South Park is an American animated comedy created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for Comedy Central with the first episode airing in 1997. The show follows the lives of four boys: Kyle Broflovski, Stan Marsh, Kenny McCormick, and Eric Cartman in the fictional South Park, Colorado. South Park is written for a mature audience and has generated a great deal of controversy since its inception. Creators Parker and Stone have written, directed, and acted in most of the episodes. Parker and Stone met in college and created the show based on two animated shorts they conceived in the early 90s. Cutout animation was originally used before it was replaced with computer software. South Park made a successful debut with the highest ratings of any cable show. Also successful was the musical film South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, which was released in 1999. The show has received a great deal of negative criticism for its insensitivity, crudeness, and material on taboo subjects like sex, profanity, and religion. Peggy Charren, founder of Action for Childrens Television, said that the show was dangerous to the democracy. After an episode satirized the Islamic prophet Muhammad, the shows creators received violent threats from the organization Revolution Muslim. The show is also known for its cultural and political references that have received widespread critical analysis, but it is mostly known for its crude humor.