Herbert Garrison
Encyclopedia
Mr. Herbert Garrison is a recurring character in the American animated
television series South Park
. He is voiced by Trey Parker
. For the first eight seasons of the series, the character was known as Mr. Garrison but underwent sex reassignment surgery
in the season 9 episode "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina
". The character was thereafter known to the other characters as Mrs. Garrison, despite being unmarried. In the season 12 episode "Eek, a Penis!
", he undergoes yet another sex change operation (back to a man). Garrison is particularly cynical, especially in comparison with the rest of South Park's adults, and he is one of the few characters to ever break the fourth wall
on the show.
Mr. Garrison was in part inspired by a Kindergarten teacher whom Trey Parker had in the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
. This teacher used a puppet named Mr. Hat as a teaching resource. Mr. Garrison was also inspired by a British Literature
professor Parker had at the University of Colorado
; Parker said the voice he uses for the character is a dead-accurate impression of him. Parker said he believes Mr. Garrison has become one of the most complex characters on South Park, particularly due to his ever-growing relationship with Mr. Hat and his sexuality and gender issues; Parker said of Mr. Garrison, "He's the soap opera element to the whole series. (He) has a real story going on."
, speaks with a Southern
accent
, and claims to have a master's degree in mechanical engineering
from Denver Community College (as seen in the episode "The Entity
"). Mr. Garrison's sexuality
is complex. During the entirety of the show he has had heterosexual
and same-sex relationships, both as a man and woman. Across the series he displays myriad conflicting and ambiguous sexual identities, which he clings to exclusively for long periods of time. This may have some relation to the multiple personality disorder, which Mr. Garrison manifested in earlier seasons through Mr. Hat and Mr. Twig.
Garrison also revealed racist
tendencies in many episodes. In the episode "Chef Goes Nanners
", Mr. Hat, his puppet, was a member of the local Ku Klux Klan
, which Mr. Garrison resented and insisted to Chef that he wanted nothing to do with. However, in the later episode "Here Comes the Neighborhood
", he tries to get rid of the "richers" (who were all black) using Klan techniques, such as wearing their robes or burning crosses. Although throughout the episode, both Mr. Garrison and the rest of the townsfolk make no reference to the "richers" being black (seemingly oblivious to the fact), in his last line of the episode that his intentions were at least in part racist ("at least we got rid of all those damn ni..." [transition to credits]). In the episode An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig
he quotes: "Genetic engineering erases all of God's mistakes, like German people". In "Mr Hankey the Christmas Poo" and "It's Christmas in Canada
", he suggests that the town get rid of all the Mexicans, but Mayor McDaniels repeatedly declines to do so. Exactly why he wishes to do this has not yet been explained. These are two examples of the many instances throughout the show's history where Mr Garrison has expressed contempt for the Mexicans, though in the episode "D-Yikes", Garrison relies on Mexicans to help him in a plan to thwart Persian Nightclub owners. Despite the fact that he seems to portray racist manners, he sometimes will inform his student Eric Cartman
of when the nine year old is doing something intolerant or offensive (as seen in "The Snuke
").
For the first three seasons, Mr. Garrison was the third-grade teacher at South Park Elementary School. He was portrayed as a closeted
homosexual
and was ashamed and afraid to be open about it as a result of this. Garrison constantly held a puppet known as "Mr. Hat", which he used as a sort of second, more aggressive personality, as well as for emoting his internal conflicts. It was suggested that Mr. Hat (and subsequently Mr. Twig) were manners through which Mr. Garrison could express his repressed gay feelings. Though Garrison staunchly denied he was gay and tried to completely keep it a secret, he acknowledged that Mr. Hat and Mr. Twig had homosexual fantasies.
It has been established that Garrison has had heterosexual relationships as a male, as with Liane Cartman, with whom most of the town has had sex at some point. Possible same sex relationships include Stephen Stotch in "Butters' Very Own Episode
", and he sought a tryst
with Cartman
in "Cartman Joins NAMBLA
", in which Garrison solicited sex
from a minor
in an online chat room
, and after meeting him near the South Park docks for sex (only then discovering then that it was Cartman, his own student), he was charged with soliciting and subsequently told by the school to take time off from his job. In his sabbatical, Garrison wrote a romance novel that he intended to be purely heterosexual in nature; titled In the Valley of Penises, it contained 6,083 instances of the word "penis". Along with his other works, it sold well until he learned that it won the Gay Pulitzer Prize
and was deemed to be "the best work of homoerotic
literature since Huckleberry Finn
". At some point after that, Garrison had a nervous breakdown and fled South Park to become a hermit, where he eventually came to terms with his gay tendencies. At this point, he openly embraced his homosexuality, and informed everyone of this fact. He even went so far as to cheerfully proclaim himself a "fag" repeatedly to anyone he encountered. He was re-hired by South Park elementary, but as the kindergarten
teacher, as his old job was then held by Ms. Choksondik. By the end of the sixth season, in the episode "The Death Camp of Tolerance
", he was promoted to the fourth grade after the death of Ms. Choksondik. This was a move on the principal's part to avoid any semblance of sexual-orientation discrimination against him. However, when Garrison found that he could sue the school for substantial compensation if he were discriminated against, he attempted to be so offensive he would be fired. To that end, he abandoned his puppet counterpart in favor of a human assistant, "Mr. Slave", his personal BDSM
slave and lover. He then proceeded to perform several sexually explicit homosexual acts in front of his students, including putting the class gerbil into Mr. Slave's rectum. His plan, however, did not succeed, and he was instead praised for being "courageous".
