On Thursday, amidst a storm of indignation from the White House, Trey Parker, the co-creator of the iconic animated series "South Park," delivered a delightfully succinct response regarding the season premiere that depicted a nude President Donald Trump entwined in bed with Satan. With a prolonged, dryly humorous gaze, Parker quipped, "We're terribly sorry," his sarcasm palpable.
Parker was seated on stage at San Diego's Comic-Con International, kicking off a Comedy Central animation panel that also boasted his "South Park" cohort Matt Stone, "Beavis and Butt-Head" creator Mike Judge, and actor Andy Samberg, who co-conceived the animated series "Digman!". The panelists gathered amidst buzz surrounding the White House's furore.
Earlier that day, the White House had issued a statement lambasting the 27th season premiere, which aired on Wednesday night. "This show, irrelevant for over two decades, clings desperately to relevance with uninspired plots merely seeking attention," sneered White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers in the statement. "President Trump has fulfilled more promises in just six months than any of his predecessors – and no second-rate program can diminish his impressive streak."
Later during the panel, Parker recounted receiving a note from their producers regarding Tuesday night's episode. "They suggested, 'Alright, but we'll blur the penis,' to which I firmly replied, 'Absolutely not, you won't blur the penis,'" Parker recounted with a grin.
The premiere had also skewered Paramount and its recent $16 million settlement with Trump, which transpired mere hours after Parker and Stone inked a five-year deal with the company for 50 fresh episodes and streaming rights to prior seasons. According to reports by The Los Angeles Times and other outlets, the deal was valued at a whopping $1.5 billion.
In the episode, Trump sues the town of South Park when its residents contest the presence of Jesus Christ – the genuine article – in their elementary school. Jesus himself intervenes, urging them to settle. "Did you witness what befell CBS? And guess who owns CBS? Paramount," Jesus remarks wryly. "Do you fancy ending up like Colbert?"
Just last week, CBS and parent company Paramount Global axed Stephen Colbert's "Late Show," days after Colbert scathingly criticized Paramount's settlement with Trump over a "60 Minutes" interview. CBS and Paramount executives insisted that the decision to cancel "The Late Show" was purely financial.
The rapid-fire production pace of "South Park" and the daring brinksmanship of its creators allow it to remain remarkably up-to-date for an animated series. "I'm clueless about next week's episode," Parker admitted at Comic-Con. "Even three days ago, we were pondering, 'Will people even appreciate this?'"
