Jimmy Valmer

James "Jimmy" Valmer (formerly Jimmy Swanson and sometimes spelled Vulmer), is a fictional character from the American animated television series South Park. He is voiced by Trey Parker. He is physically disabled, requiring forearm crutches in order to walk. His disability is confirmed to be cerebral palsy but it is also rumoured to be muscular dystrophy. In season 7 episode 2 "Krazy Kripples", it is made clear that both Jimmy and Timmy were born with their disabilities. In any case, hampered by his legs, which in many cases he appears not to be able to use, Jimmy primarily uses his crutches both as substitutes for his legs and sometimes even as extra (weaponized) extensions for his arms. He prefers to be called "handi-capable".[1][2] Jimmy is able to speak coherently, and his various aspirations on several different levels of journalism over time also sometimes even makes him more articulate than any of the other children, though his speech is largely affected by his stuttering, and sometimes also his tendency to end some of his sentences with "...very much". He aspires to be a stand-up comedian, and is often featured performing his routines. His catchphrase during his routines is "Wow, what a terrific audience!". The figure is commonly seen with Craig Tucker, Clyde Donovan, and Token Black as part of "Craig's Gang".

Jimmy Valmer
South Park character
First appearance"Cripple Fight" (2001)
Created byTrey Parker
Matt Stone
Voiced byTrey Parker
In-universe information
Full nameJimmy Valmer
AliasesJim
GenderMale
OccupationElementary school student
FamilyRyan Valmer (father)
Sarah Valmer (mother)
Significant otherNancy (girlfriend)
EducationSouth Park Elementary
ResidenceSouth Park, Colorado, United States

History

Jimmy first appears in the season five (2001) episode "Cripple Fight", in which he moves to South Park from a neighboring town and antagonizes Timmy.[1] Parker and Stone initially intended for this to be Jimmy's only appearance, but decided to include the character in subsequent episodes.[3] Now portrayed as a South Park resident, student, and good friend of Timmy, Jimmy has been a recurring character ever since. Jimmy's parents had made fun of disabled children in high school, and believe that Jimmy's disability is a punishment from God. The season eight (2004) episode "Up the Down Steroid" ends with Jimmy addressing the issue of anabolic steroid use in athletic competitions, declaring it as "cheating" while suggesting that professional athletes who use steroids voluntarily reject the accolades and records attributed to them.[4] The episode also reveals that Jimmy has a girlfriend named Nancy.

Reception

Melanie McFarland of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer describes Jimmy and Timmy's capabilities and portrayal in the show as Parker and Stone declaring their opposition to political correctness as social restriction.[5] When praising the show for both its depiction of Jimmy and Timmy and its coverage of disability-related issues, The Seattle Times columnist Jeff Shannon, a quadriplegic, describes Jimmy and Timmy as "goodwill ambassadors".[6]

References
  1. Anderson, Brian C. (Autumn 2003). "We're Not Losing the Culture Wars Anymore". Retrieved November 2, 2008. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. "Timmy". South Park Studios. Archived from the original on November 1, 2008. Retrieved November 2, 2008.
  3. Trey Parker, Matt Stone (2003). "South Park" – The Complete Fifth Season (DVD). Comedy Central. Mini-commentary for episode "Cripple Fight"
  4. Kuhn, David (July 22, 2004). "Steroids sour fun of Olympics". media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  5. McFarland, Melanie (September 30, 2006). "Oh my God, 'South Park' killed a decade!". www.seattlepi.com. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  6. Shannon, Jeff (November 28, 2005). "The Seattle Times: Arts & Entertainment: Jimmy of "South Park" challenges viewers' attitudes about people with disabilities". seattletimes.nwsource.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
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