
The White House has lashed out at 鈥淪outh Park鈥 creators after the bawdy satire skewered Donald Trump in an episode featuring an AI-generated version of the United States President crawling naked through a desert.
In a no-holds-barred season premiere, the animated Trump character is also seen begging Satan for sex, only to be rebuffed 鈥 in part because his penis is too small.
The White House was not amused.
鈥淭his show hasn鈥檛 been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention,鈥 spokesperson Taylor Rogers said.
鈥淧resident Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country鈥檚 history 鈥 and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump鈥檚 hot streak.鈥
The adult animated series, which frequently touches on hot-button issues in American life, is now in its 27th season and remains one of the world鈥檚 most valuable TV shows.
The season premiere begins with the foul-mouthed Cartman appalled that NPR has been taken off the air by the President, while Randy, a parent, is disturbed by the presence of Jesus in public elementary school.
Complaints to the fictional White House receive only a threat from Trump to sue the mountain town of South Park for billions of dollars.
Meanwhile, animated Trump is threatening to bomb Canada 鈥渓ike I did Iraq鈥.
鈥淚 thought you just bombed Iran,鈥 the Canadian Prime Minister replies.
鈥淚ran, Iraq, what the hell鈥檚 the difference?鈥 replies Trump.
The episode, which sees the fictional Trump ride roughshod over many aspects of American life, ends after the town of South Park makes a financial deal with the President that includes an agreement to make public service announcements.
The AI-generated short that follows 鈥 ostensibly one of those announcements 鈥 shows an overweight Trump staggering through a desert as a narrator casts him as a latter-day Jesus.
The short ends with a naked Trump as the narrator says: 鈥淭rump. His penis is teeny-tiny, but his love for us is large.鈥
Merger
The episode aired days after creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone reportedly penned a US$1.5 billion ($2.5b) streaming deal with Paramount that gives the company global rights.
The deal comes at a sensitive time for Paramount, which is trying to secure Government approval for a multi-billion-dollar merger with entertainment company Skydance.
The CBS parent caused a furore this month when it agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit Trump had brought over an interview the storied 鈥60 Minutes鈥 current affairs program aired with Kamala Harris before last November鈥檚 election.
The payment was criticised by Democrats as little more than a bribe to help smooth the merger, with Paramount initially dismissing Trump鈥檚 lawsuit as meritless.
Last week CBS sparked fury after it cancelled 鈥淭he Late Show with Stephen Colbert鈥 whose host is a pointed critic of the President.
The network insisted it was a financial decision, but opponents have painted the move as the latest example of American institutions bowing to Trump.
鈥揂gence France-Presse
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