Posted on 03/20/2006 3:06:10 PM PST by Central Scrutiniser
Chef's Back, Even If Hayes Isn't 'South Park' premiere trumpets character's return
March 20 2006
LOS ANGELES -- "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone may yet have the final word on Isaac Hayes' departure from the show.
The series, which has been the focus of much media speculation in the past week over Hayes leaving and Comedy Central's pulling of a Scientology-mocking episode, begins its 10th season Wednesday night with an episode called "The Return of Chef!" -- while making no mention of Hayes.
In the episode, Chef makes a "triumphant homecoming" to South Park (even prior to the "Trapped in the Closet" episode that apparently sparked Hayes' departure, the character hadn't been seen much for a while). The boys are glad to have their friend back, but "they notice that something about Chef seems different."
Where most animated shows need months to complete an episode, "South Park" is often able to turn out a completed show in a matter of days. Therefore, Parker and Stone, who also do much of the voice work, can poke fun current events faster than pretty much any other show in primetime (last spring's "Best Friends Forever," which commented on the Terri Schiavo case, is a good example).
Hayes, who's voiced Chef since "South Park" debuted in 1997, released a statement last week saying he wanted out of the show after deciding he no longer could take the show's frequent mocking of religion. The series has targeted Christianity, Islam and Judaism as well as Scientology. In his own statement, Stone challenged Hayes' stated reasons for leaving, noting he'd never objected to religious satire until after the "Trapped in the Closet" episode aired.
A few days after that, Comedy Central pulled a scheduled repeat of "Trapped in the Closet," which led to rumors that Tom Cruise -- also a target of the episode -- had threatened to pull out of promoting "Mission: Impossible 3" if the episode aired again. Paramount, which is releasing the movie, and Comedy Central are both owned by Viacom.
Cruise's reps denied the rumor, and Comedy Central said it wanted to give Hayes a nice sendoff by showing two Chef-centric episodes instead.
We're thinking all this might spark a little interest in the season premiere.
Isaac Hayes did not quit "South Park." My sources say that someone quit it for him.
I can tell you that Hayes is in no position to have quit anything. Contrary to news reports, the great writer, singer and musician suffered a stroke on Jan. 17. At the time it was said that he was hospitalized and suffering from exhaustion.
It’s also absolutely ridiculous to think that Hayes, who loved playing Chef on "South Park," would suddenly turn against the show because they were poking fun at Scientology.
Last November, when the “Trapped in a Closet” episode of the comedy aired, I saw Hayes and spent time with him in Memphis for the annual Blues Ball.
If he hated the show so much, I doubt he would have performed his trademark hit song from the show, “Chocolate Salty Balls.” He tossed the song into the middle of one of his less salacious hits and got the whole audience in the Memphis Pyramid to sing along.
Read the rest HERE
He could be gay now.
That really sounds par for the course with him.
We just figured that the clams strong-armed him into it.
If Hayes is a stroke victim, he should investigate how Scientology feels about the handicapped.
Entertainment News: South Park Mystery, Brokeback, The Simpsons and More!
Monday, March 20, 2006
by Matt Webb Mitovich
COOKED-UP CONTROVERSY?: File this under "provocative": Isaac Hayes did not quit his gig voicing South Park's Chef over some Scientology flap. In a follow-up to last week's hubbub, FoxNews.com deems it "ridiculous" that the singer, who has been recovering from a stroke suffered in mid-January, would all of a sudden turn against the show for poking fun at his religion. Those close to Hayes are said to be "mystified" by the statement released March 13 and attributed to him. As one friend tells FoxNews.com, "Isaac's been concentrating on his recuperation for the last two and a half, three months." In related news, the Scientology-skewering "Trapped in a Closet" episode, pulled last week amidst allegations that Tom Cruise had flexed some muscle, will air this Wednesday at 10 pm/ET.
Nothing lasts forever.
"Fonzie challenges the Kid to jump over the shark first. Howard and Marion return from buying souvenirs to the pier where Joanie gives them the news about Fonzie. The California Kid bails out before he jumps the shark. Fonzie says he won't quit, and Richie drives for him. Fonzie gets set for the jump and gives Richie the thumbs up sign. He successfully makes the jump! He is congratulated by everyone on the beach."
You would think Parker and Stone would have known about that, but they still issued their statement pointing out the hypocrisy of quitting after the Scientology episode.
Either this stroke story is total BS, or this has become one of the more weird entertainment stories in recent memory.
So - is the pulled scientology episode available online anywhere? Has to be hillarious....
Batt it is all over the net. Just google "south park trapped in the closet"
That'd be sweet.
Did you see Henry Winkler's character Barry Peppercorn jump over a shark on Arrested Development?
A classic scene.
And us South park fans will love Matt and Trey all the more, because you know they will never ever let us forget that we got GOT.
I can't get their video links to work. Says I need codecs.
Yeah, but you'd need a really big grill for the ribs!
Already did Michael Jackson.
Even had Chef doin' the Thriller bit.
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