His changing sexual identities are a continual source of problems. Despite having come out, Garrison continued to be ashamed of it as part of his continual emotional and psychological problems. In "The Brown Noise", he also was in despair over the fact that his father had not sexually molested him as a boy, believing that he didn't love his son. Garrison Sr. considered having sex with his son in order to save his life, but he instead had recording artist Kenny G., whom Mr. Garrison thought was his father, sexually assault him. In "An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig
" as well as "Jakovasaurs
", it was implied that Mr. Garrison has practiced bestiality with Cartman's pig and a pigeon, respectively.
By season nine, Garrison transitioned from being a man to being a woman in "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina
", taking the identity of "Mrs. Janet Garrison." She was then rejected by Mr. Slave, who no longer found Mrs. Garrison appealing to him, as he is gay. During this period, Mrs. Garrison remains attracted to men, just as Mr. Garrison had been, although the attraction had technically become heterosexual because Mrs. Garrison was now a woman. However, in the season eleven episode "D-Yikes!
", fed up with rejection by men, Garrison embraces lesbianism
, and begins having relationships with women.
By Season 12 Garrison is frustrated with the sex change — seeing it as a bad mistake — and was suspended from teaching until she had learned how to cope with her situation without bothering her fourth graders with it continuously. Utilizing a penis grown on the back of a mouse, Garrison underwent surgery again and became, once again Mr. Garrison. Immediately following surgery, Garrison displayed the contempt for homosexuality that was one of his trademarks in the early shows.
As a teacher, Mr. Garrison is almost completely inept, regularly teaching bizarre and pointless lessons, such as showing Barnaby Jones
videos to the class for eight days, asking the class why Chubby Checker
left The Beatles
in 1972 (even though he was never in The Beatles to begin with, who broke up in 1970) and teaching the students how to tell the difference between a prostitute and a police officer. On the other hand, he will occasionally teach the children advanced subjects such as theories on evolution, Stalin and Communism. He also failed to punish Cartman for making jokes about breast cancer in Breast Cancer Show Ever
, and only punished him when he defecated on his desk. Despite his cynical nature he appears to genuinely enjoy his job, falling into a depression when he is fired or is suspended from teaching. He also carries a gun and badge with him in class at all times.
", Garrison, unhappy with being a gay man, decides to become a transsexual woman. Following a vaginoplasty
, Mr. Garrison becomes Mrs. Garrison. In the episode "D-Yikes!
" it is revealed that she had adopted the first name "Janet". Despite also receiving breast implants, she continues to have male-pattern baldness and a masculine voice. She often asserts her femininity
, though in a somewhat unfeminine manner, including male-bashing and open proclamations about her sexuality.
The gender transition leads to the end of her relationship with Mr. Slave, who had not been consulted before the operation, declines Mrs. Garrison's sexual overtures because of her current gender. Mrs. Garrison also realizes that there have been no menstrual periods after the sex change, leading her to believe that she is pregnant. While attempting to have an abortion
, Mrs. Garrison is told that a vaginoplasty
does not result in the ability to have periods, pregnancies, or abortions, because sexual reassignment surgery does not include the creation of reproductive organs. She finally accepts her new gender after Kyle causes her testicles to explode during a basketball game, when they were used as kneecap implants that he put too much stress on. Like many veteran characters, she has appeared with less frequency following "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina", but was given an important role. In the episode "Follow That Egg!
", she attempts to prevent legislation granting gay citizens the right to marry after discovering that her ex-lover, Mr. Slave, is planning to marry Big Gay Al.
In the episode "Go God Go
", Mrs. Garrison was ordered by the school district to teach evolution to her class. Due to her personal aversion to the concept of evolution, she deliberately presents the theory in an extremely skewed light, and is subsequently replaced by another teacher, Richard Dawkins
. Although Mrs. Garrison continues to inject snide and insulting remarks into Dawkins' lecture, Dawkins becomes drawn to Mrs. Garrison's masculine boldness and directness. He doesn't find out about Mrs. Garrison's gender history until later. They start to date and are even shown having sexual intercourse. Dawkins converts Mrs. Garrison to atheism, and they subsequently decide to eradicate all religion from the world. However, due to Mrs. Garrison's influence, there is also the belief that mere logic won't work, but one must be a "dick" about it, leading to wars about the answer to "The Great Question". During that same episode Cartman cryogenically freezes himself so he can skip the wait to purchase a Nintendo Wii
in the future. When he finally wakes he discovers that he actually slept for 500 years, and that the entire world now embraces atheism.
In the following episode, "Go God Go XII
", Cartman calls Mrs. Garrison's home from the future. Dawkins answers the phone while he and Mrs. Garrison are in the process of having relations, and in the course of asking to talk to Mrs. Garrison, Cartman reveals that she was previously a man. Dawkins flees from Mrs. Garrison's home in shock and disgust, effectively ending the relationship, and Mrs. Garrison returns to her own religion. It just so happens that Mrs. Garrison was the motivation that convinced Dawkins to teach atheism to the world, and now that they had broken up, the future changed again.
