Patton Oswalt Reveals Why Trump Ignores South Park’s Jokes

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Patton Oswalt has a theory about why Donald Trump hasn’t criticized South Park despite the show making fun of him. Trump frequently attacks late-night hosts like Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers, who regularly joke about him – something that’s common for presidents to experience.

Donald Trump often criticizes people who say negative things about him, but surprisingly, he doesn’t seem to target the popular animated show South Park.

During an appearance on The Daily Beast‘s Last Laugh podcast, comedian Patton Oswalt suggested that Donald Trump’s silence regarding South Park is likely due to financial considerations, stating plainly, “Nothing silences Trump like money.”

Even though Stephen Colbert’s Late Show currently has the most viewers in late night, he admits that the entire format is becoming less popular. Because of this decline, Donald Trump feels comfortable criticizing the show and its hosts.

Donald Trump seems particularly sensitive when it comes to financial success. He’ll often criticize someone like Stephen Colbert, claiming his show isn’t as profitable or popular as it should be, even while acknowledging its quality. However, the real issue isn’t Colbert’s performance, but a broader decline in viewership for late-night television as a whole.

Unlike some shows, South Park doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, even though it’s been on television since 1997. As comedian Patton Oswalt pointed out, the show is incredibly profitable and continues to get very high ratings—both things Donald Trump would likely appreciate.

Trump doesn’t seem bothered by jokes from shows like South Park, Colbert, Kimmel, and Meyers because he focuses on financial success, which he believes is the ultimate measure of worth. As comedian Patton Oswalt put it, Trump views the world solely through a financial lens. If those late-night shows were as profitable as South Park, Oswalt joked, Trump would be completely stumped.

South Park is incredibly successful, both financially and in terms of viewership, and Donald Trump, despite any personal feelings, would likely acknowledge that. Ultimately, Trump values high numbers and large profits above all else. He might not appreciate the artistry of shows like South Park or John Oliver, but he’d certainly recognize their popularity and financial success, and that’s how he primarily measures value.

Let me tell you, South Park isn’t just funny, it’s a cultural and financial powerhouse. It’s one of those things where, as a viewer, you instantly recognize the quality. But beyond that, the sheer numbers – the ratings, the revenue – are staggering. And it’s fascinating to me that someone like Trump, who usually has something to say about everything, seems completely speechless when South Park‘s success is brought up. If Stephen Colbert were pulling in *South Parklevel money and attention, I honestly think it would completely throw him for a loop.

Two major stories unfolded this year that made South Park even more lucrative for the company.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone recently signed a new deal with Paramount and immediately began using South Park to satirize Donald Trump and his team – targeting figures like J.D. Vance, Brendan Carr, and Kristi Noem with bold jokes and storylines that were even more daring than those on late-night television.

South Park frequently tackles sensitive topics, so the episodes featuring Donald Trump fit right in with the show’s usual style.

Although Donald Trump hasn’t commented on the show, the White House previously dismissed South Park as unimportant. They accused the show of trying to get attention with jokes about Trump and incorrectly stated that its viewership is down, despite the fact that ratings are actually higher than usual.

Since Trump began his second term as president in 2025, late-night talk shows hosted by figures like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel have received a lot of attention.

Stephen Colbert’s show is ending in 2026 following a decision by CBS and Paramount. The cancellation happened as the companies planned to merge with Skydance, a deal that required government approval. While Paramount stated the decision was about money, some believe CEO David Ellison disagreed with Colbert’s political views.

As a longtime fan of late-night TV, I was pretty shocked when Jimmy Kimmel Live suddenly went off the air. Apparently, Jimmy made some remarks about the person who attacked Charlie Kirk, and it caused a real uproar. The government, including the head of the FCC, really pressured Disney to pull Kimmel from the show, and that’s why we weren’t able to watch for a while. It felt like a big overreaction to me, honestly.

Nexstar and Sinclair, two major television companies, initially wouldn’t broadcast Jimmy Kimmel Live. However, they changed their minds after Disney brought the show back, prompting Kimmel to give a powerful speech about the importance of free expression.

Recently, Donald Trump has been publicly criticizing comedian Seth Meyers for making jokes at his expense, even calling for Meyers to be fired. NBC, where Meyers works, hasn’t responded to these demands yet.

The reality TV star has frequently bragged about his show’s ratings and personal fortune, which lends some credibility to Oswalt’s idea that South Park might be satirizing him.

Late-night talk shows as we know them may not be around for much longer. While shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show, The Late Show, and Late Night could eventually end, animated series like South Park, which has been on for 28 years and remains popular, might continue to air for many years to come.

South Park airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on Comedy Central.

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2025-11-21 02:03