Weight Gain 4000
Weight Gain 4000 is the second episode of Comedy Central's South Park which originally aired on August 20, 1997.
Synopsis
Cartman wins the “Save Our Fragile Planet” essay contest and will be awarded the grand prize by Kathie Lee Gifford. The town prepares for her visit in a variety of ways: Chef plans to try and make sweet love to her, Mr. Garrison along with Mr. Hat plot to kill her for a previous wrong doing, Wendy tries to prove Cartman cheated on his essay (which, of course he did) and Cartman bulks up for the big day by using a weight gain product.
Plot
Cartman wins the “Save Our Fragile Planet” essay contest and it is announced that Kathie Lee Gifford will be coming to South Park to present him with the award. This enrages Wendy, as she believes Cartman cheated. The town becomes a flurry of excitement as everyone prepares for Kathie Lee:
- The mayor organizes a large-scale event in order to highlight the town and further her career.
- Chef is asked to sing at the event and hopes this will enable him to make sweet love to Kathie Lee.
- Mr. Garrison, with help from Mr. Hat, plots to kill Kathie Lee for upstaging him and Mr. Hat with a rendition of “If They Could See Me Now,” during a national talent show as children.
While the town gears up for the Kathie Lee’s visit, the mayor tell Cartman he needs to get in shape for Kathie Lee’s visit. Cartman sees a commercial for Weight Gain 4000 and thinks he needs to use it to bulk up for the big day, thus becoming severely obese. While Cartman takes his fatness to the next level, Mr. Garrison is busy buying a gun to kill Kathie Lee with. Wendy discovers Mr. Garrison's plan while she is going through the essays in Mr. Garrison's file to confirm that Cartman cheated. As it turns out, Cartman simply took a copy of "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau and wrote his name on it. Wendy and Stan then try to stop Mr. Garrison when he goes to the book depository to try to Kill Kathie Lee. Mr. Garrison misses, Kenny dies and Cartman doesn’t get to be on television that day.
The episode ends with Cartman being on Geraldo for being morbidly obese and Chef getting to make sweet love Kathie Lee.
Quotes
- Cartman: “Oh, rainbows!”
- Cartman: “Beefcake!”
- Mr. Garrison: "The bitch must die!"
- Chef: “Maybe, I can make sweet love to her.”
- Wendy: “I’ve learned something today.”
People references
- Sally Struthers: In the intro on the DVD, while discussing Cartman’s weight gain Matt and Trey explain Cartman gains 700 lbs making him almost as heavy as Sally Struthers.
- Kathie Lee Gifford: Kathie Lee is at the center of this episode as she is coming to South Park to give Cartman an award. During her visit Mr. Garrison hopes to kill her and Chef hopes to make sweet love to her.
- Frank Gifford: Chef mentions that his penis has to be at least three times the size of Frank Gifford’s.
- John F. Kennedy: Mr. Garrison shoots Kathie Lee Gifford from the book depository, which is analogous to Lee Harvey Oswald shooting John F. Kennedy from the Texas School Book Depository.
Kenny's Death
- Shot by Mr. Garrison when trying to shoot Kathie Lee Gifford; impaled on flag pole