Paramount CEO defends South Park season 27 controversial episodes, details explored

Paramount’s incoming CEO David Ellison has publicly defended South Park’s blistering season 27, praising creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone as “incredibly talented” and “equal opportunity offenders” amid a wave of backlash. The 27th season skewered Donald Trump and even aimed barbs at Paramount itself, including a near-nude parody that the creators modified with googly eyes to avoid censorship, a choice that intensified the controversy.

The CEO told CNN that he is a huge fan of the show and stated,

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

Ellison framed his comments as a defense of editorial independence and the show’s cultural and commercial value while the company weathers merger scrutiny and political pressure, making South Park a high-stakes flashpoint for both creative freedom and corporate strategy.

More details about South Park's controversial episodes

The newest South Park installment, “Got a Nut,” sparked fresh waves of controversy by lampooning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, JD Vance, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. Vance reacted with humor, sharing an image of his animated self standing beside cartoon Trump on X with the caption, “Well, I’ve finally made it.”

Noem’s on-screen depiction was far more biting. The episode presented her as obsessed with plastic surgery and bizarrely intent on shooting any dog in sight. Speaking later on Glenn Beck’s podcast, she revealed she hadn’t actually seen the episode, explaining she’d been busy reviewing budget numbers. She dismissed the portrayal as “lazy,” accusing “liberals and extremists” of resorting to mocking her looks instead of critiquing her work.

“If they want to criticize my job, go ahead and do that, but clearly they can’t. They just picked something petty like that.”

Season 27 has been courting backlash since its premiere, which depicted Trump sharing a bed with Satan and featured a deepfake AI image of a near-nude Trump. In another scene of the season 27 premiere of South Park, the town finds itself in an agreement to create “pro-Trump” style commercials as part of a fictional settlement. The episode ends with one such over-the-top ad, swapping the show’s usual animation style for a more realistic look.

In the spoof, a man wanders across a hot desert, showing determination and perseverance. The ad humorously claims he “fights for America,” but takes a comical twist when a tiny cartoon character pops up to “endorse” the message, reminding viewers it’s all a parody. The scene even links to a pretend website, making it clear it uses special effects and digital trickery.

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The episode also jumps between multiple goofy storylines. Cartman is devastated when his favorite radio station is canceled, Randy has his hands full trying to stop a surprise takeover of the school, and international leaders exchange over-the-top banter. Meanwhile, there’s a playful fantasy scene where Trump and a cartoon version of the Devil argue about wasting time on silly activities instead of working. As always, the humor is exaggerated and cartoonish, with outlandish scenarios that make the episode feel more like a surreal comedy sketch than anything rooted in reality.

South Park is available to watch on Paramount Network and to stream on Prime Video.

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