The first two episodes of the new season of “South Park” have everybody talking — and that includes the White House, Vice President JD Vance, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and countless MAGA supporters on social media.
In case you haven’t been keeping up with the show’s recent brutal attacks aimed at the Trump administration so far, here’s a brief recap: the premiere NSFW episode featured jokes about Trump having a small penis and making sexual advances at Satan, who discusses the “Epstein list.” The episode also took aim at the show’s corporate parent, Paramount, after the company agreed to pay Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” episode. (The settlement preceded the recent close of Paramount Global’s widely panned merger with Skydance, which needed regulatory approval from the Trump administration.)
The second episode showed Vance as Trump’s assistant who gets kicked by the president, and who at one point offers to apply baby oil to Satan’s anus. The show’s creators also did not hold back on its attacks on Noem; the episode hit on her dog-killing scandal and the administration’s cruel immigration policies. It also featured Noem with a face that wouldn’t stop melting.
The show’s new season undoubtedly sparked a lot of chatter online after the premiere aired on July 23. Critics of the president have praised the ruthless attacks on the Trump administration, while MAGA supporters have taken to social media to slam the show, with many users furious that former President Joe Biden didn’t receive the same venom when he was in office.
And the White House hasn’t exactly been thrilled either. In response to the premiere episode, Trump White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Rolling Stone that “Just like the creators of ‘South Park,’ the Left has no authentic or original content, which is why their popularity continues to hit record lows.
“This show hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention,” the statement continued.
Noem has since complained about how her appearance — not her values — was portrayed on the show, telling Glenn Beck on his podcast: “It never ends. But it’s so lazy to just constantly make fun of women for how they look. It’s always the liberals and extremists [who] do that.” (“South Park” responded by using an image of a melted-faced Noem from the second episode as the profile photo for the show’s social media accounts.)
Other targets of the show’s new season so far, like Vance and MAGA personality Charlie Kirk, responded with a different approach by trying to show they could take a joke. “Well, I’ve finally made it,” the vice president wrote in a post about the show on X.
“South Park,” created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, debuted nearly 30 years ago. It’s long been known for its dark comedy, satire and controversial content that spurs wide reactions — and this new season is no different.
David Schmid, associate professor of English at the University at Buffalo whose expertise includes popular culture and cultural studies, thinks there’s an explanation for why the current season of the long-running animated series is garnering such strong reactions from the White House and members of the Trump administration:
“Bullies hate being criticized, but they hate being made fun of even more,” he told HuffPost.
“Laughter can be a very effective form of social critique, but what ‘South Park’ does so brilliantly is to go even lower and even cruder than Trump himself!” Schmid continued. “In other words, if Trump mocks his enemies and calls them names, ‘South Park’ goes even harder in this direction, being even more immature, more crude and more insulting. That’s what’s noteworthy about what the show is doing.”
The first two episodes of Season 27 of ‘South Park’ mark a significant cultural moment, Schmid said.
“I think these attacks are a very big deal and a significant cultural moment,” Schmid said. “I think they express and channel the anger and despair that many Americans feel right now and give people a way of venting their frustration and fear. Moreover, the creators of ‘South Park’ have been attacked by just about everyone over the years and so are unlikely to be fazed by the Trump administration’s attacks.”
Schmid said that the first two episodes of Season 27 of “South Park” are a “huge middle finger” to Paramount and the Trump administration, adding that the show’s creators are sending a clear message that they will not be silenced by corporate or political power.
And many critics of the Trump administration are celebrating this approach.
“When the first ‘South Park’ episode criticizing Trump was aired, you could almost hear people saying ‘FINALLY!’” Schmid said. “In other words, unlike the ineffective and overly polite protest and critiques of both politicians and late-night talk show hosts, here was a form of attack that was unabashedly crude, extreme, hilarious, and therefore very, very effective.”
“I think people were excited by the attacks because they allowed them to express their anger, despair, and fear at what’s happening in America,” he added.
But Schmid emphasized that, generally speaking, it’s “notoriously difficult to measure” how TV and film may potentially influence public opinion. And when it comes to “South Park,” he doesn’t think it’s necessarily going to change anyone’s opinions about the Trump administration.
“If you’re MAGA, you’re going to hate the show and if you hate Trump, you’re going to love it,” he said.
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But could “South Park” potentially help play a role in energizing and improving the morale of Trump’s critics? Schmid thinks it’s possible.
“To see a president who appears to exercise power in such an unrestrained and authoritarian manner being brutally mocked and criticized will make his critics feel less isolated, less despairing, and more energized and hopeful,” he said. “That’s potentially very significant.”
