Kyle is an elementary school student who commonly has extraordinary experiences not typical of conventional small-town life in his fictional hometown of South Park, Colorado.

While Parker and Stone portray Kyle as having common childlike tendencies, his dialogue is often intended to reflect stances and views on more adult-oriented issues, and has been cited in numerous publications by experts in the fields of politics, religion, popular culture, and philosophy.

Although his mother's outspoken, manipulative nature usually overwhelms Kyle, he tends to show that he truly loves her, and takes offense to any insult Cartman may offer about her.

Kyle and Stan are best friends, and their relationship, which is supposed to reflect the real-life friendship between Parker and Stone,[6] is a common topic throughout the series.

[7] He often provides a sober thought to plans or ideas made by the other boys, and explains a moral outlook while drawing upon his vast knowledge and intelligence.

[5] Several episodes focus on Kyle and his religion,[9] and being the lone Jew has resulted in an enmity with the Antisemitic Cartman that has become significantly more pronounced as the series progresses.

[12] The reasoning behind the idea was to genuinely surprise fans, and to allow an opportunity to provide a major role for Butters Stotch, a breakout character whose popularity was growing with the viewers and creators of the show.

Kyle acknowledged this trend in the season five (2001) episode "Cartmanland" when he states that he often gives the speech each week in an attempt to "try and better myself", and again in the season seven (2003) episode "Butt Out" where he repeatedly reminds his friends that they continuously allow potentially riotous events to occur, and are only able to defuse the situation by giving such a speech to the gathered townsfolk.

[16] Kyle has a democratic political stance, as seen in the episode The Wacky Molestation Adventure, where he brings democracy to the previously communist Cuba.

An unnamed precursor to Kyle first appeared in the first The Spirit of Christmas short, dubbed Jesus vs. Frosty, created by Parker and Stone in 1992 while they were students at the University of Colorado.

[9] Kyle next appeared on August 13, 1997, when South Park debuted on Comedy Central with the episode "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe".

[6] He is amused by bodily functions and toilet humor,[6] and his favorite television personalities are Terrance and Phillip, a Canadian duo whose comedy routines on their show-within-the-show revolve substantially around fart jokes.

[9][31] Already regarding God as cruel for allowing him to suffer from a life-threatening hemorrhoid while Cartman enjoys a million-dollar inheritance, Kyle became further appalled after being read the story of Job.

After watching The Passion of the Christ, a shameful Kyle suddenly felt that Cartman's antisemitism was justified, and suggested to angry members of his synagogue that the Jews apologize for the death of Jesus.

[4][34] Kyle's guilt is quickly alleviated when he encounters Mel Gibson, the film's director, and perceives him to be nothing more than a deranged masochist.

[43][44] Stone performs as Kyle on tracks for Chef Aid: The South Park Album and Mr. Hankey's Christmas Classics.

[55] Detractors of the character cite his own habit of eschewing common Jewish practices and reiterating negative stereotypes for comedic purposes.

[33][55] Supportive Jewish viewers commend the show for using Kyle to accurately portray what it is like for a young Jew to have to endure loneliness and bigotry as an ethnic and religious minority.

[34] Over the seasons Kyle has addressed topics such as brotherhood,[5] excessive litigation,[56] hate crime legislation,[57] civil liberties,[58] profanity in television,[59] hybrid vehicle ownership,[60] and the economy.

[61] In the season 10 (2006) episode "Cartoon Wars Part II", Kyle expresses his opinions on censorship,[62] and iterates Parker and Stone's sentiments on the topic by telling a television executive "Either it's all okay, or none of it is" in regard to whether any subject should remain off-limits to satire.