In the episode "D-Yikes", Mrs. Garrison starts to have lesbian
relationships. After being dumped by an unnamed boyfriend, Garrison goes to the local "Curves" in a huff. It is there that she meets Allison, a lesbian who is quickly attracted to Garrison's "strong-woman" attitude. Garrison, unaware of Allison's sexual orientation or growing affection, unwittingly joins her at a lesbian bar. When Garrison discovers the truth, she is initially shocked and repulsed, but quickly becomes attracted to Allison and begins a sexual relationship with her. By the end of the episode, Garrison has had sexual relationships with at least two women as a woman herself, and is now openly lesbian.
women. His sexuality has thus far been undefined- though in the following episode Over Logging
he can be seen smoking a pipe and parading around in a red smoking jacket; a la Hugh Hefner
, and this could indicate an attitude of 'straightness.' Also, in the episode "About Last Night
", he is shown to be a John McCain
supporter, playing on the fact that gays do not usually support Republicans
. He also does not appear with the South Park gay people in The F Word
.
In 200
, he at first assists Stan, Kyle and Cartman in angering Tom Cruise
, but also later is consulted by Cartman regarding the events of Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut
, after Mitch Connor
tells Cartman that the allegations Ms. Cartman was intersexual and Cartman's father are a lie - while Garrison tries to steer Cartman away, Cartman convinces him to bring out Mr. Hat, and Mr. Hat confesses the test results were tampered with and that Eric Cartman's real father was in the room. The episode ends with an abrupt cliffhanger
while Garrison is about to reveal to Cartman the identity of his father.
" where it was revealed as "Herbert Garrison". However, in the episode "Cherokee Hair Tampons
" when he wrote his book "The Valley of the Penises", his name on the cover read as 'Ethan Garrison', though this may simply be a pen name
. Beginning with the episode "D-Yikes!
", Garrison goes by the name 'Janet Garrison'. In the episode "Eek, A Penis!
" he receives a sex change and becomes a man again, re-introduced by Principal Victoria as "Mr. Garrison". He has since reconfirmed his first name, "Herbert".
", Mr. Hat is able to drive a car through a prison wall to rescue Mr. Garrison and Chef. Chef remarks, "How the hell did he reach the gas pedal?"
Mr. Hat has been able to move his eyes at Mr. Garrison, and in a fictional crossover psychotherapy session with Dr. Katz
(from another Comedy Central
series) in "Summer Sucks
", Katz suggests that Mr. Hat was a personification of Mr. Garrison's gay side. Garrison rejected this, and Katz was never able to counterpoint because he was killed shortly afterward by a gigantic novelty firework. Further evidence of Hat's autonomy is in "The Brown Noise", where Mr. Hat beats up Mr. Mackey, but also in the self-titled game
where Mr. Hat owns, and runs, a robot factory by himself, or in "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
" when Satan
picks up Mr. Hat as a companion to replace Saddam Hussein. Satan speaks Mr. Hat's lines in a voice very similar to Mr. Garrison's.
Mr. Hat is also a racist, as seen in "Chef Goes Nanners
", where he is a member of the South Park branch of the Ku Klux Klan
. Mr. Hat argues with Mr. Garrison and (seemingly?) disappears to attend a meeting without him. Mr. Hat also appears to be somewhat psychotic. In "Weight Gain 4000
", furious at Kathy Lee Gifford for a talent show he and Mr. Garrison had lost years ago, Mr. Hat convinces Mr. Garrison to kill her, which he attempts to do. Again, whether this indicates that Mr. Hat is independent or if Mr. Garrison's own psychosis is simply projected to his puppet is impossible to say.
In the episode "Summer Sucks
", Mr. Hat is in the steam room with Brett Favre
, and when he is spoken to, he looks and blinks despite being by himself.
Even though Mr. Hat was often used as a character device for Mr. Garrison's "gay side", Mr. Garrison retained use of Mr. Hat even after coming out as gay, during the period when both were seen to be teaching kindergarten. Mr. Hat is permanently abandoned in favor of Mr. Slave once Mr. Garrison begins teaching fourth grade, and has only been seen since in the climax of the episode 200
, when Eric Cartman
demands to speak with him, at which point Mr. Garrison produces Mr. Hat from a dresser drawer.
Parker and Stone have said that the disappearance of Mr. Hat was symbolic of the show abandoning its original style as a surreal comedy in favor of its current format of satirizing real-life issues and events.
"), who consisted of a twig wearing a purple shirt with a pink triangle
symbol. His voice was identical to Mr. Hat's until his final scene in "Chef Aid
", where he spoke with a French accent. Mr. Twig was not well-received by the children in Garrison's third grade class, who repeatedly called for the return of Mr. Hat and suggesting Mr. Twig would be better used as a coat rack, to which Garrison took much offense. Eventually, Mr. Hat returns in "Chef Aid", heralding the fact by some psychopathic attacks on Mr. Twig. Though Garrison constantly assured himself that Mr. Twig was a better choice than Mr. Hat, he came to terms with his attachment to Mr. Hat at the end of the episode upon being broken out of jail by him. Garrison got back with Mr. Hat after Mr. Twig advised him to follow his heart.
Cartoon series
A cartoon series is a set of regularly presented animated television programs with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes typically share the same characters and a basic theme...
television series South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
. He is voiced by Trey Parker
Trey Parker
Trey Parker is an American animator, screenwriter, director, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of the television series South Park along with his creative partner and best friend Matt Stone.Parker started his film career in 1992, making a holiday short...
. For the first eight seasons of the series, the character was known as Mr. Garrison but underwent sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery is a term for the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble...
in the season 9 episode "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina
Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina
"Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina" is the first episode of the ninth season of the American animated television series South Park. "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina" first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 9, 2005. In the episode, Mr...
". The character was thereafter known to the other characters as Mrs. Garrison, despite being unmarried. In the season 12 episode "Eek, a Penis!
