Editing South Park (section)

==Reception==

===Ratings===
When ''South Park'' debuted, it was a huge ratings success for Comedy Central and is seen as being largely responsible for the success of the channel, with Herzog crediting it for putting the network "on the map".<ref name="fortune" /><ref name="nytad" /><ref name="bc68">{{harvnb|Johnson-Woods|2007|pp=6–8}}</ref>

The show's first episode, "[[Cartman Gets an Anal Probe]]", earned a [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen]] rating of 1.3 (980,000 viewers), at the time considered high for a [[Cable television in the United States|cable program]].<ref name="bc68" /> The show instantly generated buzz among television viewers, and mass viewing parties began assembling on college campuses.<ref name="nytimescarter" /><ref name="whois" /><ref name="sfrubin" /> By the time the eighth episode, "[[Starvin' Marvin (South Park)|Starvin' Marvin]]", aired—three months after the show debuted—ratings and viewership had tripled, and ''South Park'' was already the most successful show in Comedy Central's history.<ref name="sfrubin" /> When the tenth episode "[[Damien (South Park)|Damien]]" aired the following February, viewership increased another 33 percent. The episode earned a 6.4 rating, which at the time was over 10 times the average rating earned by a cable show aired in [[prime time]].<ref name="nytimescarter" /><ref name="bc68" /> The ratings peaked with the second episode of [[South Park (season 2)|season two]], "[[Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut]]", which aired on April 22, 1998. The episode earned an 8.2 rating (6.2 million viewers) and, at the time, set a record as the highest-rated non-sports show in basic cable history.<ref name="augusta_trash" /><ref name="wilonsky" /><ref name="bc68" /> During the spring of 1998, eight of the ten highest-rated shows on basic cable were ''South Park'' episodes.<ref name="nydailyratings" /> ''South Park's'' second season would average a 5.8 rating (12.5 million viewers) which was a lower rating due to Comedy Central's households being much higher.{{Clarification needed|date=December 2023}}

The success of ''South Park'' prompted more cable companies to carry Comedy Central and led it to its becoming one of the fastest-growing cable channels. The number of households that had Comedy Central jumped from 9.1 million in 1997 to 50 million in June 1998.<ref name="bc68" /> When the show debuted, the most Comedy Central had earned for a 30-second commercial was US$7,500.<ref name="nytimescarter" /> Within a year, advertisers were paying an average of US$40,000 for 30 seconds of advertising time during airings of ''South Park'' in its second season, while some paid as much as US$80,000.<ref name="salon">{{cite news|author=David Horowitz |title=Why Gore would censor "South Park" |work=Salon|date=July 19, 1999 |url=https://www.salon.com/1999/07/19/south_park/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991008030616/http://www.salon.com/news/col/horo/1999/07/19/south_park/index2.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 8, 1999 |access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref>

By the third season (1999), the series' ratings began to decrease.<ref>
{{cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/1999/04/cartman-goin-south/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629044948/http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/1999/04/19339|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 29, 2011|title=Cartman Goin' South?
|date=April 27, 1999|publisher=Wired|access-date=February 21, 2022}}</ref> The third-season premiere episode drew 3.4&nbsp;million viewers, a dramatic drop from the 5.5&nbsp;million of the previous season's premiere.<ref name="bc68" /> Stone and Parker attributed this drop in the show's ratings to the media hype that surrounded the show in the previous year, adding that the third season ratings reflected the show's "true" fan base.<ref name="bc68" /> Regardless the viewership stayed consistent with an average rating being between 3.0 (8 million viewers) to a 5.5 (17.5 million viewers). The show's ratings dropped further in its fourth season (2000), with episodes averaging just above 1.5 million viewers (though the season premiere would get 22.1 million viewers due to the hype caused by the movie). The ratings eventually increased, and seasons five through nine consistently averaged about 3 million viewers per episode.<ref name="bc68"/> Season 8's episode "Goobacks" would have ''South Park''{{'s}} viewership peak at 30 million viewers. Seasons 10 to 12 would average 5 million viewers. Though its viewership is lower than it was at the height of its popularity in its earliest seasons, ''South Park'' remains one of the highest-rated series on Comedy Central.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://press.cc.com/press-release/2011/12/20/122011-2011-ratings-release|title=2011 Ratings Release|publisher=Comedy Central|date=December 20, 2011 |access-date=February 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317120041/http://www.comedycentral.com/press/press_releases/2011/122011-2011-ratings-release.jhtml 
|archive-date=March 17, 2013 }}</ref> The [[South Park (season 14)|season 14]] (2010) premiere gained 3.7&nbsp;million viewers, the show's highest-rated season premiere since 1998.<ref>[http://www.popcrunch.com/tiger-woods-scandal-helps-south-park-set-ratings-record/ Tiger Woods Scandal Helps "South Park" Set Ratings Record] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821154232/http://www.popcrunch.com/tiger-woods-scandal-helps-south-park-set-ratings-record/ |date=August 21, 2011 }} PopCrunch. Retrieved November 21, 2013.</ref> In 2016, a ''[[New York Times]]'' study of the 50 TV shows with the most [[Facebook Like]]s found that "perhaps unsurprisingly, South Park ... is most popular in Colorado".<ref name="katz20161227">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/26/upshot/duck-dynasty-vs-modern-family-television-maps.html |title='Duck Dynasty' vs. 'Modern Family': 50 Maps of the U.S. Cultural Divide |last=Katz |first=Josh |date=December 27, 2016 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=February 12, 2017 |archive-date=March 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170329083111/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/26/upshot/duck-dynasty-vs-modern-family-television-maps.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Subsequent seasons saw substantially lower ratings, with season 25 averaging 0.65&nbsp;million viewers an episode.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

===Recognitions and awards===
In 2004, [[Channel 4]] voted ''South Park'' the third-greatest cartoon of all time.<ref name="100GrestCartns">{{Cite episode|title=100 Greatest Cartoons |url=http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/cartoons/results.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101022103843/http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/greatest/cartoons/results.html |archive-date=October 22, 2010 |access-date=April 13, 2012 |series=''Greatest'' series |station=[[Channel 4]] |date=February 27, 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2007, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine included the show on its list of the "100 Best TV Shows of All Time", proclaiming it as "America's best source of rapid-fire satire for [the past] decade".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://time.com/collection-post/3103814/south-park/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014013307/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1651341_1659196_1652729,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 14, 2007|title=All-TIME 100 TV Shows: South Park|access-date=February 21, 2022|author=Poniewozik, James|date=September 6, 2007|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> The same year, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' declared it to be the funniest show on television since its debut 10 years prior.<ref>
