Karl Christian Krumpnholz
Audio By Carbonatix
Twenty years ago, South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, both Colorado natives, made Casa Bonita internationally famous when they featured the Pepto Bismol-pink eatertainment palace on their Comedy Central cartoon. They didn’t own Casa Bonita then, but they do now, and the company through which they bought the place in late 2021 – Beautiful Opco LLC – recently lodged a complaint with Etsy…over a print of an illustration of the front of Casa Bonita, which originally appeared on the cover of Westword as part of a Casa Bonita history in cartoon form.
The demand emailed from Etsy on behalf of Beautiful Opco to artist Karl Christian Krumpholz neglected to mention the irony of an empire built on a cartoon challenging a cartoonist.
But in their comments on the Westword Facebook and Instagram pages, plenty of readers note that irony…and serve up plenty of other opinions. Says Samuel:
It’s not infringement and Matt and Trey are both artists taught in Denver with Colorado in their hearts. They should be encouraging local art, not stifling it. What are they going to do about the yearly Casa Bonita art show? They should reverse this attack on Karl’s business immediately.
Adds Sisi:
This is very absurd, ironic, and very hypocritical considering who is complaining. There are millions of far more flagrant trademark and copyright violations on sites like Etsy and Redbubble with people who call themselves “artists” just snatching images belonging to other people or companies off the internet and printing them onto shirts, posters, etc.
Responds Brett:
Sometimes we think owners are behind all things relating to a business – legal and protections such as trademarks – but often they are paying firms for such legal support. My guess (and would happily accept being wrong) is Matt and Trey personally were not behind this.
Notes Anthony:
Yes. The name is most definitely trademarked.
Replies Trevor:
It is, but who cares. Buy it from the artist, Trey…ya spent $42 mill; give him 2 grand. What’s a lawyer cost?
Offers Stephanie:
This leaves a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended). I really want to love that two Colorado kids saved Casa Bonita, but this makes me think they have been gone for too long. They should have purchased the rights to the illustration, printed it on everything and made back some of that mountain of money they spent to refurbish the place! Local love, it’s still a thing here in Colorado.
Counters Alan:
Matt and Trey are godlike for bringing it back to life, and I can’t wait to eat at Casa Bonita. This fool was making a paycheck from it and is in the wrong…
Concludes Tim:
He is no fool. Karl is one of the most respected artists in Denver and his prolific body of work is a love letter to the city.
Are you familiar with Karl Christian Krumpholz’s work? You can see his three-page feature on Casa Bonita here. What do you think of his art? His illustration that includes a cartoon version of the Casa Bonita logo? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.