Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus

The episode follows the two title characters, a duo of Canadians who attempt to save their country from the dictator Saddam Hussein while performing repetitive toilet humour.

Angering viewers, the prank episode resulted in 2,000 e-mail complaints to Comedy Central within a week of the original broadcast.

"Terrance and Phillip in Not Without My Anus" received mixed reviews, with some commentators criticizing Parker and Stone for "duping" their viewers and others praising them for taking the risk.

Terrance and Phillip become aware of the kidnapping when they receive a letter, but they immediately locate Sally upon arrival in Tehran.

While the couple discuss their relationship, Saddam interrupts and takes them hostage, with Celine having planned to sing at a Canadian football game.

It was the second season premiere and first episode centered completely around Terrance and Phillip, fictional cartoon characters within the series.

Instead, Parker and Stone presented a stand-alone episode entirely focused on a Terrance and Phillip cartoon with nothing in the story about Cartman's father.

[6] Stone said to Entertainment Weekly in response to the fan backlash, "If you get that pissed off because you don't know who a little construction paper kid's father is, then there's really something wrong with you.

[12] Philip Martin of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, who said in May 1998 the South Park phenomenon was "dead", described the April Fools' prank as "lamentable" and part of the reason for the show's apparent decline.

Tim Clodfelter of the Winston-Salem Journal said, "It was a funny, clever move [that] quickly separated the fans who truly 'got' [Parker and Stone's] humor from those who were just watching for the dirty jokes.

"[6] Jon Casimir of The Sydney Morning Herald said, "It is gratifying, in an entertainment world dominated by market research and common denominators, to see a program that obviously doesn't care if you like it or not."

[...] This episode portrays a country full of Bob and Doug McKenzies; Toronto is but a highway town en route to Buffalo.