ROTTEN TOMATOES: Isaac Hayes Quits "South Park" Over Scientology Row Comments

Isaac Hayes Quits "South Park" Over Scientology Row

by Jen Yamato | March 13, 2006

Summary

Renowned soul musician and actor Isaac Hayes, who memorably voiced the role of Chef on "South Park" since 1997, has pulled out of the irreverent satirical cartoon, expressing his disgust for the show's disrespect for religious beliefs. Back to Article

(21-40 of 59 posts) | Reply

Mort Guffman writes:
on Mar 14 2006 02:36 PM

In reply to this comment (#832119)
Actually, the show has ripped other religions pretty evenly. I am a devout Christian, and I haven't ever liked the way they rip on the person of Jesus Christ, and at times have turned the show off for this reason. However, I love how they rip on the pseudo cultures that religions create, like Christian rock music with Faith +1. That episode was so brilliant it was ridiculous.

Also, the show was dead on in its portrayal of Mormon theology and even in parts that I've seen describe Christian and Catholic theology (transubstantiation, etc.), which lead me to believe that much of the Scientology episode was quite accurate as well (not to mention what I already know about Scientology). These guys do their homework, and despite its negative press are much smarter than people give them credit for.

I think that in our postmodern, fluffy safe world, South Park does an amazing job of being blunt and straight-forward in its commentaires and messages, particularly in the newer seasons (religious or no).

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ThomasElla writes:
on Mar 14 2006 02:38 PM

[b]You guys are looking at it all wrong...[/b]
It. had it right. There is a distinct difference in the treatment of Scientology and Christianity. With Christianity, it is generally comical, like having Jesus fight Santa Claus and Satan in boxing matches. With Scientology, you could tell that Trey and Matt were just blatantly going out and saying that Scientology is false. They would never do that to Christianity since most of their audience is Christian.

They criticized L. Ron Hubbard, the practices used in Scientology, characterized Scientologists as all crazy lunatics, put up text during the explanation of what Scientology was that reads "THIS IS WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS ACTUALLY BELIEVE," and even had the "head" of Scientology saying it was a load of crap. That is obviously offensive to Scientology, and this is coming from an Atheist. Christians would've been offended if they had the Pope on there saying that Christianity is false, believe you me.

You guys are simply looking at it from the standpoint of being of another religion that dictates that Scientology is false. I don't believe in Scientology, but I am tolerant enough of it that I can empathize with Isaac and confidently say that if I were in his position, I would probably do the same.

I love South Park and found the episode funny, but even I know when a line has been crossed.

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tigertank writes:
on Mar 14 2006 03:06 PM

[b]crap[/b]
I think Isaac is full of donkey sh*t. If Haye's were a civil rights leader he wouldn't be making that show because of it's content. Secondly, he say's he writes music, which nobody has ever heard (and if you've heard his music, you should be emberrased by the way). Also, if he's a scientologist than that only means he's too stupid to even figure out that he looks stupid, which makes him look even stupider.

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kylie43 writes:
on Mar 14 2006 03:08 PM

In reply to this comment (#832122)
As much as I love satire and can appreciate the brilliance that goes into it, I've always cringed at South Park. Christianity has always been an easy target - unfortunately any audience that identifies as Christian and still watches it seems to only be numb to how blatant blasphemy is in our culture. What's unfortunate is that people only seem to pay attention to this when it's another grop that is being offended. A line has been crossed a long time ago....

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TheIceGhost writes:
on Mar 14 2006 03:11 PM

Hayes did win an Oscar for his themesong for "Shaft"....hahahahahahaha. Oh Chef I'll miss you, but this can only lead to bigger and better things, maybe a new character!!!

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synergyred writes:
on Mar 14 2006 04:49 PM

Aww no Cheft! Don't goooo! Couldn't you have just sat this episode out? :(

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RedRing writes:
on Mar 14 2006 05:16 PM

In reply to this comment (#832122)
[b]Sad[/b]
It's sad but he's right. The scientology episode was much more of an attack then any other relgious satire

Maybe Matt and Trey don't realise it, but they were pretty harsh, though I got a good laugh out of it.

But imagine if say an atheist made a cartoon where christians were criticized for believing that a supreme being created the world despite overwhelming evidence otherwise and followers of christianity were portrayed as mindless idiots who need something to follow, and then it showed Jesus himself admitting that the whole religion is false With "CHRISTIANS ACTUALLY BELIEVE THIS" captioned across the bottom..... that honestly wouldn't be very cool. Some people would get a laugh, but that is quite in the middle of grounds of being offended... I mean if THAT didn't offend a christian than nothing can!