{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/south-park-still-sick-still-wrong-231538/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619072618/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/south_park_still_sick_still_wrong/page/2 |archive-date=June 19, 2008 |title=Still Sick, Still Wrong |date=March 22, 2007 |publisher=Rolling Stone |access-date=February 21, 2022 |last=Grigoriadis |first=Vanessa}}</ref> In 2008, ''South Park'' was named the 12th-greatest TV show of the past 25 years by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'',<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2007/06/18/new-classics-tv/|title=The New Classics: TV|access-date=February 21, 2022|date=June 17, 2008|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|archive-date=July 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716041112/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C20207339%2C00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> while [[AOL]] declared it as having the "most astute" characters of any show in history when naming it the 16th-best television comedy series of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aoltv.com/2008/04/01/best-tv-comedies/|title=50 Best TV Comedies – Ever|date=April 1, 2008|publisher=AOL TV|access-date=February 21, 2022|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419013254/http://television.aol.com/insidetv/2008/04/01/best-tv-comedies/ |archive-date=April 19, 2009 }}</ref> In 2011, ''South Park'' was voted number one in the ''25 Greatest Animated TV Series'' poll by ''Entertainment Weekly''.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/gallery/25-greatest-animated-tv-series-you-ranked-em/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|title=25 Greatest Animated TV Series: You Ranked 'Em!|date=May 25, 2011|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221170237/https://ew.com/gallery/25-greatest-animated-tv-series-you-ranked-em/|url-status=live}}</ref> The character of Cartman ranked 10th on [[TV Guide]]'s 2002 list of the "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters",<ref name="TVGuide">{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406225705/http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |archive-date=April 6, 2013 |title=TV Guide's 50 greatest cartoon characters of all time |access-date=February 21, 2022 |date=July 30, 2002 |publisher=CNN |url-status=dead }}</ref> 198th on [[VH1]]'s "200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons",<ref name="pop">{{harvp|ps=.|Mansour|2005|p=144}}</ref> 19th on [[Bravo (American TV network)|Bravo]]'s "100 Greatest TV Characters" television special in 2004,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bravoprofiles.com/The_100_Greatest_TV_Characters/index.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507184134/http://www.bravoprofiles.com/The_100_Greatest_TV_Characters/index.shtml |archive-date=May 7, 2009 |title=The 100 Greatest TV Characters |publisher=Bravo|access-date=August 25, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and second on [[MSNBC]]'s 2005 list of TV's scariest characters behind [[Mr. Burns]] from ''The Simpsons''.<ref name="msnbccartman">{{cite news|author=Brian Bellmont|title=TV's top 10 scariest characters|work=Today|date=November 1, 2005|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/tv-s-top-10-scariest-characters-wbna9699636|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319073834/https://www.today.com/popculture/tv-s-top-10-scariest-characters-wbna9699636|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, Comedy Central received a [[Peabody Award]] for ''South Park''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> "stringent social commentary" and "undeniably fearless lampooning of all that is self-important and hypocritical in American life".<ref name="fortune" /><ref name="rocky" /><ref name="basile2" /><ref>[http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/south-park 65th Annual Peabody Awards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227205804/http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/south-park |date=February 27, 2021 }}, May 2006.</ref> In 2013, the [[Writers Guild of America]] ranked ''South Park'' at number 63 among the "101 Best-Written Shows Ever".<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Schneider|first=Michael|url=https://www.tvguide.com/news/exclusive-best-written-shows-ever-tv-writers-1066234/|title=Exclusive: TV Writers Choose the 101 Best-Written Shows Ever; What Was No. 1?|magazine=TV Guide|date=June 3, 2013|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221170238/https://www.tvguide.com/news/exclusive-best-written-shows-ever-tv-writers-1066234/|url-status=live}}</ref> Also in 2013, TV Guide listed the show at number 10 among the "60 Greatest Cartoons of All Time".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/greatest-cartoons-tv-guide-magazine-1071203/|title=TV Guide Magazine's 60 Greatest Cartoons of All Time|last=Sands|first=Rick|magazine=TV Guide|date=September 24, 2013|access-date=September 24, 2013|archive-date=July 29, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150729051629/http://www.tvguide.com/news/greatest-cartoons-tv-guide-magazine-1071203/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, the series was ranked 42nd on ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper's list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century.<ref>{{cite web |title=The 100 best TV shows of the 21st century |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/16/100-best-tv-shows-of-the-21st-century |website=The Guardian |date=September 16, 2019 |access-date=September 23, 2019 |archive-date=November 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101054025/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/16/100-best-tv-shows-of-the-21st-century |url-status=live }}</ref>

