Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment

“Shrek 4D”, “Mickey’s Philharmagic” and the post modern theme park — Part II

Seth Kubersky’s intriguing new series concludes with a close look at “Shrek 4D,” including some great gags that got reportedly cut from the pre-show area of this new 3D film when Universal management suddenly got nervous.

Published

22 years ago

September 23, 2003

Seth Kubersky

Welcome back to the exciting world of Post-Modernism!

In the first part of this article, I discussed the Modernist influences found in the Walt Disney parks and attractions. This is not meant to imply that post-Modernism has not influenced, or been influenced by, the Mouse. After all, Andy Warhol, one of the pioneers of post-Modernism, famously appropriated the image of Mickey Mouse for his Pop Art. Post-Modern influences can be seen in several Disney animated features from the last couple decades. Most notably, the Robin William’s Genie in “Aladdin” is a purely post-Modern creation, anachronistically blending cultural and historical references to great comic effect. Segments of “Fantasia 2000” can be read as a post-Modern response to the decidedly Modernist “Fantasia”, as evidenced by the ironic juxtaposition of “serious” music with whimsical, “unserious” imagery that undercuts the composers’ intentions (see “Pomp and Circumstance”, “Rhapsody in Blue”).

Post-Modernism has also crept into recent Disney park attractions. Disney’s initial reluctance to put “characters” in EPCOT because they “didn’t fit” can be read in the light of the Modernist resistance to breaking down the barrier between “high culture” (the serious-minded educational aspirations of the original Future World) and “low culture” (silly cartoon characters). But with the Eisner era came a willingness to play with Disney’s image and the expectations of park visitors. The introduction of post-Modern aesthetics to Walt Disney World has been gradual and subtle, reflecting the creeping influence of post-Modernism in the larger culture. What would Walt have thought of Iago quipping at the end of the revamped Tiki Room, “I’m tired. I think I’ll go to the Hall of Presidents and take a nap”? Walt might not have been amused, but the self-awareness and irreverence towards a sacred icon would bring a smile to any post-Modernist’s face.

Ironically, the most identifiably post-Modernist attraction on Disney property isn’t based on a Disney property at all. The attraction is “MuppetVision 4D”, and it is arguably the most post-Modern theme park attraction pre-Shrek. This is appropriate, as the Muppets were post-Modern from their inception. During its first season, Saturday Night Live, which was at one time aggressively post-modern and counter-cultural, featured an early incarnation of the Muppets. The Muppet Show took elements of high culture, low culture, and no culture, threw them into a blender, and played gleefully with the results. If the sight of high-culture icons Rudolph Nureyev and Beverly Sills cavorting with felt puppets isn’t the very definition of post-modernism, then nothing is. And when it came time to turn the Muppets into an attraction, no effort was spared to subvert the very idea of theme park entertainment, in classic Muppet style.

Quick, what is the single funniest line in “MuppetVision 4D”? The line that perfectly encapsulates the attraction’s post-Modern sensibility? The line that makes me laugh out loud every time I hear it?

“We can’t, you fool! We’re bolted to the seats!”

This line, spoken by Statler and Waldorf at the very end of the show, seemed revolutionary to me when then attraction first opened. It represents a fundamental element of post-Modern art: self-awareness. It was, to my knowledge, the first time a character in a theme park attraction acknowledged that it was a theme park character, and made light of the fact. There is much of this “breaking the fourth wall” throughout the show, from Fozzie’s reference to the “cheesy 3D gags” found in earlier 3D films, to the literal destruction of the fourth wall of the theater at the show’s end, exposing theme park guests in the background. Another element of post-Modernism is irreverent disregard of historical icons, as seen in the disastrous patriotic finale (“It’s a glorious tribute to all nations, but mostly ours”). Every element, from the film parody posters in the queue to the many puns and inside jokes in the preshow, serves to playfully violate the audience’s suspension of disbelief. By subverting the expectation that theme park attractions should present a coherent self-contained narrative, the Muppets mock themselves, and the dominant Modernist aesthetic that pervades the rest of Disney.

These post-Modern elements are still the exception, not the rule, at Disney. But a short ride down I-4 in Orlando will bring you to a theme park seemingly built on post-Modern principles. Take a look at a publicity shot from Universal Studios Florida’s early years and you’ll immediately see what I mean. You’ll see a bizarre mix of celebrities and fictional characters. Marilyn Monroe rubs elbows with Laurel and Hardy, who interact with Woody Woodpecker and Doc Brown, and they’re right next to Beetlejuice and the Blues Brothers. Icons from various historical eras and genres are fearlessly juxtaposed, a hallmark of post-Modern Pop Art. This is in contrast to Disney publicity shots, which are always carefully composed to present a consistent aesthetic in which the characters all seem to exist in the same universe.

Post-Modern influences can be seen in the architecture of the park as well. All the Disney parks feature an entrance area with a consistent theme, leading to a distinct icon. This represents the Modernist impulse to present a single coherent narrative. Universal Studios, in contrast, has no central in-park icon to guide guests. Instead, guests are faced with an immediate choice between heading straight, towards the Production Central and New York areas, or to the right towards Hollywood and World Expo. Along the way, they will notice an eclectic mix of themes and architectural styles, without the gradual transitions between sections found in the Magic Kingdom. Throughout, the use of obvious facades and utilitarian architecture exposes the artificiality of the studio backlot theme, undercutting the notion of a “real” fantasy world. Twister and E.T. in particular feature behind-the-scenes studio props juxtaposed with “realistic” themed environments.

The design of many of the individual attractions is decidedly post-Modern. Most obviously, the Men In Black building borrows from a grab bag of architectural icons (the St. Louis arch, the World’s Fair towers) and aesthetic styles (science-fiction, 60’s kitsch). The Jaws preshow takes the premise of the film and explodes it by suggesting that the movie was a fictionalized account of real events. The queue video takes turns these “real” characters from a film famous for it’s dramatic tension into comic foils in a satire of talk shows, tourism, and children’s entertainment. And the Kongfrontation queue line broke down the barrier between artist and audience by inviting guests to participate in creating the graffiti that lined the walls.

Post-modern elements are not confined just to the original Universal park. They can be seen in fine form next door at Islands of Adventure. The “legend” of Port of Entry, IOA’s answer to Main Street USA, reads like a post-Modern manifesto: a melting pot where adventurers and explorers from all time periods and cultures have come to share ideas and build a new society. The Lost Continent takes the sacred myths of Greek, Arab, and Celtic culture and recycles them as pop-culture thrills. The entire Marvel comic universe, particularly the creations of Stan Lee, can be read as a post-Modern reaction to the Modernist DC superheroes. Rather than feature blandly heroic icons engaged in a black-and-white battle between good and evil, Marvel gave us ordinary people burdened by extraordinary powers, struggling with the demands of normal life in a morally ambiguous world. Jurassic Park is more self-reflective than a funhouse hall of mirrors: a theme park based on a film based on a book about a theme park. The success of IOA with critics and guests can be seen as proof that post-Modernism is no longer distracting or confusing, but rather is something that can be understood and enjoyed by Middle America.

Finally, we return to Universal Studios and the thesis of this article. The new Shrek 4D attraction, while not the first post-Modern attraction, is certainly the clearest and most deliberate expression of the aesthetic. From the moment you enter the queue until you exit the gift shop, you are engaged in a world that seeks to subvert traditional notions of what a theme park attraction should be. Much of this attitude can be attributed to the source material. Consider the ways that the film “Shrek” promoted the post-Modern agenda:

1) Juxtaposition of unrelated genres and historical references: Shrek takes a traditional fairy tale milieu, and mixes in a wide range of references from music, film, literature, and pop culture.

2) Irreverent disregard for authority and cultural myths: Shrek inverts the traditional fairy tale notions of the noble prince, helpless princess, and evil ogre. On another level, the film is a thinly-veiled attack on Michael Eisner and the Disney company, both respected symbols of American corporate culture.

3) Suspicion of dominant Western culture in favor of “authentic” non-Western culture: The plot of the film, based around Farquaad’s failed attempt to subjugate the fairy tale creatures, can be read as an indictment of Western efforts to oppress indigenous populations.

4) Playful acceptance of alternative cultural and sexual standards: The relationship between Shrek and Fiona, and between Donkey and the dragon, represent a rejection of the traditional romantic ideal found in most fairy tales.

Universal could have chosen to ignore these complex elements and use the Shrek characters for an amusing, if unchallenging, thrill ride. Instead they created an attraction that depends on humor based on these very aspects. This is unsurprising, since the same creative team that made the Shrek films was responsible for the attraction, a rarity in theme park entertainment. You will find clever, self-aware moments throughout the show. There are so many Star Wars references you might think you’re watching a Kevin Smith film, not to mention nods to Blues Brothers, Sleepy Hollow, and many more. The Disney-esque characters are abused mercilessly, especially poor Tinkerbell. Even the traditional notions of good-vs.-evil are subverted by the apologetic executioner.

Before I continue, I have a confession to make: “Shrek 4D” isn’t perfect. Yes, the film is very funny, the in-theater effects are effective (if a bit redundant), and the preshow and queue are witty. All the individual elements are very good to excellent. But they aren’t integrated as well as they might have been. The biggest problem is the muddy transition between the preshow and main show: while they are both very well done, they don’t connect seamlessly. If fact, the end of the preshow sets up a premise (being tortured by the ghost of Farquaad) that the main show does not follow up on. This leads to confusion of identity and perspective in the main film. The design of the main theater itself also could have been better renovated from the original Hitchcock space. The space is minimally themed, and is not large enough to accommodate the crowds drawn by this popular attraction. Some of the in-theater effects are overused to the point that they loose their surprise value by the end of the show. And the screen is significantly smaller than the one at “Mickey’s Philharmagic,” but this is made up for by the razor-sharp digital projection and the use of clever lighting effects on the walls. These problems don’t stop Shrek from being a great attraction, but they do hold it back from being a perfect one.

I also have to disagree with Jim Hill’s assessment that the improved queue is primarily responsible for Orlando’s “Shrek 4D” earning higher guest scores than the Hollywood version. Orlando’s queue has many brilliant touches, but they are not presented as well as they could have been. The queue itself is a simple outdoor switchback that has not been significantly changed from the Hitchcock days. The addition of castle-like architectural touches is mostly superficial, and the extended queue area is fairly barren. The video loop shown on the overhead monitors is also disappointing: it consists solely of material found on the Shrek DVD, contains frequent advertisements for the movie (available in the gift shop), and is so brief that you may see it 3 or more times during a typical wait. Finally, the best visual gags are positioned late in the queue were you are likely to rush past them.

Despite these problems, the posters and signs are worth slowing down to read. As you approach the attraction, take the time to examine all the signage. Even those that seem to be standard warning signs contain subtle (and not so subtle) gags. The running theme is a tweaking of theme park conventions, with a fairy tale twist. The “Lancelot” parking section sign is an obvious lift from the film. But the safety instructions posted to the right of the queue entrance, though easily mistaken for a boilerplate warning, contains detailed instructions for dwarves, fairies, and other magical guests. The faux newspaper posted in several areas (headline: “Lord Farquaad Rises From His Grave: Still Very Short”) is filled with clever news items that both set up the show and give guests a chuckle.

Better still are the satirical movie and attraction advertisements to the left of the building entrance. Several of these are dead-on parodies of the classic Disney attraction posters that can be seen under the Main Street USA train station. My favorite: “The Enchanted Tick Room.” Another poster advertises a flying Donkey ride (shades of Dumbo) that promises “you’ll toss your teacups.”

Once you are in the pre-show itself, take a careful look around the room. In addition to the “Happiest Totalitarian Kingdom on Earth” sign, there are many other theme park parodies. Of particular note is the “Dulac Express” sign, an elaborate satire of Disney’s Fastpass.

But the best part of the queue is the Dulac Community Bulletin Board. Unfortunately positioned so that most guests will never be able to read all the gags, it is a glassed-in board covered with clever notices and advertisements. The premise is that — following the death of Farquaad — an underground fairy tale economy has come out of the closet. The want ads and announcements satirize commercial advertising, personal ads, and images of goody-goody childhood characters.

