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  • MONDAY MARCH 13 2006 3:06 PM

If You Can't Stand the Heat

Submitted by Rahodeb

Edited by Rahodeb

Actor and musician Isaac Hayes has quit as South Park's voice of Chef, citing what he perceives to be the show's growing religious intolerance.


"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.

"Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored," he continued. "As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

"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."

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Comments
Sexdwarf

Sexdwarf

Hermosa Beach, CA
February 2003

MAR 13, 2006 06:59 PM

I like him as chef, but if he is a Scientologist, which he is apperently (who knew), then I have to agree that even from an outsiders perspective his personall beliefs, and lack of, seems to be what's dictating the situation.

StickyRice

StickyRice

Atlanta, GA
January 2003

MAR 13, 2006 07:01 PM

This story just now was at the top of CNN online's list of stories of the day. The top. Who cares?

Coliwali

Coliwali

I'm lost
February 2003

MAR 13, 2006 07:24 PM

Schiele said:
Is it just me, or does anyone else out there think that 'southpark', 'team america' etc are actually extreme rightwing/conservative shows sneaking in under everyone's radar as 'outrageous alternative' - whose views ultimately support the current wave of bigoted conservatism sweeping the world?



Nah, there are a few of us. Ever hear of a "South Park Republican". But to be fair Tary Park self describes as libertarian. I don't know about Matt Stone. Their real politics hardly matter though. They are just a bunch of hypocrites, funny ones though.

[Edited on Mar 13, 2006 8:32PM]

docrock

docrock

Australia
May 2005

MAR 13, 2006 07:27 PM

Coliwali said:

Schiele said:
Is it just me, or does anyone else out there think that 'southpark', 'team america' etc are actually extreme rightwing/conservative shows sneaking in under everyone's radar as 'outrageous alternative' - whose views ultimately support the current wave of bigoted conservatism sweeping the world?



Nah, there are a few of us. Ever hear of a "South Park Republican". But to be fair they self describe as libertarian. Their real politics hardly matter though. They are just a bunch of hypocrites, funny ones though.




Thank the lord. Now I can dismantle my barricades and booby-traps. And I'd just run out of tequila...
smile

[Edited on Mar 13, 2006 7:28PM]

Attack_Macaque

Attack_Macaque

Mesquite, TX
September 2004

MAR 13, 2006 07:34 PM

In a related story, auditions have already begun for Isaac Hayes' replacement. According to unnamed sources, an early frontrunner has emerged...

Attack_Macaque

Attack_Macaque

Mesquite, TX
September 2004

MAR 13, 2006 07:37 PM

RadiantEnergy said:

Schiele said:
Is it just me, or does anyone else out there think that 'southpark', 'team america' etc are actually extreme rightwing/conservative shows sneaking in under everyone's radar as 'outrageous alternative' - whose views ultimately support the current wave of bigoted conservatism sweeping the world?



It's just you.



That's what I was thinking. If anything, they're libertarian. They give it to both sides pretty equally, from what I've seen.

thefreak

thefreak

NEWSWIRE

Gardner, MA

MAR 13, 2006 07:42 PM

Attack_Macaque said:
In a related story, auditions have already begun for Isaac Hayes' replacement. According to unnamed sources, an early frontrunner has emerged...



Because if there's anyone that knows about spaceships and trippin', it's Bootsie. biggrin

-TM

Darke

Darke

Columbia, MO
June 2005

MAR 13, 2006 07:57 PM

I didn't know Issac Hayes was a Scientologist... How can you sing soul without one? frown

Beth_Gottfried

Beth_Gottfried

Cambridge, MA
March 2006

MAR 13, 2006 08:20 PM

Love the title, btw.

Cigarette

Cigarette

Cleveland, OH
April 2004

MAR 13, 2006 08:30 PM

Schiele said:
Is it just me, or does anyone else out there think that 'southpark', 'team america' etc are actually extreme rightwing/conservative shows sneaking in under everyone's radar as 'outrageous alternative' - whose views ultimately support the current wave of bigoted conservatism sweeping the world?


Like someone said, they're self-described Libertarians who, from a cultural standpoint, are pretty centrist.

The Wikipeida article on South Park Republicans does a pretty good treatment, including these excerpts from an interview:

Recently, Trey Parker was asked about the term "South Park Republican" in an interview for Team America: World Police, and what he thought about it:

Q: I don't know if you've heard about this, but there have been essays written about the concept of the "South Park Republican."

