Does Paramount Have A South Park Problem? What The New CEO Says

by

In its 27th season, South Park remains a well-known TV program that still generates news for various reasons. For decades, the creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker have aimed to satirize political and societal issues through this show. However, recent episodes have attracted criticism from the White House and others. This controversy has led some people to question whether executives at Paramount have any issues with the series. Now, the CEO of the mentioned conglomerate is expressing his personal views on the show.

What Did Paramount’s Head Honcho Say About The Long-Running Animated Series?

Following the union of Paramount Global and Skydance Media, David Ellison now leads the newly established Paramount Skydance Enterprise. There’s buzz that Ellison, a wealthy businessman, plans to instigate changes within the company, particularly in the content it creates. Nevertheless, Ellison expressed his satisfaction with the popular show South Park, going as far as to confess his long-standing admiration for the series and its creators during an interview with CNN.

Matt and Trey are incredibly talented. They are equal opportunity offenders and always have been.

The CEO’s remark suggesting that the co-creators are “equal opportunity offenders” implies that they make fun of a diverse group of people regardless of their personal or political beliefs. Notably, David Ellison made these comments following Paramount’s $16 million settlement with U.S. President Donald Trump, which was related to the show 60 Minutes. This lawsuit, according to financial analysts, was the last hurdle that needed to be overcome before the merger could proceed.

Some people believe the lawsuit may be linked to the termination of The Late Show, given that host Stephen Colbert publicly criticized his superiors for settling. The Writers Guild has since urged an inquiry into this potential connection. Moreover, when CNN questioned the CEO of Paramount Skydance about whether he endorsed the network’s airing of ads advocating for President Trump’s causes, he replied:

I do not want to politicize our company in any way, shape or form.

With David Ellison maintaining his viewpoint firmly, the latest season of South Park is unfolding before us. To date, just two episodes have aired, but they’ve certainly sparked plenty of conversation.

What’s Been Done On South Park Season 27 So Far, And What Have The Responses Been Like?

In the debut of Season 27, an episode of South Park satirically portrayed President Trump in various manners. This segment features a character bearing the president’s actual face on a cartoon figure. At one juncture, this caricature shares a bed with a long-standing show character known as the Devil. Furthermore, there is a real-life scene where Trump, represented as being naked, sprints across a beach. The White House issued a statement criticizing these depictions in response.

In my humble opinion as a movie critic, the show didn’t shy away from poking fun at public figures. Notably, it portrayed Vice President JD Vance as Trump’s diminutive aide in the second episode, a role that Vance himself humorously acknowledged with his five-word response, ‘Well, I’ve finally made it.’ Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was also targeted in the latest episode, where she was caricatured as an ICE agent, engaging in questionable actions such as arresting people, shooting dogs, and using excessive botox. Despite not having watched the episode herself, Noem voiced her disapproval of the parody.

It’s uncertain whether David Ellison will continue to have a favorable opinion of South Park, given the mixed reception towards some of its recent episodes. However, as reported by CNN, the show continues to be a financially successful venture for Paramount. The upcoming episode is scheduled to air on Comedy Central on Wednesday, August 13 at 10 p.m. ET, within the 2025 TV lineup.

Read More

2025-08-10 20:38