Had to crop language a bit to fit in the Title line- hope the question makes sense.
Do the South Park characters Timmy and Jimmy each display traits consistent with a standard real-life medical condition (a different condition for each of the two)? Do the portrayals of these two characters display in-depth research or are they just generic conglomerations or “disabled people” traits?
FWIW I like the show and appreciate how the characters are used to comment on social attitudes towards the disabled, just wondering how well developed the characters really are.
Well, Jimmy has the upper-motor-neuron type of paralysis that is often seen with cerebral palsy. The stuttering might be a different but coexisting problem; it’s not rare and I’m not sure whether it’s any commoner among CP patients.
Timmy is wheelchair-bound and also has Broca’s aphasia, a profound language problem caused by localized damage to the left cerebral cortex. He can say his own name, but with unusually distorted inflection and prosody, so it has no definable pattern. He managed to say “Jimmy” and mimic self-injection when disturbed by Jimmy’s steroid use, so he has understanding of language but difficulty using it. He also used a name with emotional significance (his pet turkey’s name, Gobbles) without difficulty, also very typical. I think he might also have CP. I can’t think of another syndrome that fits him better.
They both seem to make sense neurologically. I find Timmy very sympathetic and moving, while Jimmy strikes me as a little jerk.
Overall, I think Trey & Matt do a great job with these guys.
You’re certainly a whole lot more knowledgable about this stuff than I so I’ll add this as a question, but would Muscular Dystrophy match Timmy’s mobility issues?
One thing that strikes me about the show is how the other kids have always been very accepting of Timmy and Jimmy, including them in Boy Scouts and groups at the lunch table, letting Timmy be in the play with Gobbles, and cheering for Jimmy’s stand-up comedy and when Timmy joined the Lords of the Underworld. You’d think on a show with such rotten kids, they might tease or bully those two, but they’re generally really nice and patient with them.
Parker and Stone have said before that the other boys treat Timmy and Jimmy like any other kid. It’s the adults who are uncomfortable, who treat them differently because of their handicaps.