South Park opened its 29th season with a new name, a new theme song, and a naked Donald Trump. The long-running animated satire debuted Wednesday night under the title South America, a rebrand that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone framed as a tribute to President Trump's habit of renaming geographic landmarks.
The premiere episode, titled South American Biker Gangs, introduced the change with an updated version of the show's classic theme. Primus frontman Les Claypool returned with fresh vocals, awkwardly fitting the words «South America» into the familiar lyrics. The new title sequence also included a depiction of Trump wearing only a towel.
The name change, announced earlier this month, was presented in a statement that referenced Apple and Google, which have faced criticism for appearing to accommodate the Trump administration by updating map applications with renamed locations. «Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of South Park to SOUTH AMERICA,» Parker and Stone said. «We especially want to thank our parent company Paramount — a Skydance Capitulation.»
The rebrand follows a season in which South Park aimed much of its satire at Trump, depicting him in a relationship with Satan, having a micropenis, and having sex with Vice President J.D. Vance. The White House responded at the time by arguing the cartoon «hasn't been relevant for over 20 years.»
South Park also recently celebrated an Emmy win for Outstanding Animated Series while needling Trump over never winning an Emmy for The Apprentice. A social media post titled «You finally got your Emmy» showed the president with his trousers around his ankles.
The season premiere kept the show's stars-and-stripes bite, with references to «Chinese sh*tty e-bikes» as a status symbol among the kids. While the episode featured the Trump cameo in its opening, the premiere itself did not center on him, according to early recaps.
For a series that has long thrived on reacting to current events, the South America rebrand and the new theme song mark another chapter in its running commentary on American politics and culture. The show airs on Paramount+ in the UK.