Issac Hayes is quitting South Park

[chemenger]

Associated Press

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.

South Park" co-creator Matt Stone responded sharply in an interview with The Associated Press 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, including actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, in a top-rated episode called "Trapped in the Closet." In the episode, Stan, one of the show's four mischievous fourth graders, is hailed as a reluctant savior by Scientology leaders, while a cartoon Cruise locks himself in a closet and won't come out."

No more "Chocolate Sweatie Balls"; "Hello children"; "you little crackers".

Damn!!!!

http://entertainment.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=218421>1=7703

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. I have never watched an entire episode of that show from beginning

to end. I don't know who he is...so I guess he won't be missed much by me. ;)

[Starbucks Anarchist]

2. He did the soundtrack for "Shaft."

"That Shaft's one bad mother--"

"Shut your mouth!"

"But I'm talking 'bout Shaft." ;)

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. Oh...Cool! Now that I've seen!

:hi: MrG and I sing that song in the car a lot.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

4. You daaaaaaaaamn right.

;)

[Radical Activist]

5. Matt Stone is correct

They have made insulting and bigoted shows that reveal their prejudice and intolerance toward the religious beliefs of numerous religions. Its too bad Issac Hayes didn't stand up for tolerance back then, but he's correct about the writers of South Park having religiously bigoted shows.

[Radio_Guy]

6. Oh come on

It is just a TV show. They poke fun at everything, not just religion.

[Radical Activist]

7. Just because they poke fun at everything

doesn't mean some of the shows aren't bigoted. I watch South Park sometimes and usually like it, but I have to admit that some of their shows about religions are completely unfair, distorted and are full of ignorant stereotypes.

[Ravenseye]

8. Like Jewbilee?

You know...the one where the Jewish kids make macaroni pictures for Moses who looks like the Master Control Proram from Tron?

They make fun of everything from stereotypes, to not having stereotypes. From bigotry to not having bigotry. Anything that has an ounce of hypocracy they'll attack, and they'll push stereotypes in your face just to show you how stupid they are. When they show a chinese restaurant owner with big buck teeth speaking in a horribly cliche accent, they're not being racist. They're purposely showing you how ridiculous that stereotype is. On occasion they've taken that next step or even broken the fourth wall to point it out.

[Radical Activist]

10. Like their continued obsession with Mormons.

Their episodes on Mormons are full of false statements. There's no satire in lying about the beliefs of an entire religion in order to poke fun at them. They even made a movie to mock Mormonism. Even if it is funny, even if SOME of the points they make are valid, its an obsessive bigotry. They're promoting and encouraging stereotypes in this case, not challenging them.

[Ravenseye]

11. I guess I don't see it that way

A number of times they've made reference to Mormons in non-mormon specific episodes, particularly saying things like Mormonism is the true religion (and having Heaven filled with Mormons). The continually show Mormons to be happy, caring individuals.

Yes they had an episode showing how ridiculous some of their belief's are, and those were VERY accurate. They also gave the last word to the Mormon kid when he told them that the important thing wasn't about whether Joseph Smith really saw an Angel or any of that, but that they are happy and leading good lives...and then telling the other kids who made fun of him to grow up.

If anything their stereotypes of Mormon's are that, while they follow a religion that has some wacky highly unfounded premises, they're still nice people and have great attitudes.

How's that bad?

[Radical Activist]

12. Maybe it seemed accurate to those

who aren't more familiar with the religion. However, their main episode on Mormonism had a number of inaccuracies that made it look more bizarre. The fact that they had the claim or appearance of accuracy makes it that much more misleading.
Even if it is true that Mormons believe they are the one true religion (And no, they don't believe only Mormons will be in heaven) does it really make it OK to have such an obsessive habit of poking fun at a religion? How does that not meet the definition of prejudice?

[Ravenseye]

13. They poke fun at EVERYTHING

That's sort of the point. Sure sometimes they get on particular kicks.

As far as their Mormon episode, they didn't say the Mormons claimed they were the one true religion. That was in a separate episode and just as an aside.

Look I don't want to make this about the specific belief's of Mormonism or how bizarre it looks, because that's not what this is about. If you want my opinion on how bizarre it is, I thought that that episode went lightly to be honest.

The fact is that they poke fun at everything, including religion. Everything. Prejudice would be making fun of Mormons but not other religions. They make fun of everyone, because we all deserve it.

[Radical Activist]

14. This reminded me of something

I've heard people say the same thing about Mormons before. "Nice people, but weird beliefs." Its a common stereotype that South Park further advanced. It reminds of comments like, "Alan Keyes and Barack Obama are very articulate." "At least those Mexicans sure do work hard." Stereotypes are based on broad assumptions and prejudices, even if they are positive in a patronizing way. And the fact that they do it to many religions doesn't make it any better.

[Ravenseye]

18. Let the Stereotype set you free

Maybe it is a stereotype, but it's one that jives with nearly all the Mormons I've met, and everything I know about their religion. They are, in my experience, nice people. They have, from my research and opinion, weird beliefs.

So what though? They also stereotype everything else. They do it to make fun of stereotypes, to make fun of people, to make fun of beliefs. To make people think. Everyone, every group, every person is a target because we're all guilty of something.

Displaying stereotypes is just one way of pointing it out.

The thing I think you're missing about the SP mormon episode was the actual message. That making fun of the Mormon beliefs, and of Mormons, while it might be funny, is immature and dickish. That was the message of the episode...

[Baclava]

9. Bummer...Chef was cool.

"You've got to hold the football like you would hold your lover. Gently, yet firmly. You wanna be both nurturing and clinging at the same time. Oh, yes. Just like making sweet love to the football. Be naughty with the football. Mmmm, spank it. Ever so gently. Spank it. Oh, uh, sorry, children."

But obviously his Scientology Overlords flipped out and put the pressure on him over this.
Hayes didn't have any problem with them blasting Jews, Christians, Catholics and a million other religions.

New episodes start next week & I have no doubt they'll rip him a new in the 1st one back.

"G'bye dere, chil'ren!"
"BYE CHEF!"

[pokerfan]

16. Only this time it was his ox being gored

The funny thing is that he was on Opie & Anthony not long after that episode aired and his comment was, "Matt and Trey lampoon everybody, and if you take that shit seriously, I'll sell you the Brooklyn Bridge for $2."

Maybe you're onto something about the Scientologist Overlords.

[Montauk6]

15. CORRECTION: it's take on HIS religion.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

17. Boo hoo, Isaac Hayes

If your religion can't stand up to some crticism, then maybe it's time to re-evaluate it, no?