Wendy Testaburger

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Wendy Testaburger
South Park character
First appearanceThe Spirit of Christmas (1995)
Created byTrey Parker
Matt Stone
Designed byTrey Parker
Matt Stone
Voiced byKarri Turner (unaired pilot)
Mary Kay Bergman (1997–1999)
Eliza Schneider (1999–2003)
Mona Marshall (2003–2004)
April Stewart (2004–present)
In-universe information
Full nameWendy Testaburger
AliasesCall Girl
Wendyl
GenderFemale
Gender-Fluid (South Park: The Fractured but Whole)
Trans Male (The Cissy)
OccupationElementary school student
Harvard University professor (future)
FamilyMr. Testaburger (father)
Alexis Testaburger (mother)
Significant otherStan Marsh (on-again, off-again partner; lovers in the future)

ex-boyfriend
)

Darwin (ex-future husband)
RelativesGrandma Testaburger (grandmother; deceased)
EducationSouth Park Elementary
Residence
The Spirit of Christmas, and made her first appearance on television when South Park initially premiered on Comedy Central on August 13, 1997, with the episode "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe". She is currently voiced by April Stewart, and has previously been voiced by three different voice actors in the show's run: Mary Kay Bergman, Eliza Schneider, and Mona Marshall
.

Biography

In South Park's first 19 seasons, Wendy attends South Park Elementary as a third-then fourth-grade student of

season 4 episode "Fourth Grade" – Wendy is a third-grade student in Mr. Garrison's class. Starting with the aforementioned "Fourth Grade", Wendy's grade, along with all the other major child characters', transfers to the fourth and remains as such due to the floating timeline
of the series.

In the future, beginning with the film

South Park: Post Covid: The Return of Covid
, she reunites with Stan, hinting at a future relationship.

Character

Creation and design

In the 1995 short The Spirit of Christmas and South Park's debut episode, "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe", Wendy is composed of construction paper and animated through the use of stop motion. Starting with "Weight Gain 4000" onwards, she is animated via computer software, though her appearance is portrayed to give the impression that the show still uses its construction paper technique. In tradition of the show's animation style, Wendy is composed of simple geometrical shapes and colors, and she is not offered the same free range associated with most hand-drawn characters; her character is typically shown from one angle and animated in an intentionally crude fashion.[1][2]

Wendy is usually depicted wearing winter attire consisting of a light purple jacket, yellow pants, navy blue gloves/mittens, and a pink beret. In the rare instances where Wendy is seen without her hat, she has long black hair with uneven bangs. While Mary Kay Bergman, Eliza Schneider and Mona Marshall originally voiced Wendy without any computer manipulation, April Stewart now speaks within her normal vocal range while adding a childlike inflection. The recorded audio is then edited with Pro Tools, and the pitch is altered to make the voice sound more like that of a fourth grader.[3]

Development

Fellow co-creator Stone has stated that Wendy's name is based on that of Wendy Westaburger, the wife of a friend from his childhood.[4]

Wendy first appeared in the 1995 sequel to Stone and Parker's 1992 film The Spirit of Christmas, Jesus vs. Santa, which was developed after Fox executive Brian Graden paid Stone and Parker $1,000 to make another animated short as a video Christmas card that he could send to friends. In turn, the duo created the aforementioned sequel.[5][6]

Personality and traits

Wendy is portrayed as more level-headed and mature than her peers, often getting good grades and protesting world issues. For example, in the episode "Breast Cancer Show Ever" she writes an essay in regards to breast cancer and expresses her condolences to the disease's patients. However, Wendy is also shown to be rather narcissistic, especially when confronted with a female who she perceives to be higher than her in the social hierarchy. Examples of this can be found in the episode "Bebe's Boobs Destroy Society", in which the attention Bebe is receiving from boys prompts Wendy to get breast enhancement surgery, as well as in the episode "Tom's Rhinoplasty", in which Wendy pays to have an attractive new teacher killed.

Due to her liberal views, Wendy frequently comes into conflict with Eric Cartman. For instance, in the aforementioned "Breast Cancer Show Ever", Wendy engages in a violent fight with Cartman due to his mockery of the subject of breast cancer.

Wendy tends to be outcast by her girlfriends for not giving into peer pressure: In "Stupid Spoiled Whore Video Playset", she refuses to participate in the trend of emulating notorious celebrity Paris Hilton, deeming her a bad influence towards the female youth, which leads to betrayal by her female peers.

One of Wendy's most defining traits over the course of the series is her on-again, off-again relationship with

goth children as a result. The two reconcile their relationship at the end of "The List". After a second breakup (initiated by Stan in "Go Fund Yourself") and reconciliation during Season 18, she breaks up with him a third time at the end of "Skank Hunt
" after giving in to pressure from her girlfriends.

In the video game South Park: The Fractured but Whole, Wendy and Stan are shown together as their respective superhero alter egos, Call Girl and Toolshed, with flirtatious dialogue. Wendy and Stan resume their relationship at the end of "Deep Learning".

Reception

TVOvermind ranked her #8 on a list entitled "Ten of the Best Non-Lead South Park Characters", praising her utilization of realism and political voice-of-reason, also criticizing her lack of prominence in the more recent seasons of South Park.[10]

Appearances in other media

Wendy appears in many South Park-related media and merchandise, such as its 1999 musical comedy adaptation South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and its video games South Park the Video Game, South Park Rally, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and played a significant role in South Park: The Fractured but Whole.[11]

See also

References

  1. Penton Media
    . Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  2. ^ Abbie Bernstein (1998-10-27). "South Park – Volume 2". AVRev.com. Archived from the original on 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
  3. ^ "40 Questions". South Park Studios. 2001-10-04. Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  4. ^ Trey Parker, Matt Stone (2003). "Audio commentary". South Park: The Complete First Season: "Weight Gain 4000" (CD). Comedy Central.
  5. ^ "Brian Graden's Bio". VH1. Archived from the original on October 22, 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  6. ^ "Brian Graden Biography". Encyclopedia of World Biography. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  7. ^ "The Top 26 Best Female TV Cartoon Characters". Time. 3 March 2017.
  8. ^ Isler, Ramsey (28 February 2014). "The Top 25 South Park Characters". IGN.
  9. ^ "The 20 Best South Park Characters". PasteMagazine. 7 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Ten of the Best Non-Lead South Park Characters". TVOvermind. 23 November 2016.
  11. ^ "South Park: The Fractured but Whole Review". GameSpot. 2017-10-17.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wendy_Testaburger&oldid=1285678177"