South Park's Most Likable Character Is Based On A Real Person

If there's one "South Park" character fans can't help but love, it's Leopold "Butters" Stotch (Matt Stone). With his almost infallible optimism, friendly demeanor, and spiky yellow tuft of hair, Butters is the one soul in all of South Park that rarely seems to lose his heart. First appearing as an unnamed background character but eventually evolving into one of the show's central characters, not to mention a fan favorite, Butters is the cartoon version of real-world "South Park" animation director and co-producer Eric Stough, who has been with "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone since the show's beginning. 

The infamous pair first met Stough back in the college film department at the University of Colorado in Boulder when they first noticed his animation talent. They originally asked him to create the first "South Park" short "The Spirit of Christmas," an animation that would ultimately spawn the long-running series. But like his animated counterpart, the real Butters the Animator was nervous at the thought of making an adult animation, telling them he wanted to make cuter, Disney-style films with talking animals. 

Although he missed the first opportunity, Stough eventually got on board, a decision that would lead to his decades-long career with the series along with his nickname, a silly evolution of "Buddy." Of Stough's dedication, "South Park" supervising producer Frank Agnone told the University of Colorado alumni mag, the Coloradan, "Eric's long-standing relationship with Matt and Trey is beyond valuable on a day-to-day basis. He is as much a part of 'South Park' as Matt and Trey are."

Butters wasn't the first character borrowed from Trey Parker and Matt Stone's real life Rolodex by a long shot. "South Park" main characters Kyle and Stan were created as the on-screen counterparts of Trey and Matt. Stan Marsh (played by Parker) was originally meant to be the child version of Trey Parker, while Stan's best buddy Kyle Broflovski (played by Stone) was meant to be the child version of Matt Stone, although eventually, the pair realized they both resonated more with Eric Cartman's persona. Likewise, the boys' families in the series are inspired by the "South Park" creators' real families right down their names. Parker's real-world parents are geologist Randy Parker and insurance broker Sharon Parker just like Stan's parents Randy (Parker) and Sharon (Mary Kay Bergman, Eliza Schneider, and April Stewart), and his sister's name is Shelley, like Stan's on-screen sis (also played by Bergman, Schneider, and Stewart). And just as Kyle's parents are Gerald (played by Stone) and Sheila (Mona Marshall and Bergman), Matt Stone's real-world parents are Gerald Stone and Sheila Belasco. 

Mr. Mackey (Parker) was inspired by Parker's real-life school counselor, a man by the name of Mr. Lackey who Parker says was the inspiration for his decision to start doing voices as a kid. Similarly, Mr. Garrison (also Parker) is based on one of Parker's college professors. In fact, Parker has said that every "South Park" character has some basis in real life.