"South Park debut circulation delayed; creators apologize, take responsibility for the delay by stating, 'we'll cover the cost.'"
The much-anticipated new episode of South Park, the popular animated series, has been postponed until next week on Wednesday, Sept. 24. Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the show's creators, admitted that they failed to complete the episode on time, causing a production delay.
The delay has sparked speculation among fans and commenters, with some suggesting political reasons could be at play. This season, South Park has featured a parody of Charlie Kirk, a right-wing political activist, who found the portrayal amusing. In one episode, Eric Cartman, a main character on the show, adopted a speaking style similar to Kirk's.
Interestingly, the delay coincides with a settlement between Paramount, the studio behind South Park, and President Donald Trump. The settlement was over Trump's accusation that CBS News' "60 Minutes" deceptively edited an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Shortly after the settlement was announced, Stephen Colbert's popular late night show was canceled. Some speculate this could be related, but no official connection has been made.
The Federal Communications Commission approved the merger between Paramount and SkyDance weeks later. The deal, worth $1.5 billion, saw Stone and Parker sign a contract to produce 50 new episodes of South Park.
In the season's debut episode, a storyline was written where Trump sued the town of South Park for $5 billion, and Jesus Christ urged the townspeople to settle. The episode was pulled from reruns after Kirk's death, with Paramount deciding to remove it from circulation.
Kirk, who was familiar with South Park his entire life, was excited to watch the episode featuring him. He saw the parody as a "badge of honor".
Matt Stone and Trey Parker have apologised to the network and fans for the delay, assuring everyone that they are working hard to deliver a high-quality episode. The upcoming episode is sure to be a fascinating watch, given the recent events surrounding its production.
In the meantime, fans can catch reruns of previous South Park episodes, which continue to offer a unique blend of humour, satire, and social commentary. Stay tuned for more updates on the delayed episode and the world of South Park.
