South Park Chef Calls It Quits

[Nukegrrrl]

Isaac Hayes quits "South Park"

NEW YORK — Isaac Hayes has quit "South Park," where he voices Chef, saying he can no longer stomach its take on religion.

Hayes, who has played the ladies' man/school cook in the animated Comedy Central satire since 1997, said in a statement Monday that he feels a line has been crossed.

"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins," the 63-year-old soul singer and outspoken Scientologist said.

"As a civil-rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices," he said.

"South Park" co-creator Matt Stone responded in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, saying, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology. ... He has no problem — and he's cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians."

Last November, "South Park" targeted the Church of Scientology and its celebrity followers in a top-rated episode called "Trapped in the Closet."

From The Associated Press 3/14/2006

[B_tech]

Originally posted by Nukegrrrl

"South Park" co-creator Matt Stone responded in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, saying, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology. ... He has no problem — and he's cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians."

Saw this on another board... I think it's funny that he waited several years after those episodes to quit on these grounds. Maybe Matt should quit, because he's a Jew and makes fun of Jews... err... ummm himself?

[Roddimus]

Watta pussy. Hope he has fun playing spaceman with the rest of his alien brothers.

[Cethe]

wha? just out of the blue, all the sudden? huh...oh well

[Gucci Smoochies]

I wonder if they're going to air an episode where Chef dies or something to smooth the transition over or get someone else to voice him?

[AliciaisAlwaysPimpin]

too bad barry white is dead.

[Roddimus]

I'm crossing my fingers that Lionel Richie will replace him.

[***DRUKORE***]

that's rad that he could make fun of all those other religons but when it came to Cruiseology, he couldn't cope. Whatever. I'm with Rod. Get Lionel Richie to replace him.

Watch out. Im sure they'll have an episode about this. lol

[Nukegrrrl]

It's pretty damn wack that in 10 seasons of satirizing religious beliefs from Pseudo Native American Paganism to The Church of Latter Day Saints Isaac Hayes never once raised a fuss until now, half a year after "Trapped In the Closet" aired.

What really gets me is that Parker's treatment of Scientology in "Trapped In the Closet" can hardly be considered satire. It is a fairly factual account of Scientology, practically verbatim from L. Ron Hubbard's novel Battlefield Earth and other Scientology materials.

I doubt that Trey and Matt will subtley replace Hayes or let this situation gloss over. I hope that they will make a very special South Park episode featuring Hayes' gross hypocrisy.

[DjBear_PDX]

Chef will probably join Saddam in hell as Satans bitch.

[tr0llaccount]

Originally posted by Roddimus
I'm crossing my fingers that Lionel Richie will replace him.

nah, they need a black man to play chef.

[DjBear_PDX]

Zing

[James Capricorn]

I heard this on Howard Stern this morning. What I don't get is this: S.P makes fun of every religion there is. It's not until they rip apart Scientology (which Hayes is a member), that he flips out and calls it quits.

There goes a cash cow for that mo fo!

[James Capricorn]

Originally posted by Nukegrrrl
I hope that they will make a very special South Park episode featuring Hayes' gross hypocrisy.

WORD!

[texas chainsaw mascara]

Originally posted by Roddimus
Watta pussy. Hope he has fun playing spaceman with the rest of his alien brothers.

My thoughts exactly.

[FUCKINMETAL]

I saw this and went strait to nwtekno to post this.


FUCK!

[Nukegrrrl]

From today's Page Six:

March 14, 2006 -- SOUL man-turned-Scientologist Isaac Hayes, the voice of Chef on Comedy Central hit "South Park" since 1997, has quit the show because of an episode that poked fun at his controversial faith.

The "Shaft" singer is apparently still steamed about an episode titled "Trapped in the Closet" that premiered last November. The show skewered Scientology and its most famous convert, Tom Cruise, who somehow ends up getting stuck in a closet and is urged to "just come out."

