Patton Oswalt Claims He Knows Why Donald Trump Avoids Slamming ‘South Park’

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I’ve noticed Donald Trump usually isn’t shy about calling out TV shows, movies, or people in the media he dislikes, but it’s been interesting that he hasn’t said much about South Park. The show actually started hinting at him with the Mr. Garrison character when he was president, but lately – in the newest seasons – they’ve really started openly making fun of him, his team, and even how much influence the MAGA movement has had on things. It’s a pretty direct take, and I was surprised he hadn’t reacted.

The creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, famously created outrageous storylines, even depicting a romantic relationship between Donald Trump and Satan, who later became pregnant with his child. Although the White House dismissed the show as low-quality and outdated in a statement to Variety, it received surprisingly less criticism compared to late-night hosts like Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Kimmel—and comedian Patton Oswalt believes he understands the reason why.

Comedian Patton Oswalt pointed out that Donald Trump seems most easily silenced by discussions of financial success. He noted that Trump will often dismiss the quality of a show like Stephen Colbert’s by focusing on ratings and revenue, even if the show is well-made. Oswalt explained that the decline in late-night viewership isn’t about individual programs, but a broader trend. He contrasted this with the continued success of South Park, which maintains both high ratings and significant earnings.

Look, as a critic, I’ve covered enough to know how certain personalities operate, and with Trump, it always comes down to the bottom line. He might be furious about the satire aimed at him – and believe me, ‘South Park’ and John Oliver have given him plenty to be mad about – but he fundamentally respects success, even when it’s critical of him. He doesn’t care about artistic merit or clever writing; he’s solely focused on viewership and revenue. Honestly, I think he’d grudgingly acknowledge the impact of something like ‘South Park’ simply because of how many people are watching and talking about it. It’s not about whether he likes it, it’s about the numbers. That’s how he gauges everything, and frankly, it’s a pretty limited worldview.

South Park Creators Reveal Why They Poke Fun at Trump Administration


Paramount+

For years, South Park has been known for poking fun at politicians from all political parties, including former President Obama and prominent Republicans like Mitch McConnell and Mike Pence. The show’s creators say they’re continuing this tradition with the current administration, tackling controversial subjects with humor.

Parker told the New York Times that the company hadn’t intentionally become political, but rather that politics had increasingly become woven into the fabric of pop culture lately.

We aim for the center and poke fun at anyone who takes things to extremes, no matter their beliefs. We’ve been doing this for years – we found the whole ‘woke’ debate really amusing, and we feel the same way about this current situation.

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2025-11-21 21:32