Matt Stone
The mischievous half of a creative duo that weaponized satire, reshaping television and Broadway with equal parts profanity and genius.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American filmmaker, animator, and actor·Birthday: May 26·Generation X
Biography
Matt Stone met Trey Parker in a film class at the University of Colorado, and American culture hasn't been the same since. With Stone as the grounded producer and business-minded counterpart to Parker's chaotic creative energy, they forged a partnership that thrives on offending everyone equally. Their creation, South Park, began as a crude cut-out cartoon and exploded into a relentless, weekly satire machine that has skewered politics, religion, and celebrity for over 25 years. Stone's voice as the eternally doomed Kenny McCormick became iconic. Never content to be pigeonholed, they took their signature blend of vulgarity and sharp social commentary to Broadway with 'The Book of Mormon,' a musical that somehow made blasphemy feel joyous and won nine Tony Awards. Stone's legacy is that of a fearless producer and writer who understands that the most effective way to examine society's absurdities is to laugh directly in their face.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Matt was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Matt Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Matt's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-created 'South Park,' one of the longest-running and most influential animated series in American television history.
- Co-wrote the Broadway musical 'The Book of Mormon,' which won nine Tony Awards including Best Musical.
- Co-directed the feature film 'South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut,' which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
- Co-founded the production company Important Studios, which controls the 'South Park' and 'Book of Mormon' franchises.
Did You Know?
He majored in mathematics at the University of Colorado.
He is a dedicated fan of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche.
He and Trey Parker sold their streaming service, South Park Studios, to Viacom for over $200 million.
He provided the voice for both Kenny McCormick and Butters Stotch on 'South Park.'
“We're equal opportunity offenders. We make fun of everything.”
