Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

Never mind “Captain EO” — what about “Captain Eeyore” ???

In a follow-up story to a somewhat controversial question in last week’s “Why For?” Jim Hill shines a spotlight on a little known but still quite funny Disneyland-cast-member-produced film. (Now try and find a copy of THIS ONE up for sale on eBay!)

Published

22 years ago

August 10, 2003

Jim Hill

You know, it’s getting harder and harder to predict what’s going to set you guys off.

Take — for example — Last Friday. As part of my most recent “Why For” column, I answered a reader’s question about “Captain EO.” To be specific: A query about whether this 17-minute long 3D spectacular was ever going to be available for purchase in the home video or DVD format.

My reply to this JHM reader was that I thought it extremely unlikely that “Captain EO” would ever be available for purchase here in the states. Due mostly to the extremely convoluted deals that the Walt Disney Company had had to cut with Michael Jackson, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas in order to have this particular project go forward.

Which was when the e-mails began pouring from all these JimHillMedia.com readers who — while they seemed to like the site — seemed positively eager to point two things that they felt that I’d gotten wrong in my answer to that particular question:

1. “Captain EO” actually aired once on VH1 back in the mid-to-late 1990s.

2. That there were at least three copies of seemingly authorized “Captain EO” videos and DVDs currently available for purchase/up for bidding on eBay.

Soooo … does this mean that I should now start doing my Commander Blogg impression? (You remember Commander Blogg, don’t you? That officious character that the late comic *** Shawn played in “Captain EO?” The one who was unable to see all of the chaos that had erupted on board Captain EO’s ship when that vessel came under attack … because Hooter — the obnoxious little elephant-like alien in this film — had flung a fried egg unto Blogg’s hologram, thereby blocking the commander’s view.)

Nah. There’s no need for me to wipe egg from my face. Not this time, anyway.

You see, I was answering that JHM reader’s question about whether “Captain EO” would ever be available for purchase. Not whether this 3D film had ever aired on network television. Had I actually been asked that question, I would have talked about how it was Michael Jackson himself who had supposedly negotiated a deal with the Walt Disney Company, Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas. Paying each of the parties a pretty hefty fee just so that “Captain EO” could air — for one time only — on VH1.

If I’m remembering correctly, this was done as part of the promotion for Michael’s “History” album. The gimmick here was supposed to be that — in one marathon-length TV special — all of the music videos that Jacko had ever appeared in would be shown back-to-back. (This was done with the hope that — by showing VH1 viewers all of Jackson’s previous hits — this might compel them to rush on out and buy copies of “History.” Which would hopefully drive up domestic sales of the King of Pop’s newest album to “Thriller”-esque levels. It’s just too bad that that’s not actually how things went down …)

Anyway … I’m not exactly sure why Michael felt that “Captain EO” had to be included as part of this music video marathon. Perhaps it was because Jacko lumped this theme park project in with his longer form projects like “Thriller” and “Ghosts.” Whatever the reasoning involved here, what is certain is that — sometime in the mid-to-late 1990s, well after “Captain EO” had stopped being shown in Disneyland and Walt Disney World (“EO” ended its run at Epcot’s Imagination” pavilion on June 6, 1994; the Disneyland version of the 3D movie didn’t shut down ’til April 6, 1997) — this film aired on VH1 … which was when (evidently) a large number of JHM readers decided to make a tape of this particular 3D movie.

Near as I can figure, at least 50 of you set up your VCRs that night specifically so you could tape “Captain EO.” Which brings us to the second part of the equation: all those “Captain EO” videos and DVDs that are currently up for sale/up for bid on eBay.

My apologies if this next bit sounds like I’m splitting hairs. That I’m deliberately trying to be slippery. But — honestly, folks — I thought that the JHM reader who was writing in last week was asking if there’d ever be an AUTHORIZED home video or DVD version of “Captain EO” up for sale.

You see, near as I can figure, all of those “Captain EO” videos and DVDs that are currently for sale/up for bid on eBay are knock-offs. Cleverly packaged and admittedly very professional looking. But — in the end — they’re still knock-offs. Illegal copies of a film that hasn’t yet officially been released in the home video and DVD format.

Based on conversations that I’ve had over the past weekend with representatives from Buena Vista Home Entertainment, I can say (with some amount of certainty) that “Captain EO” has never officially been issued in the home video and/or the DVD format. At least here in the U.S. Mind you, I’ve still got people overseas checking to see if this Michael Jackson 3D movie was ever up for sale at Disneyland Paris and/or Tokyo Disneyland. When they finally get back to me, I’ll pass along the definitive report. But — as of right now — that seems kind of unlikely as well.

Which — again — points to these various versions of “Captain EO” that are currently for sale/up for bid on eBay as being knock-offs. Which — given the vast differences in the additional features that are offered on each of these tapes and discs — sort of makes sense now.

Take — for example — an “EO” VHS that’s currently up for bid. This tape includes four different versions of the movie: A director’s cut of “Captain EO,” a standard version, a widescreen version as well as a widescreen work print version that still has the time codes embedded in the film. This tape also includes a copy of the “Making of ‘Captain EO'” TV special (hosted by Whoopi Goldberg) as well as the attraction’s grand opening celebration at Disneyland (a parade which was hosted by “Family Ties” Justine Bateman).

