Chef's Back, Even If Hayes Isn't (details on Wednesday's South Park show)

zap2it.com ^ | 3-20-06 | N/A

[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.

[Central Scrutiniser]

This is gonna be fun.

[Central Scrutiniser]

South Park ping please

[commish]

OK --I'll be the first to say it -- SEX CHANGE!

[Ladysmith]

Oh boy, I guess! LOL!!!

[mnehring]

Chef comes back brain damaged from too much time on an e-meter.

Oh, and just for fun:
http://www.scientology.org/oca.htm

[EveningStar]

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[mainepatsfan]

I can't wait.

[Gumlegs]

OK --I'll be the first to say it -- SEX CHANGE!

So I guess it's sayonara to Chef's Salty Balls.

[Billthedrill]

So who does the voice now? Snoop Dogg? Chris Rock? Michael Keaton?

[cripplecreek]

Chefs little brother Cook, Voiced by Chris Rock would be cool. Eddie Murphy doesn't appear to be doing much these days either.

[Central Scrutiniser]

They already did sex change with Mr/Mrs Garrison.

I say he comes back white.

[scott7278]

Come out of the closet, Tom.

[WV Mountain Mama]

I also read a story today that Hayes had a stroke recently and that is the real reason he wants out, or something like that...

[commish]

Fox 411 on the Fox News website said today that Hayes may not have been the one to issue the statement saying he was leaving South Park. They are saying that Hayes suffered a stroke Jan 17 and that the Scientology people are covering up the reason he was hospitalized. could get interesting on that front in the days that come.

[usapatriot28]

OK --I'll be the first to say it -- SEX CHANGE!

No they already did that. They'll do a Michael Jackson type thing and he'll be white.

[Ladysmith]

Yep, I'm betting the dude's going to be a brainwashed twit who has some very bizaar views from now on. This is SO ripe for comedy!

[Ladysmith]

Please add me to your pinglist! Thanx!!

[usapatriot28]

I say he comes back white.

Shoot, you beat me to it. (See #15)

[AmishDude]

Just when you thought the clams weren't strange enough...

[Kellykoop]

Fox 411 on the Fox News website said today that Hayes may not have been the one to issue the statement saying he was leaving South Park. They are saying that Hayes suffered a stroke Jan 17 and that the Scientology people are covering up the reason he was hospitalized. could get interesting on that front in the days that come.

Could be...especially since Hayes was on the Opie and Anthony Show not too long ago, was asked about that episode and said something about how Matt & Trey lampoon everyone and anyone that gets offended over SP needs to get a life. (paraphrasing, because I don't have the exact quote) Either that, or the powers that be of $cientology threatened to boot him out if he didn't quit and denounce SP.

[commish]

Per Roger Friedman - Fox 411

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

[NYTexan]

South Park update ping

[BunnySlippers]

He could be gay now.

[AmishDude]

Apparently there was an interview with Opie and Anthony where he essentially shrugged his shoulders and said that is what Matt and Trey do.

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.

[Ladysmith]

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Entertainment/

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.

[mrsmith]

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."

[uncitizen]

He could be gay now.

Nah. That's too easy. Trey and Matt are more clever than that.

I had an idea that Chef left South Park to join the Scientology cult, but that is too easy as well.

[Dog Gone]

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.

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.

[TheBattman]

So - is the pulled scientology episode available online anywhere? Has to be hillarious....

[Pukin Dog]

It could be that it was US who got spoofed this time around. If this was a publicity stunt to make fun of US, then the boys are even more brilliant than I thought.

[commish]

Batt it is all over the net. Just google "south park trapped in the closet"

[Ladysmith]

www.xenu.net

[humblegunner]

Chef is one of my heros.
I bet he could even get pig and elephant DNA to splice if he tried.

That'd be sweet.

[Central Scrutiniser]

Did you see Henry Winkler's character Barry Peppercorn jump over a shark on Arrested Development?

A classic scene.

[commish]

If it is all a stunt, it will go down in the annals of great hoaxs.

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.

[AmishDude]

I can't get their video links to work. Says I need codecs.

[Pukin Dog]

http://www.xpcodecpack.com/

[NYTexan]

"I bet he could even get pig and elephant DNA to splice if he tried."

Yeah, but you'd need a really big grill for the ribs!

[Pukin Dog]

Yes, if the joke is on us, then it will be the best spoof ever done.

[uglybiker]

They'll do a Michael Jackson type thing and he'll be white.

Already did Michael Jackson.

Even had Chef doin' the Thriller bit.

[DumpsterDiver]

Oh, and just for fun:
http://www.scientology.org/oca.htm

It sounded like fun until I got to this part:

The final test results are only given to you IN FULL by a trained test evaluator at one of our centers.

Yikes!! ;^)

[AmishDude]

Thanks.

[usapatriot28]

Already did Michael Jackson.

I know they did. I didn't mean to imply that it would necessarily include Michael Jackson in the episode, just that they would do a bleach job similar to Michael Jackson.

[Eaker]

Back atcha!!

[Centurion2000]

Chefs little brother Cook, Voiced by Chris Rock would be cool. Eddie Murphy doesn't appear to be doing much these days either.

And then there's Arsenio Hall. Chefs cousin ... Crisp?

[Ladysmith]

http://www.scientomogy.info/ Scroll down to "NEW! SOUTH PARK'S EPISODE ON SCIENTOLOGY AVAILABLE HERE! (PARODY)" and you'll be able to save the whole thing.

[cripplecreek]

Dave Chapelle could do a Rick James chef.

[RichInOC]

I bet he could even get pig and elephant DNA to splice if he tried.

If it works out, I want to stampede a herd of those bad boys through the Great Mosque.

[commish]

LOL "I'm Chef james B*tch!"

[georgia2006]

The Katrina episode was one of the best.