Eek, A Penis!
"Eek, a Penis!" is the fifth episode of the twelfth season of the American animated series South Park and the 172nd episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 9, 2008. In the episode, Mrs...
", he undergoes yet another sex change operation (back to a man). Garrison is particularly cynical, especially in comparison with the rest of South Park's adults, and he is one of the few characters to ever break the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
on the show.
Mr. Garrison was in part inspired by a Kindergarten teacher whom Trey Parker had in the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, or MNPS, is a school district that serves the city of Nashville, Tennessee. Over 74,000 students are currently enrolled in the district's 71 elementary schools, 36 middle schools and 15 high schools.- Demographics :...
. This teacher used a puppet named Mr. Hat as a teaching resource. Mr. Garrison was also inspired by a British Literature
British literature
British Literature refers to literature associated with the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Channel Islands. By far the largest part of British literature is written in the English language, but there are bodies of written works in Latin, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Cornish, Manx, Jèrriais,...
professor Parker had at the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
; Parker said the voice he uses for the character is a dead-accurate impression of him. Parker said he believes Mr. Garrison has become one of the most complex characters on South Park, particularly due to his ever-growing relationship with Mr. Hat and his sexuality and gender issues; Parker said of Mr. Garrison, "He's the soap opera element to the whole series. (He) has a real story going on."
Character history
Born September 26, Garrison grew up in ArkansasArkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, speaks with a Southern
Southern American English
Southern American English is a group of dialects of the English language spoken throughout the Southern region of the United States, from Southern and Eastern Maryland, West Virginia and Kentucky to the Gulf Coast, and from the Atlantic coast to most of Texas and Oklahoma.The Southern dialects make...
accent
Accent (linguistics)
In linguistics, an accent is a manner of pronunciation peculiar to a particular individual, location, or nation.An accent may identify the locality in which its speakers reside , the socio-economic status of its speakers, their ethnicity, their caste or social class, their first language In...
, and claims to have a master's degree in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from Denver Community College (as seen in the episode "The Entity
The Entity (South Park)
"The Entity" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and 76th episode of the series overall. "The Entity" originally aired in the United States on November 21, 2001 on Comedy Central. This episode introduces Kyle's cousin Kyle...
"). Mr. Garrison's sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
is complex. During the entirety of the show he has had heterosexual
Heterosexuality
Heterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex";...
and same-sex relationships, both as a man and woman. Across the series he displays myriad conflicting and ambiguous sexual identities, which he clings to exclusively for long periods of time. This may have some relation to the multiple personality disorder, which Mr. Garrison manifested in earlier seasons through Mr. Hat and Mr. Twig.
Garrison also revealed racist
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
tendencies in many episodes. In the episode "Chef Goes Nanners
Chef Goes Nanners
"Chef Goes Nanners" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 55th episode of the series overall...
", Mr. Hat, his puppet, was a member of the local Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, which Mr. Garrison resented and insisted to Chef that he wanted nothing to do with. However, in the later episode "Here Comes the Neighborhood
Here Comes the Neighborhood
"Here Comes the Neighborhood" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 77th episode of the series overall. "Here Comes the Neighborhood" originally aired in the United States on November 28, 2001 on Comedy Central.-Plot:The children at South...
", he tries to get rid of the "richers" (who were all black) using Klan techniques, such as wearing their robes or burning crosses. Although throughout the episode, both Mr. Garrison and the rest of the townsfolk make no reference to the "richers" being black (seemingly oblivious to the fact), in his last line of the episode that his intentions were at least in part racist ("at least we got rid of all those damn ni..." [transition to credits]). In the episode An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig
An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig
"An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig" is the fifth episode of the first season of the animated television series South Park. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on September 10, 1997. In the episode, the boys of South Park try to force Kyle's pet elephant Biff to crossbreed with...
he quotes: "Genetic engineering erases all of God's mistakes, like German people". In "Mr Hankey the Christmas Poo" and "It's Christmas in Canada
It's Christmas in Canada
"It's Christmas in Canada" is episode 111 of the American cartoon series South Park. The episode originally aired on December 17, 2003 and was nominated for an Emmy Award...
", he suggests that the town get rid of all the Mexicans, but Mayor McDaniels repeatedly declines to do so. Exactly why he wishes to do this has not yet been explained. These are two examples of the many instances throughout the show's history where Mr Garrison has expressed contempt for the Mexicans, though in the episode "D-Yikes", Garrison relies on Mexicans to help him in a plan to thwart Persian Nightclub owners. Despite the fact that he seems to portray racist manners, he sometimes will inform his student Eric Cartman
Eric Cartman
Eric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...
of when the nine year old is doing something intolerant or offensive (as seen in "The Snuke
The Snuke
The Snuke is episode 1104 of Comedy Central's animated comedy series South Park. The episode is largely a parody of the television series 24. It was originally broadcast on March 28, 2007. The episode is rated TV-MA.-Plot:...
").
For the first three seasons, Mr. Garrison was the third-grade teacher at South Park Elementary School. He was portrayed as a closeted
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
homosexual
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and was ashamed and afraid to be open about it as a result of this. Garrison constantly held a puppet known as "Mr. Hat", which he used as a sort of second, more aggressive personality, as well as for emoting his internal conflicts. It was suggested that Mr. Hat (and subsequently Mr. Twig) were manners through which Mr. Garrison could express his repressed gay feelings. Though Garrison staunchly denied he was gay and tried to completely keep it a secret, he acknowledged that Mr. Hat and Mr. Twig had homosexual fantasies.
