The BEEFCAKE!
Obscure Celebrity Reference Page

Updated November 20, 1997.

Added references  -- that I could remember off the top of my head -- from "Starvin' Marvin." Added Brian Boitano submitted by Chris Bellew, Hugh Grant and Rodney King from Dia Orlowski, and Minnie Ripperton (who sang "Lovin' You") from Dan Nero.  Also added references to Vanessa Redgrave (Starvin' Marvin) and Adolf Hitler (Pink Eye).  Also added images of the real vs. the South Park version of Brian Boitano.  

Added Scott Baio to Ep. 101.  Oops.  I forgot about him!  Thanks to Casey Zacek for reminding me.

NOTE: I may be missing some information, or I may have some information posted that is incorrect (that's probably unlikely, but some sources can be unreliable).  I'm always looking for new information, so if you have something interesting that you'd like to add, or notice something that may be incorrect, drop me a line: tbenedic@vt.edu.  I might just post it.

(This page also works in reverse order, with the most recent episode at the top, and the first episode references at the bottom.)

STARVIN' MARVIN - Episode 109

- SALLY STRUTHERS -

Everybody knows who Sally Struthers is.  "Sure, we all do."  She's that fat bitch who does the commercials for the starving children (much like in this episode).  God, she was getting fat -- it wasn't just me.  

Anyway, she's been in a few notable thing in her lifetime.  She's been a regular performer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1967.  She played Gloria Bunker Stivic on the Archie Bunker 1971 sitcom All in the Family.  

More recently, she's done those commercials, and did the voice for Charlene Sinclair on the TV show Dinosaurs -- I loved that show -- Not the mama! -- and she did the voice for Rebecca Cunningham on Disney's TV cartoon series Tale Spin.

- RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON (MACGUYVER) -

Who hasn't heard of MacGuyver?  If you are one of those rare people, you're probably Amish, and then it's understandable -- but what are you doing using a damn computer?  If you haven't EVER heard of MacGuyver, please shoot yourself.  I can wait.

Richard Dean Anderson has been in quite a few things before his starring role as the only man who can make a bomb out of swiss cheese, a piece of chalk, and a beard -- seriously.  

He's starred as Jeff Webber on the soap opera General Hospital from 1976-1981.  Then in 1985, he stepped into the famous shoes of Angus MacGuyver -- Angus?!

Right now he's starring in Stargate SG-1 as Colonel Jonathan O'Neill. 

- VANESSA REDGRAVE -

She is an older actress, who has been in a lot of movies.  The more notable recent ones are: Howard's End, where she played Ruth Wilcox, and was even nominated for an Academy Award for he role.  She also played Max in the recent Tom Cruise summer blockbuster Mission: Impossible.

- EDWARD JAMES OLMOS -

In this episode, during the costume contest, Kenny wins second-place for his Edward James Olmos costume.  Some of you may have said, "I don't get it.  Who is Edward James Olmos?"

Edward James Olmos is probably best known for for his appearance as Miami Vice's Lieutenant Martin Castillo (1984-1989).  He has also starred in many films, since then. For more information on Mr. Olmos, visit the OLMOS INFONET.

Do you see any resemblance?

Zombie Kenny graphic was taken from BlackBart's South Park Page.  Image slightly altered.
Edward James Olmos photo taken from Olmos Infonet.

- TINA YOTHERS -

Tina Yothers is a celebrity judge for the costume contest.

Many of you probably remember her from the popular television program Family Ties, which also starred Justine Bateman and Michael J. Fox.  She has starred in a couple of television program since then, but has yet to star in any feature films.  She also hosted her own talk-show, The Tina Yothers Show.

- ADOLF HITLER -

Definately not an actor by any means, but I felt he was worth mentioning, because people don't really know a whole lot about this facist leader of Germany.  Here's a history lesson.

Hitler was a soldier in the German army during World War I, serving with distinction.  He twice won the Iron Cross for bravery.  In 1918 when the war ended up, he ended up in a hospital.  After his release, he remained with the army as a spy.  In 1920 he joined the German Workers' Pary, and soon became the leader of the party, renaming it the National Socialist German Workers' Party -- or Nazis (from the abbreviations of the first two words).

