Valley Star

Issue date: 3/22/06 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Jesus Esquivel

It turns out that during the nine seasons in which Isaac Hayes voiced the beloved character of Chef on Comedy Central's "South Park" he was hiding a deep dark secret: he had a great intolerance of satire and ridicule aimed toward religion!

Hayes asked for a release from his contract last week due to the show's "growing insensitivity" toward personal spiritual beliefs.

Insensitivity? On South Park?

I don't believe it.

Hayes has voiced for the edgy show since 1997, which made a name for itself by pushing the envelope and ridiculing every race, religion, country and world leader since its pilot, entitled "The Spirit of Christmas (Jesus vs. Santa)."

Mr. Hayes' anthology includes, but is not limited to:

Episode #309 - Jewbilee: A Boy Scout-like gathering for Jewish kids.

Episode #316 - Are You There God? It's Me, Jesus: Jesus offers up the miracle of a Rod Stewart Concert and God appears in his form as a hairy duckbilled rhinoceros-faced web-footed creature.

Episode #410 - Do the Handicapped Go to Hell?: The kids ask a Catholic priest whether the handicapped kid who can't say confession will go to hell.

Apparently the ridicule of other religions is fine by Hayes but the fun stops when the finger is pointed toward him.

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

Hayes, a devout Scientologist, had seen enough when a recent episode mocked his own dear religion, which was started by L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction novelist.

The episode in question, "Trapped in the Closet," which first aired last November, shows Scientology leaders hailing Stan, one of the show's four devilish fourth-graders, as a savior.

This sudden exit from the show strengthens the case for those who claim of a cult-like mentality that is associated with the Church of Scientology.

Tom Cruise, another famous Scientologist, had the episode banned from ever showing in the United Kingdom.

Ridicule and satire will always be a part of American television and movies.

Hayes has shown he has no intention of crossing this two-way street when he walked off abruptly from his job after nine years of pointing the finger and laughing at others.

And for Hayes to bring up the issue of civil rights and intolerance on the part of the show is an act of hypocrisy.

The show's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have wished him well and will release him from his contract.

Hopefully, his intolerance for intolerance doesn't stop him from receiving his next paycheck.

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