Why South Park Killed Off Isaac Hayes' Chef - CBR

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Menu Follow Followed Like Threads More Action Sign in now Screen Awards MCU, DCU & More Dragon Ball Lord of the Rings Procedurals & Dramas Westerns Zelda Close By Sean Ellard , Robert Vaux , Christopher Raley & Katie Doll Updated Jul 16, 2024 Sign in to your CBR account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Summary

• Chef, a popular character on South Park, was a hilarious, insightful, and inappropriate yet caring role model for the show's young protagonists.
• Actor Isaac Hayes, who voiced Chef, unexpectedly left the show in 2006, causing controversy and disappointment among fans and the show's creators.
• Hayes' departure was influenced by his involvement with the Church of Scientology and his objection to the show's satirical approach to religion, particularly Scientology.

In the giant buffet of cartoon characters to choose from, South Park's Chef is the filet mignon next to the Salisbury steak. He is a hilarious, insightful, and totally inappropriate yet caring role model for South Park Elementary's children — notably the show's four young protagonists. When South Park premiered in 1997, Chef became one of its breakout stars and helped fuel its meteoric rise to the heights of pop culture.

Which is why the abrupt departure of the beloved character left a cloud of controversy and disappointment. Actor Isaac Hayes departed the show in 2006, to the surprise not only of fans but of the show's creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Despite the show's habit of eagerly courting controversy, the incident stands out for its personal nature. And while South Park has continued in the ensuing years with no sign of slowing down, it feels diminished without his presence. So why did South Park kill Chef? The answers come amid both Hayes' background and the show's penchant for ruthless satire.

Updated on July 15, 2024, by Christopher Raley: Weaving real-world events into a surreal blend of satire became South Park's trademark method of storing telling. When Isaac Hayes left the show, the real-world narrative spun its way into the South Park narrative, making for one of the most colorful character endings in TV. This article has been updated to conform to CBR's publishing standards.

What Happened To Chef On South Park?

Name	Played by	Number of Appearances	First Appearance	Last Appearance
Jerome "Chef" McElroy	Isaac Hayes	135	S1, E1, "Cartman Gets an Anal Probe"	S10, E1, "The Return of Chef"

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While The Simpsons were the gold standard for adult cartoons in the '90s, even Springfield's wildest residents were nothing like Chef. He was the wise, cautionary sage who could always be counted on to give the children what they needed most — the truth or something like it — amid the surreal and often shocking humor that served as the show's calling card. If any South Park character could have had a spinoff series, it's Chef.

Chef was a popular school cafeteria worker who fed and nurtured the children's tummies and their brains by being one of the few town residents with a semi-firm grasp on reality. Chef cut to the heart of the matter like a knife in his kitchen. It was no accident Chef was such a commanding presence on the animated screen. Hayes's pounding, mellifluous voice made Chef larger than life, and the Grammy- and Oscar-winning actor infused him with both a perennial cheerfulness and a passion for life.

• Hayes first came to prominence in the 1960s when he co-wrote a string of hit songs with partner David Porter, including "Soul Man," "B-A-B-Y," and "Hold On, I'm Comin."
• In 1971, he composed and performed the theme song to the movie "Shaft," which won the Academy Award and became his signature work.

After a career in music, Hayes subsequently branched out into acting with prominent roles in The Rockford Files, Escape from New York, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Chef made a natural fit for his persona. His innate sympathy and practical advice were a balm to the protagonists amid the chaos of each episode. He also had a penchant for breaking out in song to bestow wisdom and anecdotes upon the children — often with age-inappropriate sexual lyrics — which gave the series a chance to showcase his phenomenal singing talents. He even made it into Chef Aid: The South Park Album, including the savory hit single "Chocolate Salty Balls." The character proved indispensable for South Park's first nine seasons, and indeed it was hard to imagine the show without him.

Hayes' Departure Came As a Surprise

His Final Appearance On The Show Sparked Controversy

Chef's final appearance on South Park was the opening of Season 10, entitled "The Return of Chef." In the episode, Chef is brainwashed into joining a global pedophile cult that serves as a thinly veiled stand-in for The Church of Scientology. He finally escapes thanks to Cartman, Stan, Kyle, and Kenny, but Chef is almost lured back before plunging into a ravine and being torn to pieces by wild animals.

• The cult later resurrects Chef's mangled remains into a Darth Vader-esque parody.
• Chef reappeared as a Nazi zombie in 2014's The Stick of Truth video game, though Hayes's voice wasn't used for the project.

