XPost: rec.arts.tv, alt.tv.south-park   
   From: weberm@polaris.net   
      
   With South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker recently revealing the   
   show's plans to skip the 2024 presidential election, the writing was on the   
   wall for their Donald Trump stand-in version of Mr. Garrison. The beloved   
   teacher-turned-presidential candidate first appeared back in 2016, and he has   
   made appearances here and there since then. Nowadays, he splits time between   
   his teacher persona and his Trump persona, but it doesn't seem like that's   
   going to be the case any longer.   
      
   The creators confirmed to Variety that they decided to push the next season   
   until after the election.   
      
   	Matt Stone: “We’ve tried to do ‘South Park’ through four or five   
   	presidential elections, and it is such a hard thing to — it’s such   
   	a mind scramble, and it seems like it takes outsized importance.”   
      
   	Trey Parker: “Obviously, it’s f---ing important, but it kind of   
   	takes over everything and we just have less fun. I don’t know what   
   	more we could possibly say about Trump.”   
      
   The decision to move on from Trump – as evidenced by South Park not returning   
   until 2025 – leaves Garrison's character up in the air. It was hinted in the   
   Season 26 finale that a return to playing Trump was back in the cards, but   
   that doesn't appear to be the case anymore. The obvious thing the show could   
   do is revert Garrison to being a teacher full-time. When he stopped   
   portraying Trump, the show just had him assume his teaching role as if   
   nothing happened. The good news is that the fan-favorite Mr. Garrison isn't   
   going anywhere, but anybody looking forward to seeing him play a parody of   
   the former president will have to watch old episodes.   
      
   South Park Has Retired Numerous Characters in the Past   
   A Donald Trump parody is far from the only character that's been retired by   
   South Park, and it certainly won't be the last time audiences see it happen.   
   When a show runs as long as South Park has, it makes sense that characters   
   come and go. The show retired the Chef character all the way back in 2006   
   when the late Isaac Hayes exited the series. Hayes, a Scientologist, was   
   unhappy with how the series mocked Scientology and released the following   
   statement:   
      
   	"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."   
      
   Satan is another popular character the show has retired. There hasn't been   
   much of a reason given, but he hasn't been seen since 2018. Nothing is   
   stopping him from coming back, especially since he's played a prominent role   
   in the past, notably as the villain of the film South Park: Bigger, Longer, &   
   Uncut. In his last appearance, after he was killed by ManBearPig, Satan   
   surprisingly grew angel wings and ascended to Heaven. It was a shocking and   
   comedic moment for fans, but there's nothing to indicate that he can't come   
   back down to the world of South Park to visit sometime.   
      
   South Park Season 27 debuts in 2025.   
      
   --   
   Let's go Brandon!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)