Quote Unquote: The Book of Mormon

Matt Stone on Trey Parker and his hit Broadway show The Book of Mormon…

"If Mitt Romney came and saw the show, he would really like it."

I'm sure he would. But he'd probably also dislike it. But then, on the other hand, he'd really love it. But also disavow it.

It's kinda complicated. You really have to study quantum decoherence to get it.

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See also: Stream the Complete Book of Mormon Cast Recording Free! (Comedy Central Insider)

Tags: Matt Stone, Mitt Romney, Mormon, Primaries, Quote Unquote, Religion, Republicans, Science & Technology, Trey Parker

Could Mitt Romney Ride Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Coattails into White House?

Mormon are hot these days! Look! They have a Tony-nominated Broadway musical of their very own! Not to mention that one Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated television series starring the girl from The Brown Bunny, and those two presidential-wannabe guys.

And now, look! They — with a little help from Trey Parker and Matt Stone's Book of Mormon musical — are the cover story on Newsweek…

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints might take issue with some of the wording in the article, like calling the temple ceremonies "secretive," or making casual reference to the LDS temple garment, which members consider sacred. Yet some Latter-day Saints may be pleased with the article's positive message reflected in its headline: "Mormons Rock!: They've conquered Broadway, talk radio, the U.S. Senate-and they may win the White House. Why Mitt Romney and 6 million Mormons have the secret to success." Indeed, the article – which offers a secular defense of Mormonism – reads at times like a sales pitch for the faith…

The article posits that the LDS church's unique culture and theology create a proven formula for producing American "winners." Featuring interviews with various successful Mormons in business, academia and politics, Newsweek says there is a strong case for the church and that LDS politicians should start making it.

"The thrust of the article," [Newsweek reporter McKay] Coppins said, "is that Mormonism's history of persecution, along with its doctrinal emphasis on education and eternal progression, results in a church full of highly motivated, successful people. When you look at it from a sociological standpoint, that's really one of the Church's greatest achievements."

And if Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman can make everything they say half as catchy as this Broadway soundtrack, I'm feeling good about 2012!

See also: Stream the Complete Book of Mormon Cast Recording Free! (Comedy Central Insider)

Tags: Jon Huntsman, Matt Stone, Mormon, Music, Newsweek, Primaries, Religion, Republicans, South Park, Trey Parker

New Broadway Musical Tops Off Some Delightsome Times for Mormons

Not since Brigham Young founded the the state of Deseret (later to be renamed "Utah") in the mid-19th Century — with the possible exception of the three-year run of ABC's Donny and Marie television show — has The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints been so ascendant.

First of all, we've got Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, both Mormons, looking to be top-tier candidates for the Republican presidential nomination. Add to that a Mormon Senate Majority Leader, a Mormon infotainment prophet/rodeo clown dominating conservative airwaves, and Mormon created-and-backed political juggernaut influencing social issue policy nationwide. What more could you ask for as a Mormon?

How about a hit Broadway musical created by South Park's Trey Parker & Matt Stone and Avenue Q's Robert Lopez?

Performances begin at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre in New York City on February 24, 2011. Tickets are available now!

Tags: Matt Stone, Mormon, Music, Religion, South Park, Theater, Trey Parker

Trey Parker and Matt Stone Respond to Eric Cartman's Recent Illegal Activities in Afghanistan

Yesterday, news broke that members of the evil mercenary group formerly known as "Blackwater" have not only been stealing guns from Afghan police and selling them to Afghan drug dealers (because did we even expect anything otherwise?), but also blaming it on South Park character Eric Cartman.

Well, The Huffington Post's Alex Leo got a chance to talk to Eric Cartman's parents — Trey Parker and Matt Stone — and find out what they think of all this hubbub…

"It makes perfect sense. It's the name I would use," Trey Parker said. "Our first reaction to any story is 'How do we put this into the show?' and the second reaction is 'Did Cartman do that?' because he's so real to us it's like 'I bet Cartman did that.'"

"I saw that and thought, 'Wow, Cartman did that? That's pretty cool. Sounds like something he would do,'" Matt Stone agreed.

And, while we're already kind of sorta not really on the subject, can they please let us know once and for all if they're liberals or conservatives, because I can never figure out if I'm supposed to be laughing or shaking my fist and then writing angry prose poetry in my journal…

When I asked them which group they've pissed of the most over the years, they both said "liberals." "Liberal people got mad at us for 'Team America' — that's the most I've felt it. [The movie] came out right before the Bush/Kerry election and I think we fucked up. I don't think we should've timed it that way," Matt explained. "Because it came out right before the election, liberals were waiting for it as this big anti-Bush statement, and there's plenty of stuff in there that is anti-Bush, but we never would've spent three years of our lives making a movie just to make a statement two weeks before the election. Some people felt like it was a big betrayal."…

Both men were adamant that the show has no political affiliation. "I would never want the show to be a Democrat show or Republican show, because for us the show's more important than that. It isn't for everybody else in the world, but it is for us. We don't want you to come to it thinking, 'These guys are going to bash liberals,'" Matt explained…

"Ripping on Republicans is not that fun for us only because everyone else does it," Matt explained. "It's so much more fun for us to rip on liberals only because nobody else does it, and not because we think liberals are worse than Republicans but, just because…"

"…it's like fresh snow. I mean how're you gonna rip on Sarah Palin in a new way?" Trey pointed out.

"In a new way"? Why would any of us want to rip on Sarah Palin in a new way? I already spent a long afternoon writing my Sarah Palin jokes over a year ago. I'm not about to go and start over from scratch now.

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Watch the season premiere of South Park on Wednesday, March 17 at 10pm / 9c.

Tags: Afghanistan, Blackwater, Conservatives, Drugs, Guns, Liberals, Matt Stone, Movies, Sarah Palin, South Park, Trey Parker