South Park Renamed South America for Season 29 in Jab at Trump, Apple and Google

The Emmy-winning animated series South Park will be known as South America for its 29th season, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone announced on Tuesday. The change, shared on the show's social media accounts, comes a week before the season premiere on September 16 and follows the show's first Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program since 2013.

In a statement, Parker and Stone said they were "inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google," referencing the tech companies' decisions to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America on their maps after an executive order from President Donald Trump. The creators also aimed a jab at their own corporate parent, writing, "We especially want to thank our parent company Paramount – a Skydance Capitulation."

The rebrand is widely seen as a satirical response to Trump's attempts to rename geographic features to include the word "America." Those efforts include the Gulf of Mexico becoming the Gulf of America last year, Lake Ontario becoming Lake America in August, and a suggestion on Monday that New Mexico be renamed "New America." The Guardian noted that the federal government has no authority to change a state's name.

The announcement arrived shortly after South Park won the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program on Sunday, its first win in that category since 2013. The show's Instagram account marked the win with an image of its animated Trump character clutching an Emmy with his pants down and the caption, "You finally got your Emmy." Trump has long complained about never winning an Emmy for his NBC reality show The Apprentice.

It remains unclear whether the South America title is a permanent change or a one-off gag tied to the season premiere. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the show released season 29 art featuring the new name, but that it wasn't immediately clear if the production plans to continue the joke into the season. The BBC reported that the name change might revert later in the series.

The satirical move continues a long history of South Park mocking Trump and his administration. During the show's 27th season, the White House described South Park as a "fourth-rate" show that was "hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention," after an episode depicted Trump naked in bed with Satan. Parker and Stone have also drawn criticism from Trump and MAGA supporters for portrayals of the former president with small genitalia and former homeland security secretary Kristi Noem as a puppy killer.

The 29th season of South America premieres Wednesday, September 16, on Comedy Central, with episodes streaming the following day on Paramount+. Additional new episodes are scheduled for September 30, October 14, October 28, November 11, and November 25.