''South Park'' won the [[CableACE Award]] for Best Animated Series in 1997, the last year the awards were given out.<ref>{{cite web|last=Basile|first=Nancy|url=http://animatedtv.about.com/library/weekly/aa092102b.htm|title=South Park Awards|access-date=August 15, 2007|publisher=about.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511210611/http://animatedtv.about.com/library/weekly/aa092102b.htm|archive-date=May 11, 2009}}</ref> In 1998, ''South Park'' was nominated for the [[Annie Award]] for Outstanding Achievement in an Animated Primetime or Late Night Television Program. It was also nominated for the 1998 [[GLAAD Media Awards|GLAAD Award]] for Outstanding TV – Individual Episode for "[[Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride]]".<ref name="lowbrow" />

''South Park'' has been nominated for the [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program]] eighteen times (1998, 2000, 2002, 2004–2011, 2013–2018 and 2021). The show has won the award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less Than One Hour) four times, for the 2005 episode "[[Best Friends Forever (South Park)|Best Friends Forever]]",<ref name="basile2">{{cite web|url=http://animatedtv.about.com/cs/news/a/awards_2.htm|title=South Park Awards|access-date=December 25, 2008|publisher=about.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207065703/http://animatedtv.about.com/cs/news/a/awards_2.htm|archive-date=December 7, 2008}}</ref> the 2006 episode "[[Make Love, Not Warcraft]]",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/2007pt/nominations_crtv.php?action=search_db#1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906023154/http://www.emmys.org/awards/2007pt/nominations_crtv.php?action=search_db |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 6, 2007 |title=59th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Nominees/Winners |access-date=October 19, 2008 |year=2007 |publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] }}</ref> the 2009 episode "[[Margaritaville (South Park)|Margaritaville]]", and the 2012 episode "[[Raising the Bar (South Park)|Raising the Bar]]".<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/tv/la-et-st-creative-arts-emmys-hbos-behind-the-candelabra-wins-the-night-20130915,0,7488026.story "Creative Arts Emmys: HBO's 'Behind the Candelabra' wins the night"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017110342/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/tv/la-et-st-creative-arts-emmys-hbos-behind-the-candelabra-wins-the-night-20130915,0,7488026.story |date=October 17, 2014 }} ''Los Angeles Times''. September 16, 2013.</ref> The "[[Imaginationland Episode I|Imaginationland]]" trilogy of episodes won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or More) in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cdn.emmys.tv/downloads/2008/CTA08winners_pressrel.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326065136/http://cdn.emmys.tv/downloads/2008/CTA08winners_pressrel.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009 |title=2008 Creative Arts Emmy winners |access-date=September 13, 2008 |date=September 13, 2008 |publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Criticism===
The show's frequent depiction of [[taboo]] subject matter, general toilet humor, accessibility to younger viewers, disregard for [[conservative]] sensibilities, negative depiction of [[Modern liberalism in the United States|liberal]] causes, and portrayal of religion for comic effect have generated controversy and debate over the course of its run.<ref name="mifflin">{{cite news|author=Lawrie Mifflin|title=TV Stretches Limits of Taste, to Little Outcry|work=The New York Times|date=April 6, 1998|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/06/arts/tv-stretches-limits-of-taste-to-little-outcry.html?pagewanted=2|access-date=May 9, 2009|archive-date=May 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513030707/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/06/arts/tv-stretches-limits-of-taste-to-little-outcry.html?pagewanted=2|url-status=live}}</ref>

As the series became popular, students in two schools were barred from wearing ''South Park''-related T-shirts,<ref name="reason" /><ref name="nydailyratings" /><ref name="lowbrow" /> and the headmaster of a [[Public school (United Kingdom)|UK public school]] asked parents not to let their children watch the programme after eight- and nine-year-old children voted the ''South Park'' character Cartman as their favorite personality in a 1999 poll.<ref name="bbcpoll">{{cite news|title=Cartman top with kids|publisher=BBC|date=August 26, 1999|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/entertainment/430977.stm|access-date=May 9, 2009|archive-date=February 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213052216/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/430977.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Parker and Stone assert that the show is not meant to be viewed by young children, and the show is certified with TV ratings that indicate its intention for mature audiences.<ref name="nydailyratings" /> In 1999, they went on record to cancel the release of the [[Game Boy Color]] game based on the series, as Parker and Stone determined that a game based on an adult animated series would be inappropriate for a console whose core demographic consisted of children.