Editing Kenny McCormick (section)

==Character==
===Creation and design===
[[Image:KennyUnhooded.jpg|thumb|left|Kenny's entire face was revealed for the first time in the 1999 film ''[[South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut]]''.]]
When developing the character, the show's creators had observed that most groups of childhood friends in small middle-class towns always included "the one poor kid" and decided to portray Kenny in this light.<ref name=goindown>{{cite video|people=Trey Parker, Matt Stone|title=Goin' Down to South Park|medium=Television documentary|publisher=Comedy Central}}</ref>

In a 2000 interview, Parker said that Kenny was based on a childhood friend of his who was also named Kenny and wore an orange parka that muffled his voice. He was the poorest child in the neighborhood and often skipped school, causing Parker and his friends to jokingly say he died, only for him to return to school later.<ref>{{Citation|title=South Park - The Real-Life Inspiration for Kenny (Paley Center, 2000)| date=September 16, 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL11JnW7pzY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/xL11JnW7pzY| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-17}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

An unnamed precursor to Kenny first appeared in the first ''The Spirit of Christmas'' short, dubbed ''Jesus vs. Frosty'', created by Parker and Stone in 1992 while they were students at the [[University of Colorado at Boulder|University of Colorado]]. The character was composed of [[construction paper]] cutouts and animated through the use of [[stop motion]].<ref name=method>{{cite news|author=Matt Cheplic |title='As Crappy As Possible': The Method Behind the Madness of South Park |publisher=[[Penton Media]] |date=May 1, 1998 |url=http://digitalcontentproducer.com/mag/video_crappy_possible_method/ |access-date=April 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090329014416/http://digitalcontentproducer.com/mag/video_crappy_possible_method/ |archive-date=March 29, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> When tasked three years later by friend Brian Graden to create another short as a video [[Christmas card]] that he could send to friends, Parker and Stone created another similarly-animated ''The Spirit of Christmas'' short, dubbed ''Jesus vs. Santa''.<ref name=VH1>{{cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/press/bios/brian_graden.jhtml |title=Brian Graden's Bio |publisher=VH1.com |access-date=January 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120161058/http://www.vh1.com/press/bios/brian_graden.jhtml |archive-date=January 20, 2008 }}</ref> In this short, Kenny is given his first name, and first appears as he does in the series.
Kenny next appeared on August 13, 1997, when ''South Park'' debuted on [[Comedy Central]] with the episode "[[Cartman Gets an Anal Probe]]".<ref>Frederic M. Biddle, "'South Park' wickedly makes the grade", ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' (August 13, 1997). [[LexisNexis]] {{subscription required}}. Retrieved April 30, 2009.</ref>

In tradition with the show's [[Cutout animation|animation style]], Kenny is composed of simple geometrical shapes and [[primary color]]s.<ref name=avr/><ref name=method/> He is not offered the same free range of motion associated with hand-drawn characters; his character is mostly shown from only one angle, and his movements are animated in an intentionally jerky fashion.<ref name=avr/><ref name=method/><ref name=growsup2>{{cite news|author=Jaime J. Weinman |title=South Park grows up |publisher=Mac leans.ca |date=March 12, 2008 |url=http://www.macleans.ca/culture/entertainment/article.jsp?content=20080312_115131_115131&page=2 |access-date=April 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802210052/http://www.macleans.ca/culture/entertainment/article.jsp?content=20080312_115131_115131&page=2 |archive-date=August 2, 2009 }}</ref> Ever since the show's second episode, "[[Weight Gain 4000]]" ([[South Park season 1|season one]], 1997), Kenny, like all other characters on the show, has been animated with computer software, though he is portrayed to give the impression that the show still utilizes its original technique.<ref name=method/>

[[File:MysterionUnmasked1.png|thumb|Mysterion unmasked at the end of "[[The Coon]]". Originally intended to have been a generic, unnamed classmate of the main characters, he was revealed to be Kenny in "[[Mysterion Rises]]".<ref name=mysterion/>]]

The effect of Kenny's speech is achieved by Stone mumbling into his own hand as he provides Kenny's lines.<ref name=method/> While he originally voiced Kenny without any computer manipulation, Stone now does so by speaking in his normal vocal range and then adding a childlike inflection. The recorded audio is then edited with [[Pro Tools]], and the pitch is altered to make the voice sound more like that of a fourth-grader.<ref>{{cite web|title=South Park FAQ|url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=2&year=2009|date=February 10, 2009|publisher=South Park Studios|access-date=April 30, 2009|archive-date=May 11, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511145241/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/archives.php?month=2&year=2009|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=sps40>{{cite web|title=40 Questions |url=http://treyparker.info/archives_spstudios.htm |date=October 4, 2001 |publisher=South Park Studios |access-date=January 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129004417/http://treyparker.info/archives_spstudios.htm |archive-date=November 29, 2010 }}</ref> As the technique of Kenny's muzzled enunciation frequently implies, many of his lines are indeed profane and sexually explicit, the lengthier of which are mostly improvised by Stone.<ref name=method/>

He first appeared unobscured by his hood in ''[[South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut]]'', where it was revealed that he had messy blonde hair. [[Mike Judge]] provided the voice for Kenny's one line of uninsulated dialogue: "Goodbye, you guys."<ref name="voiceactors">{{cite web |url=https://southpark.cc.com/fans/faq/355463 |title=FAQ: In 'Meet the Jeffersons' and in BLU Kenny's voice can be heard without it being muffled by his hood. But the voice in the movie sounds different from the episode!! Was it done by two different people?? If so why and who did the voice? |publisher=South Park Studios |date=June 24, 2010 |access-date=December 4, 2011 |archive-date=November 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129121524/http://www.southparkstudios.com/fans/faq/355463 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On a few occasions during episodes that have originally aired since the film's release, he has been seen without the parka;<ref group=note>Including "[[The Tooth Fairy Tats 2000]]", "[[Super Best Friends]]", "[[Lil' Crime Stoppers]]", "[[The Jeffersons (South Park episode)|The Jeffersons]]", "[[Good Times with Weapons]]", "[[The Losing Edge]]", "[[South Park Is Gay!]]", "[[Lice Capades]]", "[[Margaritaville (South Park)|Margaritaville]]", "[[W.T.F. (South Park)|W.T.F.]]", "[[Pee (South Park)|Pee]]", "[[You're Getting Old]]", and "[[DikinBaus Hot Dogs]]".</ref> however, unlike in ''Bigger, Longer & Uncut'' his entire face has been only seen four times in the television series without being partially obscured or otherwise altered, this being in "[[The Losing Edge]]", "[[The Jeffersons (South Park episode)|The Jeffersons]]", "[[You're Getting Old]]", and "[[DikinBaus Hot Dogs]]" (except in DikiniBaus Hot Dogs, his face is slightly concealed by a pair of sunglasses shades). He also speaks unmuffled during some of these instances, in which case co-producer [[Eric Stough]] provides Kenny's voice.<ref name="voiceactors" /> During "[[The Coon]]" episodes of seasons 13 and 14, Kenny has his first major speaking role as the character Mysterion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/south-park-best-kenny-quotes-ranked/|title=Kenny's 6 Best Quotes From South Park, Ranked|date=March 3, 2022|website=CBR|access-date=March 10, 2022|archive-date=March 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310013549/https://www.cbr.com/south-park-best-kenny-quotes-ranked/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Personality and traits===
While most child characters on the show are foul-mouthed, Kenny is often even more risqué with his dialogue.<ref name=bbc>{{cite news|title=Cartman top with kids|publisher=BBC|date=August 26, 1999|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/entertainment/430977.stm|access-date=May 5, 2009|archive-date=February 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213052216/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/430977.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Parker and Stone state that they depict Kenny and his friends in this manner in order to display how young boys really talk when they are alone.<ref name=avr/><ref name=abc4>{{cite web|author=Jake Trapper and Dan Morris|title=Secrets of 'South Park'|publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|date=September 22, 2006|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Entertainment/Story?id=2479197&page=4|access-date=April 18, 2009|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319073834/https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Entertainment/Story?id=2479197&page=4|url-status=live}}</ref> While Kenny is often cynical and profane, Parker notes that there nonetheless is an "underlying sweetness" aspect to the character,<ref name=loudlewd>{{cite news|author=Frazier Moore|title=Loud and lewd but sweet underneath|work=[[The Age]]|date=December 14, 2006|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/loud-and-lewd-but-sweet-underneath/2006/12/13/1165685687176.html?page=2|access-date=May 9, 2009|archive-date=May 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511220852/http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/loud-and-lewd-but-sweet-underneath/2006/12/13/1165685687176.html?page=2|url-status=live}}</ref> and ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine described Kenny and his friends as "sometimes cruel but with a core of innocence".<ref name=time/> He is amused by [[toilet humor]] and bodily functions,<ref name=time/> and his favorite television personalities are [[Terrance and Phillip]], a Canadian duo whose comedy routines on their show-within-the-show revolve substantially around fart jokes. Kenny is shown to desire intercourse in the episode "The Ring", when Kenny gets a girlfriend and is overjoyed to find out that she has a reputation as a slut. Kenny is also lecherous,<ref name=sfrubin/> and often portrayed as being eager to do and say disgusting things in an attempt to impress others or earn money.<ref name=goindown/> Conversely, his alter-ego Mysterion is seemingly mature, principled, and serious-minded, the only exception being one instance in "Mysterion Rises" in which he takes delight in irritating Cartman. As Mysterion, he convinces his parents to take better care of themselves and their children, as seen by their reaction when he questions them about the cult of Cthulhu. He also uses his disguise to protect his sister Karen (who refers to Mysterion as her "guardian angel"), as revealed in "[[The Poor Kid]]"; however, in all of his guises, Kenny is depicted as being uncommonly [[Altruism|selfless]], dying for the sake of others and spending all of his time working so he could buy his little sister a doll.<ref>{{cite web |author=Isler, Ramsey |url=http://m.ie.ign.com/articles/1212761 |title=South Park: 'The Poor Kid' Review |work=[[IGN]] |date=November 17, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502182657/http://m.ign.com/articles/2011/11/17/south-park-the-poor-kid-review |archivedate=2012-05-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode|title=Trey Parker & Matt Stone|series=[[The Daily Show with Jon Stewart]]|airdate=June 15, 2011|network=[[Comedy Central]]|url=http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-june-15-2011/trey-parker---matt-stone|access-date=March 10, 2022|archive-date=January 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140122195046/http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-june-15-2011/trey-parker---matt-stone|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the trilogy of episodes "[[Black Friday (South Park)|Black Friday]]", "[[A Song of Ass and Fire]]" and "[[Titties and Dragons]]", in which the boys play-act characters from the TV series ''[[Game of Thrones]]'', Kenny [[Cross-dressing|cross-dresses]] as a fantasy-style princess with a wig and dress similar to the video game character [[Princess Zelda]], and becomes a Japanese-speaking [[Moe (slang)|moe]] [[anime]] character at one point. When Cartman complains, "You're never going to be a real [[princess]]", Princess Kenny responds (via her translator, Stan) angrily to Cartman, calling him a "ball-licking [[lesbian]]".<ref>{{cite web|last=McGee|first=Ryan|title=Black Friday|url=https://www.avclub.com/south-park-black-friday-1798178674|publisher=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=November 13, 2013|access-date=June 21, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite video |people=[[Trey Parker|Parker, Trey]]; [[Matt Stone|Stone, Matt]] |date=2014 |title=South Park season 17 DVD commentary for the episode "A Song of Ass and Fire" |medium=DVD |publisher=[[Comedy Central]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Nicholson|first=Max|title=Let the Red (Robin) Wedding commence|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/12/05/south-park-titties-and-dragons-review|website=[[IGN]]|date=December 5, 2013|accessdate=December 5, 2013|archive-date=December 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206050653/http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/12/05/south-park-titties-and-dragons-review|url-status=live}}</ref>

This portrayal continues in the video game ''[[South Park: The Stick of Truth]]'' where Cartman notes that playing a "chick" is "just how [Kenny] seems to be rolling right now". Kenny's sister also refers to Kenny as a girl, if you talk to her in the McCormick house. Throughout the game, Kenny posts 'status updates' referring to herself as "the cutest of them all".<ref name=DailyTelegraph>{{cite news |first=Hannah |last=Dwan |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gaming/reviews/south-park-fractured-whole-review-round-critics-saying/ |title=South Park: The Fractured But Whole review round up – What the critics are saying |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=October 16, 2017 |access-date=November 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20171104122020/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gaming/reviews/south-park-fractured-whole-review-round-critics-saying/ |archive-date=November 4, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>