Comedy Central pulls planned reruns of South Park mocking Charlie Kirk
Comedy Central pulled planned reruns of the "South Park" episode that parodied late Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated Wednesday at age 31.The episode, titled "Got a Nut," the second of the programs 27th season, featured iconic "South Park" character Eric Cartman with a hairstyle similar to the late conservative influencer while lampooning Kirk's exchanges with students on college campuses. It originally aired on Aug. 6 and the episode showed Cartman receiving the "Charlie Kirk Award for Young Masterdebaters."Kirk was struck with a single bullet around 12:20 p.m. local time Wednesdaywhile speaking at an eventon the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem.The Utah Department of Public Safety said that Kirk, after being shot, was rushed to Timpanogos Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.CHARLIE KIRK PAINTED AS 'CONTROVERSIAL,' 'PROVOCATIVE' IN MEDIAS ASSASSINATION COVERAGEThe episode is still available to stream on Paramount+ and On Demand. However, it will be removed from the Comedy Central regular cable schedule, Fox News Digital has confirmed.According to the Comedy Central schedule posted online, the network will simply skip the second episode from season 27 when upcoming "South Park" episodes are set to air in reverse chronological order.Comedy Central declined a request for comment.In July, Kirk told Fox News Digital he appreciated the "South Park" parody."I think it's kind of funny and it kind of goes to show the cultural impact and the resonance that our movement has been able to achieve. So, I look at this as a badge of honor," Kirk told Fox News Digital.CHARLIE KIRK EMBRACES 'SOUTH PARK' PARODY OF HIM AS A 'BADGE OF HONOR'Kirk then temporarily changed his X profile picture to a screenshot of Cartman.Season 27 of "South Park" has also depicted President Donald Trump in a sexual relationship with Satan, mocked Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Vice President JD Vanceand criticized the Trump administration and its recent initiatives.VIGILS HELD ACROSS US AFTER ASSASSINATION OF CHARLIE KIRK: 'WE MUST HEAL'Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of "South Park," recently reached a $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount.Kirk rose to prominence during the 2016 election cycle, emerging as one of the most influential voices in the MAGA movement and cultivating a close relationship with the Trump family. As the founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), he built a nationwide platform that amplified the voices of young conservatives and brought them into the political arena.Through large-scale TPUSA events, Kirk positioned himself as a bridge between lawmakers and grassroots youth activists, creating direct connections between the political establishment and a new generation of conservative leaders. His efforts extended to specialized gatherings such as the Black Leadership Summit, where young participants were even invited to the White House during President Trump's first term, offering them a rare opportunity to engage face-to-face with the president.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFox News Digitals Joseph A. Wulfsohn, Jamie Joseph and Greg Norman contributed to this report.