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Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

Class with the Fabulous Disney Professor: A Student’s Review of “Manufacturing the Magic”

Guest columnist Paul Schebelen drops by with an in-depth look at Michelle Smith’s recent Learning Tree University class on theme park history.

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Hey, Gang!

Jim Hill here. Yes, I know. This smacks of blatant self-promotion. Particularly since I was a guest lecturer for the class that Paul Schebelen is writing about today.

But the fact of the matter is (as Paul mentions repeatedly in his piece): Michelle did a really nice job with her Learning Tree University course. More to the point, another cycle of this particular class — “Manufacturing the Magic: The History of Disneyland and the Growth of the American Theme Park” — is about to get underway, with the online component beginning on July 14th and the really-for-real class getting underway in Costa Mesa on July 26th.

If you’d like further information on Michelle’s theme park history class, you can visit the Learning Tree University site and check out the online version of their course catalog.

Okay. That’s enough yammering by the well meaning ex-husband. Let’s check out Paul Schebelen’s article, shall we?

jrh

 

When you were in school, there were a bunch of classes you had to take, but there were also one or two classes that you wanted to take. You know the classes I mean — the ones that got you odd looks from the guidance counselor and a few of your friends, and didn’t contribute much toward your degree, but you had a great time taking them because, dammit, they were fun. I took a couple of classes like that in college, but I never had the chance to take a class that would have been a dream come true for a Disney theme park geek like me. Although there are a lot of fun and interesting classes offered by colleges and “learning extension” schools, I’ve never seen anyone offer a class about theme parks.

Until now, that is.

A couple of months ago, I was catching up on the latest Disney news and gossip when I happened across a column on another website by JimHillMedia’s founder, Michelle Smith (AKA The Fabulous Disney Babe). Among the various things she mentioned in her column was that she would be teaching a class about the history of theme parks with an emphasis on Disneyland, and she asked anyone who was interested to contact Learning Tree University in Costa Mesa to sign up for her class, which would be starting in May.

Take a class about theme parks? I deliberated carefully about whether or not I wanted to invest the time and money to take a class about one of my favorite subjects from someone that always seems to have the inside scoop on how the Disney theme parks are run. About 15 seconds later, I called LTU and registered for the class.

A few weeks later, I got up bright and early on a Saturday morning to drive from Oxnard to Costa Mesa (for the benefit of you folks not lucky enough to live in Southern California, that’s a drive of about 90 miles) and showed up at LTU for the first class of “Manufacturing the Magic: The History of Disneyland and the Growth of the American Theme Park.”

I have to admit I was a little nervous when I showed up; I’ve had the opportunity to take tours of Disneyland with Michelle and talk with her about Disney theme parks, but I didn’t know what it would be like taking a class with her as the instructor. Would I be sentenced to cleaning the erasers for not knowing the exact opening date of The Enchanted Tiki Room? Would I be stuck in a class with dozens upon dozens of people who would sit there stone-faced as she lectured? Most importantly, would an actual class about my favorite subject be as exciting as someone trying to explain a joke?

It turned out that I needn’t have worried. The first group of students to take “Manufacturing the Magic” was small enough that we got to know each other very quickly and we got along great. And our professor? She was a little nervous when she started, but she did a great job; she taught us all a lot of things we didn’t know about the history of theme parks and about The Happiest Place on Earth. I wasn’t bored for a moment.

That’s just fine, I hear you say. I’m glad that you got along great with the instructor and your classmates. But what about the class? “What’s it all about, Alfie?” “Manufacturing the Magic” takes you through the history of the American theme park, the rides and attractions found at the parks, tells you the stories behind the creation and growth of the industry, and gives you a look at the business behind the fun.

The class starts with a whirlwind tour of the European roots of the American theme park, from ancient trade fairs in medieval times to the 19th century World’s Fairs. Next, you learn about the history of some classic amusement park rides, from how medieval horse combat trainers evolved into the modern carousel to how groups of fun-loving Russians sliding down hills on their … uh, sleds … evolved into the modern roller coaster.

Once you have a feel for amusement parks’ ancient roots, “Manufacturing the Magic” takes you to some of the places and events in America that influenced modern theme parks. You’ll visit the “White City” of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1894, where Americans bent on showing the world what Americans could do created an incredibly beautiful (and tragically fragile) showplace that attracted millions of people. From there, you go to Coney Island, where New Yorkers experienced amazing rides like a simulated trip to the Moon and were swung, spun, and surprised for the chance to touch their best girl or guy and for the benefit of onlookers.

You’ll visit the trolley parks, where people from the cities took streetcars on weekends to escape from the worries of city life, to the New York World’s Fair of 1939, where people got their first look at the bright new “world of tomorrow.” You’ll also get to meet a man from Chicago (whose father worked on the White City) who had this crazy idea about building a theme park full of cartoon characters in the middle of nowhere – some place called Anaheim – and how that man brought together ideas from amusement parks of the past and the movies, then added a few ideas of his own to create a place loved by millions that became the model for an entire industry.

