South Park name change to South America
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The gist
South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said the show is renaming itself "South America".
The satirical jab targets Trump's renaming spree and the tech firms that adopted his.
Background
The show's creators announced the name change on social media ahead of the Sept. 16 premiere of the 29th season. It follows President Trump's push to rename geographic locations, including an executive order changing the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and a move to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America" amid a U.S.-Canada trade dispute. Apple and Google updated their map apps for U.S. users to show "Lake America," while Canadian users still see "Lake Ontario." The show has repeatedly mocked Trump, winning an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program for an episode parodying his presidency.
How it unfolded
- recentlyTrump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, drawing international opposition.
- recentlyTrump announced he would rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America" amid a trade war with Canada; Canadian officials said they would not recognize the new name.
- recentlyApple and Google amended the Lake Ontario name on their map apps, showing "Lake America" to U.S. users and "Lake Ontario" to Canadian users.
- recentlyTrump posted AI-generated images on Truth Social suggesting New Mexico be renamed "New America."
- Sep 8, 2026Trey Parker and Matt Stone announced the show is changing its name to "South America" ahead of its 29th season.
- Sep 9, 2026Comedy Central's website listed the show under its new title, "South America."
Who’s saying what
- Creators
- Parker and Stone said the change was "inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google" and thanked parent company Paramount, calling it "a Skydance Capitulation."
- Analysts
- Media outlets described the rebrand as a satirical jab at Trump's renaming spree and at tech companies for adopting his names.
Still unverified
The show's name change is described by multiple outlets as a satirical announcement; it is not confirmed whether the title change is permanent or a promotional stunt for the new season.