Overview
- Parker and Stone say a planned single gag revealed a continuing vein of material that they pursued across recent episodes.
- Trey Parker argues the show did not suddenly turn political, saying politics has effectively become pop culture.
- Matt Stone says criticizing the administration felt like a new taboo that drew them to the subject.
- They cite the merger’s need for government approval as a backdrop for asserting editorial independence.
- Recent episodes have featured explicitly mocking portrayals of the president and drew a public rebuke from the White House.