold off its share of Universal to Vivendi in 2000. Copies began propagating online after that. Though Universal Legal will periodically make an effort to get the latest copy of “Your Studio & You” taken off the Internet because – again – none of the performers who appear on camera ever signed the proper releases and/or were paid for their efforts.

That said, if you’re up for a mean-spirited laugh, “Your Studio & You” is well worth 14 minutes of your time. That said, once you watch this thing, be warned: