Editing Eric Cartman (section)

==Cultural impact==
Cartman is a ''South Park'' fan favorite,<ref name="islam"/> and is often described as the most famous character from the series as well as having a significant influence on comedy and culture.<ref name="NPR"/><ref name="411mania">{{cite news | author = Jeremy Thomas | title = South Park: The Cult of Cartman – Revelations DVD Review | publisher = 411mania.com | date = October 20, 2008 | url = http://www.411mania.com/movies/dvd_reviews/88174/South-Park:-The-Cult-of-Cartman---Revelations-DVD-Review.htm | access-date = May 11, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081021143638/http://www.411mania.com/movies/dvd_reviews/88174/South-Park:-The-Cult-of-Cartman---Revelations-DVD-Review.htm | archive-date = October 21, 2008 | url-status = dead}}</ref><ref name="kidsnews">{{cite news|author=Hemant Tavathia |title=Music and Entertainment 2: South Park Hits 100 |publisher=Kidsnewsroom.org |date=April 11, 2003 |url=http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/newsissues/041103/index.asp?page=Music2 |access-date=May 11, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208125207/http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/newsissues/041103/index.asp?page=Music2 |archive-date=February 8, 2007}}</ref> With a headline to their online written version of a radio report, [[NPR]] declared Cartman as "America's Favorite Little $@#&*%".<ref name="NPR"/> "Respect my authoritah!" and "Screw you guys&nbsp;... I'm going home!" became catchphrases and, during the show's earlier seasons, were highly popular in the lexicon of viewers.<ref name="perth">{{cite news |last1=DeCeglie|first1=Anthony|last2=Blake|first2=Sarah| title = TV comedy sends WA students 'Jonah' | work = [[The Sunday Times (Western Australia)|The Sunday Times]] | date = September 14, 2007 | url= https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/12/27/1040511174507.html | access-date = May 9, 2009}}</ref><ref name="oldandnew">{{cite news|last=Diaz|first=Glenn L.|title=Old and New 'South Park'|publisher=[[BuddyTV]]|date=January 22, 2009|url=http://www.buddytv.com/articles/south-park/old-and-new-south-park-25870.aspx|access-date=May 9, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302082642/http://www.buddytv.com/articles/south-park/old-and-new-south-park-25870.aspx|archive-date=March 2, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> His eccentric enunciation of "Hey!" was included in the 2002 edition of ''The Oxford Dictionary of Catchphrases''.<ref name="oxford">{{cite news | author = David Dale| title = The Oxford Dictionary of Catchphrases | work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | date = December 28, 2002 | url= https://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/12/27/1040511174507.html | access-date = May 9, 2009}}</ref> Stone has said that when fans recognize him or Parker, the fans will usually do their imitation of Cartman, or, in Parker's case, request that he do Cartman's voice.<ref name="page2">{{cite news|author=Page 2 Staff |title=Matt Stone |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=March 13, 2002 |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=1350858&type=page2Story |access-date=May 5, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109224708/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1350858&type=page2Story |archive-date=November 9, 2013}}</ref>

In 2005, [[Comedy Central]] ran a three-night marathon of episodes showcasing what voters had deemed to be his "25 greatest moments".<ref name="cartman25"/> A two-disc DVD collection entitled "[[The Cult Of Cartman|The Cult of Cartman]]", which Comedy Central described as "12 classic episodes with Cartman at his very worst!", was released in 2008.<ref name="cult">{{cite news| author = David Lambert| title = Join the Cult of Cartman this October| publisher = TVShowsOnDVD.com| date = July 14, 2008| url = http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/South-Park-Cult-of-Cartman/10055| access-date = May 9, 2009| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090523102724/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/South-Park-Cult-of-Cartman/10055| archive-date = May 23, 2009}}</ref>

In a 1999 poll conducted by [[NatWest Bank]], eight and nine-year-old children in the United Kingdom voted Cartman as their favorite personality. This drew the concern of several parent councils who were expecting a character from a television show aimed at children to top the list, to which Stone responded by claiming the results of the poll were "upsetting to people who have an idyllic vision of what kids are like".<ref name="bbcpoll">{{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 9, 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>

While some in the [[Jewish community]] have praised the show's depiction of Cartman holding an anti-Semitic attitude towards Kyle as a means of accurately portraying what it is like for a young Jew to have to endure prejudice,<ref name="mediatrans">{{cite news|author=Robert Bolton |title=The Media Report: South Park |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=July 23, 1998 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/mediarpt/mstories/mr980723.htm |access-date=May 5, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050311041603/http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/mediarpt/mstories/mr980723.htm |archive-date=March 11, 2005}}</ref> other Jews have blamed ''South Park'' and Cartman for having found themselves surrounded by "acceptable racism".<ref name="margolis">{{cite news | author = David Margolis | title = Anti-Semitism in the playground | newspaper = independent.co.uk | date = February 1, 1999 | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/antisemitism-in-the-playground-1067983.html | access-date = May 9, 2009 | archive-date = February 4, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150204040005/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/antisemitism-in-the-playground-1067983.html | url-status = live }}</ref> On November 20, 2008, a [[Facebook]] group titled "National Kick a Ginger Day, are you going to do it?" surfaced, suggesting abuse towards [[Red hair|redheads]]. Thousands of internet users signed up as a member of the group, and reports of a feared increase of bullying of [[Red hair|red-headed]] students across Canada soon followed. The group's administrator, a 14-year-old from [[Vancouver Island]], said the group was only intended as a joke, and apologized for the offense it caused. The group was inspired by the [[South Park (season 9)|season nine]] (2005) episode "[[Ginger Kids]]", in which Cartman incites prejudice towards those with red hair, pale skin, and freckles, a group he calls "Gingers" and claims are inherently evil and without souls. <ref name="kickaginger">{{cite news|url=http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=49022ee5-66d1-46e0-a057-7707de6e140b |title=RCMP investigating Facebook group over 'Kick a Ginger' day |last=Barber |first=Mike |author2=Catherine Rolfsen |date=November 20, 2008 |publisher=Canada.com |access-date=November 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211010429/http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=49022ee5-66d1-46e0-a057-7707de6e140b |archive-date=December 11, 2008}}</ref>
[[File:Supercon Retro Sunday FLOOR SHOTS - IMG 3189 (34317393572).jpg|thumb|A cosplayer as Cartman at a convention]]
Other characters commonly express lessons learned from the antagonistic actions Cartman commonly provokes; this has resulted in these characters giving their opinions on issues such as [[Hate crime laws in the United States|hate crime legislation]],<ref name="nytimesconserv">{{cite news | author = Frank Rich | title = Conservatives ♥ 'South Park' | work = The New York Times | date = May 1, 2005 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/opinion/01rich.html | access-date = May 3, 2009 | archive-date = January 8, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150108083620/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/opinion/01rich.html | url-status = live }}</ref> [[civil liberties]],<ref name="cityjournal">{{cite news| author = Brian C. Anderson| title = We're Not Losing the Culture Wars Anymore| publisher = [[Manhattan Institute]]| year = 2003| url = http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_4_were_not_losing.html| access-date = May 3, 2009| archive-date = January 18, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160118080938/http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_4_were_not_losing.html| url-status = dead}}</ref> excessive religious devotion,<ref name="philo5">Arp, pp. 40–54</ref> the [[stem cell controversy]],<ref name="lear"/> [[anabolic steroid]] use,<ref name="steroids">{{cite news|author=David Kuhn |title=Steroids sour fun of Olympics |work=[[The Daily Pennsylvanian]] |date=July 22, 2004 |url=http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2004/07/22/Sports/David.Kuhn.Steroids.Sour.Fun.Of.Olympics-2151098.shtml |access-date=May 9, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081104232914/http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2004/07/22/Sports/David.Kuhn.Steroids.Sour.Fun.Of.Olympics-2151098.shtml |archive-date=November 4, 2008}}</ref> the "[[right to die]]" debate,<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 [[prejudice]].