Infamous South Park Episode that Ruffled Tom Cruise's Feathers
South Park has pushed the boundaries countless times, but this episode was something else.
Back in 2005, South Park, the sassy and often contentious animated series, aired an episode that got under the skin of Hollywood megastar, Tom Cruise.
Known for its cheeky humor and satirical take on various aspects of society, this infamous episode zeroed in on Scientology, a religion championed by Cruise himself.
In the episode Trapped in the Closet, the South Park co-creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, use the power of animation to throw some jabs at Scientology's outlandish claims, and in the process, Cruise became the subject of their mockery.
The storyline follows Stan, one of the main characters, who stumbles upon a personality test set by the Scientologists in the town of South Park. Declared as depressed, he's marked as an ideal candidate for the religion.
When Stan pays his entrance fee to the Scientology organization with his bike savings, things start to go off the rails. Scientology elites conclude that Stan is none other than the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.
Stan's home turns into a magnet for Scientology followers, including the animated versions of John Travolta and, of course, Tom Cruise. The tension in the episode escalates when Cruise locks himself in a closet, — a twist on the episode title.
The episode stirred up quite a controversy. Originally aired in November and due to be re-run in March the following year, the episode suddenly disappeared from the schedule.
Tom Cruise never publicly addressed this episode. But allegedly, Tom Cruise objected and threatened not to promote his upcoming Mission: Impossible movie, a Paramount production, if the episode wasn't axed. Keep in mind that Paramount and Comedy Central were both part of Viacom.
While a spokesperson for Cruise denied the claim, saying that the actor never made any such threat, the buzz was already out there.
Responding in classic South Park style, Stone and Parker didn't miss the opportunity to jab back, issuing a tongue-in-cheek statement that promised continued defiance against Scientology.
The episode also led to a significant departure from the show. Isaac Hayes, who lent his voice to the beloved character Chef, and a Scientology follower himself, decided to part ways with South Park due to its handling of the religion.
Source: Today