South Park’s Satirical Name Change to ‘South America’

The Announcement

The creators of the long-running animated series South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, humorously announced a name change to South America. This satirical move appears to target President Donald Trump and tech giants Apple and Google. The announcement comes ahead of the show’s 29th season.

In a statement, Parker and Stone cited the inspiration from geographic name changes adopted by Apple and Google, as ordered by the Trump administration. They thanked their parent company Paramount, referring to it as “a Skydance Capitulation.”

The Underlying Mockery

Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of ‘South Park’ to ‘South America,’ Parker and Stone declared in a jesting manner.
They also used the satirical phrase “a Skydance Capitulation” to comment on Paramount’s response to political pressure during its merger with Skydance Media.

The Context

Newsweek reached out to Paramount, Apple, Google, and the White House, seeking comments via email. The announcement lampooned Trump administration efforts to rename geographic locations, such as proposing to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, and the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Trump even suggested renaming New Mexico as “New America,” underscoring the point despite lacking any legal authority to rename states.

Previous Political Satire

South Park consistently features political satire. The show has often targeted Trump, drawing comparisons to comedic portrayals of figures like Saddam Hussein in earlier seasons. Season 29 promises continued satire of Trump and his administration.

In recent episodes, the series created storylines depicting Trump in improbable scenarios, such as a relationship with Satan, and drawing parallels to characters like Tattoo from Fantasy Island, infusing humor and criticism.

Awards and Recognition

In 2026, South Park clinched an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program, their sixth overall. The show’s creators used social media to jab at Trump directly, celebrating their Emmy win with an image of a cartoon Trump holding an Emmy, captioned “You finally got your Emmy.”

Parker acknowledged fans during the Emmy acceptance, stating, “A big thank you to the greatest fans in the world. It’s only because of you guys that we haven’t been canceled in 30 years.”

Geographic Renaming and Corporate Adaptation

Google Maps and Apple Maps have updated their services to reflect the contentious naming changes implemented by Trump’s executive order. However, MapQuest opted not to follow suit, publicly refusing to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.

Looking Ahead

The new season of South Park is set to premiere on September 16 on Comedy Central, with episodes being accessible on Paramount+ for viewers in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. If the promotional antics are any indication, political satire, especially targeting Trump, is expected to be a staple in the upcoming season.