It has been established that Garrison has had heterosexual relationships as a male, as with Liane Cartman, with whom most of the town has had sex at some point. Possible same sex relationships include Stephen Stotch in "Butters' Very Own Episode
Butters' Very Own Episode
"Butters' Very Own Episode" is the fourteenth and final episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 79th episode of the series overall. "Butters' Very Own Episode" originally aired in the United States on Comedy Central on December 12, 2001...
", and he sought a tryst
Courtship
Courtship is the period in a couple's relationship which precedes their engagement and marriage, or establishment of an agreed relationship of a more enduring kind. In courtship, a couple get to know each other and decide if there will be an engagement or other such agreement...
with Cartman
Eric Cartman
Eric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...
in "Cartman Joins NAMBLA
Cartman Joins NAMBLA
"Cartman Joins NAMBLA" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 53rd episode of the series overall...
", in which Garrison solicited sex
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
from a minor
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
in an online chat room
Chat room
The term chat room, or chatroom, is primarily used by mass media to describe any form of synchronous conferencing, occasionally even asynchronous conferencing...
, and after meeting him near the South Park docks for sex (only then discovering then that it was Cartman, his own student), he was charged with soliciting and subsequently told by the school to take time off from his job. In his sabbatical, Garrison wrote a romance novel that he intended to be purely heterosexual in nature; titled In the Valley of Penises, it contained 6,083 instances of the word "penis". Along with his other works, it sold well until he learned that it won the Gay Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
and was deemed to be "the best work of homoerotic
Homoeroticism
Homoeroticism refers to the erotic attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female , most especially as it is depicted or manifested in the visual arts and literature. It can also be found in performative forms; from theatre to the theatricality of uniformed movements...
literature since Huckleberry Finn
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel by Mark Twain, first published in England in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885. Commonly named among the Great American Novels, the work is among the first in major American literature to be written in the vernacular, characterized by...
". At some point after that, Garrison had a nervous breakdown and fled South Park to become a hermit, where he eventually came to terms with his gay tendencies. At this point, he openly embraced his homosexuality, and informed everyone of this fact. He even went so far as to cheerfully proclaim himself a "fag" repeatedly to anyone he encountered. He was re-hired by South Park elementary, but as the kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
teacher, as his old job was then held by Ms. Choksondik. By the end of the sixth season, in the episode "The Death Camp of Tolerance
The Death Camp of Tolerance
"The Death Camp of Tolerance" is episode 93 of the Comedy Central series South Park. It was originally broadcast on November 20, 2002.-External links:* Full episode at South Park Studios* Episode guide at South Park Studios...
", he was promoted to the fourth grade after the death of Ms. Choksondik. This was a move on the principal's part to avoid any semblance of sexual-orientation discrimination against him. However, when Garrison found that he could sue the school for substantial compensation if he were discriminated against, he attempted to be so offensive he would be fired. To that end, he abandoned his puppet counterpart in favor of a human assistant, "Mr. Slave", his personal BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
slave and lover. He then proceeded to perform several sexually explicit homosexual acts in front of his students, including putting the class gerbil into Mr. Slave's rectum. His plan, however, did not succeed, and he was instead praised for being "courageous".
His changing sexual identities are a continual source of problems. Despite having come out, Garrison continued to be ashamed of it as part of his continual emotional and psychological problems. In "The Brown Noise", he also was in despair over the fact that his father had not sexually molested him as a boy, believing that he didn't love his son. Garrison Sr. considered having sex with his son in order to save his life, but he instead had recording artist Kenny G., whom Mr. Garrison thought was his father, sexually assault him. In "An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig
An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig
"An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig" is the fifth episode of the first season of the animated television series South Park. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on September 10, 1997. In the episode, the boys of South Park try to force Kyle's pet elephant Biff to crossbreed with...
" as well as "Jakovasaurs
Jakovasaurs
"Jackovasaurus" is the 35th episode of Comedy Central's animated series South Park. It is a parody of the Star Wars character Jar Jar Binks from The Phantom Menace, which had been released under a month before the episode aired, and it expresses how Parker and Stone felt "betrayed" as Star Wars...
", it was implied that Mr. Garrison has practiced bestiality with Cartman's pig and a pigeon, respectively.
By season nine, Garrison transitioned from being a man to being a woman in "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina
Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina
"Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina" is the first episode of the ninth season of the American animated television series South Park. "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina" first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 9, 2005. In the episode, Mr...
", taking the identity of "Mrs. Janet Garrison." She was then rejected by Mr. Slave, who no longer found Mrs. Garrison appealing to him, as he is gay. During this period, Mrs. Garrison remains attracted to men, just as Mr. Garrison had been, although the attraction had technically become heterosexual because Mrs. Garrison was now a woman. However, in the season eleven episode "D-Yikes!
D-Yikes!
"D-Yikes!" is episode 1106 of Comedy Central's animated comedy series South Park, first aired on April 11, 2007. The episode is rated TV-MA, and is a parody of the film 300.-Plot:When the episode begins, Mrs...
", fed up with rejection by men, Garrison embraces lesbianism
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, and begins having relationships with women.
By Season 12 Garrison is frustrated with the sex change — seeing it as a bad mistake — and was suspended from teaching until she had learned how to cope with her situation without bothering her fourth graders with it continuously. Utilizing a penis grown on the back of a mouse, Garrison underwent surgery again and became, once again Mr. Garrison. Immediately following surgery, Garrison displayed the contempt for homosexuality that was one of his trademarks in the early shows.
As a teacher, Mr. Garrison is almost completely inept, regularly teaching bizarre and pointless lessons, such as showing Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones
Barnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as father- and daughter-in-law who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles. A spin-off from Cannon, the show ran on CBS from January 28, 1973 to April 3, 1980, beginning as a midseason replacement...
videos to the class for eight days, asking the class why Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker is an American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist"...
left The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
in 1972 (even though he was never in The Beatles to begin with, who broke up in 1970) and teaching the students how to tell the difference between a prostitute and a police officer. On the other hand, he will occasionally teach the children advanced subjects such as theories on evolution, Stalin and Communism. He also failed to punish Cartman for making jokes about breast cancer in Breast Cancer Show Ever
Breast Cancer Show Ever
"Breast Cancer Show Ever" is the ninth episode of the 12th season of the animated series South Park, and the 176th episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on October 15, 2008...
, and only punished him when he defecated on his desk. Despite his cynical nature he appears to genuinely enjoy his job, falling into a depression when he is fired or is suspended from teaching. He also carries a gun and badge with him in class at all times.
Mrs. Garrison
In the ninth season premiere, "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New VaginaMr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina
"Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina" is the first episode of the ninth season of the American animated television series South Park. "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina" first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on March 9, 2005. In the episode, Mr...
", Garrison, unhappy with being a gay man, decides to become a transsexual woman. Following a vaginoplasty
Vaginoplasty
thumb|right|300px|Vaginoplasty: the pre-operative aspect , and the post-operative aspect of a [[Labiaplasty|labial reduction]].Vaginoplasty is a reconstructive plastic surgery procedure for correcting the defects and deformities of the vaginal canal and its mucous membrane, and of vulvo-vaginal...
, Mr. Garrison becomes Mrs. Garrison. In the episode "D-Yikes!
D-Yikes!
"D-Yikes!" is episode 1106 of Comedy Central's animated comedy series South Park, first aired on April 11, 2007. The episode is rated TV-MA, and is a parody of the film 300.-Plot:When the episode begins, Mrs...
" it is revealed that she had adopted the first name "Janet". Despite also receiving breast implants, she continues to have male-pattern baldness and a masculine voice. She often asserts her femininity
Femininity
Femininity is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with girls and women. Though socially constructed, femininity is made up of both socially defined and biologically created factors...
, though in a somewhat unfeminine manner, including male-bashing and open proclamations about her sexuality.
The gender transition leads to the end of her relationship with Mr. Slave, who had not been consulted before the operation, declines Mrs. Garrison's sexual overtures because of her current gender. Mrs. Garrison also realizes that there have been no menstrual periods after the sex change, leading her to believe that she is pregnant. While attempting to have an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, Mrs. Garrison is told that a vaginoplasty
Vaginoplasty
thumb|right|300px|Vaginoplasty: the pre-operative aspect , and the post-operative aspect of a [[Labiaplasty|labial reduction]].Vaginoplasty is a reconstructive plastic surgery procedure for correcting the defects and deformities of the vaginal canal and its mucous membrane, and of vulvo-vaginal...
does not result in the ability to have periods, pregnancies, or abortions, because sexual reassignment surgery does not include the creation of reproductive organs. She finally accepts her new gender after Kyle causes her testicles to explode during a basketball game, when they were used as kneecap implants that he put too much stress on. Like many veteran characters, she has appeared with less frequency following "Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina", but was given an important role. In the episode "Follow That Egg!
Follow that Egg!
"Follow That Egg" is the tenth episode of the ninth season of the American animated television series South Park. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 2, 2005. In the episode, Mrs. Garrison tries to get back together with her ex-boyfriend Mr...
", she attempts to prevent legislation granting gay citizens the right to marry after discovering that her ex-lover, Mr. Slave, is planning to marry Big Gay Al.
In the episode "Go God Go
Go God Go
"Go God Go" is the 12th episode of the 10th season of the American animated television series South Park. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 1, 2006, and is part one of a two-part story. Part two is titled "Go God Go XII", which aired a week later...
", Mrs. Garrison was ordered by the school district to teach evolution to her class. Due to her personal aversion to the concept of evolution, she deliberately presents the theory in an extremely skewed light, and is subsequently replaced by another teacher, Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins
Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL , known as Richard Dawkins, is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author...
. Although Mrs. Garrison continues to inject snide and insulting remarks into Dawkins' lecture, Dawkins becomes drawn to Mrs. Garrison's masculine boldness and directness. He doesn't find out about Mrs. Garrison's gender history until later. They start to date and are even shown having sexual intercourse. Dawkins converts Mrs. Garrison to atheism, and they subsequently decide to eradicate all religion from the world. However, due to Mrs. Garrison's influence, there is also the belief that mere logic won't work, but one must be a "dick" about it, leading to wars about the answer to "The Great Question". During that same episode Cartman cryogenically freezes himself so he can skip the wait to purchase a Nintendo Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
in the future. When he finally wakes he discovers that he actually slept for 500 years, and that the entire world now embraces atheism.
In the following episode, "Go God Go XII
Go God Go XII
"Go God Go XII" is episode 1013 of Comedy Central's South Park, which aired on November 8, 2006. The episode is a continuation of the previous episode, "Go God Go"...
", Cartman calls Mrs. Garrison's home from the future. Dawkins answers the phone while he and Mrs. Garrison are in the process of having relations, and in the course of asking to talk to Mrs. Garrison, Cartman reveals that she was previously a man. Dawkins flees from Mrs. Garrison's home in shock and disgust, effectively ending the relationship, and Mrs. Garrison returns to her own religion. It just so happens that Mrs. Garrison was the motivation that convinced Dawkins to teach atheism to the world, and now that they had broken up, the future changed again.