Now I have no idea what these celebrities see in this religion... at all. But there IS a difference between satire and an attack... and that episode... just barely crossed that line and was very obvious about it.

And all of you bashing on Hayes need to stop it!
That man entertained us as Chef for a long time, and he isn't just known as CHEF. If you were older than 25 you'd probably realize that.

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stalepa writes:
on Mar 14 2006 05:18 PM

[b]What the f***?[/b]
I can not fathom that Issac Hayes has the nerve to even state that a line was crossed in regards to the Scientology episode. For the past nine years MANY episodes have been deemed "offensive," in regards to religion; in many cases Christianity has been the target. How dare a man poke fun at one the oldest and most sacred religions in the world. I believe Mr.Hayes is "glibb." What other reaction does Issac Hayes expect the people to have to Scientology? He, along with the other "Hollywood Crazies," believe that we are from some far off galaxy and, that we are persecuted alien souls. I mean what the f***? How could you NOT make fun of something so ridiculous. I will miss "Chef," but I will not miss another crazy scientologist.

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jrdamwijk writes:
on Mar 14 2006 06:00 PM

[b]You know[/b]
Scientology is a bunch of bullshit anyways, so he can cry me a river. Their beliefs would be more suited to that of a science fiction film.

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kfarschman writes:
on Mar 14 2006 06:06 PM

In reply to this comment (#832127)
I think your wrong. The "harsh" treatment was telling everyone their true believes and showing you how crazy they are. It's like "you thought Jesus coming back from the dead or a virgin birth was crazy, look at this.". It showed their believes, and let people make up their own mind on it, and if you aren't a psycho member than you laughed at how ridiculous it is. It is not a religon and doesn't deserve rights that come with being a religon. I don't think any religons deserve some of their rights, or immunity from satire and the harsh light on their major flaws (intolerance, holy wars, greed, wide-spead child molestation, excuse for commiting horrible terrorists acts by weak minded people, dividing people of different believes even in the same religon ....etc, all which out weighs any good they bring)

Noone knows a scientologists because they are only crazy rich celebrities that can't think for themselves. If you do any research on scientology, you realize how much worse they could have ripped them, and that it is a evil spirited company that is tricking sad people out of their money. I can't believe that ethic-less greedy corporate science fiction fantasy cult hasn't been arrested for fraud, extortion, kidnapping, and who knows what else they are responsible for.

Isaac Hayes owes Matt Stone and Trey Parker all the money he's made in the last 10 years. He's a hypocrite and he will pay because now Parker's sharp wit should focus on him.

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ThomasElla writes:
on Mar 14 2006 07:09 PM

In reply to this comment (#832130)
[b]Oh please...[/b]
Are you actually going to take that kind of an attitude? Just because you yourself don't believe in Scientology doesn't mean that you should go and declare everyone who believes in it crazy. You believe what you believe, regardless of evidence; that's the nature of faith. How do you think that every religion that you aren't feels about your religion? They think you're out of your flipping mind! And maybe you are, maybe you aren't.

And if we want to go and try to blame an entire religion for what certain members have done, then let's blame all of Christianity for the Holocaust since Hitler was Christian and thought he was doing the world a favor.

And please don't make assumptions on religions without having experienced them first-hand for yourself. I find it rather humorous that you say that a major flaw of religion is intolerance, yet you seem especially intolerant of Scientology.

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South_park300 writes:
on Mar 14 2006 07:24 PM

...that's because Scientology isn't a religion, it's more of a Scifi novela if you will

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RedRing writes:
on Mar 14 2006 07:50 PM

[b]Also[/b]
This may have a little bit to do with the "offensiveness" of this issue

it's not my defense but may be a reason.

It's ok and acceptable to make fun of christianity over mainstream just like it's ok to make fun of white people. But once someone makes fun of a smaller religion or a minority then it's more of a touchy subject and I think the two relate because when you make fun of a minority religion or race, it's seen as more offensive because it's not as easy for something smaller to defend itself from something bigger... it seems like bullying

So making fun of white people and making fun of christianity because it is for the most part harmless to people, but once some sort of minority is subject to mistreatment it looks like bullying.

