“South Park” has been scrubbed from the Chinese internet after a recent broadcast of its latest episode called “Band in China.”
In the episode, Comedy Central’s hit animated series mocked how Hollywood productions pander to China by making changes in films so it can be shown in Chinese theaters.
Chinese government censors have apparently removed the show’s episodes, clips, and online discussions from the Chinese internet.
References from the show can no longer be found on Weibo, while clips also no longer show up in searches on video-sharing site Youku, The Hollywood Reporter reports.
Meanwhile, searching for “South Park” discussion forums on Tieba yields this message: “According to the relevant law and regulation, this section is temporarily not open.”
“Band in China” features Stan Marsh’s band being developed for a Hollywood biopic.
However, the movie must be altered to be able to pass China’s regulations. Stan’s dad, Randy, also attempts to sell cannabis in the country.
China’s theatrical market, currently the second-largest in the world, has become a major source of revenue for many Hollywood productions in recent years.
Several Hollywood films have been known to alter certain elements of their productions to make them more appealing to censors.
Not only was South Park’s episode heavily critical of China’s censorship, but it also made references to the country’s crackdown on popular Disney character Winnie the Pooh.
Social media users have been comparing Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Pooh since the ruling Communist Party announced it wanted to eliminate presidential term limits last year.
In response to THR’s report, series creators Trey Park and Matt Stone issued this statement on South Park’s Facebook page:
Featured Image via YouTube / South Park Studios