In the episode "D-Yikes", Mrs. Garrison starts to have lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
relationships. After being dumped by an unnamed boyfriend, Garrison goes to the local "Curves" in a huff. It is there that she meets Allison, a lesbian who is quickly attracted to Garrison's "strong-woman" attitude. Garrison, unaware of Allison's sexual orientation or growing affection, unwittingly joins her at a lesbian bar. When Garrison discovers the truth, she is initially shocked and repulsed, but quickly becomes attracted to Allison and begins a sexual relationship with her. By the end of the episode, Garrison has had sexual relationships with at least two women as a woman herself, and is now openly lesbian.
Second sex change
In the episode "Eek! A Penis!", Janet becomes tired of being a woman and wants to become a man again. After seeing a news report on TV about using genetic engineering to growing human body parts on mice, she pays all of her money to the laboratory to grow a penis on a mouse. The mouse escapes, and throughout the episode Janet looks around various places. But the penis eventually comes to her and Janet becomes a man again. Upon returning to the school, He then proclaims that the key difference to anyone being male or female is whether they can get pregnant or not. He even claims that whoever can't make babies is a "dude", including infertileFemale infertility
-Causes and factors:Causes or factors of female infertility can basically be classified regarding whether they are acquired or genetic, or strictly by location.-Acquired versus genetic:...
women. His sexuality has thus far been undefined- though in the following episode Over Logging
Over Logging
"Over Logging" is the sixth episode of the twelfth season of the animated series South Park, and the 173rd episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 16, 2008...
he can be seen smoking a pipe and parading around in a red smoking jacket; a la Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Marston "Hef" Hefner is an American magazine publisher, founder and Chief Creative Officer of Playboy Enterprises.-Early life:...
, and this could indicate an attitude of 'straightness.' Also, in the episode "About Last Night
About Last Night... (South Park)
"About Last Night…" is the twelfth episode of the twelfth season of the animated series South Park, and the 179th episode of the series overall. The episode was first broadcast on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 10:00 PM EST, less than a day after Barack Obama was declared the winner in the 2008...
", he is shown to be a John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
supporter, playing on the fact that gays do not usually support Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He also does not appear with the South Park gay people in The F Word
The F Word (South Park)
"The F Word" is the twelfth episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 193rd overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 4, 2009...
.
In 200
200 (South Park)
"200" is the fifth episode of the fourteenth season of South Park, and the 200th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 14, 2010...
, he at first assists Stan, Kyle and Cartman in angering Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, but also later is consulted by Cartman regarding the events of Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut
Cartman's Mom is Still a Dirty Slut
"Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut" is the second episode of the second season of the animated series South Park, and the 15th episode of the series overall. It premiered on Comedy Central in the United States on April 22, 1998...
, after Mitch Connor
Fat Butt and Pancake Head
"Fat Butt and Pancake Head" is fifth episode of the seventh season of the Comedy Central series South Park. It was originally broadcast on April 16, 2003.- Plot :...
tells Cartman that the allegations Ms. Cartman was intersexual and Cartman's father are a lie - while Garrison tries to steer Cartman away, Cartman convinces him to bring out Mr. Hat, and Mr. Hat confesses the test results were tampered with and that Eric Cartman's real father was in the room. The episode ends with an abrupt cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
while Garrison is about to reveal to Cartman the identity of his father.
Name history
Mr. Garrison was commonly known as "Mr. Garrison" without a first name until the episode "The EntityThe Entity (South Park)
"The Entity" is the eleventh episode of the fifth season of the animated television series South Park, and 76th episode of the series overall. "The Entity" originally aired in the United States on November 21, 2001 on Comedy Central. This episode introduces Kyle's cousin Kyle...
" where it was revealed as "Herbert Garrison". However, in the episode "Cherokee Hair Tampons
Cherokee Hair Tampons
"Cherokee Hair Tampons" is the sixth episode of the fourth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 54th episode of the series overall. "Cherokee Hair Tampons" originally aired in the United States on June 28, 2000 on Comedy Central....
" when he wrote his book "The Valley of the Penises", his name on the cover read as 'Ethan Garrison', though this may simply be a pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
. Beginning with the episode "D-Yikes!
D-Yikes!
"D-Yikes!" is episode 1106 of Comedy Central's animated comedy series South Park, first aired on April 11, 2007. The episode is rated TV-MA, and is a parody of the film 300.-Plot:When the episode begins, Mrs...
", Garrison goes by the name 'Janet Garrison'. In the episode "Eek, A Penis!
Eek, A Penis!
"Eek, a Penis!" is the fifth episode of the twelfth season of the American animated series South Park and the 172nd episode of the series overall. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 9, 2008. In the episode, Mrs...
" he receives a sex change and becomes a man again, re-introduced by Principal Victoria as "Mr. Garrison". He has since reconfirmed his first name, "Herbert".
Mr. Hat
Mr. Hat initially appeared to be simply a puppet used by Mr. Garrison as a teaching aide. However, it was soon apparent that Mr. Hat was actually somewhat different and later appears to perform activities not possible if he were merely a puppet. It is not entirely clear how much autonomy Mr. Hat and Mr. Garrison have from each other. In the episode "Chef AidChef Aid
"Chef Aid" is the fourteenth episode of the second season of the animated television series South Park, 27th episode of the series overall. "Chef Aid" originally aired in the United States on October 7, 1998 on Comedy Central...
