White House Slams ‘South Park' Over Episode Skewering Trump And Paramount
The "South Park" season 27 premiere took aim at President Donald Trump and Paramount. (Photo by ... More) Getty Images
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told multiple outlets the 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,' accusing the left of 'hypocrisy' for previously criticizing ''South Park' for what they labeled as 'offense' content, but suddenly they are praising the show.'
In the season 27 premiere of 'South Park,' writer-producers Trey Parker and Matt Stone skewer Trump for using lawsuits to silence opponents, depicting the president suing the entire fictional town of South Park after residents oppose the government's plan to push Christianity in schools.
The episode depicts Jesus Christ visiting South Park, which he says he had to do because of the 'lawsuit and an agreement with Paramount'—an apparent reference to Trump's now-settled lawsuit against the company—as Jesus asks the townspeople, 'Do you really want to end up like Colbert?' referencing the late-night show's cancellation.
In multiple scenes from the episode, the cartoon Trump jumps in bed with Satan, who is depicted as his lover and in one scene rebuffs Trump, telling him someone commented on his Instagram that Trump is 'on the Epstein list.'
'The Epstein list? Are we still talking about that?' the cartoon Trump responds, telling Satan to 'relax'—a jab at Trump amid a firestorm of controversy, which has even riled members of his own base, over the Justice Department's refusal to release more documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, which reportedly include Trump's name.
The episode knocks Trump multiple times by depicting him with comedically small genitals, which frustrates Satan and enrages Trump when a portrait artist paints him with small genitals.
The episode concludes on a faux Trump public service announcement—an apparent knock at CBS and Paramount, whom Trump claimed will give him airtime for PSAs as part of a settlement—in which a lifelike, apparently AI-generated Trump wanders the desert nude as a voiceover says his genitals are 'teeny tiny, but his love for us is large.'
The new 'South Park' episode arrives less than 48 hours after Paramount and the show's creators signed a deal reportedly worth $1.5 billion, under which Parker and Stone's Park County company will produce 50 episodes over five years, while the entire series will stream on Paramount+. 'South Park' was previously available to stream on HBO Max until the series' deal with the streaming service lapsed in June. The deal followed tense negotiations in which Park County's lawyers accused Jeff Shell, a former NBCUniversal executive who is set to become Paramount's president if its merger with Skydance completes, of interfering with Park County's negotiations with other potential buyers including Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. Parker and Stone lashed out at Paramount in a statement on X earlier this month after the season 27 premiere was pushed back by two weeks. 'This merger is a sh—tshow and it's f—ing up 'South Park.' We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow,' the creators said. What Is Included In Trump's Settlement With Paramount?
The 'South Park' episode appeared to knock both Trump and Paramount, who earlier this month reached a settlement following Trump's lawsuit against the company for allegedly modifying an interview with his former presidential opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris. The lawsuit was settled as Paramount seeks approval from Trump's Federal Communications Commission to approve the merger. As part of the $16 million settlement, Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social he will receive '$20 Million Dollars more from the new Owners, in Advertising, PSAs, or similar Programming.' In the 'South Park' episode, the concluding satirical Trump advertisement is introduced as 'Pro-Trump PSA, 1 of 50.'
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday Attorney General Pam Bondi previously told Trump at a meeting his name is included among many in files the Justice Department reviewed concerning Jeffrey Epstein. The White House claimed the report is a 'fake news story.' Further Reading
'South Park' creators reach $1.5-billion streaming deal with Paramount (Los Angeles Times)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
27 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Trump's latest Epstein distraction — falsely accusing Obama of ‘treason'
A House Oversight subcommittee Advertisement So, of course, the administration sent Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Gabbard falsely stated that there's 'irrefutable evidence' that Obama and his national security team tried to 'launch a coup' against Trump with bogus claims that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to benefit the former reality TV host. In 2020, a Advertisement But as with the deadly insurrection that he incited on Jan. 6, 2021, Trump is making another mendacious effort to rewrite history for his own self-serving narrative. Trump attacks Obama because his Obama-hating base loves it. And because it's generally a waste of time responding to Trump's frequent tirades, the former president usually chooses silence and 'Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response,' read Obama called out Trump's obvious attempt to create a diversion to quell the public's insatiable appetite for news about the Epstein files, a burgeoning crisis of Trump's own making. For years, some people now in Trump's Cabinet seeded MAGA conspiracies about an Epstein 'client list' as well as his 2019 When Trump was reelected, Ever since, Trump has been grasping at counterprogramming to distract from a story that shows no signs of waning. Advertisement In a break from its usually tight-lipped protocol concerning Trump's health, the White House When that story didn't garner the days of coverage that the administration might have sought, Trump then tapped into a reliable and trusted friend: racism. On his social media site on July 21, Trump, out of nowhere, Despite Trump's foolishness, During the Trump years, much of the media has too often become smitten with whatever shiny thing he has twirled in their direction. This time, they're calling his many diversions exactly what they are. Some Democrats, finally seizing a way to upend this administration, have come together with Republicans to vote for more transparency from the Trump White House about the Epstein files. And some of Trump's staunchest MAGA loyalists, even if they haven't wholly turned against Trump, remain angry and are demanding answers. Which leaves Trump in the exact same place he's spent weeks trying to escape — mired in a self-inflicted scandal that he can't control as it threatens to consume his presidency. Advertisement Renée Graham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Scots Do Not Hold Back While Showing Trump How They Really Feel About The President's Visit