In a statement yesterday, Hayes said: "There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins. Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored. As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

"South Park" co-creator Matt Stone fired back: "This has nothing to do with intolerance and bigotry and everything to do with the fact that Isaac Hayes is a Scientologist and that we recently featured Scientology in an episode of 'South Park.'

"In ten years and over 150 episodes of 'South Park,' Isaac never had a problem making fun of Christians, Muslims, Mormons and Jews. He got a sudden case of religious sensitivity when it was his religion featured on the show. To bring the civil rights struggle into this is just a non sequiter. Of course we will release Isaac from his contract and we wish him well."

Stone and his partner, Trey Parker, have said they avoided mocking Scientology for years because they didn't want to upset Hayes, whose rumbling baritone provides the voice for horny cook Chef on Comedy Central's highest-rated show.

Parker explained last year: "To be honest, what kept us from doing it before was Isaac Hayes. We knew he was a Scientologist and he's an awesome guy. We're like, 'Let's just avoid that for now.' "

But Stone and Parker apparently changed their minds when they learned their illusionist pal Penn Jillette had been banned from making fun of Scientology on his Showtime series, "Bulls - - t."

"Finally, we just had to tell Isaac, 'Dude, we totally love working with you, and this is nothing personal, it's just we're 'South Park,' and if we don't do this, we're belitting everything else we've ripped on,' " Parker said.

[b18c5]

No more Chef :eek: NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO

[Cethe]

man how lame...i hope they rip chef to bits in his "last episode"

and i don't think being in hell with sadam is enough...but what to do...hmmm

[Gucci Smoochies]

I think they should air an episode where Chef isn't really a "ladies" man and is a devout Scientologist. He ends up running away with Tom Cruise leaving preggy Katie Holmes at the alter.

Or you could show an episode where Katie's baby turn's out to be Chef's and Tom Cruise kills him.

That would be a nice twist for the Scientology nuts :D

[pimpcrusher]

Originally posted by Vinyl Diva
I think they should air an episode where Chef isn't really a "ladies" man and is a devout Scientologist. He ends up running away with Tom Cruise leaving preggy Katie Holmes at the alter.

Or you could show an episode where Katie's baby turn's out to be Chef's and Tom Cruise kills him.

That would be a nice twist for the Scientology nuts :D

im sure the south park boys are on it already.

[Gucci Smoochies]

Oh I would assume so. :) I was just thinking aloud some of my ideas for their retalliation :D

[hurlesk]

Originally posted by Roddimus
I'm crossing my fingers that Lionel Richie will replace him.

Don’t need another singer. I think they should take Chef in a new direction. Some of my choices would be –

OJ Simpson
Al Sharpton
Don King
Jesse Jackson

hurlesk

[KatSauce]

Mr Hayes should be proud of s.p. I pretty much had no idea what scientology was about until I saw that episode.

[electrokid]

this expose on scientology is great:
http://www.rotten.com/library/religion/scientology/

the article is work safe. the site most certainly is not.

[~MiSs ViXeN~]

pfftt... thast gay

[electrokid]

more ridiculous scientology fodder:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu

straight up science fiction. like most other religions.

[PDX101]

This episode would not have any dialoge from Chef, as Isacc Hayes has left the building.

Chef leaves SP to go Protest for Civil rights in Washington D.C.
Chef meets a man named, Hamed. Hamed tells Chef of his interactions with
the President. And how he learned that the President really has no cares
for the peoples beliefs or Rights.
After Chef is arrested and detained by NSA for 2 months for trying to say "hi"
to the President. CheF buys a cheap Capri Classic and shoots people
through a hole he cut in the trunk lidd. Chef is found weeks latter in his
broke-down apartment and is shot by the BATF for his crimes.
The news of the incident reaches SP,
but know-one can remember who this "Chef" character is.

[Nukegrrrl]

Inside Move: 'South Park' feeling some celeb heat?
By MICHAEL FLEMING

A repeat of the Scientology episode of 'South Park' was pulled by Comedy Central.

