Lunar Threads

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060313/ap_ ... saac_hayes

NEW YORK -
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."

There's still new episodes of South Park coming out? I thought it already ended.

Heh, I have got to give the man points for sticking up for his beliefs. But I also got to just shake my head negatively for the whole reason behind it.

I never knew Isaac Hayes was a Scientologist.

I found that episode hilarious, by the way. KF

Kizyr wrote:I never knew Isaac Hayes was a Scientologist.

I found that episode hilarious, by the way. KF

So did I, especially after having watched The Soup, and how much they made fun of R Kelly's actual video The Closet. Hey, I'm Jewish, and I don't really take what South Park does seriously. No one should. It's job is to take things to the extreme, and it still does that unlike some other shows...

>cough cough< Simpsons >cough cough<

This story really has me interested. I want to know exactly what Hayes was so offended by. I don't watch South Park much, but I know that there are at least four episodes which, if taken seriously (a bad thing to do with South Park), would be extremely - EXTREMELY - anti-Christian.

If he had no problem with those episodes but suddenly got mad about an episode that mocked Scientology, then I don't have much respect for the guy. I would really like to hear specifics from him, though.

Roas Atrades wrote:
>cough cough< Simpsons >cough cough<

The Simpsons isn't the greatest show anymore, but it certainly isn't fair to throw it into the same category as South Park. For one, I think The Simpsons attempted to depict an accurate family as opposed to taking it to "the extreme." Still, you're right The Simpsons lost its spark.

Werefrog wrote:
The Simpsons isn't the greatest show anymore, but it certainly isn't fair to throw it into the same category as South Park. For one, I think The Simpsons attempted to depict an accurate family as opposed to taking it to "the extreme." Still, you're right The Simpsons lost its spark.

That wasn't the direction I meant to take when I took that shot at the Simpsons. What I mean is that the Simpsons, waaaaaaay back in the day, were edgy, and took it to the man, so to speak. As soon as Groening stopped actually being a part of the show, it started to go downhill.

Now, the Simpsons have completely sold out, and suck up to everyone and their grandmother. I haven't wathed it in years, literally, but every time I see a preview I shake my head in shame of what it has become.

JWL wrote:This story really has me interested. I want to know exactly what Hayes was so offended by.

Pretty much the whole episode of Trapped in the Closet.

They spent a good deal of time animating out Scientologists' belief about Xemu 15 trillion years ago, the trapped souls of aliens on Earth, setting off volcanos, the evils of psychiatry, and paying $250 minimum to join the church.

During that entire time they flashed a big line across the top that said "THIS IS WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS ACTUALLY BELIEVE".

I still thought they were making it all up, 'til all the research I came up with corroborated this.

The only part that might have directly offended him would likely be the bit about the heads of the church telling Stan directly that their entire purpose is to make folks believe in something to pay them lots of money. That didn't come 'til the end of the episode, either.

Oh, and to hit at your other question... I haven't heard anything about Isaac Hayes being upset about previous episodes, and even this episode was first aired several months ago. So I'm already suspicious about his entire motives. KF

What I mean is, was Hayes offended by how South Park treated Scientology, or was Hayes offended by how South Park treats all religions?

IMO, it makes Hayes look better if he's coming at it from the angle that the show attacks religion in general far too often, and perhaps the attack on his own religion made him realize that. If he only cares about his religion being attacked, though, then I don't respect him.

If I took South Park seriously, I as a Catholic would have been offended by the episode which had the Vatican being arbitrarily bossed around by some giant spider creature who is in favor of molesting children, or the episode with Mel Gibson which mocked the Catholic focus on the Passion of Christ (the event, not the movie). Yet I would also be offended by Cartman using "Jew" as an insult. I want to hear Hayes say that it's not just the anti-Scientology stuff that offends him.

I never took it seriously and just laughed because it is just a friggin' cartoon. It's good to laugh at these things or just don't watch them.

Se mor'ranr ono finna.

translation: May you find peace.

I want to hear Hayes say that it's not just the anti-Scientology stuff that offends him.

If he actually is just mad about the anti-Scientology stuff, then he's a massive hypocrite. If he can partake voice acting in the show when it makes fun of other religions, then turn around and call foul play when his is brought into an episode for jabbing, then yeah, major hypocrite.

You know, I never even watched South Park until it started coming on UPN a few months ago. It seems to have that Family Guy appeal to me. A number of episodes are extremely obnoxious and stupid, while a few are hilarious.

Isaac Hayes, a Scientologist. When did this happen. While we are on the subject, who started Scientology? I, myself, happen to beileve that there is a scientific explaination for everything, but... wow. Not to be making fun of anyone's religion, but Scientology sounds like a Science Fiction novel.

L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, started Scientology.

GhaleonOne wrote:You know, I never even watched South Park until it started coming on UPN a few months ago. It seems to have that Family Guy appeal to me. A number of episodes are extremely obnoxious and stupid, while a few are hilarious.

Well, two quick notes. First off it's not on UPN the network, it's syndicated in addition to being on comedy central, as a result a lot of broadcast air stations throughout the country (for example for UPN affliate in Witchita) air it. Here in Chicago for example it's aired by an independent station at midnight weeknights http://www.wciu.com/

As far as the Family Guy goes, it really depends when you started watching it, the first three seasons of the show were of a much higher level of quality than the newer episodes. Since the Family Guy returned to Fox with new episodes a year ago it has taken a drastic turn for the worse with far more insipid plots and a constant string of flashbacks which quickly become tedious to watch as they are now the bulk of the show rather than a few occasional flashbacks in each episode. The original episodes of the show were far better paced and written. The show is still watchable but it's certainly not anywhere near the quality it was from 1999-2002.

GhaleonOne wrote:There's still new episodes of South Park coming out? I thought it already ended.

It's been renewed through the end of '08.

Oh, and regarding the syndicated episodes, those are edited. (Of note, the use of the Lord's name in vain has been removed.)

Heh, intrestingly enough, after I read this post me and my mom went to my sister's apartment, where she had one of those morning shows from like, CBS or ABC, on. Anyway, they where talking about this incedent, as well as why he stayed around while they made fun of christmas but he get's pissed about this. Didn't realize it captured that much of the media's attention to be honest.

Alunissage wrote:L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, started Scientology.

Point of note, he also wrote the novel for Battlefield Earth (off of which the smash failure movie was based). And he graduated from GW University. KF

L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, started Scientology.

I knew it. How can someone believe a religion started by a Science Fiction writer? That is madness.

Scientology considers the belief in a God or gods as something personal and therefore offers no specific dogma. The nature of the Supreme Being is revealed personally through each individual as s/he becomes more conscious and spiritually aware. There exists a life energy or force (Theta) beyond and within all. All humans are immortal spiritual beings (thetans) capable of realizing a nearly godlike state through Scientology practices.

Kizyr wrote:

Alunissage wrote:L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, started Scientology.

Point of note, he also wrote the novel for Battlefield Earth (off of which the smash failure movie was based). And he graduated from GW University. KF

He also admitted that the easiest way to get rich was by starting your own religion...