South Park’s Season 27 Premiere: A Scathing Satire of Trump and Paramount

On July 23, 2025, South Park returned to Comedy Central with its 27th season premiere, titled “Sermon on the ’Mount,” delivering a blistering takedown of President Donald Trump and its parent company, Paramount. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, known for their unapologetic satire, pulled no punches in an episode that sparked immediate controversy, drawing a furious response from the White House and igniting discussions across media and social platforms. The episode’s release coincided with a $1.5 billion deal with Paramount+, making its bold critique all the more audacious.

A Provocative Plot

The episode centers on the fictional town of South Park, where residents protest the introduction of Jesus Christ into the local school system, a move tied to Trump’s push for Christianity in education. The president, depicted with a photorealistic face superimposed on an animated body, responds by suing the town for $5 billion, showcasing his penchant for litigation to silence critics.

Jesus, voiced by Matt Stone, reluctantly appears, warning residents, “I didn’t want to come back and be in the school, but I had to because it was part of a lawsuit and the agreement with Paramount. You guys saw what happened to CBS? Well, guess who owns CBS? Paramount. You really want to end up like Colbert?” This references the real-world cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which Paramount’s CBS attributed to financial reasons but critics, including Colbert himself, called a “big fat bribe” to appease Trump amid a $16 million settlement over a 60 Minutes lawsuit.

The episode takes a particularly provocative turn with Trump’s portrayal, echoing the show’s 1999 depiction of Saddam Hussein in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Trump is shown in bed with Satan, who rebuffs his advances and comments on his “teeny-tiny” penis, a recurring gag that culminates in a graphic, AI-generated public service announcement (PSA).

The PSA, mandated as part of the town’s $3.5 million settlement with Trump, features a deepfake Trump wandering naked in a desert, with a voiceover proclaiming, “His penis is teeny-tiny, but his love for us is large.” This NSFW content, hosted on a dedicated South Park website, pushes the boundaries of the show’s signature irreverence.

Additional targets include Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Trump over alleged “election interference” in a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, the cancellation of NPR funding (mourned by Cartman for its “woke” comedy), and Trump’s refusal to release Jeffrey Epstein’s files, with Satan directly questioning Trump’s involvement. The episode also mocks Paramount’s pending merger with Skydance Media, controlled by David Ellison, son of Trump ally Larry Ellison, which requires approval from the Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

White House and Public Reaction

The White House responded swiftly, with spokesperson Taylor Rogers dismissing South Park as a “fourth-rate show” that “hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years” and accusing the “Left” of hypocrisy for praising the episode after criticizing the show’s past offensive content.

Rogers emphasized Trump’s achievements, stating, “President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country’s history – and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump’s hot streak.” A Trump adviser, a longtime South Park fan, expressed disappointment, while social media buzzed with speculation about potential lawsuits or cancellations, with one X user predicting, “I give it 15 more minutes before Trump is demanding the cancellation of South Park.”

Fans and critics alike noted the episode’s sharp departure from South Park’s earlier approach to Trump, who was previously portrayed through the character Mr. Garrison during the 2016 election. Some, like YouTuber Blooms, suggested Parker and Stone were “rage baiting” Trump to provoke a reaction, possibly to disrupt Paramount’s merger or retaliate for past corporate interference. Others praised the episode’s audacity, with Rolling Stone calling it a “masterclass in parody and trolling.”

The Paramount Deal and Timing

The episode’s release came hours after Parker and Stone finalized a $1.5 billion deal with Paramount+, securing streaming rights for all 26 previous seasons and 50 new episodes over five years. The agreement followed contentious negotiations, with Parker and Stone publicly criticizing the Paramount-Skydance merger for delaying the season premiere from July 9 to July 23. They stated, “This merger is a shitshow and it’s fucking up South Park,” highlighting frustrations with corporate meddling. Media analyst Dylan Byers described the episode as “defiant,” noting the irony of Parker and Stone “going scorched earth” on Paramount after securing the lucrative deal.

Cultural and Political Context

“Sermon on the ’Mount” taps into broader tensions, including media companies navigating Trump’s influence amid his administration’s control over regulatory bodies like the FCC. The episode’s references to Paramount’s settlement, Colbert’s cancellation, and the Epstein files reflect real-world controversies, amplified by its timing during a week when Columbia University faced criticism for yielding to Trump’s policies. South Park’s history of equal-opportunity satire—once criticized for equating both political sides—takes a sharper edge here, with some arguing it corrects past ambivalence about Trump’s impact.

Where to Watch

The episode aired on Comedy Central and is available on Paramount+ the following day, marking the platform’s new role as South Park’s exclusive streaming home in the U.S. after its HBO Max deal expired. The show’s 10.5 billion streaming minutes in the first half of 2025 underscore its enduring popularity.

Conclusion

South Park’s Season 27 premiere is a bold return, blending crude humor with incisive commentary on Trump’s litigiousness, media capitulation, and corporate power plays. By targeting both Trump and Paramount, Parker and Stone reaffirm their commitment to fearless satire, even at the risk of biting the hand that feeds them. As one X user put it, “South Park just aired its most savage takedown of Trump yet, and the White House is losing its mind.” Whether this episode marks the beginning of the end for South Park or a defiant new chapter, it’s clear Parker and Stone are ready to go down swinging.