W.T.F. (South Park)
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"W.T.F." is the 10th episode of the 13th season of the American animated television series ''
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boys Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand th ...
''. The 191st overall episode of the series, it originally aired on
Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programming ...
in the United States on October 21, 2009. In the episode, the South Park boys form their own backyard wrestling league, drawing droves of fans more interested in the acting and scripted dramatic storylines than athletic elements. "W.T.F." was written and directed by series co-creator
Trey Parker Randolph Severn "Trey" Parker III (born October 19, 1969) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, and composer. He is known for co-creating ''South Park'' (since 1997) and '' The Book of Mormon'' (2011) with his creative partner Matt Stone. ...
, and was rated
TV-MA L The TV Parental Guidelines are a television content rating system in the United States that was first proposed on December 19, 1996, by the United States Congress, the television industry and the federal communication commission (FCC), and went ...
in the United States. The episode parodied several aspects of
professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
, highlighting the sport's emphasis on such theatrical elements as costumes, back stories and scripted storylines. The episode demonstrated how
amateur wrestling Amateur wrestling is a variant of wrestling practiced in collegiate, school, or other amateur level competitions. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games: freestyle and Greco-Roman. Both styles are under the ...
is often afforded less respect because of pro wrestling, and it presents pro wrestling fans as deluded
redneck ''Redneck'' is a derogatory term chiefly, but not exclusively, applied to white Americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the Southern United States.Harold Wentworth, and Stuart Berg Flexner, '' ...
s while also likening them to middle-class theatregoers. "W.T.F." specifically parodies
World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
and its chairman,
Vince McMahon Vincent Kennedy McMahon (; born August 24, 1945) is an American media proprietor and retired professional wrestling promoter, executive, and performer. From 1982 to 2022, he served as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the w ...
. The episode received generally mixed reviews, with several commentators calling professional wrestling too easy a target for ''South Park'' satire. According to
Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
, "W.T.F." was seen by 1.37 million households among viewers aged between 18 and 49.


Plot

After watching a live
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
match between WWE superstars
Edge Edge or EDGE may refer to: Technology Computing * Edge computing, a network load-balancing system * Edge device, an entry point to a computer network * Adobe Edge, a graphical development application * Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
and
John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied w ...
at the
Pepsi Center Ball Arena (formerly known as Pepsi Center) is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Denver, Colorado. It is situated at Speer Boulevard, a main thoroughfare in downtown Denver, and is served by two nearby exits off Interstate 25. A light r ...
and being totally enthralled,
Kyle Kyle or Kyles may refer to: Places Canada * Kyle, Saskatchewan, Canada Ireland * Kyle, County Laois * Kyle, County Wexford Scotland * Kyle, Ayrshire, area of Scotland which stretched across parts of modern-day East Ayrshire and South Ayrshir ...
, Stan, Cartman,
Kenny Kenny is a surname, a given name, and a diminutive of several different given names. In Ireland, the surname is an Anglicisation of the Irish language, Irish ''Ó Cionnaith'', also spelt ''Ó Cionnaoith'' and ''Ó Cionaodha'', meaning "descendant ...
, Butters, Jimmy and Token decide to join the school's
wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
team, unaware how different the sport is from
professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
. They all feel that the wrestling coach Mr. Connors's teaching of "real wrestling", or "wrassling", is too
homoerotic Homoeroticism is sexual attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female. The concept differs from the concept of homosexuality: it refers specifically to the desire itself, which can be temporary, whereas "homose ...
and immediately quit the class to form their own
backyard wrestling Backyard wrestling (BYW), also referred to as yarding or backyarding, is an underground hobby and sport involving untrained practices of Professional wrestling, professional-style wrestling, typically in a low-budget environment, such as a backy ...
league called "the Wrestling Takedown Federation" (W.T.F.), much to the frustration of Mr. Connors. The boys' federation relies heavily on theatrical elements and scripted storylines, with such characters as a
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
n who belittles Americans (played by Cartman), a veteran of the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
(played by Stan) and a girl who has had fourteen
abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
s (also played by Cartman). Their audience grows quickly, and consists mostly of
redneck ''Redneck'' is a derogatory term chiefly, but not exclusively, applied to white Americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the Southern United States.Harold Wentworth, and Stuart Berg Flexner, '' ...
s who believe the action is real and the dialogue reflects actual events. As its popularity increases, the boys add an auditorium, complete with
proscenium A proscenium ( grc-gre, προσκήνιον, ) is the metaphorical vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor ...
staging and theater-style lighting, to the back of Cartman's house. Soon, the events see the performers reciting dramatic
monologue In theatre, a monologue (from el, μονόλογος, from μόνος ''mónos'', "alone, solitary" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes a ...
s more often than engaging in wrestling and stunt work. Mr. Connors is fired by the
school board A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...
due to the violence associated with wrestling, after the board fails to make a distinction between what he teaches and professional wrestling (as do the town bar regulars). They also find videos of
Greco-Roman The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
and
freestyle wrestling Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestling ...
on his iPhone and mistake them for
gay pornography Gay pornography is the representation of sexual activity between males. Its primary goal is sexual arousal in its audience. Softcore gay pornography also exists; it at one time constituted the genre, and may be produced as beefcake pornogra ...
. The boys are excited to learn WWE Chairman
Vince McMahon Vincent Kennedy McMahon (; born August 24, 1945) is an American media proprietor and retired professional wrestling promoter, executive, and performer. From 1982 to 2022, he served as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the w ...
has heard of their federation and will be scouting one of their shows. Mr. Connors sits in his apartment surrounded by awards for wrestling and in tears over his termination and what wrestling has become. Vengeful, he plans to sabotage the event in a personal vow to restore the integrity of the wrestling sport. Cartman, Stan, Kyle and Kenny secretly decide to relegate Butters, Jimmy and Token to smaller roles, thinking that it will give themselves a better opportunity to impress McMahon. They hold tryouts in the manner of a theater
audition An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performer. It typically involves the performer displaying their talent through a previously memorized and rehearsed solo piece or by performing a work or piece giv ...
in order to find new talent for their show, which is now more reminiscent of musical theatre than wrestling. Mr. Connors sneaks into the event and unsuccessfully attempts to destroy the
wrestling ring A wrestling ring is the stage on which a professional wrestling match usually occurs. It is similarly constructed to a boxing ring and is traditionally square-shaped. Configuration and construction The configuration and construction of the trad ...
with a rocket launcher, killing Kenny instead. He runs into the ring and chastises the crowd with an impassioned monologue about how professional wrestling has ruined real wrestling, and the downward spiral his life has taken since it cost him his job (as well as everything else). The crowd begins to sympathize with him, angrily chanting, " They took his job!" McMahon is impressed with the speech and decides to sign Mr. Connors to the WWE—much to his delight. The boys are frustrated at losing their latest shot at stardom and began brawling amongst themselves, blaming each other for the lost opportunity. Unimpressed by the genuine wrestling and real conflicted drama, the crowd deems it "fake" and begins to leave.


Theme

"W.T.F." was written and directed by series co-founder
Trey Parker Randolph Severn "Trey" Parker III (born October 19, 1969) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, and composer. He is known for co-creating ''South Park'' (since 1997) and '' The Book of Mormon'' (2011) with his creative partner Matt Stone. ...
, and was rated
TV-MA L The TV Parental Guidelines are a television content rating system in the United States that was first proposed on December 19, 1996, by the United States Congress, the television industry and the federal communication commission (FCC), and went ...
in the United States. It first aired on October 21, 2009 in the United States on Comedy Central. "W.T.F." parodies several aspects of professional wrestling, a form of theatre involving
mock combat Mock combat involves the execution of combative actions without intent to harm. Participants can engage in such sparring for ritual, training, recreational or performance reasons. The nature of mock combat can vary from realistic to symbolic. M ...
and
catch wrestling Catch wrestling (originally catch-as-catch-can) is a classical hybrid grappling style and combat sport. It was developed by J. G. Chambers in Britain . It was popularised by wrestlers of travelling funfairs who developed their own submission h ...
, in which matches, along with pre- and post-match commentary and action, are choreographed and scripted. The ''South Park'' episode highlights the theatrical elements of professional wrestling, such as the costumes, back stories and scripted dramatic storylines. The fans are portrayed as far more interested in these theatrical elements than any actual athletic feats. The theatrical aspect of professional wrestling are often over-exaggerated in "W.T.F." to add comedic emphasis and satire. For example, a try-out involves no actual wrestling at all, but rather dramatic monologues, and resembles the audition scene from the Broadway musical "A Chorus Line". Similarly, Vince McMahon watches one of the matches from a balcony wearing
opera glasses Opera glasses, also known as theater binoculars or Galilean binoculars, are compact, low-power optical magnification devices, usually used at performance events, whose name is derived from traditional use of binoculars at opera performances. Mag ...
, similar to that of a theatre rather than a traditional wrestling venue. The episode also demonstrates how
amateur wrestling Amateur wrestling is a variant of wrestling practiced in collegiate, school, or other amateur level competitions. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games: freestyle and Greco-Roman. Both styles are under the ...
, an actual non-choreographed sport with such styles as
Greco-Roman The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
and freestyle, is often afforded less respect due to professional wrestling. The boys initially mistake this form of wrestling for the scripted professional wrestling they are used to, and then are uninterested in it when they learn about the actual sport. The moves and holds their teacher tries to teach them are interpreted by the boys as
homoerotic Homoeroticism is sexual attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female. The concept differs from the concept of homosexuality: it refers specifically to the desire itself, which can be temporary, whereas "homose ...
and treated with disrespect. The gym teacher, Mr. Connors, is portrayed as showing despair for what professional wrestling has done to harm "real wrestling", culminating in a final scene in which he makes a tearful rant to the crowd at one of the boys' wrestling matches. "W.T.F." also mocks fans of professional wrestling, who are portrayed largely as stereotypical
redneck ''Redneck'' is a derogatory term chiefly, but not exclusively, applied to white Americans perceived to be crass and unsophisticated, closely associated with rural whites of the Southern United States.Harold Wentworth, and Stuart Berg Flexner, '' ...
s who believe the scripted storylines are real. The wrestling matches in "W.T.F." are purposely fake-looking to emphasize the scripted nature of professional wrestling, and utilize elements typically featured in real matches, like the use of metal
folding chair A folding chair is a type of folding furniture, a light, portable chair that folds flat or to a smaller size, and can be stored in a stack, in a row, or on a cart. It can be combined with a folding table. Uses Folding chairs are generally used ...
s as weapons. The professional wrestling characters created by the South Park boys, such as Cartman's "the Rad Russian", are similar to the gimmick-based types of characters created by actual professional wrestling leagues, like
The Iron Sheik Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri ( fa, حسین خسرو علی وزیری, romanized: Hossein Xosrô 'Ali Vaziri; born March 15, 1942), better known by his ring name the Iron Sheik, is an Iranian retired professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and a ...
. These characters, too, are portrayed in an over-the-top way to emphasize the comedic satire of professional wrestling. This is particularly illustrated with the use of one of Cartman's characters, a female diva who claims to have had so many
abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
s, she has become addicted to them.


Cultural references

Vince McMahon, the chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment and occasional professional wrestler himself, is featured prominently in "W.T.F." Various aspects of the World Wrestling Entertainment company are featured in "W.T.F."
John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied w ...
and
Edge Edge or EDGE may refer to: Technology Computing * Edge computing, a network load-balancing system * Edge device, an entry point to a computer network * Adobe Edge, a graphical development application * Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
, professional wrestlers who have both worked for the WWE, appear in a match against each other. Both are portrayed by voice actors, not the actual wrestlers themselves. The South Park boys host a "W.T.F. Smackdown" event, a reference to the ''
WWE SmackDown ''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes simulc ...
'' television program. Token's W.T.F attire resembles the attire of
WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
wrestler
R-Truth Ronnie Aaron Killings (born January 19, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE, performing on the Raw brand under the ring name R-Truth. Killings worked for World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WW ...
. A wrestling try-out held by the boys resembles scenes from the Broadway musical ''
A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...
'', which involves Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a
chorus line A chorus line is a large group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. Chorus line dancers in Broadway musicals and revues have been referred to by slang terms su ...
. One of the people trying out sings a musical number about why he wants to be a wrestler, which parodies the song "Nothing" from ''A Chorus Line''. The episode also includes references to the musical '' Fame'', the film ''
Waiting for Guffman ''Waiting for Guffman'' is a 1996 American mockumentary comedy film written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy, and directed by Guest. The film's ensemble cast includes Guest, Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Fred Willard, and Parker Posey. The film's ...
'' and the reality television series ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
''. When Cartman and Kenny order a meeting with Stan and Kyle to discuss the wrestling league, they meet at a
Sizzler Sizzler USA Restaurants, Inc., doing business as Sizzler, is a United States-based restaurant chain with headquarters in Mission Viejo, California, with locations mainly in California, plus some in the nearby states of Washington, Arizona, Neva ...
, a steak- and seafood-restaurant chain.


Reception

In its original American broadcast on October 21, 2009, "W.T.F" was watched by 1.37 million overall households among viewers aged between 18 and 34, according to
Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
. Among that age group, it ranked behind the FX drama series ''
Sons of Anarchy ''Sons of Anarchy'' is an American action crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter for FX. Originally aired from September 3, 2008 to December 9, 2014, ''Sons of Anarchy'' follows the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club ope ...
'', which drew 1.43 million household viewers, as well as game five of the
2009 National League Championship Series The 2009 National League Championship Series (NLCS) was a best-of-seven baseball game series pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Championship and the right to represent the National League in ...
on TBS (1.56 million households) and a
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
game between the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
and
San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...
on
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
(3.57 million households). "W.T.F." received generally mixed reviews. Ramsey Isler of ''
IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' said the professional wrestling parody was "pretty spot on", but that the target was too easy, and the episode "lacks a lot of the punchy kind of comedy that the show is usually known for". Nevertheless, Isler said the writing was clever and had funny moments, like Kenny's "El Pollo Loco" character, and the scene where the gym teacher tries to take down a security guard with a traditional wrestling move. Josh Modell of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' gave the episode a C+ grade and called it "one of those too-common ''SP'' episodes that could've been cut in half". Modell said the true-to-life way the boys formed their wrestling company was "great" and that the parody of professional wrestling was on target, but also said they "have been told a million times before. They're not really jokes at this point." Carlos Delgado of ''iF Magazine'' gave the episode a C+ grade, saying professional wrestling seems like a topic ''South Park'' should have mocked long ago. Delgado said the best scenes were the first moments of the boys' wrestling league, but that the "novelty of the idea starts to fade" and the developments become too outrageous. ''
Maclean's ''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian perspe ...
'' writer Jamie Weinman criticized the episode and said professional wrestling was "not exactly a timely target". Not all reviews were negative.
Salon.com ''Salon'' is an American politically progressive/ liberal news and opinion website created in 1995. It publishes articles on U.S. politics, culture, and current events. Content and coverage ''Salon'' covers a variety of topics, including re ...
writer
Mary Elizabeth Williams Mary Elizabeth Williams is an American writer and commentator. She is a staff writer for the online magazine ''Salon''. She has also written for ''The New York Times'', ''The Nation'', and other publications. As a commentator, she has made appeara ...
called the show "perennially offensive ndstill shockingly funny", and particularly praised Cartman's wrestling character "Bad Irene", who professes a love of and addiction to abortions. Williams called it, "a reminder that the heated debate over choice frequently serves as America's prime-time entertainment".


Home release

"W.T.F.", along with the thirteen other episodes from ''South Parks thirteenth season, were released on a three-disc
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
set and two-disc
Blu-ray The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
set in the United States on March 16, 2010. The sets included brief audio commentaries by Parker and Stone for each episode, a collection of deleted scenes, and a special mini-feature ''Inside Xbox: A Behind-the-Scenes Tour of South Park Studios'', which discussed the process behind animating the show with ''Inside Xbox'' host Major Nelson.


References


External links


"W.T.F"
Full episode at South Park Studios * {{South Park episodes, 13 South Park (season 13) episodes Professional wrestling-related mass media