<ref name="LoChiatto">{{Cite web |last=LoChiatto |first=Jonathan |date=2021-08-07 |title=How South Park's First Handheld Game Became a Mary Kate & Ashley Tie-In |url=https://www.cbr.com/south-park-canceled-game-mary-kate-ashley/ |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=CBR |language=en |archive-date=December 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226152104/https://www.cbr.com/south-park-canceled-game-mary-kate-ashley/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Parents Television and Media Council|Parents Television Council]] founder [[L. Brent Bozell III]] and [[Action for Children's Television]] founder [[Peggy Charren]] have both condemned the show, with the latter claiming it is "dangerous to the democracy".<ref name="reason" /><ref name="salon" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Bozell |first=L. Brent III |author-link=L. Brent Bozell III |title='South Park' Reconsidered, Sort Of |work=[[Media Research Center|MediaResearch.org]] |publisher=[[Creators Syndicate]] |date=February 11, 1998 |url=http://www.mediaresearch.org/BozellColumns/entertainmentcolumn/1998/col19980211.asp |access-date=July 14, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205132015/https://www.mediaresearch.org/BozellColumns/entertainmentcolumn/1998/col19980211.asp |archive-date=December 5, 2006 }}</ref><ref name="nytimesconserv2">{{cite news|author=Frank Rich|title=Conservatives ♥ 'South Park'|work=The New York Times|date=May 1, 2005|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/opinion/01rich.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1|access-date=May 3, 2009|archive-date=May 13, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513030741/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/01/opinion/01rich.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1|url-status=live}}</ref> Several other activist groups have protested the show's parodies of [[Christianity]] and portrayal of [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]].<ref name="reason" /><ref name="abc1" /> Stone has stated that parents who disapprove of ''South Park'' for its portrayal of how kids behave are upset because they "have an idyllic vision of what kids are like", adding "[kids] don't have any kind of social tact or etiquette, they're just complete little raging bastards".<ref name="lowbrow" /><ref name="bbcpoll" />

====Controversies====
{{Main|South Park controversies|l1=''South Park'' controversies}}
The show further lampooned the controversy surrounding its use of profanity, as well as the media attention surrounding the network show ''[[Chicago Hope]]''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> singular use of the word ''[[shit]]'', with the [[South Park (season 5)|season five]] premiere "[[It Hits the Fan]]",<ref name="gillespie">{{cite web|url=http://reason.com/archives/2006/12/05/south-park-libertarians/singlepage|title=South Park Libertarians|date=December 5, 2006|publisher=Reason|access-date=August 11, 2009|last1=Gillespie|first1=Nick|last2=Walker|first2=Jesse|archive-date=January 21, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100121033631/http://reason.com/archives/2006/12/05/south-park-libertarians/singlepage|url-status=live}}</ref> in which the word ''shit'' is said 162 times without being bleeped for censorship purposes, while also appearing uncensored in written form.<ref name="wilonsky" /> In the days following the show's original airing, 5,000 disapproving e-mails were sent to Comedy Central.<ref name="paulson" /> Despite its 43 uncensored uses of the racial slur ''[[nigger]]'', the [[South Park (season 11)|season 11]] episode "[[With Apologies to Jesse Jackson]]" generated relatively little controversy, as most in the black community and the [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People|NAACP]] praised the episode for its context and its comedic way of conveying other races' perceptions of how black people feel when hearing the word.<ref name="boston">{{cite news|author=Vanessa E. Jones|title=No offense, but ...|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=January 29, 2008|url=http://archive.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2008/01/29/no_offense_but_/|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=March 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319084232/http://archive.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2008/01/29/no_offense_but_/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0703/08/pzn.01.html Transcript of "Paula Zahn Now" from March 8, 2007] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629031600/http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0703/08/pzn.01.html |date=June 29, 2011 }}. CNN. Retrieved April 14, 2007.</ref>

Specific controversies regarding the show have included an [[April Fools' Day]] prank played on its viewers in 1998,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/1998-04-09/entertainment/18069956_1_south-park-tony-fox-comedy-central |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117224953/http://articles.nydailynews.com/1998-04-09/entertainment/18069956_1_south-park-tony-fox-comedy-central |archive-date=November 17, 2011 |title=Not an Eternity to Cartman Paternity |date=April 9, 1998 |work=New York Daily News |access-date=May 24, 2009 |last=Huff |first=Richard |url-status=dead }}</ref> its depiction of the [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Virgin Mary]] in the [[South Park (season 9)|season nine]] (2005) finale "[[Bloody Mary (South Park)|Bloody Mary]]" that angered several [[Catholicism|Catholics]],<ref name="rs1" /> its depiction of [[Steve Irwin]] with a [[stingray]] barb stuck in his chest in the episode "[[Hell on Earth 2006]]", which originally aired less than two months after Irwin was killed in the same fashion,<ref name="odoherty">{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/how-kenny-survived-10-years-of-south-park-68126.html|title=How Kenny survived 10 years of South Park|date=November 10, 2006|publisher=www.independent.ie|access-date=May 22, 2009|last=O'Doherty|first=Ian|archive-date=September 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905143644/http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/how-kenny-survived-10-years-of-south-park-68126.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=To hell with Irwin, says South Park |work=[[Herald Sun]] |author1=Kent, Paul |author2=Gee, Steve |name-list-style=amp |date=October 28, 2006 |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/to-hell-with-irwin-says-south-park/news-story/3aa2c1f495b7e2dca48f789f976f755e|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409134200/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0%2C21985%2C20658735-661%2C00.html |archive-date=April 9, 2009 |access-date=February 21, 2022 }}</ref> Comedy Central's censorship of the depiction of [[Muhammad]] in the [[South Park (season 10)|season 10]] episode "[[Cartoon Wars Part II]]" in the wake of the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|''Jyllands-Posten'' Muhammad cartoons controversy]]<ref name="abc1" /> and consistent mockery of the concept of [[climate change]] by using [[climate change denial]]ist talking points.<ref name=salon2>{{cite web|title=South Park apologizes to Al Gore and admits it was wrong about global warming|work=[[Salon (website)|Salon]]|date=November 8, 2018|url=https://www.salon.com/2018/11/08/south-park-apologizes-to-al-gore-and-admits-it-was-wrong-about-global-warming/|access-date=September 25, 2010|first=Matthew|last=Rozsa|archive-date=November 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108183157/https://www.salon.com/2018/11/08/south-park-apologizes-to-al-gore-and-admits-it-was-wrong-about-global-warming/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=vox>{{cite web|title=12 years after mocking Al Gore's fight against climate change, South Park reconsiders|publisher=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|date=November 14, 2018|url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/11/14/18080758/south-park-time-to-get-cereal-recap-season-22-al-gore-global-warming-manbearpig|access-date=September 25, 2010|first=Emily|last=VanDerWerff|archive-date=November 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114175340/https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/11/14/18080758/south-park-time-to-get-cereal-recap-season-22-al-gore-global-warming-manbearpig|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=guardian>{{cite web|title=South Park's Al Gore apology contains an inconvenient truth: it's funny|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=November 11, 2018|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/nov/11/south-park-al-gore-apology-climate-change-manbearpig|access-date=September 25, 2010|first=Sam|last=Wolfson|archive-date=November 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111150522/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/nov/11/south-park-al-gore-apology-climate-change-manbearpig|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[South Park (season 9)|season nine]] (2005) episode "[[Trapped in the Closet (South Park)|Trapped in the Closet]]" denounces [[Scientology]] as nothing more than "a big fat global scam",<ref name="abc1">{{cite web|author1=Jake Trapper|author2=Dan Morris|name-list-style=amp|title=Secrets of 'South Park'|publisher=ABC News|date=September 22, 2006|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Entertainment/Story?id=2479197&page=1|access-date=April 18, 2009|archive-date=November 7, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107083324/https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Entertainment/Story?id=2479197&page=1|url-status=live}}</ref> while freely divulging church information that Scientology normally only reveals to members who make significant monetary contributions to the church.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/inside-scientology-103288/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513044651/http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/9363363/inside_scientology/ |archive-date=May 13, 2008 |title=Inside Scientology |date=February 22, 2006 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=February 21, 2022 |last=Reitman |first=Janet}}</ref> The episode also ambiguously parodies the rumors involving the sexual orientation of Scientologist [[Tom Cruise]], who allegedly demanded any further reruns of the episode be canceled.<ref name="odoherty" /><ref name="Hilden">{{cite news|url=http://writ.news.findlaw.com/hilden/20051206.html|title=Could Tom Cruise Sue "South Park" For Suggesting He is Gay? And Even If He Could, Should He?|access-date=August 16, 2006|last=Hilden|first=Julie|date=December 6, 2005|work=[[FindLaw]]|archive-date=August 13, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813100656/http://writ.news.findlaw.com/hilden/20051206.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Isaac Hayes]], a Scientologist, later quit ''South Park'' because of his objection to the episode.<ref name="foxnews3">{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/isaac-hayes-quits-south-park|work=Fox News|agency=Associated Press|date=March 13, 2006|title=Isaac Hayes Quits 'South Park'|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205190342/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,187756,00.html|archive-date=February 5, 2011}}</ref>

