As a long-time fan of South Park, I can’t help but marvel at the audacity and resilience of Trey Parker and Matt Stone in their unapologetic satirical journey. Having grown up watching the boys from South Park take on the world with their irreverent humor, it’s no surprise that they stood their ground against the mighty Scientology.
Throughout nearly three decades of South Park’s broadcasting, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have consistently pushed boundaries with their humor, sparking continuous debates about whether their relentless style is provocative and insightful or merely cruel and cynical. Despite the ongoing arguments, there’s no disputing the enduring success they’ve achieved. With over two decades on television and an apparent penchant for offending just about every group imaginable, it’s a formidable challenge to pinpoint their most contentious episode.
The most notable dispute between Parker and Stone occurred in 2006, stemming from the episode titled “Trapped in the Closet.” In this episode, Stan Marsh joins the Church of Scientology when its leaders believe he’s a reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard. At the same time, Tom Cruise is locked inside Stan’s closet, while all characters attempt to persuade him to “come out of the closet.” Despite receiving extensive praise from critics, the episode caused significant controversy, almost prompting a legal action from the Church, and eventually leading to Isaac Hayes, the voice of the beloved character Chef, leaving the series.
How Did Scientology Respond to the South Park Episode?
As a devoted movie enthusiast reflecting on November 17, 2005, the day after the TV show “Trapped in the Closet” was aired, I found myself in the position of Mike Rinder, then a high-ranking executive within Scientology. In a memo penned to our leader, David Miscavige, I expressed my concerns about the show’s creators not contacting us or giving any advance notice. The program was a blatant mockery and degradation of Scientology, Tom Cruise, and John Travolta, and it even touched upon sensitive upper-level data.
In the show’s scene, one of the Church members confides in Stan about a fundamental Scientology belief: the idea that Xenu, an intergalactic ruler, originated life on Earth 75 million years ago by transporting the survivors of a cosmic massacre to an empty planet. The screen’s caption reads, “This is what Scientologists genuinely believe.” Since this data is typically kept confidential within the Church for high-level members (referred to as “OT 3”), it was seen as a provocation by the hierarchy when Parker and Stone revealed it publicly. It’s speculated that this episode significantly impacted people’s opinions about the organization.
Furthermore, learning where they obtained this information served only to fuel their resentment towards the Church. In addressing the matter, Parker and Stone enlisted the help of journalist Mark Ebner, who had previously clashed with the Church. Notably, he wrote a 1996 exposé on them for Spy magazine titled “Do You Want to Build a Bridge?”, which caused quite a stir. For the article, Ebner infiltrated Scientology for several weeks to gain insight into their internal operations, and later became a frequent critic of the organization, participating in protests against them.
Following the airing of “Trapped in the Closet,” officials from Scientology contemplated reacting to a CNN segment regarding the episode and even considering legal action against Parker and Stone for their negative portrayal of the Church. However, they chose not to, realizing their argument would likely be unsuccessful. Instead, they leveled accusations at Ebner, claiming he was using the show to fuel his personal animosity towards Scientology and initiated an investigation into him. Yet, this move also failed to yield significant results, as Ebner persisted in advising on Comedy Central programs without any opposition, with “The Daily Show” being a notable example.
Did Scientology Force Isaac Hayes to Quit South Park?
After the airing of “Trapped in the Closet”, it was Isaac Hayes who suffered the most significant impact. In March 2006, Hayes announced his departure from South Park and the retirement of his character, Chef, in a press release, stating that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were unaccepting of religious beliefs. However, it is widely believed that Hayes’ resignation was prompted by the episode itself due to his strong ties with Scientology, a belief shared by Stone who said, “This decision is entirely based on his faith in Scientology… he has no issues – and he’s cashed plenty of checks – with our show making fun of Christians.
However, the precise events that prompted Hayes’ departure from South Park become somewhat complex. In Rinder’s memo, it was disclosed that Hayes was deeply upset about a specific incident and had decided to leave the show, but he intended to do so at a later time to keep his reasons less conspicuous. Furthermore, as part of the Church’s response to “Trapped in the Closet,” Hayes was tasked with attempting to persuade Parker and Stone not to air it again, and also to invoke the “third-party law” on Ebner. This third-party law is a concept originated by L. Ron Hubbard, suggesting that any interpersonal dispute can only be instigated by a third party.
In interviews, it seemed that Hayes presented a more complex viewpoint regarding the issue; about two months prior to his departure, he confessed to AV Club that he wasn’t fully satisfied with “Trapped in the Closet,” but clarified, “I comprehend what they’re trying to achieve.” However, as shared by Isaac Hayes III, Hayes had a minor stroke shortly after this interview (he unfortunately passed away from another one two years later), and it’s said that an unidentified person connected to the Church was responsible for writing the press release and leaving South Park on his behalf.
It’s been observed that the language used by both Parker, Stone, and the Church regarding Hayes’ departure seems remarkably similar. Specifically, in his statement, Hayes stated, “There is a point where satire transitions from being acceptable to becoming intolerant and bigoted towards others’ religious beliefs.” This sentiment echoes the Church’s response in their memo, which noted that while satire has a role in society, it becomes unfunny when it is used to belittle or demean people based on race, religion, or creed.
South Park Triumphed Over Scientology
In the end, the dispute subsided, and given that “Trapped in the Closet” received an Emmy nomination and is now often regarded as one of South Park’s finest episodes, it can be concluded that South Park had the final say on the matter with Scientology. The Church didn’t have a strong legal argument against Parker and Stone, particularly because the episode was more focused on criticizing their organizational practices rather than their core beliefs.
Despite ending somewhat bitterly without a resolution between Parker, Stone, and Hayes prior to his demise, it’s undoubtedly one of the most significant controversies that South Park has ever been involved in (considering the show’s history). You can catch South Park on both Max and Hulu, with select specials available on Paramount+.
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2024-10-06 04:03