It’s being called the most important TV show of the second Trump presidency. Currently at its peak, it’s breaking ratings records. Not bad for a cartoon about four foul-mouthed schoolboys from Colorado.
The NSFW sitcom South Park has been on the air since 1997, but it’s never felt more relevant. At a time when satirical talk shows are being canceled, Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s creation plays a crucial role by mercilessly mocking both sides of the political spectrum. Written and produced the same week it airs, the show can incorporate current events and hold those in power accountable. It’s no surprise that parent company Paramount recently won a $1.5 billion bidding war for a five-year, 50-episode deal.
South Park’s unfiltered take on sensitive topics has made it the most controversial American comedy of all time, animated or not. Here’s a brief history of its biggest scandals, ranked by impact.
15. Meghan and Harry’s Privacy Pleas (2023)
In “The Worldwide Privacy Tour,” the show poked fun at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The “Prince of Canada” and his wife arrive in South Park on a private jet, waving signs that say “Stop looking at us!” The prince promotes his tell-all memoir, Waaagh, with interviews bashing the monarchy. Meghan Markle is described as a “sorority girl, actress, influencer, victim,” and reports claimed she was “upset and overwhelmed.” Rumors circulated that the couple considered legal action, though a spokesperson dismissed this as “baseless, boring nonsense.” A bit harsh.
14. Steve Irwin’s Fishy Fate (2006)
In an episode where Satan throws a Halloween party in Hollywood, Australian naturalist Steve Irwin appears as a guest—depicted with a stingray barb through his chest, just two months after his real-life death in the same manner. Fans called the timing “grossly insensitive.” Irwin’s widow, Terri, said she was “devastated by Steve being mocked in such a cruel way” and worried about their children eventually seeing it.
13. The ‘Kick a Ginger’ Craze (2005)
In “Ginger Kids,” Cartman declares war on redheads after being tricked into thinking he has “gingervitis.” He then rallies them as a master race. The episode inspired a real-life “National Kick a Ginger Day” meme, leading to violent attacks treated as hate crimes in Canada and bullying at a school in Rotherham. Redheaded singer Ed Sheeran joked that the episode “ruined my life.”
12. Isaac Hayes’s Resurrection (2006)
Soul singer Isaac Hayes voiced Chef for nearly a decade before resigning in protest after the “Trapped in the Closet” episode (more on that later). In retaliation, the show brought Chef back as a member of the “Super Adventure Club,” a cult that brainwashes members into child abuse. Chef’s dialogue was pieced together from old recordings, resulting in the uncomfortable sight of Hayes singing about “making love” to children before soiling himself. Hayes’s son later claimed that the decision to quit was made by Hayes’s team on his behalf, as he was unable to speak after a stroke.
11. Holy Inappropriate (2005)
Religion is a frequent target for the show, and the “Bloody Mary” episode was especially provocative. When a statue of the Virgin Mary starts “bleeding out its ass,” the pope sends a cardinal to determine if it’s a miracle.Miracle. Catholic advocacy groups in the US, New Zealand, and Australia called it “disgusting,” demanded apologies, and unsuccessfully pushed for the episode to never be aired again.
10. King of Pop Dethroned (2004)
Five years before his death, Michael Jackson received the South Park treatment. When an eccentric millionaire named Mr. Jefferson moves into a local mansion with a funfair in the garden, the kids investigate whether he is a child abuser or a victim of society’s prejudice against wealthy Black men. After being caught sleeping in Stan’s bed, Jefferson pays off his parents to stay quiet. He dresses as Peter Pan, dangles his son over a balcony, and at one point his surgically altered face falls off. Subtle.
9. Great Brawl of China (2019)
Having already provoked China with its portrayal of the Dalai Lama and deliberate use of Asian stereotypes, the episode “Band in China” proved to be the final straw. It targeted Hollywood’s expansion into the lucrative Chinese market, despite the country’s strict censorship and repressive political system. Mickey Mouse’s appearance made it clear Disney was one of the targets. In response, the Chinese government banned the show entirely—removing it from streaming and social media platforms—which only reinforced Parker and Stone’s point. The unapologetic duo issued a sarcastic apology, comparing President Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh and saying, “We too love money more than freedom and democracy… Are we good now, China?”
8. Green Around the Gills (2006)
South Park has repeatedly mocked climate change. Its denial reached a peak with “ManBearPig,” in which Al Gore lectures children about a mysterious environmental threat: a cryptid described as “half man, half bear, half pig.” The show was criticized as “irresponsible” for equating environmental warnings with fears about mythical monsters. Twelve years later, it reversed course by having the boys realize ManBearPig actually existed and grudgingly apologize to Gore. “Time to get cereal,” indeed.
7. Toilet Humor (2001)
The fifth season opened with the profanity-filled “It Hits the Fan.” When a character says “shit” on a TV cop drama called Cop Drama, it normalizes the swear word. This triggers a plague that makes citizens vomit up their intestines and awakens the ancient Knights of Standards and Practices. The episode parodied the CBS medical soap Chicago Hope, which broke ground two years earlier by having actor Mark Harmon say “shit” for the first time on network TV. South Park went much further, using the s-word 162 times—averaging once every eight seconds—with an on-screen counter keeping track. Comedy Central received 5,000 complaints.
