South Park's response to Scientologist Isaac Hayes's abrupt departure from the show, which aired last night, is an instant classic. Using the "Super Adventure Club" to mock Scientology, and Chef to mock Hayes, proved far more effective, hilarious, and subtle than the program's controversial episode on Scientology--recently pulled by Comedy Central--which relied on the dumb, "get out of the closet" cheap-shot on Tom Cruise. What made last night's show stand out?

1. The cut-and-paste job from stock audio done on Chef's lines, which addressed audience concerns of how South Park would produce an episode focused on Chef without Isaac Hayes participating, was brilliant. South Park's explanation of Chef's choppy, monosyllabic statements--that he had been brainwashed--was an excellent way to explain Chef's strange behavior within the show (as the viewers already understood, and no doubt appreciated, why the deliberately amateurish spliced audio was used).

2. The show was shockingly dirty, both in the lines delivered by the brainwashed Chef, the cop (way too interested in his job of catching molestors), and the leader of the Super Adventure Club.

3. Chef's eulogy (and the whole episode for that matter) did an excellent job detailing Matt Stone and Trey Parker's beef with Hayes. The fact that the entire town sent him off, and were seemingly unanimous in their verdict of his last days, was cool too. Chef's actions of the past week--his predatory behavior around children--were the result of being brainwashed by the club he joined. This was clever, and, at least compared to the "get out of the closet" episode, subtle. Stone and Parker remember Chef (read: Isaac Hayes) fondly; it's the Super-Adventure Club (read: Scientology) that they blame for Chef's (read: Hayes's) strange behavior.

4. Killing Chef off, in a most brutal way (Did the bear and mountain lion represent Matt and Trey?), made a statement: we fight back. Scientology has attempted to intimidate critics. Matt and Trey are not intimidated. They are the human personification of that old adage: Never wrestle with a pig. You'll both get dirty and the pig likes it.

A co-worker of mine didn't like the episode too much. I did.

I particularly appreciated the manner in which Matt and Trey's putting words into Chef's mouth echoed how Scientology, in Southpark's view, put words into Hayes's mouth. Very neatly done.

I saw it last night and laughed my @ss off! I've managed to get control of myself. That cop was a riot!

I thought the crudeness undermined the funniness. But the crudeness was necessary to be so brutal. And brutal they were right to be, given the strong-arm tactics used against them the previous week and used against other detractors of the cult, and given how vile Scientology's whole invented-cult-for-money scam is in the first place.

When I used to take guitar lessons just a block from Dupont Circle, I used to walk by the L. Ron Hubbard House, or whatever the hell they called it. These guys stand around outside and try to get you to come in and watch their Scientology propaganda film. So they'd see me with my guitar and say "Hey brother! Wanna come inside and see a movie? It's free, man."

Of course, even when I was a godless hippie (which is why they talked to me that way), I wasn't that stupid.

As long as it works for these folks and they're not hurting anybody, who cares?

Very funny and well put together episode. Especially as done in a very short period of time. Those guys is pros!

"As long as it works for these folks and they're not hurting anybody, who cares?"

I agree. I always admire a good con, and L. Ron Hubbard, or his handlers, deserve the Con of the Century award. The careful synchronization of increasing amounts of required money, bringing the mark in close by gradually revealing the whole story, and then closing when the mark is completely financially and emotionally hooked. As much as Frazier's left hook, it is a thing of beauty.

asdf: do you think that they are not hurting anybody? Do you think con artists in general don't hurt anybody?

I haven't heard of anybody who's been killed, maimed, physically restrained or had a gun put to their heads to go along with these zeroes. Suckers get suckered all of the time so who you gonna call?

It's a sucker's right to be hoodwinked. Isn't it?

asdf: you said that what mattered was whether they hurt anybody. Now you are saying that all that matters is if they get "killed, maimed, physically restrained or had a gun put to their heads." Con artists also don't do these things, but they certainly hurt the people they sucker.

Please explain to me how they are doing anything that is truly hurting anybody? I think a good indicator of whether or not this is true is if they are breaking the law. Are they?

Again, I have not heard anything outside of them duping recruits that would prove that these people have run afoul of their membership.

If people want to follow a sect and blindly hand over their money to it who are we or the law to say that's wrong if it's a willing and apparently reciprocating relationship.

asdf: I don't think a good measure of whether a person is hurting someone else is whether they are breaking a law. Think about that for a second and you'll realize that only in a totalitarian state could that be true.

Lisa MacPherson was killed by Scientology.

http://www.lisamcpherson.org/

I think that all religions are conning people. Some don't want money so they're not duping people financially. Most just want money.

Camrade- 2002, average taxable income, Catholic pastor (not priest, that would be lower)= 31,465$. Averages are higher for ministers in other churches, but in general, if you think working for a religious community, even high up, is a good way to make money, you're deluded.

I wonder what the average pay is in scientology?

Scientology hurts

http://www.xenu.net/

A)A little bit about Darwin'ism: I really don't give a crap about those former members, now victims of scientology. Screw them! If they die, then nature doesn't want them to survive. (which isn't that bad after all)
B) A little bit about the USA: Allowing cults like scientology to exist is mainly an american problem. Admit it, you Americans are very credulous concerning religion. A little less of your liberalism would be helpful. Maybe you should all become Muslims. Islam is the most peaceful and freedom loving religion of all - but sadly often misinterpreted.
C) 6 Million people died in concentration camps for beliving the in the 'wrong' matters. 1 Million Vietnamese people died for chosing comunism as their form of government. Over 1 Million Iraqis were killed - mostly by Americans - for possessing oil. Why wasn't a no good, inhuman, child molesting son of a bitch like L. Ron Hubbard one of them???
Ergo: Southpark rocks! But they shouldn't rip on Scientology anymore. Those scumbags aren't even worth talking about them. May they all commit mass-suicide one day!

Hey Cadoom,

Had we invaded Iraq for oil that would be better. Now people think that everybody there will be friends if we stay long enough. WRONG. I am paying 2.50 a gallon, the Iraq oil we stole must not have shown up yet.

This is America if Matt and Trey want to rip on Scientology they can do it all they want.

We even let foreigners(YOU) say what they want here.

Apparently our Liberal ways aren't working out to well since we are all killing each other at random. Sorry I was thinking about all of the peaceful Middle Eastern Countries.

I think the fact that scientology has been kicked out of many European countries for trying to subvert the government and have been caught actively hindering U.S. investigations into public saftey, look up project "Snow White" a program implemented by the church of scientology to implant spies in various levels of government to make sure that they never fall under the microscope of the world. Also if they have nothing to hide why is thier headquarters a fleet of ships that roam international waters, safe from government siezures, and juristidiction?

I think the fact that Comedy Central pulled the episode shows the power that these Scientologist nuts have influence and too much influence. Something has to be done about them.
A friend of mine was forced to drop out of school by her father(a scientologist) and now what? She works for them in New York City. They are destroying people and making them into nuts and they've gone too far. Matt and Tray deserve a commendation in their fight and Comedy Central deserves a kick in the nuts for pulling that episode.

~Alex

This is VERY funny to me. People trying to have an educated discussion about South Park?!? Get a Life, or a job!!! You have way too much free fu**ing time on your hands!!

To The Man Who Sold the World.

Why don't you get a freakin life? Matt Stone and Trey Parker have more intellect and creativity in their pinky fingers than you! You can have lots of intellectual conversations about Southpark because a lot of the humor is INTELLECTUAL HUMOR FOR GOD'S SAKE!!!!!!!!!! It, along with the simpson's, is one of the most intelligent comedies ever.

And, to the original poster of this topic. No way was this episode better than the Scientology episode. The Scientology episode actually opened peoples eyes to what is obviously a very bad problem. It certainly opened my eyes, I had no idea scientologists believed such nutty things until that episode, now if I ever meet a scientologist i'm going to give him/her a long lecture, though I doubt it will help.

To ASDF. I think your probably the biggest 'tard on this whole page. Conning people doesn't hurt them? Then why is it ILLEGAL you f$#@in moron!! People with really low self-esteem and selfworth that find themselves in a place where they'll believe anything just to feel better will follow groups like Scientologists, and people should ABSOLUTELY be thrown in jail for 25 to life for taking such advantage of such people. Why are only 1% of human's born with a brain?

CHEF will be missed

"Why are only 1% of human's born with a brain?"

Becouse people are in general stupid. 'Flock thinking' is supreme in human behavior.

Scientologists suck and yes they are a cult. But how different are they from mormons? Mormons don't have people in all parts of the US government? Of course they do. And that's why South Park has made fun of them and let me tell you, I greatly appreciate it. Matt and Trey say things that I think all the damn time. All these friggin freaks need to be dealt with from the scientologists to the mormons all the way down to the child molesting catholic punk ass priests! Keep up the great shows guys!!!

