09-09-2026
CBC News reports that South Park will use a provocative new title for its 29th season: South America. The change is presented as a satirical response to Donald Trump’s efforts to rename geographic landmarks, including the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario, with names that emphasize the United States. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said the decision was “inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google,” referring to the companies’ mapping services adopting some of Trump’s preferred geographic names. They also mocked the show’s parent company, Paramount Skydance, by calling it a “Skydance Capitulation.”
The article explains that Paramount Skydance is owned by David Ellison, who denies being a Trump ally. Ellison and his father are reportedly being sued over an alleged side agreement involving Trump and a proposed Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger. The report also provides context for Trump’s renaming campaign, noting his efforts to change the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, Lake Ontario to Lake America, and potentially New Mexico to New America. Some governments and organizations have rejected the changes, while Apple and Google have faced criticism for displaying them on their maps.
The South Park announcement follows the show’s Emmy win for Outstanding Animated Program and additional jokes aimed at Trump. The series has a long history of satirizing Trump, his administration and MAGA supporters, including depictions of Trump with Satan and former Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem with an exaggerated Botox-related appearance. The article says it remains unclear whether South America is a temporary joke or a recurring premise. The new season premieres Sept. 16 on Comedy Central and Sept. 17 in Canada on Paramount+.
Entities: South Park, South America, Donald Trump, Trey Parker, Matt Stone • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
09-09-2026
The article reports that the creators of the animated television series “South Park,” Trey Parker and Matt Stone, are jokingly changing the show’s name to “South America” ahead of its 29th season, which premieres on Sept. 16. In a sarcastic statement, the creators said they were inspired by the “bravery and patriotism” of Apple and Google, whose mapping services displayed different names for Lake Ontario depending on the user’s location. The statement also mocked the show’s parent company, Paramount, by referring to it as “a Skydance Capitulation.”
The parody follows a series of geographic renaming initiatives and proposals associated with President Donald Trump. Trump issued an executive order seeking to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America during a trade dispute with Canada, though Canadian officials said they would not recognize the change. Apple and Google subsequently showed “Lake America” to users in the United States while retaining “Lake Ontario” for Canadian users. Trump also shared AI-generated social media posts suggesting that New Mexico should be renamed “New America.” In 2025, he used a similar executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, a move that attracted international opposition.
The article connects the “Skydance Capitulation” joke to Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance, approved by the Federal Communications Commission after Paramount settled a lawsuit filed by Trump for $16 million. Trump had accused CBS’s “60 Minutes” of deceptively editing a 2024 interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The story also notes that CBS News canceled “The Late Show” in 2025 after host Stephen Colbert criticized Paramount’s settlement with Trump. Paramount and the White House had not responded to requests for comment.
Entities: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, South Park, South America, Donald Trump • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
09-09-2026
The creators of the animated television series South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, have temporarily renamed the show “SOUTH AMERICA” as a satirical response to US President Donald Trump’s recent renaming initiatives. The announcement was made on the program’s social media account roughly a week before the premiere of its 29th season.
The joke references Trump’s decision to call Lake Ontario “Lake America” in the United States amid escalating trade tensions with Canada. Trump has also suggested renaming New Mexico “New America,” reflecting what the article describes as his penchant for changing geographic names. Apple and Google have incorporated the Lake Ontario name change into their mapping services for US users, making the companies additional targets of the South Park creators’ satire.
The renaming also pokes fun at the show’s parent company, although the article does not specify the company’s name. South Park, known for its provocative and irreverent humor, recently won the Emmy Award for outstanding animated programme. The creators are not generally considered supporters of Trump, and their adoption of his naming style is presented as an ironic political joke rather than a genuine rebranding.
The report includes an image of a map labelling Lake Ontario as “Lake America” while Trump speaks in the Oval Office. It also notes that Apple changed the lake’s name in its Maps application after Google made a similar adjustment. The story frames the television show’s temporary name change as a timely piece of political satire aimed at Trump, technology companies that accepted the geographic renaming, and the entertainment industry’s own corporate structures.
Entities: South Park, SOUTH AMERICA, Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Donald Trump • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform