Mecha-Streisand

Template:Infobox South Park episode "Mecha-Streisand" is an episode of the television series South Park. It is the twelfth episode of Season 1 and first aired February 18, 1998.

Plot Synopsis

On a fossil dig, Cartman discovers the Triangle of Zinthar, only to throw it away, but Kyle recovers it, thinking it somewhat cool; Cartman, however, instantly wants it back when Kyle gets on TV because of it. Shortly afterward, Barbra Streisand comes to town and meets the boys. Although she becomes rather bitchy when she learns they don't know or care who she is, she is greatly interested in the little triangle, offering a lot of money for it. Kyle does not have it, though, and Officer Barbrady shoos her away. Meanwhile, Leonard Maltin runs into Chef, and warns him of great danger if Streisand gets the triangle; they go in search of her rumored condo in the mountains.

Cartman breaks into Kyle’s house to steal the triangle, and Kyle, catching him, angrily gives it back to make Cartman stop bothering him; the next day, Streisand returns, in disguise, and lures the kids back to her condo, where she tortures them (by singing) until they give up the triangle (which Cartman had hidden in his shoe). She takes the triangle and combines it without another she already has, forming the Diamond of Pantheos. The Diamond transforms Streisand into Mecha-Streisand, a giant mechanical dinosaur-songstress that begins to destroy the town.

Leonard Maltin transforms into an Ultraman-like superhero to try to defeat the evil Streisand, and then Sidney Poitier joins him in the form of a giant turtle much like Gamera; both fail against her, until Robert Smith of The Cure comes and turns into a giant moth, much like Mothra. Discovering that Mecha-Streisand's weak spot is the nose, Smith is able to punch the Diamond of Pantheos out of her, making her powerless; he then throws her so far she flies into space. Afterwards, he leaves, and Kyle disposes of the Diamond forever…but not well enough. The episode ends with it being discovered, and the boys then have a new monster on their hand---the giant baby, Mecha-Ike!

Quotes

• Barbra Streisand: You know who I am, don't you?
  Officer Barbrady: Well, you ain't Fiona Apple, and if you ain't Fiona Apple, I don't give a rat's ass!
• Stan: Wow, Robert Smith is the greatest person that ever lived!
  Jesus Christ: Our savior!
• Kyle: Disintegration is the best album ever!!

References/Notes

• Barbra Streisand took the opportunity of her characterization in this episode to criticize the show, claiming it was bad for children, not for its scatology and language, but for promoting cynicism. In a later episode, Spookyfish, her image was again used, apparently in response.
• Cartman states that "Kyle cried like Nancy Kerrigan". Nancy Kerrigan was also mentioned in Damien.
• Stan asks Barbara Streisand if she is John Elway important.
• Kyle has a picture of his pet elephant from An Elephant Makes Love to a Pig on his chest of drawer.
• Barbara Streisand has a picture of Satan and herself in her torturing chamber.