This is hilarious!! I love some of the responses. I had no idea what scientology was all about until these episodes were aired... Of course, I checked out a scientology web site because Matt and Trey tend to exaggerate, but what I found there was also very funny... thanks to all for your thoughts, whether I agreed or not, and to Matt and Trey for their insightful humor

Yeah, Scientology is a cult for rich people. If you've read the Rolling Stone article you know the members have to pay dearly for each and every service they receive, even counseling (about $2,200 per hour). Even their so called drug rehab centers cost and they end up trying to convert the people to their way of thinking. What kind of "religion" is that. They don't deserve to be able to call themselves a Church. It should be called a club or a cult. One thing I don't understand though, where did the child molesting thing come from? Do Scientologists believe in child molesting or was that a stab or a way to explain Chef leaving?

“She was taken to a hospital where she was physically evaluated as being unharmed, but the hospital wanted her to be psychologically cared for. However, some Scientologists arrived and stated that Lisa did not believe in psychiatry, and she checked out after a short evaluation and left with the Scientologists.”

So, she was apparently not being physically abused or threatened (sorry, bug bites don’t count). And she checked out of her own free will.

This Lisa McPherson business is sad but is not convincing enough to say that Scientologists don’t have the right to propagate their whacko religion.

She was a Scientologist for 18 years for Pete's sake so there was something that had apparently hooked her and kept her coming back. Granted, they may have sucked her in originally but it appears that she had to have some psychological problems to begin with (as I'll assume many of them do) which may have made it easier for them to manipulate her.

Obviously, the family has a different take on this as I’m sure I would if one of mine was involved with these nuts.

But, consider: a lot of people think that many of the mainstream religion practitioners are nuts as well. This doesn’t mean that we’ll be shutting down churches or synagogues any time soon.

“On June 12, 2000 the criminal charges were dropped against Scientology because (so the prosecutor claims) the medical examiner could not be counted on to confidently testify, even though the criminal charges were abuse of a disabled person and practicing medicine without a license.”

The medical and criminal reports were still inconclusive and it’s still no crime to coerce or otherwise dup weak minded people. Sad but true.

Dude! ASDF, get a friggin clue!! She did not check herself out she was not coherent enough to make that decision you freakin' 'tard. Read the whole web page before you go judging that girl. AND READ THE EXPERT OPINION ON THE AUTOPSY AND THE INTERVIEW WITH THE ORIGINAL CORONER. It's obvious he was afraid to assert himself on ANY of his findings, but other experts contest that it was indeed HOMICIDE DUE TO NEGLEGENCE. And duping weak minded people IS ILLEGAL, CON ARTISTS ARE ARRESTED EVERY DAY FOR FRAUD, ETC. And, if you say there's nothing wrong with it because noone has been physically harmed, then let me come extort you out of everything you own and you tell me extortion is fair, it's illegal too and doesn't involve physically harming anyone. GET A CLUE YOU GD LOSER!!!!!!!!!!

So was LRHubbard a molester and did he get hit by a train?

Bobby, take your prozac. What happened was wrong on many levels but they couldn't prove enough to make the charges stick. So, it's just a sad story and a closed case. These people are freaky but in the eyes of the law, there was no crime. Now, isn't it time for your shock treatments?

ASDF make a great point. Our personal opinions aside, Individual rights cannot be infringed. Remember, just because you think you know what’s best for someone doesn’t mean you have the right to make any decisions for them. You would want someone deciding whats best for you. If people want to be willing participants in a nutty organization then good for them, no matter how gay it is.

Ok. I have a problem with the thought that religion whether it be 'scientology', 'catholosism' or any other mainstream collection of freaks like them aren't abusive or threatening. From the start of most all Christian based religions they tell you if you don't believe in them that you're going to burn in hell and be tortured for eternity. How is that not a threat? And they are addictive but not illegal. Why are they not illegal? Heroin is addictive and it's illegal, right?

I think this episode was funny, for the first 18 minutes I thought it was a bit cruel on Chef/Haynes but when Kyle blamed the "fruity little club" for Chefs weird behavior and not the clubs victim.

I would not say you need problems to fall for a cult as they introduce the craziness slowly and thus slowly changing the limits of belief to eventually accept the incredable.

here is a better explaination
http://www.xenu.net/archive/personal_story/funkydonny.html >o

South Park kicks ass.

