Unforgettable South Park Cameos: Celebrities Who Played Themselves

Many of the characters portrayed in South Park were voiced by the celebrities they were parodying. This hilarious and daring series has consistently provided satirical entertainment throughout television history. With a total of 317 episodes spanning 26 seasons, this beloved comedy has become an integral part of American culture, serving as a benchmark for social commentary that has remained relevant for over 25 years.

Despite its tremendous success, there are certain South Park episodes that have been banned due to their offensive content. Some of the most memorable celebrity characters were voiced by the show's creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, as well as other notable figures. For instance, singer Sia portrayed a fictionalized version of herself in the form of Lorde, while Bill Hader took on the role of Alec Baldwin. Jennifer Aniston and George Clooney also made guest appearances as Miss Stevens and Sparky, respectively. Here, we highlight 10 instances where celebrities played themselves in South Park.

10 Elon Musk

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk makes guest appearances as himself in three consecutive episodes of South Park season 20. Musk lends his voice to his own character in episode 8 titled "Members Day," episode 9 titled "Not Funny," and episode 10 titled "The End of Serialization as We Know It." Apart from South Park, Musk has also made cameo appearances as himself in other popular animated shows like Rick and Morty and The Simpsons. Additionally, he has appeared as himself in live-action series such as The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon. In South Park, Elon embarks on a mission to travel to Mars.

9 Ozzy Osbourne

Heavy metal rockstar and notorious reality TV celebrity Ozzy Osbourne made a memorable guest appearance on South Park season 2, episode 14 "Chef Aid." In the episode, Osbourne takes the stage at Chef Aid, a fundraising event organized to assist Chef with his financial struggles. During the performance, Osbourne reminisces about his past encounter with Chef, crediting him for suggesting the iconic pompadour hat that Osbourne often wears. He then proceeds to mesmerize the audience with his rendition of the song "Nowhere To Run (Vapor Trail)," which is featured on the album Chef Aid: The South Park Album. As the climax of his performance, Osbourne shocks the crowd by snatching Kenny from among the spectators and symbolically reenacting his infamous act of biting the head off a bat on stage.

8 Elton John

Elton John's animated character has made multiple appearances in episodes of South Park, but the renowned singer himself only guest-voiced in season 2, episode 14 titled "Chef Aid." In this particular episode, Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny visit Elton John's residence to sell him candy as a means to assist their financially struggling friend Chef. During their encounter, John reveals that he is familiar with Chef from their early days in small venues and acknowledges that Chef provided him with valuable advice regarding his music and style. Additionally, John performs the song "Wake Up Wendy" on Chef Aid: The South Park Album.

7 Radiohead

All five members of the English alternative rock band Radiohead made an appearance in the fourth episode of South Park season 5, titled "Scott Tenorman Must Die." The band comprises singer and songwriter Thom Yorke, guitarist and keyboardist Johnny Greenwood, guitarist Ed O'Brien, bassist Colin Greenwood, and drummer Phil Selway. In this particular episode, Cartman writes a heartfelt letter to Radiohead, persuading them to visit South Park and provide comfort to Scott Tenorman, who is believed to be suffering from "ass cancer." Unbeknownst to Radiohead, Tenorman breaks down in tears over the loss of his parents in front of them, leading the band to jokingly refer to him as a crybaby.

6 PewDiePie

World-renowned YouTube personality Pewdiepie, whose birth name is Felix Kjellberg, makes a cameo in two consecutive episodes of South Park. These episodes are part of season 18, namely "REHASH" (episode 9) and "#Happy Holograms" (episode 10). In the storyline, he is introduced when Ike, Kyle's younger brother, watches his video game commentary on YouTube. This infuriates Kyle, as he fails to comprehend the appeal of watching someone else talk about another person playing a video game. It is worth noting that PewDiePie's character is not depicted in the animated South Park universe; instead, he appears in his original, non-animated form throughout both episodes.

5 Brad Paisley

Country singer Brad Paisley makes a cameo appearance as himself in the popular animated series South Park. In season 16, episode 7 titled "Cartman Finds Love," Paisley showcases his vocal talents by singing the National Anthem at an NBA game featuring the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets. Adding to his performance, Paisley also joins forces with one of the main characters, Cartman, for a duet of the heartfelt song "I Swear" by John Michael Montgomery, originally popularized by the R&B group All-4-One. In a humorous twist, Cartman and Paisley serenade Kyle in front of a giant NBA logo, hoping to discourage his date's interest in him.

4 Robert Smith

Robert Smith, the lead singer of the rock band The Cure, makes a memorable appearance in South Park season 1, episode 12 "Mecha-Streisand". In this episode, Smith is faced with the task of defeating a gigantic robotic version of the iconic singer Barbra Streisand. To accomplish this, Smith transforms into a formidable Japanese Mothra-style kaiju monster and successfully obliterates Mecha-Streisand. It is worth noting that Kyle, Stan, and Cartman, who are all avid fans of Smith, express their admiration for him throughout the episode. This particular acting credit adds to Smith's limited repertoire but certainly leaves a lasting impression.

3 Rick James

Rick James, a renowned funk musician and celebrity, made a memorable cameo as himself in the fourteenth episode of the second season of South Park titled "Chef Aid". In a heartwarming gesture, he generously donates money to support Chef, endearing himself to Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman. Additionally, Rick James showcases his musical talents by performing the track "Love Gravy" on the album Chef Aid: The South Park Album. This appearance on South Park stands as one of the few instances where Rick James ventured into the realm of acting throughout his illustrious career.

2 Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf, the renowned musician, makes a special appearance as himself in the fourteenth episode of South Park season 2 titled "Chef Aid." In this episode, the boys visit Meat Loaf's residence to request financial assistance for their beloved Chef. This encounter triggers Meat Loaf's recollection of the time when Chef had come to his aid many years ago. During this flashback, Chef advises the aspiring musician, then known as cous-cous, to reconsider his stage name. The remarkable duo of Meat Loaf and Chef, portrayed by Issac Hayes, enthrall the audience with their captivating performance of the song "Tonight Is Right For Love (With Meredith Baxter-Birney)." This memorable musical collaboration can be found on Chef Aid: The South Park Album.

1 Jay Leno

Jay Leno, a renowned talk-show host, showcased his versatility by lending his voice to two distinct characters in South Park. In 1997, he made a special appearance as himself in a "Jay Leno Short" created exclusively for The Tonight Show. Further on, Leno reprised his role as himself in the seventh episode of the second season titled "City on the Edge of Forever (Flashbacks)." Additionally, he voiced the character of Kitty in the third episode of the first season. Notably, a revised version of Leno, voiced by Trey Parker, made an appearance in the iconic South Park episode "Fishsticks," which hilariously depicted a fictionalized version of Kanye West.