TREY: Yeah, we have seen that. What we're sick of — and it's getting even worse — is: you either like Michael Moore or you wanna fuckin' go overseas and shoot Iraqis. There can't be a middle ground. Basically, if you think Michael Moore's full of shit, then you are a super-Christian right-wing whatever. And we're both just pretty middle-ground guys. We find just as many things to rip on on the left as we do on the right. People on the far left and the far right are the same exact person to us.

In another exchange from the same interview:

Q: You seem to feel free to roast everybody equally.

TREY: Everybody needs a good roasting.

MATT STONE: It's been pretty funny on both sides.

TREY: And it comes from an honest belief we have, which is... George Bush doesn't know what's going on. Michael Moore does not know what's going on. And Alec Baldwin definitely does not know what's going on. Basically, this shit is gigantically complicated."

Uncle_Screwtape

Uncle_Screwtape

Los Angeles, CA
February 2004

MAR 13, 2006 09:15 PM

The_Giving_Tree said:

Schiele said:

SonOfAPunk said:
Why can't people just watch it, and fucking enjoy it?

It's called a sense of fucking humour.

People like you a whole lot better if you have one.

smile



Having a sense of humour and having an opinion are not mutually exclusive - but having an opinion sometimes means you don't find some things funny... even if people don't like you.

smile



ACTUALLY, upon further reflection, isn't one of the main ideals of the liberal mindset that all people are equal and every race, religion, culture, and so on should receive respect?

And if liberal mindset really IS all inclusive, then why is there so much bias against Christianity? If you say that everyone is equal and deserves respect, except for ______, well then, isn't that excluding someone, and therefore a flaw in the logic?

There is a LOT of anti-Christian sentiment here, which seems to defeat the purpose of ideas like "equal", "tolerance," and "all-inclusive." Whether or not you agree with Christians or Christianity, they have the right to believe what they want.

If all of this is so...then wouldn't making fun of all of the forementioned differences be the opposite of liberal? Does that mean that South Park is not necessarily conservative, but more like... "anti-liberal?"

Here's a novel idea...people could just STOP making fun of all religion? Instead of making fun of one, two, or all of them?

Is that too radical a thought - that we just all make a concerted effort to be more respectful and tolerant in the REAL sense? It seems like people can talk the talk but can't REALLY walk the walk in that aspect.

Hmmm, the mind truly boggles. shocked

[Edited on Mar 13, 2006 by The_Giving_Tree]

[Edited on Mar 13, 2006 by The_Giving_Tree]




Religion, as Carlin once observed, is a voluntary state. It's not the same thing as ethnicity or sexual orientation, and it pisses me off when religious people try to pretend that their silly prehistoric creation myths and behavioural dogma deserve the same respect and "tolerance" that must be accorded to differences into which people are born and which do not reveal the same sort of things about one's character and intelligence.
Of course Christians and Scientologists are entitled to believe what they want. The rest of us are also free to find them ridiculous and to mock them. Their thin skins and persecution complexes notwithstanding, Christians and Scientologists still control large segments of, respectively, the Government and the entertainment industry, so they don't deserve too much pity for occaisionally having to put up with being teased by an atheistic minority who find them ridiculous (a minority that has far more legitimate concerns about its (our) religious freedoms, and yet seems to spend a lot less time whining about it).
That said, I agree with what you said earlier about "Team America" being a right-wing endorsement of the war.

[Edited on Mar 13, 2006 9:50PM]

[Edited on Mar 13, 2006 9:52PM]

alpha_hazard

alpha_hazard

Fort Collins, CO
April 2004

MAR 13, 2006 09:42 PM

I wondered when this would happen...seems like "Blainetology" would have done it...

DrZaius_

DrZaius_

Shallotte, NC
OLD SKOOL

MAR 13, 2006 09:49 PM

mr_gosh said:
One wonders if the skinny, white, insurance salesman Chef will take his place.



I think Mr. Derrp is kewl

Stirfry

Stirfry

Cleveland, OH
September 2002

MAR 13, 2006 10:25 PM

jake_lex 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."



Ex-fucking-actly.



for once, we totally agree.

wink

abracadabra

abracadabra

Seattle, WA
April 2004

MAR 14, 2006 12:03 AM

what a joke..sellout!..i'll miss him though

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