President Donald Trump's administration responded to "South Park" after the show criticized him and the media in its season premiere Wednesday, dismissing it as a "fourth-rate" attempt to stay relevant, Mediaite reported.
"The Left's hypocrisy truly has no end — for years they have come after South Park for what they labeled as ‘offense' [sic] content, but suddenly they are praising the show," Trump White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement to Rolling Stone.
In the episode, Trump sues the town of South Park, and as part of their settlement, residents are forced to produce pro-Trump content. The episode closes with a stark parody ad showing an overweight Trump walking naked through a desert — a scene widely viewed as a blunt critique of both Trump and the media industry's entanglements.
"Just like the creators of South Park, the Left has no authentic or original content, which is why their popularity continues to hit record lows," Rogers continued. "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. 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."
The South Park season 27 premiere episode drew widespread media attention for portraying a chaotic and morally bankrupt Trump presidency. The satire aimed at various topics, including the administration's defunding of NPR, Trump's history of suing critics and his embrace of Christian conservatives despite personal behavior that clashes with traditional values.
The show's creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, also mocked Paramount for its reported $36 million settlement with Trump and for canceling comedian Stephen Colbert's "The Late Show." Some media commentators interpreted the network's actions as an effort to placate Trump in hopes of smoothing the path for its merger with Skydance.
In a recent Truth Social post, Trump challenged earlier media reports that put the value of his Paramount settlement at $16 million. Trump asserted the actual figure is $36 million, including an additional $20 million in "advertising" commitments from the company.
Despite the backlash, Parker and Stone continue to benefit from a $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount that secures South Park's presence on digital platforms for the next five years.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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