‘South Park' co-creator jokes he's ‘terribly sorry' over premiere that drew White House anger
'We're terribly sorry,' Parker said, followed by a long, deadpan-comic stare.
Parker was asked for his reaction to the fracas as he sat on the stage at San Diego's Comic-Con International at the beginning of a Comedy Central animation panel that also included his 'South Park' partner Matt Stone, 'Beavis and Butt-Head' creator Mike Judge, and actor Andy Samberg, who co-created the animated 'Digman!'
Earlier in the day, the White House issued a statement on the 27th season premiere, which aired Wednesday night.
'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 the statement. '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.'
Later in the panel, Parker said they did get a note from their producers on Tuesday night's episode.
'They said, 'OK, but we're gonna blur the penis,' and I said, 'No you're not gonna blur the penis,'' Parker said.
The premiere also took aim at Paramount and its $16 million recent settlement with Trump just hours after Parker and Stone signed a five-year deal with the company for 50 new episodes and streaming rights to previous seasons. The Los Angeles Times and other outlets report the deal was worth $1.5 billion.
In the episode, Trump sues the town of South Park when its residents challenge the presence of Jesus Christ – the actual person – in its elementary school.
Jesus tells them they ought to settle.
'You guys saw what happened to CBS? Yeah, well, guess who owns CBS? Paramount,' Jesus says. 'Do you really want to end up like Colbert?'
CBS and parent Paramount Global canceled Stephen Colbert's 'Late Show' last week, days after Colbert sharply criticized Paramount's settlement of Trump's lawsuit over a '60 Minutes' interview.
CBS and Paramount executives said it was a financial decision to axe 'The Late Show.'
The efficiency of 'South Park' production, and the brinksmanship of its creators, allow it to stay incredibly current for an animated series.
'I don't know what next week's episode is going to be,' Parker said at Comic-Con. 'Even just three days ago, we were like, 'I don't know if people are going to like this.''
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Toronto Sun
4 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
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Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The 81-year-old, appearing for the first time at San Diego's pop cultural extravaganza, looked decidedly earthbound in his jeans and flannel shirt, and a bit embarrassed by the attention. The quiet, thoughtful discussion that followed about the art museum he's building stood in contrast to the sci-fi and superhero bombast that came from Comic-Con's huge Hall H in the previous three days of the convention. 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Winnipeg Free Press
34 minutes ago
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George Lucas finally comes to Comic-Con to give a preview of his new museum
SAN DIEGO (AP) — George Lucas is finally coming to the stage at Comic-Con. And while 'Star Wars' is sure to get a mention, the 81-year-old is making his debut appearance at the San Diego pop cultural extravaganza for a more earthbound reason: a preview of his long-in-the-works Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. The Sunday panel discussion in Comic-Con's vaunted Hall H will act as a relatively quiet closing act to the four-day festival that brought its usual series of big, bombastic looks at upcoming sci-fi and superhero projects. The museum-centered session is also meant to be a broader discussion of the new institution's subject matter: the histories and traditions of narrative art across time and cultures. Lucas will be joined by fellow filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro and art director Doug Chiang, who has worked on a steady series of 'Star Wars' films starting with the Lucas-directed prequels in 1999. Queen Latifah will act as moderator. Lucas is easily on the Mount Rushmore of figures whose work has had the greatest inspiration on the kind of films and other pop cultural celebrated annually in Hall H at Comic-Con. But the convention wasn't a common showcase for blockbuster films when he was directing them himself. He sold 'Star Wars' and Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Co. in 2012, and Disney has used different venues to make big splashy presentations about its properties. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. The museum founded by Lucas and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson, is set to open next year in Exposition Park, near the Los Angeles Coliseum, several of the city's other museums, and the University of Southern California. The 11-acre campus and 300,000-square-foot building designed by architect Ma Yansong includes galleries, two theaters and related spaces.