Now, there’s a lot more to “Manufacturing the Magic” than just history lessons. One of the advantages of having an instructor who knows people who know the theme park industry is that she can tell you about the business behind the magic, and Michelle does just that. Do you know what it takes for a place to be called a theme park? Michelle can tell you. What’s the difference between a theme park, and amusement park, and an adventure park, and how would you classify each? There’s no standard industry answer, but Michelle has a pretty good explanation.

Think that building a new attraction is as simple as putting up walls, doing a little construction, and cutting the ribbon? Think again; there are lot of people in various departments of a theme park that have to pull together to create an attraction, get it to work, and keep it working — and sometimes, some of those people don’t work together well, or at all. The amusement park business is, above all, a business, and business decisions made behind the scenes affect the way you enjoy your day at a park (and vice versa). “Manufacturing the Magic” gives you a peek behind the curtain at how and why theme parks are run the way they are.

Michelle knows her stuff when it comes to theme parks, but even she can’t tell you everything there is to know about them; that’s why “Manufacturing the Magic” features guest lectures by other folks who know a lot about theme parks. For example, our class featured a visit by the one and only Jim Hill, who told us about a wild Texan named C.V. Wood who was a major player in building Disneyland, and then got the idea he could do repeat the Disneyland magic in other places all over the country without Walt … and ended up building parks that were “spectaculars,” but in a different way from what he and everyone else expected.

Who’s coming by to lecture next? Well, as Jim would say, that would be telling, but between everything that Michelle’s learned and will share with you and the guests who can tell you what they know from first hand experience, you’re sure to leave the class having learned something you didn’t know about the theme park industry.

You can learn a lot about theme parks in a classroom, but you can learn a lot more about them by visiting a theme park with an instructor that knows the stories and secrets behind the most famous theme park of all. For that reason, on the third and final class meeting of “Manufacturing the Magic,” Michelle takes you on a tour of Disneyland.

Okay, I can hear a few of you saying that you’ve been on tours of Disneyland before, but trust me on this one: there are a lot more stories and secrets about Disneyland than the ones you’ve heard on the official tours. Even if you think you know all there is to know about the behind-the-scenes history of Disneyland, you’ll hear some stories on Michelle’s tour that you haven’t heard before. For instance:

* Where is the marker that isn’t and never was the center of Disneyland?

* What single change noticeably sped up the waiting time for Dumbo? And which of the elephants on the attraction IS Dumbo, anyway?

* Where were some “relatives” of Sonny Eclipse from the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland supposed to take up residence in the New Tomorrowland, and why didn’t they?

* Where can you still find some elements of the legendary “Tomorrowland 2055” project?

* Is there a “burial ground” of discarded Audio-Animatronic figures in the Park? Where did they come from?

* What’s the story behind the ads for the Mark Twain and the Cavalry on the Big Thunder Trail?

* Where on Main Street U.S.A. could you once be fitted for and purchase a bra?

* You may know that Walt’s has an apartment at Disneyland, but what is its layout and what kind of items are in it?

Michelle can tell you about all of these things and more on the “Manufacturing the Magic” tour of Disneyland.

As you may have guessed, I really enjoyed “Manufacturing the Magic”, and I was very impressed by Michelle Smith’s knowledge of theme parks in general and of Disneyland in particular. Michelle’s passionate about the subject of theme parks, and her enthusiasm showed in the lectures she gave, the materials she presented, and the tour of Disneyland that she led.

Don’t worry, this isn’t one of those classes where the instructor talks and expects you to just sit there and listen; Michelle was interested in what her students had to say and what they wanted to come away with from the class, and she was very willing to modify the course as needed to better reflect the interests and knowledge level of the students.

If you should think of something you wanted to know about theme parks after the class is done, not to worry — the way Michelle sees it, once you’re her student, you’re always her student, and she’s willing to answer questions you might have after class is done (or in our class’ case, after LTU wanted all of us to go home!). In short, the class was fabulous … but then, what else would a class taught by The Fabulous Disney Babe be?

About the only disappointing thing was that this is currently a stand-alone class; I’d love to see a college or university offer a series of courses in theme park design or theme park management with this class as the program’s introductory course. This’d be a natural for Cal State Fullerton or the University of Central Florida, dont’cha think? Just a thought.

If you’re a big fan of theme parks in general or Disney theme parks in particular, and you’re looking for an interesting way to spend a couple of Saturdays, contact LTU and register for the next “Manufacturing the Magic” class, which will be starting in late July. (Can’t make it to Costa Mesa? Michelle’s class is also available online from LTU; no Disneyland tour, though.) After all, even if you got your last diploma a while ago, it’s never too late to take one more fun class.

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Television & Shows

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

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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.

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History

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

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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.

Credit: AP News

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.

Credit: Endor Express

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.

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Television & Shows

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

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Your Studio and You

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).

Edgar M. Bronfman
Credit: NYTimes

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:

  1. You’re immediately going to be thirsty for a Seagram’s wine cooler
  2. And you’re going to have a sudden desire to go out & buy a porcelain deer.
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