trapped in the closet-related stories
Posted Jan 25th 2007 10:09AM by Julia Ward
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Animation, Celebrities, South Park, Comedy Central
Biting the hand that feeds you is a popular sport in Hollywoodland. We all know that Scientologist Isaac Hayes, the voice of
South Park's Chef, parted ways with the show after its Emmy-nominated, Scientology-mocking "Trapped in the Closet" episode aired last year. Hayes was reported as saying that the show had crossed from "satire" to "intolerance," which is apparently what happens when your own belief system is mocked instead of someone else's. Following the controversy, Chef was served an unholy and definitive end in which he was burned, beaten, impaled, shot and quartered by a grizzly bear and a mountain lion. Oh, and he defecated as he expired.
Given this series of cartoon events, why the
New York Post would bother to ask Hayes whether or not he planned on returning to the show is beyond me, but Hayes' answer was clear.
Continue reading Isaac Hayes complains about his South Park days
Posted Dec 5th 2006 2:28PM by Julia Ward
Filed under: Industry, Music and Variety, Celebrities, MTV
Christmas came early at my house. An
online casting call has been posted for a
continuation of R. Kelly's hip-hop opera Trapped in the Closet.
In the summer of 2005, Kelly released the first five chapters of
Trapped in the Closet as music videos, each ending with a cliffhanger, on MTV and BET. Unable to contain his genius, Kelly introduced a sixth chapter for the
MTV Video Music Awards in 2005 and an additional six chapters on DVD in 2006.
Next to K-Fed's rap career,
Trapped in the Closet is one of the greatest acts of unintentional comedy to be unleashed on the music-listening public in the past several years. His commentary track is comedy gold, and the chapters have been parodied by Jimmy Kimmel,
South Park,
SNL,
MADtv, Upright Citizens Brigrade and Weird Al. Even his
fans have referred to the "hip-hopera" as the "Plan 9 of music videos."Continue reading R. Kelly makes a casting call
Posted Sep 20th 2006 2:01PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Programming, Animation, South Park, Comedy Central
Can you believe that
South Park is coming up on its tenth season already? I remember when I first watched it in 1997, taking a break with my buddies as they helped me move into my current home (which means that I've been in this apartment for almost ten years, too... gulp). Since then, the show has aired many episodes that have caused controversy, got people all over the world talking, and pretty much pissed off anyone in any position of power.
Comedy Central acknowledges this and, leading up to the tenth season premiere, will air the "Ten
South Park Epiosdes that Changed the World," playing a different episode from the list every night at 10 PM starting on Sunday, September 24. I'm sure some of the more recent controversial eps, like "Trapped in the Closet," or "The Return of Chef!", but I'm also sure they'll play some of the earlier episodes, including the pilot, "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe."
Sniff. I'm getting misty-eyed just thinking of that one.
Posted Aug 20th 2006 2:09PM by Adam Finley
Filed under: FOX, Industry, The Simpsons, Animation, South Park, Comedy Central
There was a lot of talk about the "Trapped in a Closet" episode of
South Park, Tom Cruise's alleged involvement in trying to have it taken off the air, and how it spurred Isaac Hayes to leave the show (or spurred his pals in the Scientology community to convince him to leave, depending on what you read). The episode came back into the limelight when it was
nominated for an Emmy, but alas, it didn't win. Instead, that honor went to
The Simpsons, which won for the episode "
The Seemingly Never-Ending Story." Producer Al Jean did reference the
South Park episode in his acceptance speech, however, joking, "This is what happens when you don't mock Scientology." I'm happy to see
The Simpsons win their ninth Emmy, but between their episode and
South Park's, I have to say
South Park's was much better.
Posted Jul 12th 2006 3:43PM by Adam Finley
Filed under: Animation, Celebrities, Comedy Central
South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker have had to fight quite a few battles over the last several months, from the "Bloody Mary" episode that upset some Catholics to the two-part "Cartoon Wars" episode that was censored by Comedy Central. The two creators had become so fed up they almost walked after the network pulled the "Trapped in the Closet" episode that skewered both Scientology and its most vocal supporter, Tom Cruise. Rumors were abound as to why the episode was pulled, with some, including Parker and Stone, claiming Cruise himself had a hand in it. Well, whatever reason the network might have had is apparently no longer relevant because the episode will return on July 19. No word on whether those censored images of Muhammad from "Cartoon Wars" will ever be seen, though. Of course, you could always just watch the opening credits for that.
Posted Mar 13th 2006 8:57PM by Annie Wu
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Cable, Talent, OpEd, South Park
A huge disappointment for
South Park fans
everywhere:
Isaac Hayes has quit his role as Chef. It's no big
shock that, as a Scientologist, Hayes was offended by November's "Trapped In The Closet" episode. However,
many, including the
South Park creators, are shocked that Hayes chose
now to stand up against the
cartoon's disrespect toward religion. To back out of the job and say that the material is personally offensive is one
matter, but to scold the show for making fun of religions after doing season after season of jokes about Christians,
Mormons, Buddhists, Hindus, and everything else under the sun, is downright preposterous (and it takes a hell of a lot
to make me use "preposterous"). Frankly, I am saddened by both Hayes' decision and his reasoning.
Chef has always been one of my favorite characters... I'm too distraught to even make a chocolate salty balls joke.
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