IGN has a lengthy two-part interview with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, whose show has been on for ten years but has probably received more press in just the last year due to controversial episodes that ruffled the feathers of more than a few, including Isaac Hayes, Catholics, and their own bosses at Comedy Central. The best parts are included in the second part of the interview, when Comedy Central president Doug Herzog actually chimes in to give the network's side of the story as to why they chose not to show an image of Mohammad during the second "Cartoon Wars" episode, despite the religious icon being shown, without incident, three or four years previously. In fact, Parker mentions that when the Danish cartoon controversy ignited he thought it was because they had finally seen that particular episode.

What they also point out, and what I found especially interesting, is that South Park, in many ways, got its start online when people began downloading precursors such as "The Spirit of Christmas" and "Jesus vs. Frosty." These days, it's also one of the top downloads on iTunes. As Parker points out, "It doesn't lose anything. It's not like you're waiting for the kick-ass visuals and the surround sound or anything. So on an iPod -- it's a perfect iPod thing. So I think it's great." The series has gone through a lot of changes, both visually and even politically, but it still maintains the same kind of minimalist charm.

Comedy Central has put a 'best of' Chef compilation of clips on the Motherload section of its website. If you're wondering why, read this and this. I'm assuming it includes the classic "Chocolate Salty Balls" song, but I can only speculate because Comedy Central's website doesn't like my Mac. Grrr.

Speaking of Chef and Scientology and all things wacky... South Park fans have launched a campaign to boycott this summer's release of Mission: Impossible III, starring Tom Cruise.

[Via Pop Candy]

A huge disappointment for South Park fans everywhere: Isaac Hayes has quit his role as Chef. It's no big shock that, as a Scientologist, Hayes was offended by November's "Trapped In The Closet" episode. However, many, including the South Park creators, are shocked that Hayes chose now to stand up against the cartoon's disrespect toward religion. To back out of the job and say that the material is personally offensive is one matter, but to scold the show for making fun of religions after doing season after season of jokes about Christians, Mormons, Buddhists, Hindus, and everything else under the sun, is downright preposterous (and it takes a hell of a lot to make me use "preposterous"). Frankly, I am saddened by both Hayes' decision and his reasoning.

Chef has always been one of my favorite characters... I'm too distraught to even make a chocolate salty balls joke.