Weight Gain 4000

"Weight Gain 4000" is episode 2 of Comedy Central's series South Park. It originally aired on August 27, 1997. It is often advertised as the series' second episode, although it aired as the third.

Plot
In this episode, Cartman wins the "Save Our Fragile Planet" essay contest and it is announced that Kathie Lee Gifford will be coming to South Park to present him with the award. This enrages Wendy, who believes Cartman cheated.

The town becomes a flurry of excitement as everyone prepares for Kathie Lee, including Mayor McDaniels organizing a large-scale event to highlight the town and further her career. Chef is asked to sing at the event and hopes this will enable him to have sex with Kathie Lee.

Meanwhile, the children are asked to set up a play in honor of Kathie Lee with Mr. Garrison as the director. However, Mr. Garrison, with help from Mr. Hat, plots to kill Kathie Lee for upstaging him and Mr. Hat with a rendition of "If They Could See Me Now" during a national talent show when they were children.

While the town gears up for the Kathie Lee's visit, the Mayor tells Cartman that he needs to get in shape for Kathie Lee's visit. Afterwards he sees a commercial for Weight Gain 4000, a bodybuilding supplement and thinks he should use it to bulk up for the big day, so he purchases some. Cartman fails to note that exercise must coincide with the consumption of the product in order to attain the desired results. Consequently, he suffers an exponential weight gain. While Cartman elevates his obesity to the next level, Mr. Garrison visits a gun store to purchase a rifle, with which he plans to kill Kathie Lee.

Wendy discovers Mr. Garrison's plan while sifting through the essays in his files to confirm that Cartman cheated. As it turns out, Cartman simply procured a copy of Walden by Henry David Thoreau and wrote his name on it.

Wendy and Stan try to stop Mr. Garrison when he goes to the book depository on his assassins mission. He ends up missing, hitting Kenny (who dies) and ultimatley foils Cartman chances to get to be on TV that day.

The episode ends with Mr. Garrison in the mental hospital (with Mr. Hat in a straight jacket) and Cartman appearing on Geraldo because of his morbid obesity, where he comically states "Follow your dreams. You can reach your goals, I'm living proof...Beefcake, BEEFCAKE!!!" Also, Chef succeeds in his goal of fornicating with Kathie Lee Gifford.

Kenny's Death

 * When Garrison misses Kathie Lee, his shot instead gets Kenny in the head, propelling him into the air where he is promptly impaled on a flagpole.
 * This death was later re-used in "The Biggest Douche in the Universe," a Season 6 episode, with it happening to Rob Schneider (who had Kenny's soul trapped in him).

Trivia

 * Mr. Garrison attempts to shoot Kathie Lee Gifford from the book depository, which is analogous to Lee Harvey Oswald shooting John F. Kennedy from the Texas School Book Depository.
 * Kathie Lee Gifford singing "If They Could See Me Now" is a parody of her singing the same song in real life in Carnival Cruise Lines commercials.
 * This is the first episode made with computer animation instead of the earlier construction paper techniques.

Goofs

 * When Mr. Garrison is gun shopping, he blinks, but in the leftmost mirror his eyelids are colored white (see picture).
 * When conversing with Officer Barbrady, Mr. Garrison's gun hilt changes from wood to metal, then back to wood again in the following scene.