Chocolate Salty Xenu Balls

Are you ready for the ultimate in hypocrisy?

Soul legend Isaac Hayes has quit animated TV series South Park after accusing the show of promoting intolerance and bigotry. Hayes, a Scientologist, has played Chef on the hit cartoon series since 1997, but feels he can no longer stomach the show's take on religion. He says, "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 begin." The 63-year-old singer released a statement yesterday, severing his ties with the series and controversial co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. In it he fumes, "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." Stone has fired back at Hayes 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 satirized the Church of Scientology and its celebrity followers in a top-rated episode entitled Trapped In The Closet. In the episode, a cartoon version of Scientologist Tom Cruise locks himself in a closet and refuses to come out. Stone adds that he and Parker "never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and, to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin." Parker has previously said the show had avoided the controversial topic of Scientology out of respect for Hayes and his religious beliefs. He explains, "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 belittling everything else we've ripped on.'" [imdb]

I guess Issac forgot that the episode that catapulted South Park to noteriety involved a satire on Christ. He took the job anyway...yet, so many years later he suddenly decides that South Park's religious spoofs goes against his moral fiber. As Matt Stone stated, it was only until Scientology was spoofed that this became an issue for Hayes. Just what in hell goes on at these Scientology centers? They're all mad, mad I tell you! --Joan.

3/17/05: OH, IT GETS BETTER, FOLKS... (See Melissa's post just above this one and scroll down for the crazy TC reaction to the South Park debacle.) But, what makes this story even better, is the statement released by Matt and Trey:

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." [Variety]

I'm telling you, these wacko Scientologists just may have messed w/the wrong people this time. If anyone is ready to fight to the last punch, it's the co-creators of South Park. They're not embarrassed by anything and have nothing to lose. Good Luck, Tom.