South Park has always been known for its edgy humor, fearless political critiques, and in-your-face comedy, tossing shade at pretty much everyone, including celebs, religions, and governments from all over. Ever since it kicked off in 1997, it quickly earned a wild reputation for taking no prisoners. However, when the show premiered again last week after a long break, it returned to a politically charged vibe that many comedians find tough to tackle.
Normally, President Donald Trump’s second term would be low-hanging fruit for South Park. They’ve poked fun at the surreal state of politics before, like that memorable 2016 episode with Mr. Garrison beating Hillary Clinton in a local election and sporting a Trump-esque hairstyle. But in a Vanity Fair interview from last year, Matt Stone, one of the co-creators, admitted that reflecting on the previous elections was mentally exhausting for him and Trey Parker. They casually mentioned they didn’t anticipate diving into the upcoming 2024 campaign. Parker even said, “I don’t know what else we could possibly add about Trump.”
So, it looks like Parker and Stone found a clever way to satirize Trump by using him as a platform to target something else entirely, raising the stakes along the way. In the latest episode, “Sermon on the ‘Mount,” Trump isn’t so much the focus but more of a high-profile vehicle to go after Paramount, the big cheese behind Comedy Central.
It’s clear Paramount has a vested interest in South Park. Just as that explosive premiere aired, the company reportedly shelled out $1.5 billion for 50 new episodes and streaming rights for the show. But this massive deal landed right after Paramount pulled the popular Late Show with Stephen Colbert, citing financial issues. This timing sparked rumors about the company’s motives, especially since they had recently settled with Trump over a $16 million lawsuit related to a 60 Minutes interview featuring former Vice President Kamala Harris. Observers noted the odd timing of the Late Show cancellation as well, which Colbert cheekily remarking on air as “a big fat bribe.” This all came down just as Paramount was chasing federal approval to merge with Skydance.
All these details set the stage for “Sermon on the ‘Mount.” In less than 22 minutes, the episode combines industry-driven satire with laughs about public trust in AI and the growing critique of “woke” culture. In a creative twist, South Park portrays the Paramount drama as a community issue where Trump sues the town for $5 billion because local parents dislike his administration’s religious agenda in schools. As protests ensue, surprisingly, Jesus himself shows up to rally the townsfolk, revealing he’s also embroiled in a legal spat with Trump and warns them sternly: “You really wanna end up like Colbert?”
This scene serves as a humorous jab at Paramount’s loyalties as well as the intimidation tactics pioneered by Trump. The whole episode carries this tongue-in-cheek theme, including a 60 Minutes parody where journalists nervously tiptoe around presenting anything critical of the president. It hilariously kicks off with a bomb ticking as a voice-over apprehensively delivers the line, “This is 60 Minutes. Oh, boy. Oh, crap.” When introducing a report on the protests in South Park, the anchor fumbles through praises for Trump with,” he is a wonderful man; we’re assuming he’s definitely tuning in.”
While South Park isn’t breaking new ground in scrutinizing its parent company, it resonates with historical shows like 30 Rock, which often delivered self-aware jabs at NBC, and The Simpsons, known for roasting Fox over the years. Even the recent Barbie flick doubled down on playful pokes at Mattel. Interestingly, the creators behind that film have expressed how they snuck some jokes into the script that jetted straight at their corporate parent, and a Mattel exec later glorified those gags.
What’s truly rebellious in Parker and Stone’s execution of their satire is how boldly they took a jab at their corporate stakeholders. Branding Trump as the focal point for tackling the inner workings of Paramount allowed South Park’s creators to take on a politically charged narrative involving both the show’s parent company and the political climate of the country. This season, they utilized real visuals of Trump’s face on a small animated body, creating a striking charged portrayal that reached out to those who may not have clued into the whispers rippling through Paramount’s decisions. This effort s ded in catching the attention of viewers across the spectrum: while some cheering the comedic take on the president, the White House slammed it as a “pathetic cry for attention.”
By the episode’s end, the town of South Park actually follows a similar path to Paramount. Jesus convinces the parents to settle with Trump, suggesting, “If someone has presidential power along with the ability to sue and accept bribes, they can act however they please.” The town’s lawyer gets Trump to lower the $5 billion demand to $3.5 million—as one joyful parent optimistically proclaims, “That’s not too bad!” The mayor adds nonchalantly, “We might have to cut funding for our schools, hospitals, and roads, but everything should be fine!” By connecting the manipulative behavior of Trump to Paramount’s questionable decisions, the episode not only highlights the company’s settlement overriding its defense for its creative freedoms but boldly suggests that there’s still plenty of humor to mine from our current political mess, and South Park isn’t afraid to stir the pot against multiple layers of authority while they’re at it.
