South Park episode 912

Season 10 of South Park begins Wednesday night, and to prepare for the premiere Comedy Central has been re-airing the Season 9 episodes. The re-runs were supposed to culminate with Episode 912, Trapped in the Closet but viewers were treated to the best of Chef instead. What happened to Trapped in the Closet?

Episode 912 lampoons Scientology, its story of Xenu, and Tom Cruise who is hiding in the closet in the above picture. For fans of the show that got its start with a short film where South Park Jesus battles Santa Claus (The Spirit of Christmas), the only surprise is that it has taken 9 years to devote a full episode to the religion of the stars. In between, the show has offended almost every other religious group (episode list),

Scientologists in Hollywood aren’t laughing though. Chef decided to leave the show, and Tom Cruise, the "star" of the parody, managed to block the re-run after an unsuccessful attempt to prevent its initial broadcast. He threatened to sit out the publicity tour for Paramount’s Mission Impossible 3 if Comedy Central didn’t pull episode 912. Paramount and Comedy Central are both Viacom companies.

Fortunately, in the age of the internet, it is easy to see what the controversy is all about. Watch Trapped in the Closet without commercials courtesy of YouTube. It is quite funny but it is not a classic like Chinpokomon, Chickenlover or Starvin’ Marvin. There is just not enough Cartman. His best line is: Don’t you know the first law of physics? Anything that’s fun costs at least 8 dollars.

3/19 update: E news reports on the controversy

7/12 update: Now that MI:3 has flopped and Episode 912 has received an Emmy nomination, the ban has been lifted. "Trapped in the Closet" will re-air on Comedy Central July 19.

Bonus link 1: Watch the original TV pilot Cartman Gets and Anal Probe. It is the only episode to be animated without computer effects.
Bonus link 2: Order the complete 7th season on DVD. It will be released on Tuesday.