<ref name="islam"/> In the [[South Park (season 10)|season 10]] (2006) episode "[[Cartoon Wars Part II]]", Cartman, planning to exploit the public's fear of [[terrorism]], seeks to get the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] television series ''[[Family Guy]]'', a program he despises, permanently removed from the airwaves when Fox plans to air an episode despite its inclusion of a cartoon likeness of [[Muhammad]]. This leads Kyle to give a short speech about the ethics of [[censorship]],<ref name="growsup1">{{cite magazine|author=Jaime J. Weinman |title=South Park grows up |magazine=Maclean's |date=March 12, 2008 |url=http://www.macleans.ca/culture/entertainment/article.jsp?content=20080312_115131_115131&page=1 |access-date=May 5, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719082617/http://www.macleans.ca/culture/entertainment/article.jsp?content=20080312_115131_115131&page=1 |archive-date=July 19, 2009}}</ref> which reiterates Parker and Stone's sentiments of "Either it's all okay, or none of it is" in regards to whether any subject should remain off-limits to satire.<ref name="bbcnews">{{cite news| author = Thomas H. Maugh II| title = South Park duo criticise network| work = BBC News| date = April 14, 2006| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4909820.stm| access-date = May 3, 2009| archive-date = April 17, 2010| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100417131113/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4909820.stm| url-status = live}}</ref> Both Cartman's commentary and the commentary resulting in response to his actions have been interpreted as statements Parker and Stone are attempting to make to the viewing public, and these opinions have been subject to much critical analysis in the media and literary world.<ref name="seriously">Fallows and Weinstock, p. 165</ref>

The book ''[[South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned Something Today]]'' includes an essay in which Johnson uses Cartman's actions and behavior as examples when discussing the [[Problem of evil|logical problem of moral evil]],<ref name="blackwell">[http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/book.asp?ref=9781405161602&site=1 South Park and Philosophy: You Know, I Learned Something Today] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901034507/http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/book.asp?ref=9781405161602&site=1 |date=September 1, 2007}}, Blackwell Publishing, ''Series: The Blackwell Philosophy and Pop Culture Series'', Retrieved January 21, 2008</ref> and another essay by [[College of Staten Island]] professor Mark D. White cited the [[South Park (season 2)|season two]] (1998) episode "[[Chickenlover]]", in which Cartman is temporarily granted law enforcement powers, in its discussion regarding the [[The Concept of Law#Austin's "Command theory"|command theory of law]] and what obligates a citizen to obey the law.<ref name="blackwell"/> Essays in the books ''[[South Park and Philosophy: Bigger, Longer, and More Penetrating]]'', ''Blame Canada! South Park and Contemporary Culture'', and ''Taking South Park Seriously'' have also analyzed Cartman's perspectives within the framework of popular philosophical, theological, political, and social concepts.<ref name="seriously"/><ref name="blmp">{{cite book | editor-last = Hanley | editor-first = Richard | title = South Park and Philosophy: Bigger, Longer, and More Penetrating | publisher = Open Court | date = March 8, 2007 | isbn = 978-0-8126-9613-4}}</ref><ref name="blame">{{cite book | last = Johnson-Woods | first = Toni | title = Blame Canada! South Park and Contemporary Culture | publisher = Continuum International Publishing Group | date = January 30, 2007 | isbn = 978-0-8264-1731-2 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/blamecanada00toni}}</ref> Parker and Stone downplay the show's alignment with any particular political affiliation, and deny having a political agenda when creating an episode.<ref name="mcfarland2"/><ref name="refugees">{{cite news| author = John Tierney| title = South Park Refugees| work = The New York Times| date = August 29, 2006| url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E4DC113EF93AA1575BC0A9609C8B63| access-date = May 3, 2009| archive-date = May 11, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110511120400/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E4DC113EF93AA1575BC0A9609C8B63| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| author = Lynn Barker | title = Trey Parker and Matt Stone: The "South Park" Guys, Uncut| publisher = TeenHollywood.com |date = October 14, 2004| url= http://www.teenhollywood.com/printerversion.asp?r=81433| access-date = May 3, 2009}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> In response to the focus on elements of satire in ''South Park'', Parker has said that the main goal of the show is to portray Cartman and his friends as "kids just being kids" as a means of accurately showcasing "what it's like to be in [elementary school] in America".