Isaac Hayes quits 'South Park'

[TexasStooge]

Associated Press

Isaac Hayes has quit "South Park," where he voices Chef, saying he can no longer stomach its take on religion.

Hayes, who has played the ladies' man/school cook in the animated Comedy Central satire since 1997, said in a statement Monday that he feels a line has been crossed.

"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins," the 63-year-old soul singer and outspoken Scientologist said.

"Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored," he continued. "As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

"South Park" co-creator Matt Stone responded sharply in an interview with The Associated Press Monday, saying, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology... He has no problem — and he's cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians."

Last November, "South Park" targeted the Church of Scientology and its celebrity followers, including actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, in a top-rated episode called "Trapped in the Closet." In the episode, Stan, one of the show's four mischievous fourth graders, is hailed as a reluctant savior by Scientology leaders, while a cartoon Cruise locks himself in a closet and won't come out.

Stone told The AP he and co-creator Trey Parker "never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin."

[HurryKane]

He's a punk. It was ok for them to make fun of every thing else under the sun until they hit HIS 'religion.'

Booo Isaac, ya big hypocrite.

[TexasStooge]

Chef gets a true 'South Park' send-off

NEW YORK (AP) – Oh my God! They killed Chef!

It was a true South Park send-off Wednesday night as Isaac Hayes' Chef character was seemingly killed off and mourned as a jolly old guy whose brains were scrambled by the "Super Adventure Club." The 10th season premiere continued the satirical show's feud with Scientologists.

Hayes – a Scientologist – has voiced Chef since 1997, but left recently because of what he called the animated show's religious "intolerance and bigotry." Founders Matt Stone and Trey Parker said Hayes was mad that South Park mocked the religion in an episode last November.

Hayes didn't participate in making Wednesday's episode; the character's lines appeared to be patched together through tapes of past dialogue.

In his last episode Chef falls off a bridge onto rocks, is burned, stabbed and mauled by a mountain lion and bear.

Then he apparently dies. But Chef still could return: In the final scene, members of the "Super Adventure Club" try to revive Chef, and it's not clear he's really dead.

[HurryKane]

Turns out someone may have quit South Park for him:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,188463,00.html


Gotta love 'em eh?

[Tstormwatcher]

If you missed last nights episode, it is on again tonite at 10:00 est

[Hurricaneman]

Interesting, I feel he added some spice to South Park