In 1923, he attempted to overthrow the government of the German province of Bavaria in hopes that it would topple the whole German government and bring the Nazis to power.  It failed.  Hitler was arrested and tried to treason, and only received a five-year sentence, and served only nine months of it.  During his imprisonment, he wrote the first part of his autobiography Mein Kampf (My Battle), which basically outlined his ideology.  Germany has a great destiny, he wrote, if only the German Volk (folk or people) can join forces and throww off those enemies who divide and betray them -- particularly the communists and Jews.  But the German people would not be able to do that without a single party and a supreme leader to forge them into a united and invincible force.

By 1933 the Nazis were the largest party in the German Reichstag (Parliament).  After Hitler was appointed Chancellor, he moved to create a Third Reich (empire) in Germany.  This would be a "Thousand Year Reich," and throughout this millenium Germany would be the political and cultural leader of Europe.  

To accomplish this goal, Hitler planned to two things.  The first was to provide Germany with "living space" it needed to become a great empire.  So the lands to the east were to be conquered and their people -- who are inferior, the Nazis declared, to the Germans -- were to be enslaved.  The second of Hitler's plans was to eliminate all enemies standing in the way of the Thousand Year Reich.  These included the Communists and Jews.  In attempting to fulfill his plan, Hitler in 1941 invaded the Soviet Union, with which he signed a non-aggression pact, and undertook the "Final Solution" to the "Jewish Problem."  This led, during World War II, to the systematic murder of some 6 million Jews and other supposedly "inferior" peoples.  

World War II ended for Germany in the spring of 1945.  In the last days of April, while confined to his bunker in Berlin, Hitler married his mistress, bid farewell to his staff, and with his new bride, committed suicide.  To avoid meeting a humiliating fate, Hitler left orders that their bodies be burned. 

DEATH - Episode 106

- SUZANNE SOMERS -

Suzanne Somers is not really an obscure actress.  Currently, she is best known for her character Carol Lambert on the Friday night sitcom Step by Step, a 90's spinoff of the Brady Bunch.  She also co-stars with Patrick Duffy, who plays her husband, Frank Lambert, who is also referenced in the South Park "Volcano" episode.

Also, she did star in a show called She's the Sheriff, which lasted from 1987-1989. She played Sheriff Hildy Granger.

AN ELEPHANT MAKES LOVE TO A PIG - Episode 105  

- MARLON BRANDO -

Mr. Brando is not an obscure actor, but is referenced in this episode as a Dr. Moreau-like genetic engineer.  Most recently he has starred in the 1996 remake of the 1977 film The Island of Dr. Moreau, where he played Dr. Moreau, the genetic engineer who had successfully combined human and animal DNA.  His most famous role was probably as Stanley Kowalski, in the 1951 film A Streetcar Named Desire. He has also starred in The Godfather and Apocalypse Now.  His next film is Free Money, which is supposed to come out in 1998.

- NELSON DE LA ROSA -

Dr. Moreau's small sidekick, Majai.  He is briefly shown in the show, either standing beside Moreau, or jumping up and down when Moreau sings the Loverboy song.  

Nelson de la Rosa has only been in one other film, and that was the 1988 Italian film Quella villa in fondo al parco, also known as The Rat Man.  

According to sources, he is 72 cm (or roughly 2 feet 5 inches) tall.  And weight about 15 pounds.  In 1990 he was certified by the Guiness Record Book as the smallest man on earth.

- ELTON JOHN -

Everybody knows who Elton John is.  So I'm not going to go into much detail.  On this episode, he sang briefly with Chef.  

Most recently, he performed a new version of his song Candle in the Wind at Princess Diana's funeral.

He also "came out of the closet" during a Barbara Walters interview, confessing his bi-sexuality.

BIG GAY AL'S BIG GAY BOAT RIDE - Episode 104

- RICHARD STAMOS -

Other than stated as being John Stamos' (Jesse Katsopolis -- Uncle Jesse -- from Full House) older brother, I could not find any information on him, which leads me to think that he's a truly fictious character.  Even in John Stamos' biography Richard was not listed among his siblings.  Anyone know something that I don't?

