Chef Quits For Bigotry From AOL Entertainment News:


Isaac Hayes Quits 'South Park' Over 'Bigotry'
Outspoken Scientologist Upset With Show's Depiction of Religion
By ERIN CARLSON, AP

NEW YORK (March 13) - Isaac Hayes has quit "South Park," where he voices Chef, saying he can no longer stomach its take on religion.

Hayes, who has played the ladies' man/school cook in the animated Comedy Central satire since 1997, said in a statement Monday that he feels a line has been crossed.

"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," the 63-year-old soul singer and outspoken Scientologist said.

"Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored," he continued. "As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

"South Park" co-creator Matt Stone responded sharply in an interview with The Associated Press Monday, saying, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology... He has no problem - and he's cashed plenty of checks - with our show making fun of Christians."

Last November, "South Park" targeted the Church of Scientology and its celebrity followers, including actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, in a top-rated episode called "Trapped in the Closet." In the episode, Stan, one of the show's four mischievous fourth graders, is hailed as a reluctant savior by Scientology leaders, while a cartoon Cruise locks himself in a closet and won't come out.

Stone told The AP he and co-creator Trey Parker "never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin."

On a lighter note, here's a site showing some pics of the upcoming Dead or Alive movie

Gabe Powers wrote: Wow, he's got every right in the world, but it sounds like Stone hit the nail right on the head. Personally I think satire has no limits, but people do.

For Christ's sake Hayes, one character's entire family is a walking Jew joke, and has been since the show's beginings. I'm wondering if his fellow Scientologists told him to quit, or if he came to the decision on his own. My guess is the former.ditto - dare I say it but Scientology is a bit on the wild side

He's hardly been in it for ages. Chef used to be a major character but the joke ran its course a long time ago. Perhaps they'll do it in a Ms. Crabtree style way and just kill him off as befits an ancillary character. Maybe he could choke on his chocolate salty balls?

Like Stone said, he had no problem with the show when they ripped the p**s out of Jews, Christians, Mormons or whatever. Scientologists are freaks, and that episode was bloody hilarious. I loved the way they had ‘This is what Scientologists actually believe’ written in big letters while doing the recap. Right up there with the Super Best Friends and the Joseph Smith episode – dumb de dumb dumb dumb!

'Tom, just come out of the closet. You're not fooling anyone.'

If I were Stone and Parker, I'd send the character off with another scientology episode. Perhaps Chef could be abducted by aliens right in front of Cruise and Holmes who just happen to be passing through South Park. This would cause South Park to be a Mecca for the Scientology set. Then Chef's mother shows up offering a reward for the return of her boy which prompts Cartman to inlist the aid of Butters to find him. The whole thing comes to a head in a "Scooby Doo" style reveal when the boys find out that there were no aliens, it was just "Old Man Hubbard" trying to scare off everyone so he could turn South Park into a landfill. Everyone is happy then Stan turns to Barbrady and says "But where's Chef?" and Barbrady just shrugs and the credits roll.  (Copyright me are you listening Matt and Trey?)

I think Matt Stone statement says it all..  

As a huge fan of the show I hate to see him go. But I guarantee you this, the episode that they write him out in will be epic.