South Park character
Jimbo Kern
Gender	Male
Hair	Brown
Age	51
Occupation	Hunter, gun shop owner, little league umpire, television show host
Religion	Roman Catholic
Voiced by	Matt Stone[1]
Relatives
Mother	Grandma Marsh
Half-Brother	Randy Marsh
Sister-in-law	Sharon Marsh
Nephew	Stan Marsh
Niece	Shelly Marsh
Appearances
First	"Weight Gain 4000"

Jimbo Kern, voiced by Matt Stone, is Stan's uncle, a Vietnam veteran, and an avid gun enthusiast.

Contents 1 Background 1.1 Vietnam War 1.2 Hunting 1.3 Television Show 1.4 Cannibalism 1.5 Sexuality 2 Appearance 3 Personality 4 Family 4.1 Stan Marsh 4.2 Shelly Marsh 4.3 Randy Marsh 4.4 Sharon Marsh 4.5 Grandma Marsh 5 Relationships 5.1 Ned Gerblansky 5.2 The Boys 5.3 Kenny McCormick 6 Prominence 6.1 Let's Go Tower Defense Play! 7 Trivia 8 References

BackgroundEdit

Vietnam WarEdit

Jimbo was a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War where he met his lifelong buddy Ned Gerblansky. However, his memory of the events are heavily distorted. When he relates his memories to the boys for their history assignment, he recalls that there were amusement park rides and that he and Ned defeated the entire Viet Cong by themselves, while on horseback.

Mr. Garrison doesn't believe the boys' story, thinking that they made it up, and gives them detention. Mr. Garrison also hints that he was in Vietnam himself. However, a cameraman who was also a Vietnam veteran also appeared to share memories of amusement park rides, implying that Jimbo's story was either true or that the cameraman shared Jimbo and Ned's delusion.

In South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut and in "The Red Badge of Gayness" shows that Jimbo is known for his guerrilla tactics.

HuntingEdit

Jimbo is best known for being a hunter. Most of his episodes circle around him hunting with his ever-present companion, Ned Gerblansky. Jimbo is often shown carrying a rifle.

In "Volcano", Jimbo revealed that because there was a law issued, which forbade the killing of an animal unless in self-defense, he and Ned would always say, "It's coming right for us!" before killing an animal. However, in the episode, "The Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka", it was revealed that hunters were no longer allowed to exploit this loophole. Instead, he would say, "We need to kill them to thin out their numbers", under the pretense that they were culling animals in order to prevent overpopulation.

Jimbo also runs the local gun shop. This was first shown in "Weight Gain 4000", when he sold Mr. Garrison and Mr. Hat a gun to shoot Kathie Lee Gifford with.

Television ShowEdit

Jimbo and Ned also co-host a TV show called Huntin' and Killin'. It is first featured in "The Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka", in which Jimbo and Ned get into a ratings war against Jesus and Pals. Huntin' and Killin' pulled in about twenty-four viewers, beating Jesus and Pals by about two viewers.

The show has not been mentioned since that episode, but one of it's episodes can be heard on Cartman's TV in the episode "Hooked on Monkey Phonics".

CannibalismEdit

In the episode "Cartman's Mom is Still a Dirty Slut" he and Ned, the Mayor, Officer Barbrady, Mr. Garrison and Mr. Hat, the film producer and his assistant, and actor Eric Roberts all got snowbound. After a while, they got hungry, and Jimbo said they would have to eat each other, since there was no other food available. They started with Eric Roberts, and eventually ate the film producer and his assistant. Curiously, this does not seem to have affected Jimbo or Ned, and they have simply moved on with their lives.

SexualityEdit

Jimbo's sexual orientation remains ambiguous. Jimbo has never been married, and his only companion is his life-long partner Ned Gerblansky, who in "Jackovasaurus" is shown walking around Jimbo's house wearing skimpy underpants and an open short red dressing gown, which Jimbo seems entirely comfortable with. In the episode "It Hits the Fan", Jimbo is able to say "fag" without being censored, implying that he is gay. In "Two Guys Naked in a Hot Tub" he admits that "everyone is a little gay".

However, in the episode "Goobacks", he is reluctant to participate in a gay orgy in order to prevent the future people from ever existing. In the "Cartman's Mom is a Dirty Slut", it is revealed that he had a sexual relation with Liane Cartman. In "South Park is Gay", he is caught in the metrosexual craze, and explains to Mr Garrison that he isn't gay.

