In the aftermath of the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative figure, tensions have escalated among various factions of the political spectrum. Some conservatives are directing their ire towards the animated series South Park, particularly due to a recent episode that satirized Kirk's persona and political antics. Following the incident, Comedy Central made the decision to pull the episode titled “Got a Nut” from its scheduled repeat on Wednesday night.
The second episode of the current season of South Park features the character Eric Cartman adopting the role of a right-wing podcaster, echoing the rhetoric often associated with Kirk, who is known for his campus debates against progressive students. In a comedic twist, Cartman proclaims, “Who wants to debate the master debater?” mimicking Kirk’s signature hairstyle and even participating in a fictional ceremony where he receives “The Charlie Kirk Award for Young Masterdebaters.” While the satire was mild by South Park standards—especially when compared to the show's treatment of other figures like Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem—it nonetheless raised eyebrows.
Following the episode's airing, Charlie Kirk appeared to embrace the humor and posted a TikTok video where he described the episode as “hilarious,” asserting that “South Park gets this right.” As the founder of Turning Point USA, he expressed a positive attitude towards being the subject of satire, stating, “We have a good spirit about being made fun of. This is all a win. We as conservatives have thick skin, not thin skin, and you can make fun of us and it doesn’t matter.”
The landscape shifted dramatically after Kirk's tragic murder at Utah Valley University, where he was engaging in a debate similar to the one depicted in the episode. Following this incident, some conservative commentators began to blame South Park for contributing to a hostile cultural climate. A staff member from Turning Point USA shared on Telegram, “Comedy has consequences. Charlie was targeted in the culture before he was targeted in real life.” Right-wing radio host Jesse Kelly lamented, “South Park thought it was funny to turn Charlie into a cartoon joke. Now his wife is planning a funeral.”
The response on social media has been heated, with some users calling for accountability from the creators of South Park. Comments ranged from blaming the show for fostering hatred to labeling its creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, as “responsible” for the incident. One Twitter account known as Johnny MAGA referred to the show as “monsters” for their portrayal of Kirk.
Conversely, many conservatives defended South Park, arguing that the show is a form of satire rather than a guiding influence. One X (formerly Twitter) user remarked, “I don’t blame South Park. They aren’t our leaders, representatives, mentors, pastors, example setters, or societal caretakers. They are satire!”
As of Thursday morning, Comedy Central had not provided a comment on the decision to withdraw the repeat of the episode. However, it is a common practice for networks to pull episodes that unintentionally intersect with real-life violence. This decision is often made out of respect for the affected individuals and to avoid inflaming an already tense situation.
This season, South Park has taken a critical stance towards figures such as President Trump and the broader MAGA movement. Given the show's history of addressing current events, it will be intriguing to see how creators Parker and Stone navigate the upcoming episodes in light of recent developments. Fans on Reddit expressed mixed feelings about the episode's removal. Many agreed it was “the polite thing to do,” while maintaining that South Park should not be blamed for the tragic events that unfolded. One user stated, “Probably a smart decision, no matter your feeling on him; don’t give either side reason to exploit this.”
Another user added, “You really can’t fault them for not predicting this; I don’t think anyone could have predicted this series of events with him literally talking about gun violence as he was being shot.”