6. If You Tolerate This… (2002)
Many consider “The Death Camp of Tolerance” one of the show’s greatest episodes. In a typically outrageous storyline, teacher Mr. Garrison tries to get himself fired for being gay so he can file a $25 million anti-discrimination lawsuit. When he inserts Lemmiwinks the class gerbil into an intimate place, students protest. Paranoid that their children are homophobic, parents send them to Tolerance Camp, where Nazi-like guards force them to draw pictures of “people of all colors and creeds holding hands beneath a rainbow.” Lemmiwinks’ journey through Mr. Slave’s rectum became a parody of The Hobbit. You shall not pass.
5. Slur Causes a Stir (2007)
Inspired by Seinfeld star Michael “Kramer” Richards’ offensive outburst the previous year, “With Apologies to Jesse Jackson” satirizes both racism and empty apologies that fail to address underlying issues. When Stan’s father Randy uses the N-word on Wheel of Fortune, a national scandal erupts. Seeking forgiveness, Randy…4. Too Cruel for School (2018)
Season 22 opens with gunshots at South Park Elementary, yet students and staff carry on as if school shootings are routine—because in the U.S., they are. As metal detectors go up and hall monitors carry rifles, authorities still ignore the root causes. The episode aired shortly after the Parkland and Santa Fe shootings, which claimed 27 lives. With its bold, dark take on desensitization to gun violence, “Dead Kids” was explosive.
3. In Bed with Satan (2025)
This summer’s season premiere, “Sermon on the Mount,” took sharp aim at Trump’s attacks on free speech by having the president sue the entire town of South Park. It also mocked Paramount for caving to his demands. Trump is portrayed as a predatory tyrant overcompensating for his small penis, even sharing a bed with Satan, who berates him over the Epstein files. The episode sparked backlash from MAGA supporters, and the White House angrily dismissed the show as “irrelevant for 20 years.” A week later, South Park doubled down with “Got a Nut,” a savage anti-deportation episode that told conservative critics to “#eatabagofdicks.”
2. Hubbard in the Cupboard (2005)
“Trapped in the Closet,” South Park’s most notorious episode, uses R. Kelly’s absurd musical to target high-profile Scientologists Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Scientology is called “a big fat global scam,” and the show lays out the alien mythology at the heart of L. Ron Hubbard’s religion in unsparing detail, with an onscreen caption reading, “THIS IS WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS ACTUALLY BELIEVE.” Fearing lawsuits, everyone who worked on the episode was credited as John or Jane Smith. Rumors swirled that the episode’s airing was delayed to avoid overshadowing Mission: Impossible III (also produced by Paramount, South Park’s parent company). What’s certain is that creators Parker and Stone threatened to quit if it wasn’t aired. Hail Xenu!
1. Prophet and Loss (2006)
While earlier episodes poked fun at Mormonism and Catholicism, “Cartoon Wars” caused a much bigger uproar. As Islamist extremists grew angry over satirical depictions of the prophet Muhammad, South Park joined the conversation. When townspeople hear that Family Guy plans to break the taboo, they literally bury their heads in the sand. The boys try to get the episode pulled—Kyle out of fear of terrorist retaliation, Cartman just because he hates Family Guy. Paramount censored the scenes anyway, covering them with a black screen and citing public safety concerns. Parker and Stone called this hypocritical. When they revisited the topic in 2010, mentions of Muhammad were bleeped, along with Kyle’s final speech about giving in to threats. A radical Muslim blogger still called for the creators to be killed and “burn in Hell for all eternity.” The Simpsons later had Bart write on a chalkboard: “South Park, We’d Stand Beside You If We Weren’t So Scared.” The episodes remain banned on streaming services today.
South Park streams on Paramount+ on Wednesdays in the U.S. and Thursdays in the U.K.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the topic Oh my God they really got to Donny Here are the 15 biggest South Park scandals ranked
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What does Oh my God they really got to Donny mean
Its a famous quote from the South Park episode The China Probrem where the boys discover that their friend Butters father has been replaced by a government duplicate named Donny
2 What is this list of 15 scandals about
Its a ranked listicle detailing the most controversial talkedabout and shocking moments from the long history of the South Park animated TV show
3 Why is South Park so often involved in scandals
The show is famous for its satirical humor and for pushing boundaries by fearlessly mocking celebrities religions political figures and sensitive social issues which often angers people and groups
4 Can you give an example of a famous South Park scandal
A major one is the 2005 episode Trapped in the Closet which mocked Scientology and its celebrity member Tom Cruise leading to intense backlash and rumors that the show would be censored
5 Is the show banned in any countries because of these scandals
Yes various episodes have been censored or banned in different countries due to their content particularly episodes featuring religious figures like Muhammad
Advanced Detailed Questions
6 What was the Super Best Friends scandal
In a 2001 episode South Park depicted Muhammad as a superhero Years later this led to massive controversy when the network Comedy Central censored later episodes that featured him fearing violent retaliation from extremist groups
7 How did the show handle the controversy around the Muhammad depictions
They addressed it directly in the metaepisodes 200 and 201 where the characters are put on trial for their previous mockery highlighting the conflict between satire and censorship
8 What was the They killed Kenny scandal
While not a scandal in the traditional sense the constant and creative killing of the character Kenny in early seasons became a huge controversial talking point that defined the shows shockvalue humor for many viewers
9 Did any celebrities successfully sue South Park
No While