Meanwhile, that DVD version of “Captain EO” … well, this auction item includes the 3D movie in standard and wide screen and a copy of the “Making Of” TV special. But — in addition — this disc includes the “Another Part of Me” promo video. Plus the seller is throwing in a CD of the attraction’s soundtrack, which features “… edits and arrangements of ‘We Are Here to Change the World’ and ‘Another Part of Me.'”

Mind you, this particular version of the “Captain EO” DVD is only available in the PAL format. Which — once again — has me wondering if a Disney authorized edition of “EO” actually was available for sale for some point in video or DVD format in Europe and Asia. Just not here in the Americas. (Hey, stranger things have happened, kids. Please remember that “Song of the South” has been available for sale in Japan for nearly a decade now. While — back here in the States — Buena Vista Home Entertainment keeps telling consumers that the Walt Disney Company has placed a permanent moratorium on “SOTS.” Meaning: We’ll only pull this title out of our library and up for sale after we run out of other things to sell.)

But — as I look over all the additional features listed on these (perhaps bogus) “Captain EO” videos and DVDs on eBay — I never see the extra feature that I’m really looking. Which is a copy of “Captain Eeyore.”

“What’s ‘Captain Eeyore’?” you ask? Surely, some of you know about the films that Disneyland cast members used to make to amuse themselves. Typically, these productions were put together — with management approval, mind you — as entertainment that could be shown at area parties. You know, when the crew that worked in Fantasyland and/or Tomorrowland would gather at the end-of-the-summer season for a beer blast or after Christmas for a “We Actually Survived the Holiday Season at Disneyland” celebration.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve been lucky enough to see a number of these admittedly-amateurish-but-still-somewhat-entertaining movies. As you might expect, there are some films that are better than others. I recall one that was built around Frontierland and Adventureland employees lip-syncing to Prince songs — a gimmick that got old real fast — that still had its moments. There was also one that featured the crew from Disneyland’s old “Skyway” attraction that was pretty funny. Particularly when these cast members began singing their version of “Ole Man River.” AKA “Ole Man Skyway.”

But the best — by far — was “Captain Eeyore.” Which is a dead-on spoof of the theme park’s $15 million 3D extravaganza. Starring Pooh’s old pal — that terminally depressed donkey, Eeyore — as Captain Eeyore.

As one watches this video, one can’t help but wonder “How did these Disneyland cast members ever get permission to do this?” For — you see — the central gag behind this film is that you have Disneyland walk-around characters standing in for the various characters from the “Captain EO” 3D film. And the members of the “Zoo Crew” who are wearing these costumes are behaving in a very undignified (or is that “unDisneyified”) manner.

So — instead of the Geex, that furry two-headed creature from the original “Captain EO” 3D film that was called Idy and Ody — you have Tweedledum and Tweedledee. And — instead of the metallic Major Domo — you have Tigger in a Future World-ish space suit. And — instead of Hooter — you have Pooter. That’s right. Our old pal, Winnie the Pooh.

Mind you, “Captain Eeyore” features a Disneyland cast member performing in the old version of the park’s Winnie the Pooh costume. You know, the one that was notorious among “Zoo Crew” members because — due to the restrictive way that this costume was constructed — the person who was stuck inside had virtually no use of his arms. Which meant that — should a performer trip and fall down while they were wearing this particular Pooh costume — they were screwed. They were forced to stay sprawled on the ground until another cast member came along to help them back onto their feet.

Given the horrible reputation that this particular character costume had, “Captain Eeyore” attempts to mine a lot of humor out of that Pooh suit. Some of you may recall that scene in “Captain EO” where Hooter has to jump and strain in order to reach the button that will pull in the spaceship’s sails. Well, in “Captain Eeyore,” the cast member who’s stuck in the Winnie the Pooh suit has the same assignment. Only — in this version of the film’s story — you get to see Pooh failing away with his useless arms, trying to hit that button. You even get to see the human inside the suit — straining to reach that button — by reaching his hand out of the “Hunny” pot that sits on top of Pooh’s head.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee also provide a lot of humor in this picture. But only if you realize that — for a number of years — Disney CEO Michael Eisner insisted that these “Alice in Wonderland” characters no longer be allow to appear in the theme parks. Why for? Because Eisner evidently thought that the rounded facial features of these walk-around characters made Tweedledum and Tweedledee looked too much like mongoloids. So — since Uncle Michael didn’t want the Walt Disney Company to ever be accused of making fun of retarded children — he ordered that these character costumes could no longer be used in the park.

Of course, the operations staff at Disneyland and Walt Disney World immediately obeyed Michael’s orders. And these characters were indeed kept from appearing in the parks for a number of years … until people began to realize that — given how rarely Eisner ever actually walks through the theme parks — the Disney Company’s CEO would never know if they were using Tweedledee or Tweedledum again. So the ops people put these “Alice in Wonderland” walk-around characters (which had always been quite popular with the guests, by the way) back in the parks a couple of years ago. And Uncle Mike has never caught on that his expressed order was now being deliberately ignored.