Donald Trump has, in his usual fashion, caused an enormous stir after touching down in Scotland on Friday. The US president managed to play golf at his course on the Scottish coast on Saturday without being disturbed, but protests at his presence were erupting across the country. Trump and his son Eric played on Turnberry, the family course they've had for a decade, with US ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens. Meanwhile, more than 100 miles away, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, making it plain that Trump was not at all welcome. Many also lashed out at UK prime minister Keir Starmer for striking up a new trade deal with Trump in a bid to avoid US tariffs on foreign imports. Trump is set to meet with Starmer, Scotland's first minister John Swinney and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen during his five-day trip, while also making time to visit his second golf club in the region. Demonstrators rallied together ahead of his visit, with Pro-Palestine campaigners, environmental activists and pro-Ukraine groups uniting to create a loose group called the 'Stop Trump Coalition'. During Saturday's protests, some people brought bagpipes, while others wore outfits from the dystopian world of The Handmaid's Tale. One protester told broadcasters: 'We should not be opening Scotland or the UK to somebody with Trump's background. 'Trump is an abhorrent human being with no saving graces.' The left-wing, pro-independent newspaper The National also joined in with their Friday front page which featured Trump's mug shot and the headline: 'Convicted US felon to arrive in Scotland.' Amid backlash online, the newspaper then asked which part of their front page is factually inaccurate. Others got... a little more personal... Some really lent into their Scottish dialect to make sure the insults hit home.... Large crowds gathered with handwritten placards... Related... Trump Claims He 'Never Went' To Epstein's Island And Tells People To Focus On Bill Clinton Instead Joe Rogan On Trump Administration's Handling Of Epstein Files: 'Do You Think We're Babies?' Trump Doesn't Rule Out Pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Thai-Cambodia border clashes continue despite Trump's announcement of ceasefire talks
Asia Donald Trump FacebookTweetLink Cambodia and Thailand exchanged fire across their disputed border for a fourth day on Sunday, hours after US President Donald Trump announced the two Southeast Asian nations had agreed to ceasefire talks. At least 32 people have been killed and at least 200,000 displaced since Thursday, according to Thai and Cambodian officials, in clashes that have rumbled on despite calls from the United Nations, United States and China for the fighting to stop. Both sides have accused the other of starting the latest border flare-up, and traded blame for the ongoing fighting. But hours after Trump's announcement, Thailand's government on Sunday said it was 'not ready' to stop military operations and accused Cambodia of continuing to fire heavy artillery at civilian areas in its Surin province, on the border, and several other areas. 'Any cessation of hostilities cannot be reached' while Cambodia is 'repeatedly violating the basic principles of human rights and humanitarian law,' Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Thailand hit several locations in Cambodia with drones, tank fire, cluster and aerial bombs early Sunday morning local time, a spokesperson for Cambodia's defense ministry told reporters. Some of the firing landed near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World heritage site in Cambodia's northern Preah Vihear province, according to Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata. The temple complex has been at the center of previous clashes between the two nations. Cambodia slammed what it said were Thailand's 'deliberate and premeditated acts of aggression.' Those acts 'have occurred despite ongoing efforts led by President Donald Trump to seek a ceasefire, efforts that have been publicly and clearly supported by Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia,' Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata said. 'Our forces are still striking back actively and are not afraid to protect the territory,' Maly Socheata said. The state-run National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) reported that Cambodian forces had fired artillery into the Thai border province of Surin, west of Preah Vihear, damaging residential homes. Thai forces were responding, it reported. Thailand on Sunday said 19 people have been killed since hostilities began, mostly civilians. There are more than 138,000 from six provinces displaced and staying in government shelters, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Cambodia said Saturday that in Oddar Meanchey province, which borders Thailand's Surin, 13 people had been killed, including eight civilians, and 50 wounded. At least 80,000 people in Cambodia have been displaced by the fighting, according to the defense ministry. President Trump said Saturday that he had spoken with both Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and acting prime minister of Thailand Phumtham Wechayachai in his efforts to restore peace. 'They have agreed to immediately meet and quickly work out a Ceasefire and, ultimately, PEACE!' Trump wrote on Truth Social in a series of posts on outlining his diplomatic efforts, but offering no details on the negotiations. Trump said he had warned Hun Manet and Phumtham that he would not make trade deals with either country if the deadly border conflict continued. 'They are also looking to get back to the 'Trading Table' with the United States, which we think is inappropriate to do until such time as the fighting STOPS,' Trump wrote. Earlier this month, Trump wrote letters to Thailand and Cambodia threatening a 36% tariff on most of their exports to the US, starting August 1. Cambodia and Thailand both delivered substantial offers to their US counterparts in an effort to move to the front of the line for a trade agreement, officials said at the time. In the early hours of Sunday morning local time, Hun Manet thanked Trump and said that Cambodia agreed with 'the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two armed forces.' It added that he had previously agreed to a ceasefire proposal from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. A statement from Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was more measured, saying it wished to see 'sincere intention from the Cambodian side' – but that Phumtham had also 'requested President Trump to convey …that Thailand wants to convene a bilateral dialogue as soon as possible to bring forth measures and procedures for the ceasefire and the eventual peaceful resolution of the conflict.' Bangkok and Phnom Penh have been fighting over territory disputed since colonial power France drew the border between them more than a century ago. The renewed deadly conflict pits longtime US ally Thailand, with decades of experience, against Cambodia's relatively young armed force with close ties to China. The United Nations has condemned the violence, with Secretary General António Guterres urging in a post on X for 'both sides to immediately agree to a ceasefire and to address any issues through dialogue.'