Welp, just to inform everyone about potential "trade secrets" within the confines of the illustrious institution known as Scientology, please direct your browsers to google.com and search for "scientology scam"

hehe I guess we can almost definitely infer that Ton Cruise is in fact a raging homosexual, especially if they have a dossier on him, and based on his own admission.

uhm, rrrrright borbaclassic. you mean like your parents made a bunch of decicions for you and by that infringed your rights? that's called education and is far away from infringing individual rights. you mix up some things here. it is totally ok to make wrong decisions based on one's stupidity. true. like if you think that your life is worthless and so you try commiting suicide. but a doctor would still fight for your life, cuz there there are higher values he tends to follow that moment than your own stupidity. so you should remeber that we live in a society and individual rights are not the only rights.

fyi the u.s. government "knew" that der were wmds in iraq and invaded the country. they also knew that saddam's regime was bad for the region and the people of iraq and that democracy would be better for them.

Scientology is okay. I think feuding over religion is the stupidest thing in the world. I believe we should abolish religion. Don't get me wrong, I think religion is okay. However, it's the people who are not okay. People don't follow their religion. Those muslims protesting over the Danish cartoons or putting religion converters to death just symbolizes their own misunderstanding over religion.

Those people who argue whether Jesus Christ should be recognized as an actual historical figure are missing the point of religion as well. It's all symbolism. YOU SHOULDN'T CARE whether Jesus was a real person or not, because even if they discover tomorrow 100% surely that Jesus in fact did not exist, that wouldn't make the moral of the story about Jesus any less meaningful.

Scientology is just a modern religion. Scientologists don't ACTUALLY believe that stuff, it's symbolism. Just like any actual faithful Christian knows that the fact that the Earth was created in seven days is a big far-fetched, so you have to read that with a grain of salt and understand that it's simply simbolic for the earth's creation. If you take ANY religion literally, you're missing the point. The values taught by scientology are okay, and you're not supposed to take that stuff literally, because that causes problems.

If everyone in the world ACTUALLY FOLLOWED their religion, we wouldn't have stupid discussions such as this

To all you ignorant idiots who say "Death to Scientologists," why are you judging people based on their beliefs? It's none of your business what others believe. Yes, Hayes was a douchebag for leaving the show, but that's because he got offended over the episode, when in reality, he should have tolerated Matt and Trey's views, LIKE EVERY RELIGION INSTRUCTS YOU TO DO. You don't judge people based on what they do or what they believe. According to the rules of Christianity, you are to help out even the Devil as much as you can. If he is caught in the rain, you do your best to help him.

So my opinion is that, even though religion itself is not the problem, it's the people who are the problem. They are misunderstanding and misenterpreting everything that they are being told, just like most of you will misinterpret and jump to conclusions about what I just had to say. So it's not because of religion itself that I believe we should abolish it, it's just because people can't play by the rules. Like most of you a**holes.

Thank you.

You're all stupid, conning people isn't wrong and asdf is the best.

I don't really give a diddling damn about scientology, and really I thought this particular episode of South Park was borderline Drawn Together. I'm just thrilled Matt and Trey were able to turn something awesomely bad like a regular cast member leaving in a huff into a decent parody.

I mean, really, am I the only one who thinks it was kinda diva-ish of Isaac to stomp off the show over some fun poked at scientology??? Blacks, abortion, beaners, euthanasia, cripples, The Passion of the Christ, Jews, Mormons, corporate takeovers, Indians, stem cell research, oh it was perfectly all right to make fun of all that, but a couple of cracks at the expense of L. Ron Hubbard? Well, good God miss Maude, THAT'S WHERE THEY WENT TOO FAR! Gimme a humongous break!

Has anyone else noticed that when chef is impalled on the stick near the end how the super adventure club is trying to save him but they end up killing him?

It is very simple.

Conning people is wrong.

ASDF started his argument by saying conning was not wrong...then in a later entry says that it is wrong. Why believe someone who contradicts themselve so easily? So considering his comments as smart is not an option.

Religion is better than a scam for money. It is a way to control society so that we live in what we consider is a "safe" world.

Finally:
Iraq had no WMDs. If they did, they would not have been a threat. The US is wealthy. They have money to protect themselves.