<ref name="rocky">{{cite news| author = Saunders| title = At 10, 'South Park' still bites| work = [[Rocky Mountain News]]| date = July 17, 2006| url = http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/spotlight_columnists/article/0,2777,DRMN_23962_4848796,00.html| access-date = May 3, 2009| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070104070024/http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/spotlight_columnists/article/0%2C2777%2CDRMN_23962_4848796%2C00.html| archive-date = January 4, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://drbmk.com/parker-and-stone-interview-at-10th-season-premiere|title=Parker and stone interview at 10th season premiere – Drugs are bad mkay- A south park fan site|access-date=December 30, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222134846/http://drbmk.com/parker-and-stone-interview-at-10th-season-premiere/|archive-date=December 22, 2015}}</ref>

===Recognition===
''[[TV Guide]]'' ranked Cartman at number 10 on their 2002 list of the "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters",<ref name="TVGuide">{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=TV Guide's 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time |access-date=August 25, 2007 |date=July 30, 2002 |publisher=CNN |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320230753/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |archive-date=March 20, 2007}}</ref> 24th on [[TV Guide]]'s "25 Greatest TV Villains", 198th on [[VH1]]'s "200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons",<ref name="pop">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b1ruwF6xYNIC&q=eric+cartman&pg=PA144 | title=From Abba to Zoom: A Pop Culture Encyclopedia of the Late 20th | location=[[Kansas City, Missouri]] | publisher=[[Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC]] | year=2005 | isbn=0-7407-5118-2 | oclc=57316726 | first=David|last=Mansour}}</ref> and 19th on [[Bravo (American TV network)|Bravo]]'s "100 Greatest TV Characters" television special in 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bravoprofiles.com/The_100_Greatest_TV_Characters/index.shtml |title=The 100 Greatest TV Characters |publisher=[[Bravo (American TV network)|Bravo]] |access-date=August 25, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507184134/http://www.bravoprofiles.com/The_100_Greatest_TV_Characters/index.shtml |archive-date=May 7, 2009}}</ref> When declaring him the second-scariest character on television (behind only [[Mr. Burns]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'') in 2005, [[MSNBC]]'s Brian Bellmont described Cartman as a "bundle of pure, unadulterated evil all wrapped up in a fat—er, big-boned—cartoony package" who "takes a feral delight in his evildoing".<ref name="msnbc">{{cite news| author = Brian Bellmont| title = TV's top 10 scariest characters| work = Today.com| date = November 1, 2005| url = https://www.today.com/popculture/tv-s-top-10-scariest-characters-wbna9699636| access-date = May 9, 2009| archive-date = March 19, 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220319073834/https://www.today.com/popculture/tv-s-top-10-scariest-characters-wbna9699636| url-status = live}}</ref> In 2014, ''[[IGN]]'' ranked Cartman first place on their list of "The Top 25 South Park Characters", commenting that he was "the obvious choice" of number one and that "sometimes the obvious choice is also the right one". The website stated that despite Cartman being "one of the worst human beings in the history of fiction&nbsp;... he's the most loathsome character we've ever loved." ''IGN'' concluded by calling him "the biggest contribution to the world of animated characters that South Park has made – and that's saying something."<ref name="IGN top">{{cite web| author1 = Ramsey Isler| author2 = Jesse Schedeen| title = The Top 25 South Park Characters| page = 5| website = IGN| date = February 28, 2014| url = https://ign.com/articles/2014/03/01/top-25-south-park-characters?page=5| access-date = March 19, 2014| archive-date = March 6, 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140306032237/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/01/top-25-south-park-characters?page=5| url-status = live}}</ref> In 2020, ''[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]'' ranked Cartman as #17 of their "The 50 Best Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/the-50-best-cartoon-characters-of-all-time/|title=The 50 Best Cartoon Characters of All Time|date=May 10, 2010|website=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|access-date=March 10, 2022|archive-date=April 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404051515/https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/the-50-best-cartoon-characters-of-all-time/|url-status=dead}}</ref>