Again, that may not be the case but.... it prob. has something to do with it.

And as crazy as scientology may seem to you, to others it really is something that should be respected.... I mean it's not like satan worship. It's a positive religion.

And when someone that is a christian, The largest religion in the world, picks on one of the smallest known ones. It just seems bad... especially in the manner in which they did it.

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RedRing writes:
on Mar 14 2006 07:56 PM

[b]One more thing[/b]
Sorry for posting twice in a row but.

This reminds me of that time that Chef made a speech about how God feeds on the misery of children and that their tears make him stronger and that he gives things to us just to take them away cause it makes him feel good about himself.

I HONESTLY thought, that someone like him would have trouble saying something like that... I was SHOCKED

Does anyone remember that? it was from the episode where Kenny died, for real.

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uatu13 writes:
on Mar 14 2006 08:35 PM

[b]F*ck Isaac Hayes[/b]
What a first class puss! He sat idly by for YEARS while South Park made fun of ever single thing that exists in our culture, and when they take a poke at his goofball religion he cries and leaves the show?! South Park's made fun of plenty of stuff I take seriously, and you know what, I realized it's a COMEDY show. The funny thing is he's only proving how screwed up Scientologists are by leaving over this; they should have put his @ss in the closet with Tom Cruise!

Screw religious sensitivity too! If you're stupid enough to believe some wacky comic-book crap then I have the right to make fun of you. It's a two way street.

All I can say is good riddance, he'll be back in the unemployment line in no time!

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Stoolio writes:
on Mar 14 2006 08:50 PM

In reply to this comment (#832119)
[b]I know some Scientologist[/b]
I have five people in my family whose lives have been ruined by the Church of $cientology.

One member of my family has been involved with them for over 20 years and has given over $500K of her own money.

Like the episode said- IT IS A GREEDY CULT.

Their members really believe they are better than the rest of us and have appointed themsleves as the smartest people in the world- nevermind that outside of some actors and singers, you never hear of any Nobel Prize winners, no sports stars, and no great scientist that are Scientologist.

I have had these nutcases call and email me for 10 years trying to recruit me.

Issac Hayes is doing what he was told to do by the cult- and he is a hypocrtical ass for it.

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Stoolio writes:
on Mar 14 2006 08:56 PM

In reply to this comment (#832131)
I have experienced Scientology first hand and this episode hit their members dead on.

Scientologist are crazy- they may be good people but they are fools.

What the hell do you know about Scientology that qualifies you to say they aren't crazy. Comparing Scientology to any other faith is based on ignorance and a knee jerk habit to tolerate anything that calls itself religion.

I know and have endured enought of the CO$ that I CAN SAY that I put the eaders of Scientology and the leaders of NAMBA on the same level.

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Paul_Is_Drunk writes:
on Mar 14 2006 09:01 PM

I've been with a Scientoligist and that episode was dead on. Everything they said was true. Were they afraid that the truth was going to come out? Stupid cult...

Remember how the episode ended with them taunting the Scientoligists to sue them? I bet they threatened to do that multiple times. Can't sue for pursuing the truth, though, can you?

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ThomasElla writes:
on Mar 14 2006 09:31 PM

In reply to this comment (#832137)
[b]Well...[/b]
...that's still just your opinion. My opinion is that whatever someone believes in, whether it be Scientology, Wiccan, Satanism, whatever, they should be respected, no matter how bogus it sounds to you. It's just ethics. It's just common decency. It makes you sound more ignorant, intolerant, and even worse than the people you consider yourself better than. Probably the same things you've experienced with Scientologists, I've experienced with Christians, but I try not to think any less of Christianity.

I also think that Scientology is a load of crap, but I don't think that just because I think they're wrong, they should just shut up and convert to something that suits me. America was founded upon freedom of religion, but most Americans don't seem to care when it deals with people of religions other than the ones they deem appropriate.

What qualifies you to say that all Scientologists are crazy? Maybe their beliefs sound crazy to you, but is an alien theory so much more far-fetched than an ascension to heaven or a resurrection of a dead man or a virgin having a child?

And by the way, I don't care who calls their beliefs a religion, because there isn't an approval system of what can or cannot be considered a religion. Even 'Jedi' is considered an official religion in Australia. Jedi. Now Sith I could understand, but Jedi? ;)

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Elixir writes:
on Mar 15 2006 12:33 AM

this is very stupid.

wow hayes, wow

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