The battle between "South Park""South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Scientology is escalating.

The dust-up gained steam last week when Isaac Hayes, a practicing Scientologist who has long been the voice of the character Chef, quit after objecting to a "South Park" episode called "Trapped in the Closet," which lampooned both the religion and Tom CruiseTom Cruise.

The skirmish continued this week, when Comedy Central abruptly pulled a repeat of that episode that was scheduled to air Wednesday evening. Showing instead was another memorable episode which featured Hayes's character, called "Chef's Chocolate Salty Balls."

Blog reports pegged the mysterious episode switch to objections raised by Cruise, who, the reports stated, threatened to not promote "Mission: Impossible 3," the summer tentpole for ViacomViacom-owned Paramount.

A spokesman for Cruise denied that Cruise had ever made such a threat. "He never said any such thing about 'Mission: Impossible 3," the spokesman said.

While the "South Park" creators didn't directly comment on Comedy Central's decision to pull the episode, they issued an unusual statement to Daily Variety indicating the battle is not over.

"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun! Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies. Curses and drat! You have obstructed us for now, but your feeble bid to save humanity will fail! Hail Xenu!!!"

The duo signed the statement "Trey Parker and Matt Stone, servants of the dark lord Xenu."

Date in print: Fri., Mar. 17, 2006, Los Angeles

[Cethe]

Originally posted by Nukegrrrl
"Trey Parker and Matt Stone, servants of the dark lord Xenu."

LMAO!!!

gawd i love those guys!!

[Ishkur]

Originally posted by hurlesk
Don’t need another singer. I think they should take Chef in a new direction. Some of my choices would be –

OJ Simpson
Al Sharpton
Don King
Jesse Jackson

hurlesk

two words:

George Clinton.

[hurlesk]

Originally posted by Ishkur
two words:

George Clinton.

Excellent choice if they decided to stay with a musician. They could also have Parliament as other cafeteria staff, ready to back him up with the funk when it was time for a song.
Though George might not click with younger viewers. What about Flavor Flav? He is already working in TV and he could continue on in the love machine mythos that was Chef, as he searches on for the woman of his dreams.

hurlesk

[Nukegrrrl]

Fox's 411 (for the record I don't read Fox gossip columns, I just found it through Salon.com) (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,188463,00.html)is stating that friends of Isaac Hayes say he suffered a stroke in January, from which he has been recovering since, and he never had any ill-will toward the "Trapped in the Closet" episode or South Park, Comedy Central,Trey Parker, or Matt Stone.

It's looking an awful lot like the Church of Scientology is taking advantage of Isaac Hayes in his fragile condition, and the Church made Comedy Central yank the episode.

[Cethe]

**strokes beard** HMMMMMmmmMMMMm Me thinks cruise is up to some unsavory activities!!

[Effendi]

'South Park' to Fire Back in Season Premiere (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,188615,00.html)

The creators of "South Park" appear ready to fire back at Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology following a dust up earlier this month that included soul singer Isaac Hayes quitting the series.

On Wednesday's ninth-season debut, Hayes' character, Chef, pops up in an episode which creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are devoting to his mysterious return to "South Park." They are expected to poke fun at his religion, Scientology.

While details are scarce, Comedy Central officials say the duo are putting the finishing touches on the episode (Wednesday, 10 p.m.) -- which, like many others, is being written and animated in less than a week.

Last fall, the show -- which, in nearly a decade on the air, has managed to poke fun at almost every religion -- ripped Scientology. In the episode, one of the space-based faith's biggest proponents -- Tom Cruise -- was skewered.

Hayes was allegedly insulted by the show and quit, according to reports.

Last week, the network had planned on re-airing the episode, but it was pulled at the last minute, after Cruise allegedly threatened not to promote his new movie, "Mission: Impossible 3," which is produced by Paramount, a division of Viacom, which owns Comedy Central.

