This week’s “South Park” premiere pulled no punches.
The sharply sardonic series skewered President Donald Trump and a hefty settlement Paramount paid to him following a lawsuit over CBS’ “60 Minutes.” Paramount is the parent company of both CBS and Comedy Central, which airs “Park.”
Known for a no-holds-barred approach to comedy, “Park” (Wednesdays 10 ET/PT) has beckoned controversy for decades, to the delight of its viewers and the ire of its subjects. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, it’s part of a class of raunchy adult animation programs that burst onto the scene in the late ’90s. It stands out among its peers, always deeply reflective and cynical about current events.
‘South Park’ creators ‘apologize’ for latest Trump episode: ‘We’re terribly sorry’
Incorporating pointed criticism of Trump’s second term as president into the show might offer a challenge for the writers, however, after a major merger between Paramount and Skydance Media received the green light from Trump’s FCC. The merger puts “Park” under the stewardship of a company many assume will be aligned with the Trump administration. Skydance executives have made public statements suggesting they have similar opinions on DEI initiatives as Trump, for example. Skydance CEO David Ellison is the son of Larry Ellison, the billionaire chairman of Oracle, who has hosted a fundraiser for Trump on his property and donated to Republican-friendly super-PACs.
Paramount too paid a $16 million settlement to Trump earlier this month, after the president sued the company for defamation over an interview “60 Minutes” ran with former political rival Vice President Kamala Harris. The company also recently announced the cancellation of CBS’ “The Late Show,” hosted by Stephen Colbert, a prominent Trump critic.
Against that backdrop, “Park” seems to be sending a message to viewers that it has no plans to fall in line.
The July 23rd episode, the first of the show’s 27th season, depicted Trump literally getting into bed with Satan, his lover, using actual photos of the president crudely placed on an animated body. It’s the same depiction that Saddam Hussein received in 1999’s “Park” movie. The Satan character in the new episode even comments that Trump and Hussein are “exactly alike.”
White House: ‘South Park’ hasn’t ‘been relevant for over 20 years’ after Trump parody
Paramount itself also wasn’t safe from the ire of Parker and Stone. The episode also features a pair of animated “60 Minutes” anchors covering protests as they nervously praise Trump and insist they don’t agree with the protesters, intimating that they might be worried he will sue again.
The administration responded in anger.
“This show hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement provided to USA TODAY July 24. “President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country’s history − and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump’s hot streak.”
The day after the episode aired, the show’s creators, onstage at a San Diego Comic-Con panel, seemed unfazed.
“We’re terribly sorry,” Parker said with a sly grin, sitting next to next to Stone. Whether the pair will be able to maintain that “sorry not sorry” sentiment as the new season airs remains to be seen, though. Parker and Stone spoke at the Comic-Con panel about how they are making the episodes on the fly in response to the news of the day, and will likely poke at Trump again in the future.
Under an administration increasingly intolerant of criticism (comedic or otherwise), “Park” finds itself in a difficult bind. The popularity of the show hinges on the very style of comedy that may enrage the Trump White House. To maintain a robust and loyal audience, Parker and Stone will likely need to continue making the politics of the day into punchlines. But to do that, thet may also need to defy the the sensibilities of their newly merged parent company.
Wednesday’s episode may provide an important clue, however: It hit the air the same day Paramount inked a five-year agreement for 50 new episodes of “Park.”
Contributing: Brendan Morrow, Brian Truitt, Kelly Lawler
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘South Park,’ the White House response, and a comedic catch-22