Iraq is not the most peaceful country in the region, but the majority of Iraq were and are faithful to Saddam. They like him because he represents their values. Learn your history. Saddam never did anything to the US nor would he. He doesn't care about the US. He was running his country. He may not be a humanitarian, but there are genocides going on in African countries. Do we go there? No. We have no way to profit. There is injustice evrywhere. Why do people get so horrified like it is something new? Wake up. Everyone seems to have an angle.

And the oil companies that partly control the US wants oil cheaper for them...not their clients (us). Look at the stock market. Exxon moile is on the top. They get oil cheaper, and we pay more. That's how you make money (see: Walmart). It isn't right or fair but it exists. People want money.

Please now. Everyone shut up. Wrong is wrong. Lying about it to ourselves doesn't make it not exist. Laws don't solve everything. They don't solve alot. Look at your life. Are you happy?

Matt and Trey would be disappointed at these board postings. Do you really watch their shows? They never blame the problem on one institution, person, or company. They show how everyone is stupid.

Response to Me:And the oil companies that partly control the US wants oil cheaper for them...not their clients (us). Look at the stock market. Exxon moile is on the top. They get oil cheaper, and we pay more. That's how you make money (see: Walmart). It isn't right or fair but it exists. People want money.

First of all, these major companies are making money cuz of the spike in prices...i agree with you. But they do not get control of foreign oil. It's not like exxonmobile or chevron-tex headed over to iraq when we invaded and said well this looks like a good spot. These companies gotta make money when they can...it is their duty to the shareholders i.e. the american public or anyone else who owns stock. If they aren't doing that when the market is good they are not doing their job. Second, the only sort of oil advantage we get by invading iraq is from making friends with their government. Look at the top 5 members of OPEC. I'm pretty sure they don't have the USA on their list of favorite countries.

Anywayz...cheers to the show. I thought it was great. i could care less about the religious arguments.

i am a scientology. I am is thinking that i beleive in a god that is a babtist to. my english is not so good because i am from that planet that is scientology. if you dont like scientology you dont like god neither.

Ok, where the hell did South Park turn into WMD's and oil companies? Oh yeah, that's right, South Park hits everything and anyone. Rock on South Park. This show should be broadcast in every arab nation un-cut and un-censored just to piss off those damn towel-headed suicide bombing bastards. Kill yourselves so we don't have to ya rag-head freaks. And by the way the one with bin ladin was retardedly funny.

Damnit, conning people whether you feel it's "wrong" or not is irrelevant because it is illegal. People go to prison all the time for being "con-men". Or have we forgotten already the whole Enron thing? Those guys aren't on trial for being upstanding buisness people. They are on trial for "conning" people ya damn 'tards. And I mean that in the fullest sense of the word. Really guys get a grip if you think being a con-man is a viable career option. Come to think of it maybe they did offer that as a class in college? No wait. The class I'm thinking of is politics 101. So I guess I was wrong. But being a con-man is only legal if you're a politician. Have fun with that douchebags.

1. Trey and Matt are brilliant for being able to put an idea together in such a fashion. Congrats and good job.
2. The beliefs that Matt and Trey have are NOT original. Someone somewhere thought about first. Matt and Trey are only presenting what a lot of us think about.
3. We don't know for sure what Iraq had or has. All we know is that we are over there and we don't what the real reason is.
4. We all have opinions. It's good to express ourselves because that is what America was founded on. Look it up in the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. We have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of cheesecake at 2 am.
5. Don't get your panties in a bunch. Remember that this is still a comedy. Informative, and for the most part based on truth, but still a comedy. Laugh People!
6. If someone wants to be conned it is still there perogative. It's not right morally, but it's still their choice. Remember? The right to choose?
Last but not least: 7. Live, learn, and get over it.

i am a scientologist. i represent the scientologist community and i believe that southpark creators are two bandals trying to destroy all that is good and fair for our society.LOL.just kidding. f*ck these sick weirdos.nice job u guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God, I just watched the Episode a minute ago. I don't know how they will translate it to german, but I watch the newest Episodes from the Web.

However: I guess, the Scientology-Thing is a big, bad shit. They claim to be a church, but they are not!
In Germany, we don't accept them as a church but as a company – they are a company, really - and they behave as if they are discriminated against, trying to make us feeling guilty and intolerant by comparing themselves with the jewish community.

By the way: In germany, no religion is discriminated against, but scientologists are not a religion. They want to be a church, because churches have special rights in Tax- and money-things here.

Scientology is a real bunch of assholes! :-)