Hit TV show ‘South Park’ becomes ‘South America’ in apparent reference to Trump’s geographic name changes

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 10, 2026

The creators of "South Park" revealed the show will be renamed "South America" ahead of its 29th season, inspired by recent politically charged geographic renaming moves and praising tech companies Apple and Google for their roles. This change signals continued satire of current political controversies and reflects tensions involving media companies, corporate mergers, and government actions tied to issues around naming and branding.

The animated television series "South Park" announced it will rename itself "South America" as it prepares to launch its 29th season on September 16. The decision was conveyed in a statement by creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who cited “the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google” as inspiration for the change. The message also thanked their parent company Paramount, referencing it with the phrase “a Skydance Capitulation,” an apparent nod to the recent $8 billion merger between Paramount and Skydance.

The announcement follows a series of controversial geographic renaming actions initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump. Earlier this year, Trump issued an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America amid a trade dispute with Canada. The Canadian government rejected the change, refusing to recognize the new name. In response, Apple and Google altered their mapping services so that U.S. users see “Lake America,” while Canadian users continue to see “Lake Ontario.”

This renaming episode echoes Trump’s previous executive order in 2024 that rebranded the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America, a move that drew widespread international criticism. Additionally, Trump recently shared AI-generated posts on his social media platform suggesting New Mexico be renamed “New America.”

“South Park” creators Parker and Stone are known for satirical commentary on contemporary political issues, including frequent parodies of Trump’s presidency. The series secured an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program last year for the episode “Sermon on the Mount,” which lampooned the former president.

The reference to “Skydance Capitulation” alludes to the Federal Communications Commission’s approval last year of the Paramount-Skydance merger. The deal followed a $16 million settlement between Paramount and Trump over a lawsuit in which the former president alleged that a 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris had been deceptively edited.

In related industry news, leading Paramount subsidiary CBS News announced in July 2025 the cancellation of comedian Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show,” citing financial reasons. The decision came shortly after Colbert publicly accused Paramount of paying Trump a “big fat bribe.” The final episode of Colbert’s show aired in May.

Neither Paramount nor White House officials responded immediately to requests for comment regarding “South Park’s” renaming or the recent developments involving the company.

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