The confusion surrounding Jimbo's sexuality may be a reflection of his own confusion; he identifies with a very stereotypically heterosexual and macho culture, which he may find hard to reconcile with his homo/bisexuality.

AppearanceEdit

He wears an orange hat, orange shirt, green vest, and brown trousers. Underneath his hat, he is nearly bald, but what little hair he has is shown to be light brown. He is overweight, and has a double chin. His jawline is very broad and square.

Jimbo was given an updated look in the episode "Night of the Living Homeless"; his jacket was shaded around the edges of the pockets. In the episode, "South Park is Gay!", Jimbo shaved his head, however, it is likely his hair has since grown back, since the "metrosexual" fad faded near the end of the aforementioned episode.

PersonalityEdit

Although Jimbo generally seems amiable, he occasionally has streaks of madness, such as when he saw Kenny McCormick as a platypus in "Damien". Though the platypus stood on two legs, was dressed like Kenny, and indoors with the other children, he shot him immediately.

He tried to kill him again in "Cripple Fight". Timmy had given Jimmy Valmer an orange parka to make him look like Kenny, in hopes that this would kill him. One of the obstacles he narrowly escaped was Jimbo, saying "Look! There's Kenny! Get him!" and firing, before taking a closer look, and saying "Oh wait, that's not him!".

He also directed the other men in South Park on how to bully Mr. Cotswolds in "Hooked on Monkey Phonics". He likes the idea of being Stan's "cool uncle"; he takes him hunting, openly swears in front of him and the boys and offers them alcohol in "Volcano").

Although he has good technical knowledge (being a pilot and being able to operate many different weapons) he is frequently shown as quite dimwitted; being unable to tell the difference between Cartman and Scuzzlebutt in "Volcano", thinking that a plastic frog was a deadly animal "The Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka", and repeatedly forgetting to lie to checkpoint controllers when smuggling in Mexican fireworks "Summer Sucks".

FamilyEdit

Stan MarshEdit

Stan is Jimbo's nephew. He cares for his nephew, but he gets frustrated by Stan's animal-loving nature. In "Volcano", Jimbo seemed to give up on Stan, because he refused to shoot anything. All the same, at the end of the episode, when Stan shot the Scuzzlebutt, Jimbo still got upset, and explained that you don't shoot just anything, especially not when it just saved your life. He then tells Stan that he'll always be his nephew, and he'll always love him, even if he is a sissy.

Shelly MarshEdit

She is Jimbo's niece. He doesn't seem to interact with her much, and prefers his nephew.

Randy MarshEdit

He is Jimbo's half brother by a different father^[2]. The appear to have a decent friendly relationship, often drinking together and talking about normal guy stuff. Despite the fact their mother left Jimbo's father, Jimbo himself seems to hold no ill-will towards his half-brother.

Sharon MarshEdit

She is Jimbo's sister-in-law. They don't interact much either, but when they do, they seem to be on good terms.

Grandma MarshEdit

She is Randy and Jimbo Kern's mother. She apparently divorced or cheated on Jimbo's father to be with Marvin Marsh, Randy's father. Their relationship remains unknown.

RelationshipsEdit

Ned GerblanskyEdit

Jimbo and Ned met while deployed in Vietnam. They soon formed a solid friendship, and are almost always seen together. They share each others' enthusiasm for firearms and hunting. It is not known if their relationship is entirely platonic, as they both live together and neither are married. Ned is also seen walking around immodestly dressed in Jimbo's house in "Jackovasaurus". In South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, they work together to fight

The BoysEdit

Jimbo takes the boys on a hunting trip in "Volcano". He warms especially to Kenny, whom he makes his honorary nephew. He usually tries to be helpful towards the boys in later episodes.

Kenny McCormickEdit

As of "Volcano", he became Jimbo's honorary nephew, because he enjoyed hunting animals and shooting or bombing them, like he did. However, shortly thereafter, Ned accidentally shot Kenny dead. He also enjoyed guzzling down alcohol and gasoline.

However, in later episodes, Jimbo has (sometimes successfully) attempted to kill Kenny on several occasions. In "Damien", he sees Kenny in the form of a duck-billed platypus and immediately opens fire on him. In "Cripple Fight", Jimbo shouts, "There's Kenny, shoot him!" when he sees Jimmy in the orange parka Kenny always wears. Exactly why Jimbo attempted to kill Kenny in this instance is not known.

