Kristen Schaal, voice of Louise Belcher on Bob's Burgers, briefly joined the South Park writers' room after impressing its team with her online puppet show. The web series Penelope Princess of Pets paved the way for her stint during Season 11. Despite a short tenure, she holds no grudges against creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
Kristen Schaal co-created the internet puppet show Penelope Princess of Pets with Kurt Braunohler. The series follows a girl who talks to animals and embarks on a perilous mission against a senator. Its irreverent tone caught the eye of the South Park team during their search for new writers, leading to Schaal's invitation to the writers' room for Season 11, as she recounted on the podcast Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum (Michael Rosenbaum podcast). Schaal's time on South Park lasted about a month. In an interview with The Daily Beast, she explained her quick exit: > I was pitching too much. I'd never been in a writers' room before. She felt pressure to contribute ideas constantly, which did not suit the room's dynamics. Despite her departure, Schaal later had a friendly encounter with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone backstage at an event. The show, guided closely by Parker and Stone since its origins in the short film The Spirit of Christmas, maintains a tight writers' circle. Contributors have included Pam Brady, Nancy Pimental, Vernon Chatman since 2001—who also voices Towelie—and Bill Hader as a consultant and writer for Seasons 12, 13, and 17, featured in the documentary 6 Days to Air.
