The episode "Trapped In The Closet" which was mentioned in the above article will air in Canada tonight at 9:30 pm on The Comedy Network. For more details, including the plot, or what passes for one, read on:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Toronto Sun
Fri, March 31, 2006
South Park rerun makes its way north
The controversial mocking of Tom Cruise and Scientology airs again tonight in Canada
By BILL HARRIS, TORONTO SUN
The political influence of Tom Cruise apparently does not extend into Canada.
Thus, the controversial episode of barely animated American show South Park that mocks both Cruise individually and Scientology generally will be replayed tonight on The Comedy Network in Canada (9:30 p.m.).
The episode, titled Trapped In The Closet, has already been shown in both Canada and the United States. But much controversy ensued south of the border, so Comedy Central, which is South Park's home network, dropped the episode from its rerun schedule without notice or explanation.
There was widespread speculation that Cruise had threatened not to promote his upcoming Paramount movie Mission Impossible III unless Comedy Central, which is owned by the same company as Paramount, yanked the rerun. Cruise's representatives denied that allegation, but Trapped In The Closet was scratched nonetheless.
The episode also prompted Issac Hayes, a devoted Scientologist and the voice of South Park character Chef, to quit the show because of what he perceived to be religious persecution. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone fired back that Hayes had no moral issue cashing cheques when the show repeatedly poked fun at Christianity and Judaism.
Canadians will get another chance to see what all the fuss is about tonight.
In Trapped In The Closet, Scientologists make the mistake of believing Stan is the second coming of L. Ron Hubbard. That, of course, prompts a pilgrimmage by such noted Scientologists as Cruise and John Travolta.
At one point the animated Cruise becomes so overwhelmed that he shuts himself into a closet and refuses to leave. Subsequently, everyone is trying to get Cruise to "come out of the closet" -- get it?
Subtlety never has been a South Park staple.
Parker and Stone issued a parting shot a couple of weeks ago with a new episode titled The Return Of Chef!, which officially kicked off South Park's 10th season on Comedy Central in the U.S. Bits of old dialogue from Hayes were edited together and the episode ended with Chef falling off a bridge and being burned, stabbed and mauled by wild animals.
Again, not too subtle.
The Return Of Chef! will air in Canada eventually, but since The Comedy Network still is in the middle of broadcasting South Park's ninth season, no exact date has been set.
|