‘South Park’ Rebrands as ‘South America’ Ahead of Season 29 Premiere
Few shows have established a reputation like ‘South Park’ for transforming real-world headlines into animated punchlines within days of their occurrence. After nearly three decades on the air, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone continue to showcase their sharp wit, and their latest move is a testament to that.
This time, the satire targets a specific trend in American politics: President Donald Trump’s recent initiative to rename major geographic landmarks. In August, Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, following an earlier change in January 2025 that altered the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, both of which tech giants Apple and Google have quietly adopted on their mapping platforms.
Parker and Stone decided to join the trend, announcing that ‘South Park’ would officially rebrand as ‘South America’ for its twenty-ninth season, which premieres Wednesday, September 16 at 10 p.m. ET on Comedy Central. New episodes will be available for streaming on Paramount Plus the following day in the U.S., Canada, and Australia, maintaining the show’s usual release rhythm even as its name undergoes a satirical makeover.
Following their Emmy win for Outstanding Animated Program, South Park is making a big change. Creators Trey Parker & Matt Stone announce:
“Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of South Park to SOUTH AMERICA. We especially want to… pic.twitter.com/nRkNaoUSVp
— South America (@SouthPark) September 8, 2026
The creators didn’t shy away from revealing the target of their joke in their official statement, saying, “We especially want to thank our parent company Paramount — a Skydance Capitulation.” This line serves as a pointed jab at Paramount itself, layering corporate commentary on top of the political satire directed at Trump’s renaming campaign.
When e-bikes arrive in South America, the boys take over the streets and the parents of South America can hardly recognize South America, in an all-new episode titled “South American Biker Gangs” premiering Wednesday, September 16 at 10p on Comedy Central. pic.twitter.com/WbMBdaShKf
— South America (@SouthPark) September 14, 2026
The rebranding is not just a one-off gag limited to the announcement. The season premiere, titled “South American Biker Gangs,” directly continues the joke into its plot, following the boys as e-bikes invade South America, leaving the town’s parents struggling to recognize their own neighborhood.
Season 29 is set to feature six episodes, with new installments debuting every two weeks leading up to a November 25 finale. This season follows a shortened five-episode run for Season 28, which concluded in December, and builds on the show’s momentum after winning its fifth Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmys.
That victory adds to a growing list of recent accolades for the series, including its recognition as the first-ever animated honoree at the 2026 Television Academy Honors and accolades from the Producers Guild Awards, the American Film Institute, the Peabody Awards, and the Critics’ Choice Association. The renaming announcement has also resulted in a noticeable streaming boost, with ‘South Park’ climbing global charts in the days leading up to the premiere as fans caught wind of the clever joke.
As the show approaches its thirtieth anniversary in 2027, this latest stunt fits seamlessly into a long history of ‘South Park’ using its platform to critique whatever dominates the news cycle, including its corporate partners.
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