Anywho … there’s this gag in “Captain Eeyore” that actually manages to makes fun of both Michael Jackson and Michael Eisner in one single dialogue exchange. As the crew of Captain Eeyore’s ship stands cowering before the Supreme Leader (You know, the spider-like alien that Angelica Huston played in the original “Captain EO” film? Well — this time around — the villianess is this particularly demented looking version of Minnie Mouse), Tweedledum turns to Tweedledee and asks:

Tweedledum: Who’s that?

Tweedledee: The Supreme Leader.

Tweedledum: What? Diana Ross?

Tweedledee: (exasperated sigh, then …) You really are a mongoloid!

These sorts of in-jokes abound in “Captain Eeyore.” Take for example, the punishments that the Supreme Leader metes out to Captain Eeyore and his crew. “You (pointing to Pooh, Tigger, Tweedledum and Tweedledee) turn them into photo characters. While you (pointing at Eeyore) a hundred years of torture in the Inn Between.”

Now — in order to get those gags — you have to understand that Disney “Zoo Crew” members consider being assigned work as photo characters (where you have to stand in the hot sun all day being overly nice to tourists as they each get a picture of you posing with their children) as sheer torture. And that the Inn Between is the cast-members-only cafeteria that’s located right behind the Plaza Inn on Disneyland’s hub.

But it’s Captain Eeyore himself that truly makes this film a must-see. Mind you, I don’t know the name of the performer who’s trapped inside of that donkey suit. (Sadly, the version of “Captain Eeyore” that I saw didn’t have any production credits.) But clearly this guy (or was it this girl?) could dance. He made Michael Jackson’s trademark moves down cold. But there’s something that’s just fall down funny about seeing this six-foot-tall donkey trying to moonwalk. Or — better yet — Eeyore doing Jackson’s infamous pelvic thrusts.

Yeah, “Captain Eeyore” isn’t exactly a family film. And — admittedly — a number of its jokes are just a bit too inside for most members of the public to get. (EX: At one point, Commander Bob — “Captain Eeyore”‘s version of Commander Blogg — spies Tweedledum and Tweedledee sitting down inside the spaceship. Bob barks at the characters: “Hey! No sitting in costume!” Which always gets a big laugh from Disneyland cast members. But not so much as a snicker from foamers like you and I.) But — that said — this movie is still worth seeking out.

After all, how many times do you get the chance to see:

Eeyore leading a troupe of 24 professionally trained dancers (supposedly the cast of Disneyland’s “Videopolis” stage show) performing an exact copy of the “We Are Here to Change the World” number from “Captain EO.”

The Seven Dwarfs, wielding spears, goose-stepping their way toward the dancing donkey.

Two Queen of Hearts, each cracking a bullwhip, moving in to attack Captain Eeyore.

Clearly, a lot of time and effort went into this project. Given the size of “Captain Eeyore”‘s cast (as well as the large number of official Disneyland walk-around character costumes that were used in the making of this movie), it’s pretty hard to believe that Disneyland officials didn’t know that this movie was in production. More than likely, the managers in Anaheim were well aware of what was going on and that — provided that these Disneyland cast members made their film on their own time — they didn’t really have a problem with the project.

Now, what I find interesting is … I’ve seen several of these Disneyland-cast-member-produced movies from the 1980s … but I’ve never ever seen any cast-members-only films from the 1990s or the 2000s surface. Which begs the question: After Michael Eisner came to power and proved himself to be a fairly humorless individual, did Disneyland management begin to actively discourage this film-making practice? Out of fear that some of the somewhat pointed jokes that Anaheim’s amateur movie makers were making at Disney Studio’s expense might piss off someone powerful back in Burbank … which perhaps might result in someone (or maybe even several someones) getting their butts fired from Disneyland.

Which — if that’s what actually happened here — is really a shame. For these cast-members-produced movies don’t come across as being anything really malicious. They’re just films made by a bunch of kids who are blowing off a little steam. Poking fun at their supervisors and/or the silly attractions that they work on. After all, Disneyland is supposed to be “The Happiest Place on Earth,” isn’t it? So shouldn’t the employee who work there occasionally be allowed to poke fun at the place?

Evidently not. Or — at least — not anymore. Which is a shame. For — given the strides that have been made over the past 10 years in digital photography and editing technology — I’m betting that Disneyland cast members out there could turn out some home-grown epics right now that would really put “Captain Eeyore” to shame.

Anyway … should Disney ever actually get around to putting together an authorized version of the “Captain EO” film that could be sold here in the states, here’s hoping that they fold “Captain Eeyore” into that DVD’s extra features. After all, how many times in life do you get to see a film that features an exchange like this:

TIGGER: So how do we find the Supreme Leader?

TWEEDLEDUM: Follow the Yellow Brick Road?

TWEEDLEDEE: (Pulling a Moe Howard) Why, I oughta …

Your thoughts?

Television & Shows

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

Published

2 weeks 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: