Controversial Stand-Up Comedian Nearly Had The Most Unexpected Cameo In South Park
Fans of South Park may have made note throughout the years that the long-running cartoon is one of the only animated shows on television to not include a laundry list of guest voices. While programs such as The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers often structure entire episodes around a revolving door of celebrity guests, the Comedy Central original series relies almost entirely on the vocal performances of series creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. So it should come as a major surprise to learn that Jerry Seinfeld was once considered for a guest role on South Park, as the voice of a genetically-modified turkey.
Seinfeld Reached Out
According to a write-up in Cracked, Jerry Seinfeld reached out to the creators of South Park back when the show was still airing its first season in 1997, with the intention of lending his voice to the increasingly popular cartoon.
For many TV show creators just breaking into the business, this would be a life-changing proposition, as the stand-up comedian was one of the biggest stars on Earth at that time. As a point of reference, this offer would have been handed down while Seinfeld was still airing its penultimate season, and shattering records for viewership numbers.
Turkey #2
Unfortunately for Jerry Seinfeld’s ego, Matt Stone and Trey Parker have a reputation for shying away from intense celebrity worship, making them all but immune to the Bee Movie star’s demands.
Rather than offer him a voice role as an important side-character, a public figure, or even an exaggerated version of himself, the South Park creators insisted that Jerry Seinfeld record a few “gobble gobble” vocals for the role of Turkey #2.
It Didn’t Happen
Needless to say, this incensed Jerry Seinfeld, who likely expected the South Park crew to roll out the red carpet for him and offer him the undeniable reverence normally reserved for a foreign monarch.
Seinfeld ultimately rejected the offer, and the role of Turkey #2 was fulfilled by one of the usual South Park voice actors instead. To this day, Seinfeld has never worked with either Trey Parker nor Matt Stone, despite the fact that the three comedy giants have coexisted in such a similar niche for decades now.
Dogs And Cats
Unlike Jerry Seinfeld, a small handful of celebrities have agreed to humble themselves at the behest of Matt and Trey, including the likes of George Clooney and Jay Leno.
Clooney lends his voice to the barks and yelps of a homosexual dog in the season 1 South Park episode “Big Gay Al’s Big Gay Boat Ride,” while Leno takes on the purrs and meows of Cartman’s cat Mr. Kitty.
This move ultimately paid off for both of these A-listers, as Clooney and Leno were both given genuine voice roles down the line after their initial appearances.
They Liked Musicians Better
Despite the lack of reverence for comedy giants like Jerry Seinfeld, it’s clear that the South Park creators do have one genuine soft spot for prominent musicians.
A brief look through the list of celebrity guest stars on the show reveals that numerous bands and vocalists, including Ozzy Osbourne, Ween, Elton John, Primus, Rick James, DMX, and others have appeared to voice fictionalized versions of themselves on the raunchy cartoon.
Perhaps if Jerry had taken to the stage with a guitar and some sheet music instead of observational comedy, he’d have had the chance to lend his iconic voice to the classic cartoon.
Source: Cracked
