The creators of the hit animated series South Park have announced that the show will temporarily be renamed South America, appearing to mock US President Donald Trump’s controversial attempts to rename major geographical landmarks.
Creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker made the announcement in a tongue-in-cheek statement, crediting Apple and Google for what they described as their “bravery and patriotism”.
“Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of South Park to SOUTH AMERICA,” the pair said.
The announcement was accompanied by an image of the familiar South Park sign, with the word “Park” replaced by “America”.
The joke comes after Trump has pushed for several geographical name changes during his presidency.
In August, Trump signed an executive order seeking to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, while he previously ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be referred to as the Gulf of America.
Apple and Google subsequently updated their mapping services for users in the United States to reflect the Gulf of America name.
The latest South Park announcement comes shortly after the series won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program on Sunday.
It remains unclear whether South America will become the show's permanent name or whether the series will eventually revert to its original title.
The creators also took a swipe at the show's parent company, Paramount Skydance, referring to it sarcastically as a “Skydance Capitulation”.
The reference comes amid major developments in the US entertainment industry, including the proposed $111 billion merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery. The deal has faced legal challenges from several US states over concerns about competition and potential effects on consumers.
South Park has been running since 1997 and has frequently targeted Trump and his political movement through its trademark satire.
Stone and Parker have faced repeated criticism from Trump, his administration and supporters of the MAGA movement over the show's portrayal of the president.
During the show's 27th season, the White House dismissed South Park as a “fourth-rate” programme after an episode portrayed a fictionalised Trump in a provocative scene involving Satan.
Following the show's latest Emmy victory, its official social media account also posted an image featuring a fictional version of Trump alongside the message: “You finally got your Emmy.”
The new season of South Park is scheduled to premiere on 16 September.