Hayes didn't actually work on the episode because, at that point, he had already left the show. Chef's voice-over was stitched together with audio clips from past South Park recordings, which the episode used as a self-referential running joke. Rather than let such a prominent character vanish without a trace, the creators leaned into Hayes's absence, which by then had become the subject of public attention.

Why Did Isaac Hayes Leave South Park?

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On November 16, 2005, South Park's ninth season aired the controversial episode "Trapped in the Closet." It involves Stan taking a Scientology audit, only for the Church of Scientology to conclude that he's the reincarnation of founder L. Ron Hubbard. In the process, it actively lampoons many of Scientology's beliefs, as well as mocking high-profile members of the movement such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

• "Trapped in the Closet" ends with Stan daring the Church to sue him.
• In the following credits, everyone's name is listed as "John Smith" or "Jane Smith." Hayes himself belonged to the Church of Scientology and took exception to the episode's content.

On March 13, 2006, a statement was released in his name saying, "There is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry toward religious beliefs begins." While it was posited as an objection over the series' satirical approach to religion in general, South Park co-creator Matt Stone felt the departure was rooted in an artistic double standard. "In 10 years and over 150 episodes of South Park, Isaac never had a problem with the show making fun of Christians, Muslims, Mormons, or Jews."

At about the same time, new reports circulated that Hayes had suffered a stroke, which was initially denied but which he himself later confirmed. His health continued to decline until he died from a second stroke on August 10, 2008. The controversy faded, and South Park carried on with the show in Chef's absence.

Isaac Hayes III Generated New Controversy In 2016

The Actor's Son Claimed Someone Quit For His Father

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In 2016, Isaac Hayes III claimed his father was still suffering from the effects of the stroke that took place in January 2006. Hayes had lost much of his comprehension, including his ability to play the piano and even to speak. Hayes III, the manager of his estate, said, "Isaac Hayes did not quit South Park; someone quit South Park for him."

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Hayes III went on to elaborate, "He was in no position to resign under his own knowledge. At the time, everybody around my father was involved in Scientology — his assistants, the core group of people. So someone quit South Park on Isaac Hayes' behalf. We don't know who."

• According to the same source, Matt Stone said that, after they made the episode, Hayes had called asking them to pull it.
• Stone and Parker both remarked that it seemed like someone was working behind the scenes with Hayes.

Hayes III also elaborated on whether his father had a double standard when it came to religion, "My father was not that big of a hypocrite to be part of a show that would constantly poke fun at African-American people, Jewish people, gay people — and only quit when it comes to Scientology."

Parker And Stone Suspected Hayes Wasn't Speaking For Himself

The Creative Team Felt More Was Going On

It is unclear when Parker and Stone came to the conclusion that Hayes was not speaking on his own behalf. They may have understood that back in 2005 and '06. Despite the falling out between Hayes and the show's producers, "The Return of Chef" makes no bones about who South Park blames for the incident. In the episode's finale, the town holds a eulogy for the departed character, where Kyle pleads with everyone to remember Chef at his best and not the club "that scrambled his brain." The line is a not-so-subtle dig at Scientology.

• In a 2017 article in The Daily Beast, TV journalist Mark Bunker said that the South Park episode of 2005 emboldened other people to criticize Scientology.
• According to a former Scientology member quoted in the same article, the church tried to get the episode taken off the air but was unsuccessful.

Just as the show's plot suggests that Chef was not entirely in control of his actions when he joined the cult, the audience is left to wonder if Hayes was entirely in control of his. The first episode to air after Hayes's passing — Season 12, Episode 8, "The China Problem" — was dedicated to him, suggesting that they bore the actor no ill will. The departure of Chef (and Hayes) was a loss for the series and its fans. But one of the most multi-talented artists of his era still lives on — every time folks come on down to South Park and leave their woes behind.

South Park

Like Follow Followed TV-MA Animation Comedy Release Date August 13, 1997 Network Comedy Central Showrunner Trey Parker Directors Adrien Beard Writers David A. Goodman, Nancy M. Pimental, Kenny Hotz, Philip Stark, Dave Weasel, Dan Sterling, Susan Hurwitz Arneson, Trisha Nixon, David R. Goodman, Tim Talbott, Pam Brady, Robert Lopez, Dani Michaeli, Kyle McCulloch, Karey Dornetto, Jonathan Kimmel, Jane Bussmann 9 Images Close

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• Trey Parker Eric Cartman / Stan Marsh (voice)
• Matt Stone Kyle Broflovski / Kenny McCormick (voice)

Follows the misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado.

Main Genre Comedy Seasons 28 Powered by

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