NEW YORK — After nearly three decades as South Park, the animated comedy is adopting a pointed new name: South America.
Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone announced the satirical change shortly after the series won an Emmy for an episode targeting President Donald Trump. The announcement also contained less-subtle jabs at Apple, Google and the show’s own parent company, Paramount.
However, viewers should not assume that the familiar South Park title has disappeared permanently. The program remains listed under its original name on streaming services, while the announcement appears closely tied to the promotion and political direction of Season 29.
Why is South Park changing its name?
In an official statement, Parker and Stone said they were “inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google” to change the name from South Park to South America.
The remark appears to reference Apple Maps and Google Maps adopting the name “Lake America” for US users after the Trump administration moved to rename Lake Ontario. It follows the earlier federal renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
Trump also recently shared a map replacing “New Mexico” with “New America,” another development seemingly reflected in the show’s new branding. More details about that post and its wider political context can be found in Swikblog’s report on Trump’s “New America” map.
Seen in that context, “South America” functions as a deliberately exaggerated extension of the same naming pattern. It is both a joke about political rebranding and a criticism of major technology companies following government-approved geographic labels.
The statement also thanked Paramount, describing the company as “a Skydance Capitulation.” That wording targets the corporate owner distributing the series, continuing Parker and Stone’s willingness to satirize the company financing their work.
The Paramount reference has a deeper history. In 2025, Parker and Stone became involved in tense negotiations over the show’s streaming rights while Paramount was preparing for its Skydance deal. The creators ultimately reached a reported five-year agreement valued at approximately $1.5 billion.
That makes the announcement more than a one-target Trump joke. In a few sentences, the creators managed to mock political renaming, corporate compliance, technology platforms and Paramount’s relationship with Skydance.
Emmy victory and Season 29 release schedule
The rebrand was unveiled immediately after South Park won Outstanding Animated Program at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards for “Sermon on the ’Mount.”
The Season 27 premiere depicted Trump in a provocative storyline involving Satan and attacked both his administration and Paramount. It gave the show its first victory in the animated-program category since 2013.
After the win, the series posted an image of its animated Trump character holding the trophy with the message, “You finally got your Emmy.” The joke referenced Trump’s history of criticizing the Emmy Awards after The Apprentice received nominations but never won in its category.
The timing suggests the “South America” announcement is part of the same continuing campaign of political satire rather than an unrelated corporate rebranding exercise.
Season 29 is scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, September 16, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central. Episodes will be available on Paramount+ the following day in the United States, Canada and Australia, with streaming availability in other international markets.
Additional episodes are scheduled for September 30, October 14, October 28, November 11 and November 25.
The official announcement does not say whether “South America” will remain the series’ title beyond Season 29. Existing episodes and streaming listings also continue to carry the South Park name. For now, the most accurate description is an officially announced satirical rebrand connected to the forthcoming season.
The series debuted on Comedy Central on August 13, 1997, and will mark its 30th anniversary in 2027. Its central characters—Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny—are still expected to return despite the provocative new wording on the sign.
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