The season fourteen episodes "[[200 (South Park)|200]]" and "[[201 (South Park)|201]]" were mired in controversy for satirizing issues surrounding the depiction of the Islamic prophet, [[Muhammad]]. The website for the organization [[Revolution Muslim]], a New York-based radical Muslim organization, posted an entry that included a warning to creators Parker and Stone that they risk violent retribution for their [[depictions of Muhammad]]. It said that they "will probably wind up like [[Theo van Gogh (film director)|Theo van Gogh]] for airing this show". The posting provided the addresses to Comedy Central in New York and the production company in Los Angeles.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Bland |first=Archie |author-link=Archie Bland |date=2010-04-22 |title='South Park' censored after death threats from Islamists |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/south-park-censored-after-death-threats-from-islamists-1951971.html |access-date=2024-05-16 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> The author of the post, [[Zachary Adam Chesser]] (whose alias is Abu Talhah al-Amrikee),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/road-to-radicalism-the-man-behind-the-south-park-threats|title=Road to Radicalism: The Man Behind the 'South Park' Threats|last=Miller|first=Joshua Rhett|date=April 23, 2010|publisher=Fox News|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=April 27, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427083117/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/23/road-radicalism-man-south-park-threats/|url-status=live}}</ref> said it was meant to serve as a warning to Parker and Stone, not a threat, and that providing the addresses was meant to give people the opportunity to protest.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/19/security-brief-radical-islamic-web-site-takes-on-south-park/|title=Security Brief: Radical Islamic Web site takes on 'South Park'|last=Lister|first=Tim|date=April 19, 2010|work=CNN|access-date=April 19, 2010|archive-date=April 23, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423171319/http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/19/security-brief-radical-islamic-web-site-takes-on-south-park/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Rhett">{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/south-park-creators-could-face-retribution-for-depicting-muhammad-website-warns|title=South Park Creators Could Face Retribution for Depicting Muhammad, Website Warns|last=Miller|first=Joshua Rhett|date=April 20, 2010|work=Fox News|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=April 23, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423141649/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/04/20/website-warns-south-park-creators-face-retribution-depicting-muhammad/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite Chesser's claims that the website entry was a warning, several media outlets and observers interpreted it as a threat.<ref name="AC360">{{Cite episode|title=Radical Islamists Threaten 'South Park' Creators; More Volcano Eruptions Ahead|series=Anderson Cooper 360°|series-link=Anderson Cooper 360°|credits=[[Anderson Cooper|Cooper, Anderson]]|network=[[CNN]]|location=New York City|airdate=April 20, 2010|transcript=Full transcript|transcript-url=https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/acd/date/2010-04-20/segment/01}}</ref><ref name="OReilly">{{Cite AV media|title=South Park Episode Prompts Death Threats|url=https://video.foxnews.com/v/4159547/|people=[[Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)|O'Reilly, Bill]]|publisher=[[Fox News]]|series=[[The O'Reilly Factor]]|location=New York City|date=April 20, 2010|access-date=February 21, 2022|archive-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221180551/https://video.foxnews.com/v/4159547/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Cavna|first=Michael|title=Comic Riffs – 'South Park': Is pro-jihad website threatening cartoonists over Muhammad satire?|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|date=April 20, 2010|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2010/04/south_park_threat_over_muhamma.html|access-date=April 21, 2010|archive-date=June 24, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624095300/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2010/04/south_park_threat_over_muhamma.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Comedy Central censored the episode's broadcast in response, by [[Bleep censor|bleeping out]] several speeches and covering Mohammed's appearances with a giant "censored" label.