[Nukegrrrl]

This is a press release from Comedy Central about the South Park season 10 premiere on Wednesday nite:

"The launch of South Park’s tenth season is marked by the triumphant homecoming of school chef, Jerome McElroy. “The Return of Chef!” premieres Wednesday, March 22, at 10 p.m., only on Comedy Central.The town is jolted out of a case of the doldrums when Chef suddenly reappears. While Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Cartman are thrilled to have their old friend back, they notice that something about Chef seems different. When Chef’s strange behavior starts getting him in trouble, the boys pull out all the stops to save him."

[Effendi]

3:14...lol

[Nukegrrrl]

Originally posted by Effendi
3:14...lol Is it like that old "jinx" game?

Do you owe me a Yoo-hoo?

[Mayo Finch]

Chef gets true South Park send-off

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March 23, 2006 - 4:25PM
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Isaac Hayes' Chef character got a true South Park send-off - seemingly killed off but mourned as a jolly old guy whose brains were scrambled by the "Super Adventure Club".

The thinly disguised satire continued the show's feud with Scientologists in its 10th season premiere on US pay TV channel Comedy Central.

The soul singer has voiced the Chef character in South Park since 1997, but left recently because of what he called the animated show's religious "intolerance and bigotry".

Founders Matt Stone and Trey Parker said Hayes, a Scientologist, was mad that South Park mocked the religion in an episode last year.

A rerun of that Scientology episode was mysteriously pulled off the air in the US last week amid published reports that actor Tom Cruise, another Scientologist, had used his clout to bury it. A Cruise spokesman denied that.

Hayes did not participate in making the new episode; the character's lines appeared to be patched together through tapes of past dialogue.

Chef repeatedly said he wanted to "make sweet love" to the South Park primary school kids - it seems the "Super Adventure Club" turns its members into child molesters.

The children try to rescue Chef, but in the end he turns to head back to the "Super Adventure Club" - until he falls off a bridge onto rocks, is burned, stabbed and mauled by a mountain lion and bear.

Then he apparently dies.

"A lot of us don't agree with the choices the Chef has made in the last few days," one of the children eulogises him at a funeral. "Some of us feel hurt and confused that he seemed to turn his back on us. But we can't let the events of the past few weeks take away the memories of how Chef made us smile.

"We shouldn't be mad at Chef for leaving us," the eulogy concludes. "We should be mad at that fruity little club for scrambling his brains."

The door for Hayes's return was not completely closed. In the show's final scene, members of the "Super Adventure Club" try to revive Chef, and it is not clear he is really dead.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/chef-gets-true-south-park-sendoff/2006/03/23/1143083887172.html
AP

[Roddimus]

That episode wasn't all that great.

[B_tech]

Originally posted by Nukegrrrl

"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun! Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies. Curses and drat! You have obstructed us for now, but your feeble bid to save humanity will fail! Hail Xenu!!!"

The duo signed the statement "Trey Parker and Matt Stone, servants of the dark lord Xenu."


And THAT is why I love those guys so much.

But I have to admit, the Darth Vader ending of this episode was AWESOME... I missed the first 45 minutes tho.

[Nukegrrrl]

Originally posted by Roddimus
That episode wasn't all that great. I would have to agree, even though I was deeply touched by the eulogy and Terrance and Phillip's mourning.

[.-=PSYLON=-.]

Originally posted by Nukegrrrl
I would have to agree, even though I was deeply touched by the eulogy and Terrance and Phillip's mourning.


hehe. I thought that part was cute too. but yeah, that episode did seem a tad hastily constructed.

hey guys...what do you call a jewish girls boobs ?

hehe....."jewbs"

/end_cartman.exe

[Kosmicdog]

Originally posted by B_tech
And THAT is why I love those guys so much.

But I have to admit, the Darth Vader ending of this episode was AWESOME... I missed the first 45 minutes tho.

how did you miss the first 45 minutes of a 30 minute show?