Up the Down Steroid
Encyclopedia
"Up the Down Steroid" is the 113th episode of the Comedy Central
series South Park
. The title is a parody of the book Up the Down Staircase
. It originally aired on March 24, 2004.
in Denver. Cartman
decides to fake being disabled and beat all the handicapped children in the events and win the $1,000 prize.
To pretend to be handicapped, Cartman undergoes a rigorous "Push It to the Limit" montage that shows a training regime of sitting on the special education bus while taking notes of how "retards" act, cutting his hair badly, studying a Kid Rock
performance, modifying his shoes so it looks like he has a club foot
, wearing a bicycle helmet
and making awkward faces.
Meanwhile, Jimmy is talked into taking steroids
by Nathan to increase his chances of winning. He manages to keep his use of it a secret from everyone except for his training partner and best friend, Timmy. Timmy frowns on this, but, unable to say anything other than his name, Jimmy's name and the quote "Livin' a lie!" he is unable to fully explain the situation to his school counselor, Mr. Mackey. Also, Jimmy starts to neglect his girlfriend and studies and, soon, his steroid use sends him into a steroid rage, causing him to savagely attack his girlfriend and mother (with Samuel Barber
's "Adagio for Strings
" playing as the atmospheric soundtrack as he loses his mind).
Throughout the episode, Kyle tries to talk Cartman out of his plans. Kyle hates Cartman and has always seen him as a thoroughly ruthless boy, but Kyle sees Cartman's plans as so horrible that he seriously worries that Cartman will go to hell
for his antics in this episode. He even goes as far as to call himself Cartman's friend. Cartman dismisses Kyle, claiming that Kyle is the one who is going to hell because he is Jewish
.
At the Special Olympics, Jimmy sets multiple records and is declared the winner. Cartman, on the other hand, is so out-of-shape and overweight that he is beaten by all the handicapped children, who have all spent weeks in intensive training before the start of the competition. However, he gets a "spirit award" of a gift voucher to Shakey's Pizza
. When he comes up to the stand to collect the prize, Jimmy recognizes Cartman and is about to beat him up for being a cheater, but Timmy intervenes, and Jimmy realises that he is just as much of a cheater himself too.
Jimmy confesses his drug use to the crowd and returns his medal. As he says that people who are taking steroids are "big fat pussies", and asks for his records to be cancelled, the camera pans across guests Mark McGwire
, Barry Bonds
and Jason Giambi
. At that point, the people give Jimmy a standing ovation with cheers for being honest, and he says he'll be back next year to "compete with honor."
Cartman then tells his friends that he pretended to be retarded just to teach Jimmy about taking steroids, but they simply stare at him. In response, Cartman angrily says, "Oh yeaah?! Well, you guys are assholes!! Grow up!!" He then walks away.
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
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...
. The title is a parody of the book Up the Down Staircase
Up the Down Staircase
Up the Down Staircase is a humorous novel written by Bel Kaufman, and published in 1965.-Plot summary:The plot revolves around Sylvia Barrett, an idealistic English teacher at an inner-city high school who hopes to nurture her students' interest in classic literature and writing...
. It originally aired on March 24, 2004.
Plot
Timmy and Jimmy, the two disabled children in South Park, are due to participate in the Special OlympicsSpecial Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
in Denver. 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...
decides to fake being disabled and beat all the handicapped children in the events and win the $1,000 prize.
To pretend to be handicapped, Cartman undergoes a rigorous "Push It to the Limit" montage that shows a training regime of sitting on the special education bus while taking notes of how "retards" act, cutting his hair badly, studying a Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
performance, modifying his shoes so it looks like he has a club foot
Club foot
A club foot, or congenital talipes equinovarus , is a congenital deformity involving one foot or both. The affected foot appears rotated internally at the ankle. TEV is classified into 2 groups: Postural TEV or Structural TEV....
, wearing a bicycle helmet
Bicycle helmet
A bicycle helmet is a helmet intended to be worn while riding a bicycle. They are designed to attenuate impacts to the skull of a cyclist in falls while minimizing side effects such as interference with peripheral vision...
and making awkward faces.
Meanwhile, Jimmy is talked into taking steroids
Anabolic steroid
Anabolic steroids, technically known as anabolic-androgen steroids or colloquially simply as "steroids", are drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the body. They increase protein synthesis within cells, which results in the buildup of cellular tissue ,...
by Nathan to increase his chances of winning. He manages to keep his use of it a secret from everyone except for his training partner and best friend, Timmy. Timmy frowns on this, but, unable to say anything other than his name, Jimmy's name and the quote "Livin' a lie!" he is unable to fully explain the situation to his school counselor, Mr. Mackey. Also, Jimmy starts to neglect his girlfriend and studies and, soon, his steroid use sends him into a steroid rage, causing him to savagely attack his girlfriend and mother (with Samuel Barber
Samuel Barber
Samuel Osborne Barber II was an American composer of orchestral, opera, choral, and piano music. His Adagio for Strings is his most popular composition and widely considered a masterpiece of modern classical music...
's "Adagio for Strings
Adagio for Strings
Adagio for Strings is a work by Samuel Barber, arranged for string orchestra from the second movement of his String Quartet, Op. 11. Barber finished the arrangement in 1936, the same year as he wrote the quartet...
" playing as the atmospheric soundtrack as he loses his mind).
Throughout the episode, Kyle tries to talk Cartman out of his plans. Kyle hates Cartman and has always seen him as a thoroughly ruthless boy, but Kyle sees Cartman's plans as so horrible that he seriously worries that Cartman will go to hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
for his antics in this episode. He even goes as far as to call himself Cartman's friend. Cartman dismisses Kyle, claiming that Kyle is the one who is going to hell because he is Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
.
At the Special Olympics, Jimmy sets multiple records and is declared the winner. Cartman, on the other hand, is so out-of-shape and overweight that he is beaten by all the handicapped children, who have all spent weeks in intensive training before the start of the competition. However, he gets a "spirit award" of a gift voucher to Shakey's Pizza
Shakey's Pizza
Shakey's Pizza is a pizza restaurant chain based in the United States. The chain currently has about 500 stores globally, and about 60 in the United States.-History:...
. When he comes up to the stand to collect the prize, Jimmy recognizes Cartman and is about to beat him up for being a cheater, but Timmy intervenes, and Jimmy realises that he is just as much of a cheater himself too.
Jimmy confesses his drug use to the crowd and returns his medal. As he says that people who are taking steroids are "big fat pussies", and asks for his records to be cancelled, the camera pans across guests Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
, Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
and Jason Giambi
Jason Giambi
Jason Gilbert Giambi is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.He was the American League MVP in 2000 while with the Oakland Athletics, and is a five-time All-Star who has led the American League in walks four times, in on base percentage...
. At that point, the people give Jimmy a standing ovation with cheers for being honest, and he says he'll be back next year to "compete with honor."
Cartman then tells his friends that he pretended to be retarded just to teach Jimmy about taking steroids, but they simply stare at him. In response, Cartman angrily says, "Oh yeaah?! Well, you guys are assholes!! Grow up!!" He then walks away.
External links
- Up the Down Steroid Full episode at South Park Studios
- Up the Down Steroid Episode guide at South Park Studios
- "Up the Down Steroid" entry at TV.com