South Park Creators Announce Series Name Change to 'South America'

The creators of the animated TV show South Park have announced that the new series will be titled South America. This decision appears to reference U.S. President Donald Trump's attempts to rename geographical features. In a statement, creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker said, "Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of South Park to SOUTH AMERICA." Trump signed an executive order in August to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America and previously declared that the Gulf of Mexico should be known as the Gulf of America. The announcement follows South Park's recent Emmy win for Outstanding Animated Program. It is currently unclear whether the name change will be permanent or temporary. The announcement was shared on the show's official social media account, featuring an image of the South Park sign altered to read 'South America'. The creators also expressed gratitude to their parent company, Paramount, in the post. Paramount Skydance is the parent company of the show. This year, the Trump administration approved a $111 billion merger with Warner Bros Discovery, which is one of the largest media deals in history, although the merger has been paused until June 2027 due to lawsuits from 12 U.S. states concerned about competition and consumer prices. A day before the announcement, Trump shared an AI-generated video of him altering a sign to replace 'Mexico' with 'America'. In August, amid trade tensions with Canada, Trump ordered the renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America. Apple and Google have since updated their Maps apps to reflect this change for U.S. users. Mexico has opposed the name change, stating that one country cannot rename a shared body of international water. South Park, which has been airing since 1997, has frequently satirized Trump during his presidency. The show has faced criticism from Trump, the White House, and his supporters for its portrayal of him. Following its Emmy win, South Park shared an image of a fictionalized Trump with the caption, "You finally got your Emmy." The new season is set to premiere on September 16.