- MINNIE RIPPERTON -

The original singer of Lovin' You.

- HUGH GRANT -

Wow.  There's a lot of information on Hugh Grant.  He's been in a lot of well-liked films.  I'll just list them: Impromptu (1991), The Remains of the Day (1993), Four Weddings and a Funeral , Sirens (both in 1994), The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill, But Came Down a Mountain, Nine Months, Sense and Sensibility (all three in 1995), and more recently Extreme Measures (1996), opposite Gene Hackman.

For those of you rare people who didn't get the, "I haven't seen an Englishman take a blow like that since Hugh Grant," you either were in a cave, or you are too young to understand.  Let me just say, that he was caught in his car with prostitute Divine Brown in the act of doing something naughty.  If you need it any more clearer, ask your parents.

- RODNEY KING -   

He's not a celebrity, but he should still be mentioned.  I'm not going to go into a lot of detain on Mr. King.  Basically, he was the black man who was caught on video camera being brutally attacked by several Los Angeles police officers.  Eventually, the controversey behing the beatings caused rioting.  Some people feel that Rodney King's beating was not directly related to the rioting, and that people were just looking for an excuse to do so.

- BRIAN BOITANO -

He has a brief cameo as one of the side attractions during Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride.  He's got a much bigger role in Spirit of Christmas.  

Basically, he's a very famous figure skater.  

Is he really gay?  Who knows.

Here's a picture comparison between him in real life and him on South Park.

NOTE: The one on the left is the real Brian Boitano.

VOLCANO - Episode 103

- PATRICK DUFFY -

In this episode Patrick Duffy is featured as one of Scuzzlebutt's legs.

Currently, Patrick Duffy has played Frank Lambert on the show Step by Step. However, his most famous character was Bobby Ewing on the long-living soap-opera/drama Dallas from 1978-1991!

- KATHIE LEE GIFFORD -

Everybody knows who Kathie Lee Gifford is!  She's most famous as the host of Live with Regis and Kathie Lee since 1989.  She also was a substitute host of Good Morning, America from 1985-87.  She is also a spokesperson for Carnival Cruises (her song from the Carnival commercials is spoofed in this episode).

Recently, she has been in the news for controversy surrounding sweatshop conditions in her clothing factories -- which she vehemontly and tearfully denied any knowledge about during an episode of Regis and Kathie Lee.  Her husband Frank Gifford has been in the news for allegedly having some kind of love affair with a stewardess.

And yes, she was born Kathie Lee Epstein.

She has two children: Cody Newton and Cassidy Erin.

CARTMAN GETS AN ANAL PROBE - Episode 101  

- TOM SELLECK -

His most famous role was as Thomas Magnum in the 1980's action/detective show Magnum P.I..  He also starred in Three Men and a Baby, and the later sequel Three Men and a Little Lady.  

Most recently, he has been in the Kevin Klein comedy In and Out.  And has been the voice for the "You Will" TV commercials for AT&T.  

- DAVID CARUSO -

His most famous character was as Detective John Kelley (1993-94) on NYPD Blue. However, he left the show (his successor was Jimmy Smits) to pursue a career as an actor in the film industry, which did not work out so well.  Currently he has returned to television to star as Michael Hayes in the courtroom drama Michael Hayes.

Some of his pre-NYPD Blue included small roles in First Blood (the first Rambo film), Twins (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito), and Hudson Hawk (starring Bruce Willis and Danny Aiello).

He has also guest-appeared on CHiPs and Hill Street Blues.

- SCOTT BAIO -

After Cartman is dropped off at the bus stop by the visitors, he claims that Scott Baio gave him pink eye.

Everybody knows Mr. Baio as Charles from the 1984 television series Charles in Charge.  He also starred on Happy Days from 1977-1984 as Charles "Chachi" Arcola.  In 1982, in starred in the film Zapped! where he played Barney Springboro, a high school boy who accidentally obtains telekinetic powers, and uses it in mischevious ways, like making girls' blouses suddenly blow open.  

Recently, he hasn't starred in anything big.