About

Although his full name is Eric Theodore Cartman, he's usually referred to only by his last name (Cartman). He's one of the main characters in South Park, along with Kyle Broflovski (his frequent rival), Stan Marsh, and Kenny McCormick.

Cartman is fat, self-centered, racist, sexist, a murder, and just a general asshole. He is often concocting schemes to make money or fuck with his friens, mostly Kyle. He absolutely hates Kyle, despises hippies, and can't stand Family Guy. But he does have a soft spot for Mel Gibson, his stuffed animal Clyde Frog, and cats (especially his own cat, Mr. Kitty).

DNA Overview

You are a fairly average person; you just want to sit on the couch, play video games and eat delicious Cheesy Poofs. But you can also be a sadistic, sociopathic piece of shit. People with Eric Cartman DNA are often only interested in wealth and authority, stopping at nothing to obtain both.

Memorable Quotes

• "Yeah, I want Cheesy Poofs!" (Cartman Gets an Anal Probe)
• "No Kitty, this is MY pot pie!!!" (Cartman Gets an Anal Probe)
• "BEEFCAKE!!" (Weight Gain 4000)
• "I'm not fat! I'm festively plump!" (Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo)
• "I am a COP and you will respect my authoritah!" (Chickenlover)
• "I wasn't saying anything about their culture. I was just saying their city smells like ass." (Rainforest Schmainforest)
• "Do you like it? Do you like it, Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tenorman chili." (Scott Tenorman Must Die)
• "Nya nya nya nya NYAAAA nya! I made you eat your par-ents! Nya nya nya nya NYAAAA nya!" (Scott Tenorman Must Die)
• "Oh, let me taste your tears, Scott! Mmmm, your tears are so yummy and sweet." (Scott Tenorman Must Die)
• "CRIPPLE FIGHT!!!!!" (Cripple Fight)
• "There's so much to do at Cartmanlaaaaaand, but you can't come! Especially you, Stan and Kyle." (Cartmanland)
• "Oh si, si, si…" (Fat Butt and Pancake Head)
• "BUT THEY SAID I CANT BE IN THEIR CLUB!" (Krazy Kripples)
• "I'm not fat, I just have a sweet hockey body." (Grey Dawn)
• "And now I will use my powers to turn Kyle into a chicken!" (Good Times With Weapons)
• "I've sometimes looked at people with disabilities as people God put here on earth for my amusement." (Up the Down Steroid)
• "They're not PEOPLE, they're HIPPIES!!!" (Die Hippie, Die)
• "Vote for TURD SANDWICH. This is the MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION OF YOU LIFE. Turd Sandwich brings the hope for change. A vote for Turd Sandwich is a vote for tomorrow" (Douche and Turd)
• "He's a Jewish Dolphin... A Jewphin." (Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina)
• "HOW DO I REEEEECH THESE KEEEEEDS!?!?!?!?" (Eek, A Penis!)
• "DA FUCK!?" (Fatbeard)
• "Me and Kinny don't give two shits about stupid ass whales!" (Whale Whores)
• "I cannot offer you or your child any CASH. I CAN however... offer you a little bit of crack." (Crack Baby Athletic Association)
• "Uh trust me, he's not fat and unimportant. I think we need to change his status to ripped and sweet." (Let Go, Let Gov)
• "Boooooo. Boo Wendy. Boo Wendy Testaburger. Boo." (Informative Murder Porn)
• "They don't salute in Game of Thrones, Butters." (Black Friday)
• "Boner Balls. B-Boner Forest. Dense Boner Forest." (Go Fund Yourself)
• "Sitting on our asses, here we come!" (Go Fund Yourself)
• "Fuck, I want pancakes..." (Gluten Free Ebola)
• "CARTMAN BRAAAAAH!" (#REHASH)
• "Speak Through the hood, KINNY!" (#REHASH)
• "Kyle, believe me... I know the struggle with hatred. Let's make ourselves better people... together." (Stunning and Brave)
• "David! David! David!" (You're Not Yelping)
• "I'm now the leader of thousands of people! They all hang on my every word! [softly] And I'm gonna use my power to finally get what this town really needs." (You're Not Yelping)
• "Hey Kyle. You wanna see what people said about my dick pic? Everyone's pretty stoked on it. " (Safe Space)
• "Every time Amy Schumer talks about her vagina, I lose my fucking mind." (The Damned)
• "I don't have any friends. I don't know if I ever did." (The Damned)
• "Do girls not have balls?" (The Damned)
• "Have you met my girlfriend, Heidi? She's really smart, and really funny." ("Weiners Out")

Catchphrases

Cartman has coined a number of memorable and iconic phrases since the show's very first episode that have helped to cement his status as the series' most popular character and a pop culture icon. Since the early second season, they have often appeared in merchandising for the show, and sometimes appear in other media to reference South Park. They are even sometimes used by other characters, like Stan, Kenny, or Clyde.

