South Park skewers Paramount-Trump settlement after signing big rights deal
The South Park season opener has taken aim at Paramount for settling its lawsuit with US president Donald Trump, airing just one day after the show’s creators signed a five-year deal with the network reportedly worth US$1.5 billion.
The episode, named Sermon on the Mount, starts with news the president had cancelled NPR, the US national public radio service — a reference to the Trump administration’s real life funding cuts.
“The government can’t cancel a show … I mean what show are they gonna cancel next?” asks Cartman, ominously.
Trump sued Paramount over a 60 Minutes Kamala Harris interview which he said was misleadingly edited. Paramount’s decision to settle that suit for US$16m — possibly with some contra thrown in — has been widely criticised because the case was seen as weak. Paramount has just won approval from regulators for its US$8 billion merger with Skydance.
Stephen Colbert called the settlement a “big fat bribe” on his Late Show, which airs on Paramount-owned CBS. The Late Show has since been cancelled, with the network saying it was no longer commercially viable. Senator Bernie Sanders said “Paramount’s decision will only embolden Trump”, while fellow Senator Elizabeth Warren has called for a bribery investigation into the settlement.
The creators of South Park have gone further still, and done so just one day after signing a $1.5 billion, five-year deal with the network to produce 50 episodes.
During the premiere episode for season 27 — which aired in Australia on 10 Comedy on Thursday night — Trump is portrayed cuddling up in bed with Satan, threatening to sue anyone who questions his authority. There are frequent, graphic references to his allegedly small genitalia.
Trump (R) in bed with Satan (L).
Trump forces Christianity into public schools — even though, as one angered parent points out “he doesn’t even act like a Christian” — and has turned the White House lawn into a 24/7 frat party.
The devil questions him on his propensity to deflect whenever anyone brings up the possibility of him being on “the Epstein list”.
Some of the most pointed barbs are aimed at Paramount, parent company of Comedy Central, which airs the show.
Trump threatens to sue the town of South Park for $5 billion, after the townsfolk question his decision to force religion into schools. A pair of panicked 60 Minutes presenters are shown carefully reporting the story, while going out of their way to make it clear they believe the president is “a great man, a great guy”, adding: “We know he’s probably watching.”
The 60 Minutes clock is replaced by a ticking timer on a stick of dynamite.
The 60 Minutes logo – in the South Park universe
In the end, it’s Jesus Christ — a regular character in the South Park universe — who delivers the most damning commentary, albeit through clenched teeth in case the President is watching.
“I didn’t wanna come back and be in the school, but I had to because it was part of a lawsuit and the agreement with Paramount.
“The president’s suing you? The guy can do whatever he wants now that someone backed down, OK?
“You guys saw what happened to CBS? Yeah, well, guess who owns CBS? Paramount! Do you really wanna end up like Colbert? You guys gotta stop being stupid.
“Just shut up, or we’re going to get canceled, you idiots.”
The residents decide to settle out of court for $3.5 million plus the agreement to do “pro-Trump messaging” – a shot at Trump’s claim that his settlement came with a side-deal in free on-air advertising.
What follows is an AI-created photo-realistic video of Trump journeying through the desert “to fight for America”, before he strips naked and lays down on the ground.
The PSA contains synthetic media | South Park
The final line of the show is “Trump – his penis is teeny tiny, but his love for us is large”.
The President is yet to respond to the episode.
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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