<ref name=":0" /> Support for the episode has come in the form of [[Everybody Draw Mohammed Day]], a movement started on Facebook that encourages people to draw Muhammad on May 20.<ref>{{cite news|title=South Park Declares Jihad On the Handicapped! |work=Lineboil |date=April 28, 2010 |url=http://lineboil.com/2010/04/south-park-declares-jihad-on-the-handicapped/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527094946/http://lineboil.com/2010/04/south-park-declares-jihad-on-the-handicapped |archive-date=May 27, 2010 |access-date=May 9, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The "200" episode, which also depicted [[Gautama Buddha|the Buddha]] snorting [[cocaine]], prompted the government of [[Sri Lanka]] to ban the series outright.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/04/25/american-television-depicts-buddha-snorting-cocaine/comment-page-1/|title=American Television Depicts Buddha Snorting Cocaine – The Sunday Leader|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-date=February 2, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202120939/http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/04/25/american-television-depicts-buddha-snorting-cocaine/comment-page-1/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Due to many taboo topics in China—such as [[14th Dalai Lama|Dalai Lama]], [[Censorship of Winnie-the-Pooh in China|Winnie the Pooh]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brito |first=Christopher |date=2019-10-08 |title="South Park" creators offer fake apology to China after reported ban |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-park-band-in-china-fake-apology-nba-controversy-2019-10-08/ |access-date=2022-10-05 |website=CBS News |archive-date=October 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011014942/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-park-band-in-china-fake-apology-nba-controversy-2019-10-08/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Chinese labor camps|labor camps]], [[Freedom of speech in China|freedom of speech]] and [[cannabis culture]]—being involved in the [[South Park (season 23)|season 23]] (2019) episode "[[Band in China]]", ''South Park'' was entirely banned in China after the episode's broadcast. The series' [[Baidu Baike]] article, [[Baidu Tieba]] forum, [[Douban]] page, [[Zhihu]] page and [[Bilibili]] videos have been deleted or inaccessible to the public, all related keywords and topics have been prohibited from being searched and discussed on China-based search engines and social media sites including [[Baidu]], [[Tencent QQ|QQ]], [[Weibo]] and on [[WeChat]] public platforms.<ref>{{cite web |title=諷刺迫害人權 喜劇動畫《南方四賤客》遭中國封殺 |url=https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/2936373 |website=[[Liberty Times]] |access-date=October 4, 2019 |date=October 4, 2019 |archive-date=December 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207192231/https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/2936373 |url-status=live |author1=自由時報電子報 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=全面下架！動畫《南方四賤客》因嘲諷中國在中國遭封殺 |url=https://www.setn.com/News.aspx?NewsID=613103 |website=[[SET News]] |access-date=October 4, 2019 |date=October 4, 2019 |archive-date=December 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207202811/https://www.setn.com/news.aspx?newsid=613103 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="RFI0">{{cite news |title=美《衰仔樂園》涉小熊維尼佩奇人權及教育營最敏感而在華遭全面封殺 |url=http://www.rfi.fr/tw/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B/20191005-%E8%A1%B0%E4%BB%94%E6%A8%82%E5%9C%92%E6%B6%89%E5%B0%8F%E7%86%8A%E7%B6%AD%E5%B0%BC%E4%BD%A9%E5%A5%87%E4%BA%BA%E6%AC%8A%E6%96%B0%E7%96%86%E6%95%99%E8%82%B2%E7%87%9F%E5%8F%8A%E5%A4%A7%E5%A4%A7%E6%9C%80%E6%95%8F%E6%84%9F%E8%80%8C%E9%81%AD%E5%85%A8%E9%9D%A2%E5%B0%81%E6%AE%BA |website=[[Radio France Internationale|RFI]] |access-date=October 6, 2019 |date=October 5, 2019 |archive-date=December 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211207202650/https://www.rfi.fr/tw/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B/20191005-%E8%A1%B0%E4%BB%94%E6%A8%82%E5%9C%92%E6%B6%89%E5%B0%8F%E7%86%8A%E7%B6%AD%E5%B0%BC%E4%BD%A9%E5%A5%87%E4%BA%BA%E6%AC%8A%E6%96%B0%E7%96%86%E6%95%99%E8%82%B2%E7%87%9F%E5%8F%8A%E5%A4%A7%E5%A4%A7%E6%9C%80%E6%95%8F%E6%84%9F%E8%80%8C%E9%81%AD%E5%85%A8%E9%9D%A2%E5%B0%81%E6%AE%BA |url-status=live }}</ref> Parker and Stone issued a sarcastic apology in response.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/08/arts/television/south-park-china.html|title='South Park' Creators Offer Fake Apology After Show Is Erased in China|last=Victor|first=Daniel|date=October 8, 2019|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 12, 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=July 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220728170416/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/08/arts/television/south-park-china.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://thebrag.com/south-park-banned-in-china/|title=South Park banned in China for new episode, 'Band In China'|date=October 8, 2019|access-date=October 17, 2019|publisher=The Brag|website=Tone Deaf|archive-date=October 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018133926/https://thebrag.com/south-park-banned-in-china/|url-status=live}}</ref>