", Mr. Hat is able to drive a car through a prison wall to rescue Mr. Garrison and Chef. Chef remarks, "How the hell did he reach the gas pedal?"
Mr. Hat has been able to move his eyes at Mr. Garrison, and in a fictional crossover psychotherapy session with Dr. Katz
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist
Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist is an American animated series that originally ran on Comedy Central from May 28, 1995 to December 24, 1999,–with a final set of three shelved episodes airing in 2002–starring Jonathan Katz, Jon Benjamin, and Laura Silverman...
(from another Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
series) in "Summer Sucks
Summer Sucks
"Summer Sucks" is the eight episode of the second season of the animated television series South Park, and the 21st episode of the series overall...
", Katz suggests that Mr. Hat was a personification of Mr. Garrison's gay side. Garrison rejected this, and Katz was never able to counterpoint because he was killed shortly afterward by a gigantic novelty firework. Further evidence of Hat's autonomy is in "The Brown Noise", where Mr. Hat beats up Mr. Mackey, but also in the self-titled game
South Park (video game)
South Park is a first-person shooter video game based on the first few seasons of the popular TV series of the same name. The game is powered by the Turok 2 game engine and was released in 1998 by Acclaim for the PC, Nintendo 64 and PlayStation. A Brazilian version was published by Gradiente for...
where Mr. Hat owns, and runs, a robot factory by himself, or in "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a 1999 animated musical comedy film based on the animated television series South Park, created by Matt Stone and Trey Parker. The film was directed by Parker, who also stars along with the rest of the regular voice cast from the series, including Stone, Mary...
" when Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
picks up Mr. Hat as a companion to replace Saddam Hussein. Satan speaks Mr. Hat's lines in a voice very similar to Mr. Garrison's.
Mr. Hat is also a racist, as seen in "Chef Goes Nanners
Chef Goes Nanners
"Chef Goes Nanners" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of the animated television series South Park, and the 55th episode of the series overall...
", where he is a member of the South Park branch of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. Mr. Hat argues with Mr. Garrison and (seemingly?) disappears to attend a meeting without him. Mr. Hat also appears to be somewhat psychotic. In "Weight Gain 4000
Weight Gain 4000
"Weight Gain 4000" is the second episode of the first season of the animated television series South Park. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on August 20, 1997. In the episode, the residents of South Park excitedly prepare for a visit by celebrity Kathie Lee Gifford, whom the...
", furious at Kathy Lee Gifford for a talent show he and Mr. Garrison had lost years ago, Mr. Hat convinces Mr. Garrison to kill her, which he attempts to do. Again, whether this indicates that Mr. Hat is independent or if Mr. Garrison's own psychosis is simply projected to his puppet is impossible to say.
In the episode "Summer Sucks
Summer Sucks
"Summer Sucks" is the eight episode of the second season of the animated television series South Park, and the 21st episode of the series overall...
", Mr. Hat is in the steam room with Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
, and when he is spoken to, he looks and blinks despite being by himself.
Even though Mr. Hat was often used as a character device for Mr. Garrison's "gay side", Mr. Garrison retained use of Mr. Hat even after coming out as gay, during the period when both were seen to be teaching kindergarten. Mr. Hat is permanently abandoned in favor of Mr. Slave once Mr. Garrison begins teaching fourth grade, and has only been seen since in the climax of the episode 200
200 (South Park)
"200" is the fifth episode of the fourteenth season of South Park, and the 200th overall episode of the series. It originally aired on Comedy Central in the United States on April 14, 2010...
, when Eric Cartman
Eric Cartman
Eric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...
demands to speak with him, at which point Mr. Garrison produces Mr. Hat from a dresser drawer.
Parker and Stone have said that the disappearance of Mr. Hat was symbolic of the show abandoning its original style as a surreal comedy in favor of its current format of satirizing real-life issues and events.
Mr. Twig
Mr. Garrison temporarily replaced Mr. Hat with Mr. Twig (starting in the episode "Summer SucksSummer Sucks
"Summer Sucks" is the eight episode of the second season of the animated television series South Park, and the 21st episode of the series overall...
"), who consisted of a twig wearing a purple shirt with a pink triangle
Pink triangle
The pink triangle was one of the Nazi concentration camp badges, used to identify male prisoners who were sent there because of their homosexuality. Every prisoner had to wear a downward-pointing triangle on his or her jacket, the colour of which was to categorise him or her by "kind"...
symbol. His voice was identical to Mr. Hat's until his final scene in "Chef Aid
Chef Aid
"Chef Aid" is the fourteenth episode of the second season of the animated television series South Park, 27th episode of the series overall. "Chef Aid" originally aired in the United States on October 7, 1998 on Comedy Central...
", where he spoke with a French accent. Mr. Twig was not well-received by the children in Garrison's third grade class, who repeatedly called for the return of Mr. Hat and suggesting Mr. Twig would be better used as a coat rack, to which Garrison took much offense. Eventually, Mr. Hat returns in "Chef Aid", heralding the fact by some psychopathic attacks on Mr. Twig. Though Garrison constantly assured himself that Mr. Twig was a better choice than Mr. Hat, he came to terms with his attachment to Mr. Hat at the end of the episode upon being broken out of jail by him. Garrison got back with Mr. Hat after Mr. Twig advised him to follow his heart.
External links
- Garrison at South Park Studios
- Line-O-Rama: Mr. Garrison's Best Lines