ProminenceEdit

Jimbo's role is one of those which has diminished greatly since the beginning. In the first several seasons, he had an average of three or four prominent roles per season. Around the seventh season and onward, his importance faded to the point at which he now gets to have about 1 or two prominent appearances each season. He made a temporary comeback in Season 10, though, when his level of prominence equaled three episodes once more.

• "Weight Gain 4000" - Jimbo's first appearance. Jimbo sells Mr. Garrison a gun to shoot Kathie Lee Gifford with.
• "Volcano" - Jimbo and Ned take the kids on a hunting trip.
• "Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride" - Jimbo and Ned sabotage the opposing football team's mascot.
• "Pinkeye" - Jimbo and Ned can be seen on top of a building shooting the zombies.
• "Cartman's Mom is a Dirty Slut" - Jimbo is a potential father of Cartman.
• "Cartman's Mom is Still a Dirty Slut" - Jimbo, Ned, and several other people get trapped in the filming studios due to a heavy snowstorm outside, and resort to cannibalism in order to survive.
• "The Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka" - Jimbo's television series rivals against Jesus and Pals.
• "Summer Sucks" - Jimbo and Ned try to smuggle fireworks from Mexico after South Park bans them.
• "Cow Days" - Jimbo tries to find out who stole the cow clock on "Cow Day".
• "Jackovasaurus" - Jimbo, Ned, and the boys discover a near-extinct species known as "Jackovasaurus" and help it repopulate.
• "Tweek vs. Craig" - Jimbo and Ned teach Tweek how to box.
• "The Red Badge of Gayness" - Jimbo participates in the war reenactment.
• "Chef Goes Nanners" - Jimbo and Ned try to get the South Park flag to remain the same.
• "It Hits the Fan" - During a debate with Mr. Garrison, Jimbo says "fag" uncensored.
• "Scott Tenorman Must Die" - Jimbo and Ned helps Cartman to spy on the Tenormans.
• "Here Comes the Neighborhood" - Jimbo and the other men in South Park try to get rid of the rich, black residents.
• "I'm a Little Bit Country" - Jimbo is a pro-war fighter.
• "South Park is Gay!"
• "Goobacks"
• "The Return of Chef"
• "Smug Alert!"
• "Miss Teacher Bangs a Boy" - Jimbo admires the beauty of Ms. Stevenson
• "Night of the Living Homeless" - Jimbo becomes a fugitive of the homeless people.
• "More Crap" - Jimbo supports his half-brother, Randy, in the crapping competition.
• "Medicinal Fried Chicken" - Gets cancer to get a prescription to smoke marijuana legally.
• "201" - Tells Eric Cartman his father is a Denver Bronco
• "It's a Jersey Thing" - Fights against the Jerseyites trying to take over South Park
• "I Should Have Never Gone Ziplining" - Seen driving the boys to Backcountry Adventures.

Let's Go Tower Defense Play!Edit

Jimbo plays a major role in the game South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play! alongside Ned Gerblansky, hunting out at Stark's Pond when it is attacked by Jackovasaurus and other enemies. He and his partner both function as powered-up 'firey-works' towers, but without costing the player any money. Neither character is playable, however, and it is unknown if the game is canon.

TriviaEdit

• Jimbo drives a Hummer H1.
• Jimbo Kern and Ned Gerblansky were inspired by characters Trey Parker drew while in high school.^[3]
• Jimbo's nose, if he has one, is never visible. This is quite common with the children in South Park, but not so much with the adults. (That is, unless they are Canadian or Danish, which Jimbo is neither.)

ReferencesEdit

South Park families
Broflovski Family | Cartman Family | Marsh Family | McCormick Family | Stotch Family | Tweak Family | Valmer Family | Black Family | Biggle Family | Cotswolds Family | Donovan Family | Gueermo Family | Hakeem Family | Stevens Family | Tenorman Family | Testaburger Family | Tucker Family | Mephesto Family

Kern / Kimble / Marsh Family
Jimbo Kern | Aunt Flo Kimble | Marvin Marsh | Randy Marsh | Sharon Marsh | Shelly Marsh | Stan Marsh | Sparky