As wonderful as this Bulletin Board is, there was an earlier prototype that was even more daring. This early version of the Bulletin Board was briefly exhibited during the construction phase of the Shrek attraction. This mockup was quickly removed, and certain elements were changed or removed (for reasons that will soon be obvious) after vetting by the creative and legal departments. Some elements remained unchanged on the final prop that guests see today, but a few of the best gags were sanitized. Fortunately, I was able to document the prototype before it disappeared. And so, we conclude our journey through the post-Modern world of Shrek with some lost-and-found comedy gems. I present here a few of my most subversive favorites:

Tired of your Day Job? Do you want to make more money? Yes! You too can get that career you’ve been daydreaming about when you take Knight School classes. Take exciting courses in Steed Repair, Dragon Wrangling, Mandolin Restringing, Book Keeping, Accounting, Crossbow Repair, or get your degree in either Business Management or Falconry. Call the Knight School of Duloc and ask for Lance. You’ll like him A lot!

Free to Be Happily Ever After: Fairy Tale Survivors’ Support Group. What to do now that you’re out of the Woods.
“It was pretty rough going there for a while… I was a real boy, but that wasn’t enough for me anymore. I guess the low point would have to be when I dropped 20 pounds in 11 seconds after a foolish episode with Geppetto’s belt sander one night. I was hitting the furniture polish pretty hard, but then I took the pledge. Fairy tale Survivor’s support group turned me around, and it can do the same for you.”

Announcement: Lost fire-breathing Dragon. Very affectionate. Loves people and Animals. Answers to the name Mr. Sniffles.

“Single shut-in princess seeks anyone with a romantic spirit and a ladder. Must like big hair.”

Fairy Tale Ale Malt Liquor: You’ll Think You Can Fly (with an illustration of a drunken Tinkerbell)

Announcement: Burned my crops and barbecued my sheep. Please collect him ASAP. Just look for the scorch mark where my house used to be – corner of Maple and oh gawd, he’s coming right for me!

Personal Ad: “Wanna go to Pleasure Island? Single wooden male seeks female who can really work my strings. You must like splinters. Try me, I’ll grow on you… No lie!”

Personal Ad: “Are you looking for Prince Charming? Don’t be fooled by appearances. One kiss will transform your image of me. Love me, I’m tongue-tied. Hop on up to my totally fly pad.”

FOE’S: The Villain’s Tavern
You’ve a hard day at work turning straw into gold, or you’ve spent all week trying a glass slipper on every damsel in the country… it’s time! Kick off those glass slippers, and knock back a cold one in the comfort of Duloc’s foremost Fairy Tale Sports Tavern, Foe’s. Can’t get tickets to tournament day? We’re joust the place for you! Watch the games on our 32-inch magic mirror. And remember, Tuesday night is “Little Wooden Boy’s Night!”

Happy Hour: 5:00pm – 6:00pm
Grumpy Hour: 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Sleepy Hour: 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Dopey Hour: 8:00pm – 9:00pm
Drunkenly Calling Old Girlfriends Hour: 3:00am – 4:00am

Single Princess seeks prince or better. Seven little men can’t be wrong! You’ve had the rest, now try the fairest of them all.

Relationship moving too slowly? Well I may be just the thing you’re hungering for, but you’ll have to catch me first! I’m as fast as fast can be. I’ve got something for your sweet tooth.

Like hairy guys? Looking for a Big Bad boy to huff and puff and blow your mind? Not all the guys are wolves, but this one is.

Cottage to Let: 2 Bedroom, 2 Cauldron split-level Gingerbread house, with Gumdrop tile ceilings, cackle lighting, and wall-to-wall frosting – perfect for children (“wink”). Forbidden woods adjacent. Completely remodeled dungeon with all new torture equipment. Above ground bottomless pit. Cavern for dragon. No pets!

And finally, the piece de resistance (how did this ever get displayed in a family park?):

“Tri-curious? Think all the available guys are pigs? Well, why settle for one when you can have three. You’ve had the rest, now try the other white meat.”

Television & Shows

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

Published

5 days 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: