SDCC Comedy Central Adult Animation Panel 2025

The Comedy Central Adult Animation Panel reflected the excitement and joy that these shows provide their fans. As the panelists and their shows were listed at the very beginning, the adulation amongst fans was palpable. Andy Samberg of Digman and Mike Judge from Beavis and Butt-Head were met with hearty approval when they took the stage, but it was the final two guests that caused the uproar. To quote the moderator, Josh Horowitz, “a little show called South Park,” got a rapturous applause as it celebrates its 27^th season.

Trey Parker gave a respectful bow, as befits his playful disposition, and then it came time for business. Almost immediately, Horowitz brought up the controversial season premiere, to which Parker responded with a coy “We’re terribly sorry.”  Everyone laughed. As a result of the Season 27 premiere, much of the media coverage about the panel itself has been around the South Park creators and their comments. During the panel, however, the stage was ostensibly shared equally.

The four creators discussed their comedic inspirations, with Stone and Parker agreeing that Monty Python spurred their passions. Mike Judge also agreed with the Monty Python take and added that the cartoons in the National Lampoon also influenced him. For Samberg, it was Beavis and Butt-Head and South Park.

They went on to discuss the spark that started each project. South Park came from an appreciation for Terry Gilliam’s style of cut-out cartoons while the pair was in college. In terms of Beavis and Butt-Head, Judge gives credit to a former classmate who would laugh blushingly at an attractive teacher. Judge would imitate him at the back of the class and try to draw him.

The topic then shifted towards topicality, social media, and a level playing field. YouTube and TikTok were mentioned, and, interestingly, all the panelists appreciate what it does for creators. For Matt Stone, he says he’s jealous of the tools that kids have today, but more than that, he feels a healthy sense of competition when it comes down to topicality and speed. The South Park guys, having gotten in a car and gone to LA to try to make it in TV, appreciate that creators today can get big from anywhere.

Andy Samberg saw the power of YouTube with the Lonely Island and SNL Digital Shorts having been firmly entrenched in it and gaining so much traction on the online video platform. The internet is also where the “true keepers” of the show history and lore reside through chat forums that discuss past seasons, according to Trey Parker.

It makes sense, given their inspirations, that all the panelists later stated that what they write in their shows is just the stuff they think is funny. None of them discussed making content for specific audiences; they think about whether something is funny to them or their friends, and that is the barometer for their shows’ humor.

On the topic of humor, the creators moved on to the changes in taste for comedy audiences. Matt Stone remarked, “Like what Andy said, the attention spans, and what people expect the speed of things.” Stone continued that it goes back to the competition he feels on TikTok and YouTube, and how you have less than a minute to grab attention before young people are over it.

When Horowitz asked them if they had any advice for people looking to get into animation, the consensus was that it’s nearly impossible to pitch comedy, so you must create and build and see what comes of it. At the end of the panel, each person gave some insight into their upcoming seasons while continuing to prove it’s impossible to pitch comedy.

In terms of announcements, the second season of Digman is on Wednesdays on Comedy Central. Samberg said to expect “a lot of laughs” and urged them to “give it a try,” all with his put-on ambivalent innocence. For the third season of Beavis and Butt-Head, Mike Judge said, “There are more of them watching videos. It’s very dumb. Nothing’s changed.” That airs on September 3^rd on Comedy Central. For South Park, Trey Parker delighted in saying, “The whiteboard is blank.” True to form, he and Stone haven’t written the episodes yet, doing each one in six days. That being said, South Park’s new season airs each Wednesday, also, of course, on Comedy Central.