# Was the Scientology SOUTH PARK on Wed- 3-15? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691 "2006-03-17T02:42:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/1 "2006-03-17T02:42:36Z")
… or did Comedy Central wuss out? I saw on the Isaac Hayes discussion & on my Digital Cable listings that the 10 pm EST SP ep would be the Scientology one. I set up to record, go to work, come home in the morning & see the Movie Festival w/Mr Hankey episode was recorded, followed by the latest Drawn Together. Did I mis-set my VCR (which I doubt) or did Comedy Central (as I suspect) chicken out & pull a switch on us? ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/2 "2006-03-17T02:52:48Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > … or did Comedy Central wuss out? > > I saw on the Isaac Hayes discussion & on my Digital Cable listings that the 10 pm EST SP ep would be the Scientology one. I set up to record, go to work, come home in the morning & see the Movie Festival w/Mr Hankey episode was recorded, followed by the latest Drawn Together. Did I mis-set my VCR (which I doubt) or did Comedy Central (as I suspect) chicken out & pull a switch on us? I do believe they chickened out. ---
**Author:** ![deevee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@deevee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deevee)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/3 "2006-03-17T02:55:05Z")
Comedy Central knuckled under and pulled the episode after one airing [link](http://skeptico.blogs.com/skeptico/2006/01/tom_cruise_sout.html) I think it can still air in Canada and Britain (and anywhere else where the internet exists) Tom Cruise is one powerful gay guy. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/4 "2006-03-17T03:02:20Z")
Nah, the episode aired a few times before it was pulled out… But yes, last night they wussed out and pulled the episode. ---
**Author:** ![Lips\_Obsession](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbce88/32.png) [@Lips\_Obsession](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lips_Obsession)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/5 "2006-03-17T18:19:52Z")
Supposedly Tom Cruise threatened to not promote Mission Impossible 3 this summer if Comedy Central ran the episode… ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/6 "2006-03-17T22:41:50Z")
> [@Lips\_Obsession](#): > > Supposedly Tom Cruise threatened to not promote Mission Impossible 3 this summer if Comedy Central ran the episode… Could he try any harder to convince everyone he’s a closet queer? I mean, is his management deliberately trying to market him that way in hopes that people will get intrigued and watch? Rumors that he’s gay would probably have disappeared had he not freaked out every single time the issue was brought up. Half the humor in that episode - the whole “Dad! I can’t go to bed because Tom Cruise won’t come out of the closet!” bit - was really metahumor. Because you know that Tom Cruise is aware of it and freaking the fuck out - and it’s always funny to tweak people who you know will lose their shit. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2006, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/7 "2006-03-17T23:48:43Z")
> [@Lips\_Obsession](#): > > Supposedly Tom Cruise threatened to not promote Mission Impossible 3 this summer if Comedy Central ran the episode… [Appears you might be right](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060317/ap_on_en_tv/tv_south_park) ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/8 "2006-03-18T14:27:51Z")
Man, it seems like Scientologists are all nutjobs. Luckily I got to see the episode. Any chance it will be on DVD? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/9 "2006-03-18T16:11:18Z")
Of course CC is saying that they didn’t knucle under. Since Hayes quit they decided to air two of Chef’s best episodes. This has nothing to do with the fact that Comedy Central is a Viacom company. Viacom owns Paramount which is putting out MI3. Just a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/10 "2006-03-18T16:32:27Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Just a coincidence. ‘Nothing to see here! Move along!’ ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/11 "2006-03-18T17:16:48Z")
I kinda wonder if Matt and Trey wouldn’t try to call their bluff by putting references to Tom Cruise in all new episodes. South Park is CC’s highest rated show. They’d have a choice between appeasing cruise and airing all new south park episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/12 "2006-03-18T18:25:45Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Could he try any harder to convince everyone he’s a closet queer? Actually, I think it’s more likely that he’s worked up about it because of the damage the episode does to Scientology. For one thing, they’re going to have to alter all of their course materials for the Wall of Fire, because it purports to a level that’s akin to defusing a bomb. Adherants are convinced that they are all reincarnated souls who were present at the volcano incident, which was intended to program them with engrams allowing Xenu to dominate them in perpetuity. The deepest level of programming protects the conspiracy by causing anyhone who hears about it (without first being properly deprogrammed at great cost) to physically self destruct by running “cancer” programs, or “tuberculosis” programs, or any number of other provoked, rapidly-fatal illnesses. It’s hugely important to keep a lid on things this way, because Scientology is very carefully structured to “emulate” basic rationality in the early stages and then very gradually lead people into the extremely out-there stuff. It’s easy enough to get people off the street involved when you present yourself as being an ultra-rational variant of psychology, showing people how to become better communicators so that they can be more successful in their careers and personal lives – but not very lucrative. One you convince people they have supernatural powers and your organization represents the thin blue line of ubermensch protecting humanity from annihilation by evil aliens and their fifth column disguised as human beings, _that’s_ when they’ll take out a second mortgage for you without blinking. But you can’t just hit them with that cold. Anyway, that episode is extremely damaging to the organization. Spelling out the extreme wackiness of it will limit the number of new blood they can hope to enroll, and presents problems for members who’ve passed OTIII. Presented with the knowledge that that episode has been viewed by millions of people, there are only two possibilities: Either a massive segment of the population is going to sicken and die within a matter of weeks, or they’ve been fed a bunch of bullshit. You can bet Tom is getting _huge_ pressure to do whatever he can to block the episode. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/13 "2006-03-18T18:34:12Z")
And now from what I gather, Matt and Trey are REALLY gearing up to [rip Scientology a new one:](http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,18597,00.html) > [@](#): > > “So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun!” the self-described “servants of the dark lord Xenu” said in a statement Thursday that does not mention Cruise. “Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies.” I love Matt and Trey. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/14 "2006-03-18T18:39:06Z")
**Laryr Mudd** , what secrets did the episode reveal? Because I knew the backstory behind Scientology; I thought that was essentially common knowledge. If they’ve been trying to keep it secret all these years, they screwed up at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/15 "2006-03-18T18:42:04Z")
Yeah, I was the same way–went out Wednesday night, came back to find a very good episode of DRAWN TOGETHER and before it–‘Chocolate Salty Balls’?! WTF! Fortunately, I routinely record SP and have the episode’s original airing from last fall. I had just wanted to see if CC would wimp out. Surprise, surprise. What makes it even worse is that apparently Viacom told Matt and Trey not to talk about it themselves, which prompted them to immediately take out that delightful ad. Yay! They get it! [Andrew Sullivan](http://www.andrewsullivan.com) also gets it, and has been following the story in his blog. Scroll down for links to various stories. As for Viacom (whom I hate because they fired me from a temp job after one hour because I didn’t answer the phones with the right phrase, which BTW nobody had bothered to teach me), SHENANIGANS! I CALL SHENANIGANS! EVERYBODY GO HOME AND GET YOUR BATS!! ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/16 "2006-03-18T19:12:52Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > And now from what I gather, Matt and Trey are REALLY gearing up to [rip Scientology a new one:](http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,18597,00.html) > > I love Matt and Trey. What a great quote. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/17 "2006-03-18T19:36:46Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > What a great quote. :dubious: Ooops. I quoted that in another thread on this in MPSIMS, I made a mistake and thought I had done so in this thread and was wondering why you were repeating my quote in the same thread. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/18 "2006-03-18T20:19:38Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > **Laryr Mudd** , what secrets did the episode reveal? Because I knew the backstory behind Scientology; I thought that was essentially common knowledge. If they’ve been trying to keep it secret all these years, they screwed up at some point. Scientology is essentially a modern day mystery cult. You’re supposed to pay and be intiated before you learn the big secrets. And by that time, you’re in pretty deep. Why pay when people are telling you want the “secrets” are before you sign your life over to them? ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/19 "2006-03-18T20:49:56Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > Scientology is essentially a modern day mystery cult. You’re supposed to pay and be intiated before you learn the big secrets. And by that time, you’re in pretty deep. > > Why pay when people are telling you want the “secrets” are before you sign your life over to them? But everyone knows the story of Xenu and the hydrogen bombs and stuff. That’s my point. If Scientology was trying to keep that stuff secret, they’ve done an awful job. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2006, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691/20 "2006-03-18T20:51:57Z")
. . . Parker and Stone (I am _not_ on a first-name basis with them) are adorable when they’re picking on someone we all hate. Not so adorable when they’re saying atheists are “full of shit,” transsexuals are “delusional, self-hating fags,” and Gary Condit killed Chandra Levy (wonder if they ever said “oops” and apologized for that?). Needless to say, I haven’t watched the show in some time, so it’s no big deal to me what they say or don’t say, but let’s not forget they can be hate-filled, one-sided, bigoted bullies, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-scientology-south-park-on-wed-3-15/348691.md?page=2)