In recent years, Matt and Trey use these phrases much more rarely, but Cartman still uses them on occasion.

• "Eh!"
• "I'm not fat, I'm big boned!"
• "Screw you guys, I'm going home!"
• "No kitty! That's a bad kitty!!"
• "Seriously, you guys!" or "I'm so seriously!"
• "But meeeehm!"
• "Kewl." or "That's kewl."
• "I'll kick you in the nuts!!" or "I'll kick you squah in the nuts!" (debuted in "An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig")
• "I hate you guys." or "I love you guys." (debuted in "Cartman's Mom is a Dirty Slut")
• "Respect my authoritah!" or "Respect my authoritay!" (debuted in "Chickenlover")
• "Suck my balls!" (most famously in "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut")
• "I'll make you eat your parents." (debuted in "Scott Tenorman Must Die")
• "You're breakin' my balls." (debuted in "Kenny Dies")
• "Whatevuh, I do what I want!" (debuted in "Freak Strike")
• "Kevin godammit." (debuted in "The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers")
• "Oh hey babe, what's going on?" (debuted in White People Renovating Houses)

Life Lessons

• "Poor people tend to live in clusters."
• "Drugs are bad because if you do drugs, you're a hippie, and hippie suck."
• "It's a man's obligation to stick his boneration into a woman's separation. This sort of penetration will increase the population of the younger generation"
• "I'm gonna spend my whole childhood eating what I want and doin' drugs when I want! WHATEVER! I will do what I want!"
• "Heaven could be like the pixie fairies of Bubble Yumâ„¢ Forest. You only see them if you really believe in them"
• "We're in this together, Craig! If Butters tells on us then we're gonna tell on you. That's the Ninja code!"
• "These are what we call giggling stoners. Pretty common form of hippie usually found in the attics. Problem is, if you see one hippie, there's probably a whole lot more you're not seeing"
• "What awaits each person in heaven is eternal bliss, divine rest, and ten thousand dollars, cash." *"Stan, don't you know the first law of physics? Anything that's fun costs at least $8."
• "Everyone knows that only poor people get lice."
• "Real guitars are for old people."
• "Okay, our mission failed but we learned a lot. Primarily that girls do not have balls"
• "Remember Bill Beelicheck. Head coach of the New England Patriots. He's won three Super Bowls. How? He cheated. He even got caught cheating and nobody cared! He proved that in America, it's aright to cheat, as long as you cheat your way to the top"
• "Life goes by pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, and do whatever you want all the time, you could miss it."
• "I'd rather us be Chinese than A NATION OF UNETHICAL DICK SHOOTERS. Think about it"
• "This just goes to show that hard work doesn't pay off. I'm going to be a homeless drug addict from now on!"
• "Kyle, that's the way the world works! If you wanna find some quality friends, you gotta wade through all the dicks first!"
• "Don't ask why Kenny wanted to be a chick, that's just how he seems to be rolling right now."
• "Even if I don't agree with his hateful bigoted thoughts... it doesn't mean I'll stand by while Kyle's intolerance is dealt with violently."
• "Sometimes joking about un-PC things can actually be important, because it starts a dialogue."
• "I guess just because I don't understand [homosexuality], doesn't mean I can't support it."
• "Girls rule, women are funny, get over it."
• "I guess I didn't deserve a second chance."
• "I don't have any friends. I don't know if I ever did."

Greatest Hits

It's surprising to everyone, but Cartman actually has quite the singing voice -- you can rock out with some of his greatest hits right here!

• "Kyle's Mom is a Stupid Bitch" from "Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo" and "South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut" - probably Cartman's Greatest Hit of All-Time!
• "Come Sail Away" (cover) from "Cartman's Mom is Still a Dirty Slut"
• "My Best Friends" from "Spookyfish"
• "Christmas Trees and Pie (O Holy Night)" from "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics"
• "The Dreidel Song" from "Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics" features a little Cartman
• "In the Third Grade..." from "Fourth Grade"
• "The Heat of the Moment" from "Kenny Dies", featuring the United States Congress
• "Make it Right" from "The Death of Eric Cartman"
• "Super Fun Time" from "Super Fun Time"
• "Do What You Gotta Do", from "Elementary School Musical", with Stan, Kyle, and Kenny
• "Queef Free", from "Eat, Pray, Queef" as part of the larger group.
• "Somalian Pirates We" from "Fatbeard"
• "Poker Face" (cover) from "Whale Whores"
• "Not My Water Park" from "Pee"
• "I Swear" from "Cartman Finds Love"
• "My Safe Space" from "Safe Space"
• "Let's Come Together as a School" from "Douche and a Danish", with Heidi Turner

Design

Here's Cartman's biggest design changes throughout the show's run.

Main Alter Egos

Alter egos that have appeared numberous times in-show and/or other official media.

Other Alter Egos/Outfits/Counterparts

More than any other character in the show, Cartman has created dozens of alter-egos, false identities and costumes - many chiefly to serve his own goals and purposes, such as pretending to be handicapped to win in the Special Olympics and a cash prize, or pretending to be a robot manufactured in Japan in order to humiliate Butters. Each alter-ego has a unique, detailed backstory and a costume lovingly crafted by his mother. One of these most notable of these identities, however, is the superhero The Coon, who seeks nothing less than fame, glory, and global merchandising rights (see above).

Not every alter-ego is so easy to explain though. Nobody's sure where Cartman's very own Cupid "Me" came from, and Hennifer Lopez and Mitch Conner seem to have a mind all their own, rhat is determined to run off with Ben Affleck regardless if Cartman gives his legal consent (see above).

Ming Lee, meanwhile, brought on by head trauma, seems to have a preference for Leonardo DiCaprio, who pays her handsomely for her services. Whether the sexual encounters his alternate identities experience reflect on Cartman, we're still figuring it out, but neither of them can be counted for processed affirmative consent forms.

Click on the alter-ego to visit their page, with more detailed information on their personaliy and adventures, or to visit the episode/storyline they came from:

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12

Season 13

Season 14

Season 15

Season 16

Season 17

Season 18

Season 19

Season 20

Season 21

Season 22

Season 23

Season 24

Season 25

Season 26

EVENTS SOUTH PARK

SOUTH PARK: POST COVID

SOUTH PARK: POST COVID: THE RETURN OF COVID

SOUTH PARK THE STREAMING WARS

SOUTH PARK THE STREAMING WARS PART 2

SOUTH PARK JOINING THE PANDERVERSE

SOUTH PARK: THE END OF OBESITY

Phone Destroyer

Cut Costumes

Family

Though Cartman has a huge extended family, he's only ever lived with his loving, doting mother Liane Cartman, who often bends over backwards for whatever her muffin wants in exchange for his company, and their pets Mr. Kitty and the rarely-seen pot-bellied pig Fluffy. The identity of Cartman's father was a closely-guarded secret in the town until a series of conspiracies eventually revealed the true father's identity. (see below)

Extended Family

The extended Cartman family mostly lives in Nebraska and share many similar phrases and mannerisms to him, including a strong family history of obesity, save only Cartman's mother, Liane and Cousin Alexandra. His grandmother, Mabel Cartman loved him dearly despite his many imperfections, but died when he was eight years old. She left him one million dollars since the rest of them would presumably spend it on crack. They are also all quite close with convicted murderer Charles Manson, who they visit every year at Christmas. He touched weiners with one of his cousins, but something tells us it's not Alexandra.

He has also has an evil half-brother named Scott Tenorman who conned him out of sixteen dollars and twelve cents a little while ago, but Cartman got his revenge at a memorable chili con carnival... but a while later, Scott would reveal a little surprise of his own.

Cartman has once noted one of his uncles is next-in-line to be a manager at the Gart Brothers store, but nobody knows which one.

Non-Canon Family

In an early version of the Unaired Pilot for South Park, Cartman had a father and a sister, neither of whom have appeared in the series' almost twenty-year run. (also see below)

He also creates a fantasy family in "World War Zimmerman" including two daughters he loves equally.

Romantic Relationships

Ex-Girlfriend

Eric Cartman has a surprising history with Heidi Turner that goes back quite a while.

When Cartman began to lead a Church in South Park at the end of the kids' third grade year, he attracted the attention of kids far and wide throughout the town including a girl named 'Marcy'. The church ended up to be a get-rich-quick scheme resulting in her father's death.

Heidi and Cartman were later partnered for the fourth grade egg project and despite a mutual dissatisfaction with the initial choices, the two took care of their egg. When Cartman damaged the egg, he asked Mrs. Garrison to give Heidi a better grade in hopes of averaging it for both of them, it's still altruistic by Cartman standards. On a side note, he received four days of detention from PC Principal for referring to Heidi as "clitty litter".

When the girls were harassed online by a troll named skankhunt42, Heidi was the first to openly accuse Cartman of being behind it despite his denial. The troll's continued abuse eventually drove Heidi to quit Twitter and the to would later form an unlikely friendship when Cartman was cast out of social media by his friends. Apologizing for her earlier accusations, they began comfort each other over the isolation they found themselves in.

They took their relationship even further when Heidi settled Cartmans dilemma as to whether girls do have balls. The experience of seeing hers in the dark with a flashlight triggered a spiritual awakening for Cartman and they officially became a couple. The two of them constantly held hands hang out and referred to each other by pet names like "boo" or "babe". Despite the disgust and disbelief of their classmates Heidi and Eric would defend each other and work to create positive changes in the school.

Their relationship however started to show a lack of depth on Cartmans behalf. Despite how Eric showed to be genuinely happy and protective of being with Heidi, Cartman doesn't actually respect her, he just talks about respecting her. A common phrase he had used was to constantly say how Heidi's "really smart and funny" but after a foreboding chat with Butters along with seeing Heidi cleverly solving a real problem for the first time, Cartman becomes convinced that Heidi, (and all women), are not only not funny but conspiring against men.

Eventually things soon took a rocky turn as Cartman could not bother to be honest or even stand being around Heidi, convincing his friends she was mentally abusive. He would even go so far as to nearly kill her by pushing her in front of a car and by having a witch try to abduct her (because of her lack of time management skills). Heidi however remains with him in part due to his threats to kill himself if they ever break up but also as a reaction to the constant criticism she gets from her friends causing her to double down. Eventually she attempts to avoid this by adopting Cartman's views, further alienating herself from the people who care about her.

Despite trying to help Cartman for the better, Heidi ending up becoming more like her boyfriend herself, adopting his attitude and becoming fat and self loathing. She began to adopt his self-loathing and bad attitude and by blaming everything else instead of her toxic relationship, Heidi fell in a downward spiral with only her boyfriend and the torment of others to sustain it. Only after an adventure with the boys in which she visited the places in which her romance with Cartman was born was she able to reflect on her relationship and how it transformed her for the worse, leading her to take personal responsibility by leaving Cartman and the victim-hood lifestyle behind for a more positive future.

Past Love Interests

Cartman has had his fair share of crushes, admirers, and attractions... though there's still a lot of confusion over his exact sexual identity. (see 'Cartman's Sexuality' below)

When Cartman suffered from Tourette's Syndrome, and began making spontaneous confessions of dark secrets, he suddenly admitted in front of hundreds of people to having a crush on Patty Nelson and that he 'fantasized' about kissing her, a secret that mortified both individuals. Patty has not been seen since. Cartman also displayed an attraction, along with the other boys, to substitute teacher Ms. Ellen and his classmate Bebe Stevens after she began to develop.

Though Cartman repeatedly refused Cupid Cartman's affectionate advances, insisting that he wasn't homosexual, when the fate of Tweek and Craig's relationship was on the line, Cartman bit the bullet and agreed to go on at least one date with Cupid Cartman, which was soon followed by a massage and a sexual encounter... the exact nature of their relationship is unknown, but they don't seem to be serious just yet.

Romantic Rivalry

Cartman has always had a rivalry with the intelligent and level-headed Wendy Testaburger, his buddy Stan's girlfriend and one of the smartest students at South Park Elementary. They argue in class on a frequent basis, and he has targeted her for humiliation on more than one occasion. They can also be very competitive, particularly over the "Save Our Fragile Planet" contest as well as the student body presidency. She has in turn become quite adept at dealing with him, whether it's a matter of fact-based debate, an ass-kicking to remember, or just out-smarting him on school access television. Even when he spends much of his time booing her and accusing her of being a liar, she's not afraid to agree with him on the odd event.

However, on the rare occasion when they found themselves on the same side in the Great Flag Debate, they swapped debate tactics, shared some quadruple-stuffed oreos, and developed a bit of an attraction... which lead to an uncomfortable, public kiss at the Debate. Their attraction to each other flamed out afterward, the "sexual tension" resolved, and Wendy later voted Cartman last in the List of Cutest Boys.

Usually, Cartman is never afraid to tease her for her liberal beliefs and she certainly isn't afraid to throw down when he steps out of line.

He has simultaneously described her as having "huge frickin' hooters" and being "flat as a pancake". If anything, it shows he's a little bit preoccupied with her chest.

Arch Rival

While all four boys have been through adventures over the years and share similar goals of wealth and popularity, there is no weaker link between the four than the often intense rivalry between Cartman and Kyle. While the latter sees himself as more moral and philosophical, often trying to take the safest and most logical route, the notoriously stubborn and selfish Cartman will take what he wants by any means necessary, a common source of conflict between the two. Though they have been shown on rare yet notable occasions to be on civil terms, Cartman often shows an extremely sadistic and hateful side towards Kyle and will stop at nothing to humiliate him, and Kyle in turn often sees humiliating Cartman as morally justifiable, particularly given his anti-semitism. The two have also been known to make bets with full intent of humiliating one another, such as the loser having to pay a sum of money, being each other's slave or on one famous occasion, suck the winner's balls. Cartman in particular takes extreme pleasure in Kyle's suffering- going as far as to break him in Ginger Cow and even fantasizing about his tears, oddly enough. Cartman himself has shown a disturbing lack of care for Kyle's wellbeing as well; whether it be laughing at his bodily mutation from a certain apple company, or offering him up to a room of very angry Germans.

Cartman and Kyle have come to blows on multiple occasions, mostly notably after Cartman and Butters broke into the Broflovski Residence to infect Kyle with the HIV virus, when they had to be broken up by Mr. Mackey, as well as the FOX headquarters when they came into conflict over a controversial Family Guy episode, and after Kenny McCormick's death and funeral, when Cartman used stem cells to create a new Shakey's Pizza. Despite hatred, when the two boys can set their differences aside, and a common goal is clear in sight, Cartman and Kyle can make incredibly strong allies, although this always seems to disband one way or another. They do have some common interests they do not share with Stan and Kenny in the same fashion, such as Faith Hilling and the Xbox One, and also share a particular shared business talent that is displayed both in their time together working at the Crack Baby Athletic Association and during their time at the Washington Redskins start-up company, where they even lead a high-profile press conference together. They maintain a surprising degree of tolerance for one another, with Kyle in particular continuing to feel sympathy for Cartman and his moments of plight despite their problems, and Cartman recognizing Kyle's assets for various schemes, allowing no bathroom break stop him.

Another thing to note is Cartman's obsessive hatred with Kyle. Although hating his opponent dearly, when faced with the possibility of loosing him permanently from the horrors of San Francisco, he's willing to save him to avoid boredom and have an entertaining rival to torment once more. Kyle himself is willing to save Cartman as well, although for significantly less selfish reasons. Although loathing him with all his heart, Kyle is willing to compromise it all in order to see Cartman do the right thing once in his life- although he may be too optimistic in that regard.

Rumors of a relationship have been spurred by Cartman on occasion but have never been endorsed by Kyle in any way, shape or form.

Best Friends

Cartman's closest friendships are those with Kenny McCormick and Butters Stotch.

The foundation of Butters and Cartman's relationship has largely been driven by Butters' kind, earnest desire to listen to his problems, comfort him after his failures, help him with any scheme he suggests and allow himself to be manipulated in unspeakable ways, the two have gradually have developed a genuine friendship over the years and Butters' naivete seems to have invited Cartman to trust and confide in him in ways he rarely has with the other boys. Butters has picked up a number of habits from Cartman both positive and negative. Full episodes revolve around the partnership of the two characters, with Butters as Cartman's right hand man, or just showing up to console him and give him advice, at times like Butters going to Eric's house or the Hospital for that, or Cartman himself going to Butters' house to let off steam. Cartman was the only one who maintained a closer friendship with Butters, with Eric being the one who highlights Butters in most situations, while the rest of the group maintained a much more distant relationship.

On the other hand, while they often insult one another openly, with Cartman once declaring his hatred of Kenny purely because they were alone together, a close friendship nonetheless exists between both boys. They have shared secrets, such as when they borrowed Stephen Stotch's drone, and have also been to Casa Bonita together on occasion... but often disagree nonetheless, most notably during the bitter Console Wars, and of course, on the methods of superheroism, coming to a head when Cartman teamed up with the mighty Cthulhu.

While most episodes depict the boys as ignorant of Kenny's deaths, Cartman has acknowledged them more than any other character on the show, openly mentioning that he "dies all the time" on one occasion, though this has not been fully consistent.

Close Friends

Very few people throughout town are willing to put up with Cartman for the most part, such as Stan and Jimmy, though even they get fed up with his bullshit sometimes.

Cartman maintained a friendly relationship with his neighbor Chef until the latter's departure and later death, crying when he left town and admitting to Butters that he genuinely cared about him. Chef also played a crucial role in curing Cartman when Kenny's soul was trapped inside his body. Chef is the only recurring character, besides Cartman's own mother, that he has ever shown any selfless interest toward.

The Guys

Cartman has an extended group of "friends" that he hangs out with at school. Outside of school though, he's usually trying to get them to go along with whatever crazy scheme he's come up with, or y'know, to just watch the newest Terrance & Phillip episode. No matter how nice to them he tries to be though, they generally hate him on a day-to-day basis.

Clyde and Cartman have a mutual understanding of body-shaming and are also close -- Clyde not only often goes along with Cartman's schemes, but defended him from the other kids more than once, became worried when Cartman fought Wendy, and nearly destroyed the entire town in retaliation when Cartman - er, the Grand Wizard King - banished him from space and time. Despite all this, Cartman still found him worthy of his "shit list."

Unlike most of the other boys, Cartman tends to hang out a lot with Scott Malkinson at school, primarily at lunch for Sloppy Joe Day or Barbecue Rib Day. His relationship with Scott appears to thrive on a punching bag mechanic: he'll have someone to rip on, and Scott will have someone to hang out with. Despite this, Cartman rarely has any regard for Scott's feelings or wellbeing, often making fun of his diabetes. After all, diabetes affects us all, but it mostly affects Scott Malkinson.

After his death in Season Finale, Cartman revealed that he knew Jason pretty well. He even helped Jason's family in their time of mourning. This goes to show how well they got on with each other, even though Jason was a shitty receiver.

Imaginary Friends

Cartman has an array of imaginary friends. Besides his stuffed animals, who were mostly tragically murdered, with only Polly Prissy Pants confirmed alive, and Antonio Banderas preferring to keep to himself in the basement, Cartman has the one and only Mitch Connor.

Other Friends

Cartman also gets along extremely well with Kyle's little brother Ike - uh, extremely well for an anti-Semite and a Jew anyway.

He and Stan's sister Shelly Marsh learned to get along over their mutual love of making people, like Shelly's asshole ex-boyfriend, miserable.

Jimbo Kern, Ned Gerblanski and Dr. Alphonse Mephesto have shown sympathy for Cartman on multiple occasions as well.

We've never met Lawrence or Toby, but Cartman has some annoying but friendly cell phone conversation with the two of them in "Let Go, Let Gov", much to Kyle's annoyance. Lawrence was mentioned a second time in "Buddha Box".

Classmates

As a general rule, his classmates hate Cartman on a normal day, but when things get tough at South Park Elementary, they aren't afraid to turn to him when they need his skills in combat, weaponry and leadership.

Acquaintances

Cartman's relationships with these characters have never been quite clear, and his mutual feelings about them is usually up for debate amongst fans.

Rivals

Cartman has made a number of enemies over the years, particularly local authority figures and older kids... but his arch-nemesis is considered Scott Tenorman, a ninth grader who scammed Cartman out of his allowance for fake pubic hairs. Cartman's retaliation is a local legend... and ever since then the two have battled through time and space in a quest for vengeance against each other.

Cartman lists his mother, Kyle, Clyde, PC Principal and David on his 'Shit List' in "South Park: The Fractured But Whole".

Role Models

Cartman has had a number of terrible role models in his short life. He was introduced to German dictator Adolf Hitler, albeit unintentionally, by Principal Victoria in "Pinkeye" and has since modeled him on multiple occasions. After the release of 'The Passion of the Christ', he spent a few weeks emulating director Mel Gibson as well, even seeming to pray to him, until he found out Gibson was actually mentally insane. He also emulated actor and director Rob Reiner for a week, admiring his ability to impose his will on others. Cartman also forged a close relationship with his idol Colonel Harlan Sanders when he participated in the Fried Chicken business, but the two later had a falling out.

Cartman has also exhibited an admiration for the New England Patriots football team, most notably Coach Bill Belichick and their quarterback Tom Brady, particularly how they cheated to get to the Super Bowl in the past and their "fuck the rules" attitude. He notably compared himself to Brady when dealing with PC Principal. Like Cartman's friends, he is a fan of Terrance and Phillip.

It's also notable that Cartman was very fond of promoter Billy Mays, and was perfectly willing to help Kyle and his brother if it meant helping his deceased idol cross on to the next plane of existence. Cartman's worship is a powerful thing indeed.

We've since learned he also 'loses his fucking mind' whenever he sees Amy Schumer perform stand-up comedy and talk about her vagina, which seemed to be a motivating factor in his shift in attitude towards women's comedy.

Affiliations

Cartman is a member of a wide variety of groups, clubs and teams across the town of South Park and it's history, and of course, has special outfits for many of them. His leadership has benefited many of these groups.

Music Groups

Cartman has had past fame with music, whether it's to make a buck or on other occasions.

Sports

While Cartman isn't usually the athletic type, he has been seen on a few sport teams.

Residence

Since the very first episode, Cartman has lived in this house on 93345 Ave. de los Mexicanos with his mother and their pets ("Wing"). He spends most of his time on the living room couch watching the Terrance & Phillip Show or playing video games - usually with plenty of snacks, from Cheesy Poofs to cereal - or up in his bedroom sleeping or playing with his dolls. He also sometimes uses his expansive basement for more lavish games, like Lambs, or bigger projects, like playing Warcraft with his friends, housing a Junior Detective Agency, or just being the permanent home base for the super secret superhero league, Coon and Friends.

