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Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Charlie Kirk embraces 'South Park' parody of him in upcoming episode as a 'badge of honor'
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk may have cemented himself as a pop culture figure as he appears to have been parodied by "South Park." In a teaser released Tuesday for its upcoming episode, Kirk's likeness was adopted by iconic "South Park" character Eric Cartman, who is seen with a hairstyle similar to the conservative firebrand and is in a heated spat with a classmate, mirroring Kirk's exchanges with students on college campuses. "You can just shut up, Bebe, because you hate America and you love abortion," Cartman shouts at fellow student Bebe Stevens. Kirk quickly embraced the parody, changing his X profile picture to a screenshot of Cartman and posting to his over 5 million followers, "I'm so watching this." Speaking with Fox News Digital, Kirk said he laughed when he first saw the teaser, saying multiple people sent him the clip. He initially thought it was "some sort of AI troll." "I think it's kind of funny and it kind of goes to show the cultural impact and the resonance that our movement has been able to achieve," Kirk told Fox News Digital. "So I look at this as a badge of honor." Kirk said he hasn't seen as much of "South Park" in recent years as he did in high school, but appreciated the long-running animated series being an "equal opportunity offender." While it's unclear what Cartman's Kirk-like persona does in the episode, which will air August 6, last week's season premiere may give a clue. In the previous episode, Cartman is demoralized after it is declared that "woke is dead," causing the foul-mouthed, offensive fourth-grader to have an identity crisis as everyone else in South Park sheds their cultural sensitivities. Meanwhile, controversy erupted in his hometown when South Park Elementary began injecting Christianity into school, even going so far as having Jesus Christ looming in the hallways. "I'm excited to watch it because, look, we as conservatives need to be able to take a joke, right? We shouldn't take ourselves so seriously," Kirk said. "That's something that the left has always done to great detriment to themselves and their movement." "They're professional comedians. They're probably gonna roast me, and I think that's fine. And that's what it's all about, being in public life and, you know, making a difference. And I'm gonna have a good spirit about it. I'll watch it. I'm going to laugh at it," Kirk continued. "From a religious standpoint, we're all sinners. We all fall short of the glory of God. Like from a more practical life standpoint, we're all broken people. Stop taking yourself so seriously. That's probably one of the problems that we've had in our politics is that people can't take a joke." "South Park," which airs on Comedy Central, held no punches against President Donald Trump after the network's parent company Paramount reached a major settlement with him earlier this month to resolve his "60 Minutes" lawsuit. In the 27th season premiere, Trump was repeatedly compared to the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein (who "South Park" had previously satirized during the Iraq War), depicted him as literally being in bed with Satan, and was lampooned for leveling lawsuit threats. The episode quickly went viral for showing a life-like graphic depiction of the president and his genitalia. "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 told Fox News Digital. "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." Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of "South Park," recently reached a whopping $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount.
Metro
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
The ‘truth' behind South Park star's controversial exit 17 years after his death
The son of a South Park star who left the show after an episode criticised Scientology has finally 'set the record straight'. After rising to fame as a singer-songwriter in the 1960s, Isaac Hayes was part of the cast of the animated sitcom during its debut in 1997. He voiced the character of Chef, the lunchroom cook at South Park Elementary, the school where lead characters Stan, Kyle, Eric and Kenny attended. However, nine seasons later, in 2006, a statement was issued in his name following the airing of the episode Trapped in the Closet – which took aim at the Church of Scientology, of which he was a member. At the time many were puzzled by the move, however Hayes never clarified any more beyond that initial statement. He died two years later following complications from a stroke he'd suffered in 2006. Nearly 20 years on his son has now made explosive claims, revealing the 'truth about what really happened'. Hayes began his music career in the early 1960s as a session musician for acts recorded by the Memphis-based Stax Records, later going on to co-write a string of hits including You Don't Know Like I Know, Soul Man and Hold On, I'm Comin. He went on to release his debut album, Presenting Isaac Hayes, in 1968. Although it was a commercial flop, he found success with future releases. The American singer and his song-writing partner David Porter were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005, while he was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Throughout his career Hayes won three Grammy Awards. In 2006 Hayes revealed he'd suffered a stroke and died two years later, aged 65, after being found unresponsive in his home near Memphis. Part of the original cast of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's series South Park, Hayes voiced Chef Jerome McElroy for nearly a decade. The character was regularly turned to as a source for advice from the children, with Chef also inspired by a dining hall worker Parker met while attending college. Although the show was known for pushing the boundaries with its storylines, a 2006 episode that poked fun at Scientology reportedly didn't sit well with the actor, whose character did not feature in the episode. The episode followed Stan joining Scientology after recruiters became convinced he was the reincarnation of church founder L. Ron Hubbard. Soon after the episode aired, a statement was released in Hayes' name, in which he requested to be released from his contract with Comedy Central and calling out South Park for satirising religious beliefs. 'There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins. As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices,' it read, but did not directly mention Scientology. Responding to the statement, Stone said the actor had never previously expressed concerns about similar storylines. 'He has no problem –and he's cashed plenty of checks– with our show making fun of Christians, Muslims, Mormons, or Jews,' he said. Soon after reports started emerging that Hayes had not requested to leave the show and had instead been pushed to do so by fellow members of his church. Over the years claims have been made that Hayes did not have a say in his South Park exit and was instead influenced by others. Last year his son, Isaac Hayes III, said the stroke left the musician and actor 'in no position to resign under his own knowledge'. He also spoke about his belief that members of the Church of Scientology had stepped in and taken it upon themselves to remove Hayes from the show after the controversial episode. His comments came after Stone told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016: 'We knew in our hearts there was something way more going on. Isaac's a really sweet guy. We're still like, 'Isaac, you've got to come out of it'. But he's just brainwashed.' For over 14 years, people have speculated about why my father @isaachayes left South Park. I'm here to set the record dad did not quit South Park. Scientology the episode 'Trapped in the Closet' aired in 2005, my father suffered a stroke just a few… — Isaac Hayes III (@IsaacHayes3) July 18, 2025 This week he went on to release a lengthy statement about how he wanted to now 'set the record straight'. 'For over 14 years, people have speculated about why my father @isaachayes left South Park. I'm here to set the record straight. My dad did not quit South Park. Scientology did,' he began the post, which was shared on X. 'After the episode Trapped in the Closet aired in 2005, my father suffered a stroke just a few months later that left him unable to speak or make decisions on his own. He was not in any condition to resign from anything. The truth is, someone else within his Scientology circle made that decision and quit the show for him. 'He loved being the voice of Chef. He loved the character. He loved connecting with fans. He would joke with people who recognized his voice, and he truly enjoyed being part of the show. 'The narrative that he quit because he was offended by the satire is not true. That was a cover story created by others. My father never got to speak for himself because his health robbed him of that chance.' He went on: 'So now I am speaking for him. He did not leave South Park willingly. He was forced out by illness and by people who did not have his best interest at heart. More Trending This is for anyone who loved Chef. This is for anyone who admired my father's work. This is the truth about what really happened.' Although the Church of Scientology has never publicly responded to the claims, Hayes told Cracked this week: 'I haven't had any connection with anybody from Scientology since before my father passed away.' Metro has contacted the Church of Scientology for comment. View More » South Park season 27 will stream on Comedy Central on July 23 . Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Netflix quietly adds 8 episodes of 'outrageous' thriller – and fans are devouring it MORE: TV soap legend Eileen Fulton died aged 91 MORE: TNA Slammiversary sees WWE icon, 48, return to calls for 'one more match'
