Few TV shows get to last 20 years, and even fewer manage consistent relevance. South Park, though, remains perfectly capable of rousing rabbles and leaving craters in its wake, and its current marketing campaign for Season 20 is carrying that torch quite well. A set of mobile billboards were sent out to a variety of different locations that South Park has used in the past, and it turns out some of the people associated with those places weren't too fond of being reminded of their animated legacy, particularly the Church of Scientology, the Lincoln Memorial and the White House.
The South Park Season 20 billboards feature images of each location popping up within the show, along with the phrase "We've been here." Understandably, none of the places on the list were treated with loads of respect, leading to the aforementioned trio of locations forcing the billboards to move on. (Not everyone has a sense of humor.) Here's what Comedy Central's chief marketing officer Walter Levitt told THR about the push-back.
We knew it was risky. We knew some locations might not be pleased to have us out there, but we thought this is a perfect way to celebrate everything the series has covered in its 19 seasons. . . . In some cases, the locals were not pleased to have us outside their locations and asked us to leave, but that was all expected, and we completely understand why.
Yeah, I can't imagine there's any alternate dimension where anyone involved with Scientology would treat South Park with kid gloves. While the Tom Cruise episode was one of the biggest ways the show attacked the Church on the air, things got weird behind the scenes when long-time cast member Isaac Hayes parted ways with the show, reportedly over him having an issue with the show's views of Scientology. (Here's what Hayes' son says about it all.) Incidentally, the billboard that was sent to the aforementioned Church of Scientology in Los Angeles was likely the one that also visited a Whole Foods, a Hooters, a PF Changs and a KFC.
Washington D.C. won't be doing South Park any favors, either. The animated comedy has been particularly vicious when it comes to politics and those pulling the strings. South Park has survived through three different Presidents so far, so it has obviously pointed the target at all of the White House's V.I.P. residents during that span. The Lincoln Memorial, quite memorably, was brought to life by David Blaine for one episode, and the statue was soon killed by a statue of John Wilkes Booth. Too soon, I guess.
Check out one of the non-dismissed mobile billboards that was hanging around Trump Tower, as sort of seen in the episode where a Trump-like character was raped to death.
The mobile billboards also made their way to the actual city of South Park, Colorado, as well as Casa Bonita. Other major locations include the Mormon Church Headquarters in Salt Lake City, Hillary Clinton's New York City headquarters, Facebook's headquarters in Silicon Valley, and the Canadian border in Buffalo. I really wish I could have seen that last one, guy.
South Park will continue to needle at the darker crannies of America's psyche when Season 20 continues every Wednesday night on Comedy Central. Head to our fall premiere schedule to see when all the other tamer shows will be making a return to the boob tube.