He has had a number of temporary residences with his family over single episodes, such as with Stan's family during a fumigation at his house, with Tolkien Black's family after a fire caused by arson, but when Cartman tries to run away from home, he finds he has nowhere else to go. Child Protective Services briefly placed him with the Weatherheads' family when he set up his mother's arrest for drug possession... in hopes of being sent to Hawaii.

Despite these temporary residences, Cartman always ends up back at his old house next week.

Favorite Locations

There's lot of places in the Colorado area to offer any fourth grader the time of their life -- these are just some of Cartman's favorites in particular. It's well-known that Cartman's favorite fast food place is Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) on any occasion since he was six years old, and he's developed a very specific dedication - and taste - for the Colonel's chicken.

While favorite indoor amusement park is Super Phun Thyme, Cartman's favorite place in the whole universe has to be Casa Bonita, which combines great, authentic Mexican cuisine with festive activities and games, and many of Cartman's most treasured memories are there. Just a few minutes at Casa Bonita is totally worth a trip to Juvenile Hall.

Another longtime dream of Cartman was always to have his own amusement park, a place where he'd never have to wait in any lines. A short while and one million dollars later, he briefly succeeded, with the revolutionary Cartmanland, but after lawsuits and the laws of market capitalism, he eventually was forced to sell the park back to it's original owner.

After being forced off of social media, Cartman begins spending a lot of time with Heidi Turner, who also left social media, at the park, the only place they can socialize freely after school, often on the park bench. When he offers to follow her, they get lunch together at McDonald's, and it becomes a staple of their relationship.

Featured Episodes

As a main character on the show, Cartman is almost always present - so here is just a partial selection of some of his most infamous moments...

Absences

On rare occasions, Cartman takes a complete backseat and doesn't even speak!

• Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus (s02e01; photograph cameo)
• Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub (s03e08)
• Jewbilee (s03e09)
• Pip (s04e05)
• A Million Little Fibers (s10e05)
• Stanley's Cup (s10e14)
• More Crap (s11e09)
• City Sushi (s15e06; crowd cameo)
• Goth Kids 3: Dawn of the Posers (s17e04)
• Handicar (s18e04)

Behind The Scenes

Creation and Design

Cartman is based on "the garbage in everyone's souls" according to Trey, and he and Matt often assert that they use Cartman to voice their negative thoughts, making him one of their favorite characters on the show. He was initially based loosely on the character Archie Bunker from the hit show 'All in the Family', who was notably foul-mouthed and politically incorrect, but Matt and Trey thought in the political correct atmosphere of nineties America, such a character couldn't possibly exist... unless he was an eight-year-old boy who didn't seem to know any better. His name was allegedly borrowed from an acquaintance of the two by the name Matt Karpman.

Cartman's voice has always been provided by series co-creator Trey Parker, and his accent, mannerisms and catchphrases have been developed throughout the show's long run. Trey has cited the season 3 episode "The Red Badge of Gayness" as a highly influential episode in the evolution of Cartman's voice, as it has lead to the adoption of elements of a southern accent. Although the boys' voices are digitally manipulated in Pro Tools to sound the pitch of a fourth grader, Trey has performed Cartman's original voice in live-action on a handful of occasions, such as during a sequence in the movie BASEketball (which Stan and Kenny hated) and during an appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon in 2011.

Trey has cited Cartman among his top three favorite characters, along with Butters Stotch and Randy Marsh, but particularly enjoys writing episodes such as "Casa Bonita" and "AWESOM-O" that rely on his relationship with Butters.

Below is a selection of kick-ass behind the scenes content, exclusively from South Park:

NPR Interview

Cartman conducted a special interview with Julie Rovner for NPR in April 2008 and answered the historical Proust Questionnaire, talking about things like his favorite color, who his personal hero is, and what he'd like to do as an adult. The interview was accompanied by a special article, "Eric Cartman: America's Favorite Little $@#&*%", exploring the character's evolution, impact and legacy on American popular culture, all promoting South Park's twelfth season. Check it out!

From "Towelie" (508)

Check out this old-school storyboard from our archives, depicting the scene where Kyle and the boys try to make excuses so they can play more Okama Gamesphere. All boards used to be drawn individually by hand. Now, we do them all digitally.

"Parachute" Production Art

This is some old-school production art used while developing the parachute look for Towelie and the boys. The notes are there to give animators cues on which color textures to use while animating.

From The Return of the Fellowship of the Ring to the Two Towers (613)

Character Art: The Wizard

Character art used in designing Cartman's "Wizard" look.

From "Fishsticks" (1305)

Character Art: Cartman

Cartman got a fresh "perm" character design for his appearance on Ellen.

Character Art: Cartman

Check out the character design for this super-cool version of Cartman:.

From "Let Go, Let Gov" (1701)

Where'd The Idea Come From: "Cartman on Speakerphone"

The speakerphone idea really kicked off when Trey did an imitation of how the Kardashians talk on their cell phones.

From "World War Zimmerman" (1703)

Fist Bump: Storyboard

After the script is written, the first step in our production process is creating storyboards. Here's a "board" of the fist bump scene, before it was animated bro.

Hip Hop Cartman: Character Design

Our art department created this special hip hop outfit for Cartman. You can see it in action during his "I Was Not The Bullet" presentation.

From "Taming Strange" (s17e05)

Character Art: Wet Kids

"Wet" versions of all the kids needed to be created prior to animating this scene.

From "A Song of Ass and Fire" (1708)

Production Art: Cartman's Throne Poses

Getting Cartman's fat ass through the door on his Royal Carriage required a special pose.

From "Go Fund Yourself" (s08e01)

Character Art: Salesman Cartman

This was from one of the 1st scenes written for this episode.

Character Art: Cartman's Redskins Gear

Character Art: Cartman's Keynote

This art was used while designing Cartman's "start-up" look:

Prop Art: Kickstarter Webpage

All props - including any web pages shown - must first be designed by the Art Dept.

From "Gluten Free Ebola" (1802)

Props: Fat Ass's Caller ID

The art department is responsible for creating all props in the show, like Fat Ass's Caller ID.

Character Art: Cartman in Bed

This shot of Cartman in bed required a unique set up, and even a new set of hands.

Video Games

Let's Go Tower Defense Play!

Cartman is one of the playable characters in the game, first appearing as enemies show up at Stan's House first in the storyline. He, Stan Marsh and later others use snowballs to fight back waves of enemies. Cartman is a member of the same 'rocketeer' class as Tolkien Black, Wendy Testaburger and Red, which offer low speed but average range and high power.

• Special Ability - Cartman calls down a powerful airstrike causing explosions to occur around the play field.

Tenorman's Revenge

Cartman and The Boys team up in a battle through space and time to retrieve their Xbox 360 hard drive, which has been stolen by Scott Tenorman in hopes of destroying it, causing the boys to lose all of their game progress.

• Special Ability - Cartman can use his enormous belly to break through walls to access new areas.
• Special Ability - The Coon's special ability is to climb up vertical walls...

South Park: The Stick of Truth

Noble and mighty, the Grand Wizard King commands all human barbarians of Zaron! He has harnessed the magical power of farts and will lay waste to any enemy who crosses him. Such is the power of a Wizard and King. Cartman is the Grand Wizard of the Kingdom of Kupa Keep and a master of the arcane and the profane. Cartman wields tremendous magical power—his ass and mouth are both capable of devastating spells.

Special Abilities:

• Burning Cloud - Cartman ignites his flatulence, with explosive results.
• Flame Strike - Cartman sprays the first two foes in a row with fire. Targets start burning if done perfectly.
• Magic Missile - Hits the target with a powerful magic missile.
• Curse - Cartman activates his v-chip and curses up a storm of electricity

against a single target.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Cartman and his alter-ego, the The Coon are set to make a stunning return in the next all-new South Park video game, leading Coon and Friends from Cartman's basement once more in a civil war against the Freedom Pals... but we don't have all the details yet. Stay tuned!

South Park: Phone Destroyer

Cartman is a powerful character in the mobile game, with Sheriff Cartman appearing early on as a playable character, with his A.W.E.S.O.M.-O and Grand Wizard King cameos becoming unlockable much later as cards.

Bonus Factoids

• Cartman is first of the main boys to have his hair color revealed conclusively. He was first seen without his hat in "Merry Christmas Charlie Manson!", revealing the light brown hair he has kept on the show ever since. He is also shown the most times without his hat on, being more easygoing than the other boys to show his hair.
• His first name Eric is chiefly used by most adult characters, but is also used by Butters on almost all occasions, usually Jimmy and Heidi, and on rarer occasions Kyle, Kenny and Wendy, usually around adults.
• His middle name Theodore has only been used once ("Roger Ebert Should Lay Off the Fatty Foods") but has since been somewhat reinforced since as "Eric T. Cartman" ("The Last of the Meheecans").
• Cartman weighed, by his own estimate, about ninety pounds in the third grade ("Weight Gain 4000").

↑ Back to top