Skip to main content

In the year 2000, Matt Stone and Trey Parker made headlines at the Oscars. The South Park creators showed up to the event wearing the same gowns that Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow had worn the year before. And as they later revealed, they showed up to the event while tripping on acid.

Marc Shalman, [R] with South Park creators, Matt Stone [centre] wearing a dress in the stye of Gwyneth Paltrow's outfit from last year's Oscars and Trey Parker, wearing a dress similar to those worn by Jennifer Lopez
Marc Shalman, [R] with South Park creators, Matt Stone [centre] wearing a dress in the stye of Gwyneth Paltrow’s outfit from last year’s Oscars and Trey Parker, wearing a dress similar to those worn by Jennifer Lopez | Michael Crabtree/Getty Images

Matt Stone and Trey Parker are not fans of award shows

It doesn’t come as much of a surprise that Parker and Stone aren’t fans of award shows. Their Comedy Central series, South Park, is known for making fun of some of the most high-profile celebrities. Because they’re so counterculture, they knew when attending the event that they would have to wear ridiculous outfits.

Matt Stone & Trey Parker in dresses at the Oscars
Matt Stone & Trey Parker | SGranitz/WireImage

“The Oscars is kind of everything we’re against,” said Parker in an interview with Conan O’Brien. “So what should we wear? Should we wear chicken outfits? Or pirate costumes? The Academy Awards should be like a costume ball,” said Parker. “It would be a lot more fun.”

As we now know, they decided to wear replicas of Paltrow and Lopez’s dresses. But according to Stone, it takes a lot of energy to be so “punk rock.”

“It takes a lot of energy to be that rebellious,” he said, according to Yahoo News. “It took so much energy to get those dresses made and all that stuff. We were so, like, punk rock — you know, like, against all of that stuff. But Trey was nominated for [a Best Original Song Oscar], and that’s cool. So how do you go, but not go? How do you not be a part of it? Drugs.”

These celebrities were furious with Parker and Stone for wearing gowns to the Oscars

Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Trey Parker and Matt Stone with Marc Caiman, Oscars | The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

“Some people were stoked when we showed up at the Oscars in those dresses. Michael Caine being one,” said Stone.

But while many Oscars attendees thought it was hilarious, some people were not happy with Parker and Stone’s decision at all.

“You know, everyone, of course, turned heads,” Parker recalls. “And you know, 50% of the people were laughing, and 50% were just so mad.”

“Phil Collins was mad,” says Stone, while speaking to Conan O’Brien. According to the South Park creators, Collins was loudly vocalizing to someone right in front of them that “this is a very serious event.”

And Stone, who was wearing one of Gwyneth Paltrow’s Oscar looks, actually crossed paths with her. According to Stone, she gave him a dirty look, but he “didn’t have the guts” to say anything to her.

The ‘South Park’ creators became increasingly nervous the day of the Oscars

Matt Stone & Trey Parker
Matt Stone & Trey Parker | Steve Granitz/WireImage
Related

Trey Parker Is ‘Embarrassed’ of Nearly Every ‘South Park’ Episode That Airs

“We were really nervous the day of,” says Parker. “And I called Matt the day of, and I was like, ‘Matt, I can’t do this.’ And we just got so wasted.”

“It was like a great idea until we’re in the limo and we pull up,” says Stone, “and there’s like 60,000 photographers, and we’re like ‘Oh my god, we have to get out of the limo right now.'”
In fact, they were so nervous that there was a moment when they were ready to bail.

But according to Parker and Stone, it could have been worse.

“We talked about [going in] big duck outfits,” said Parker.