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Trey Parker and Matt Stone released a statement announcing the title change for their long-running Comedy Central series from South Park to South America. The pair said the decision was inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, which updated their mapping services to reflect the Trump administration’s new names for bodies of water. “Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of ‘South Park’ to SOUTH AMERICA,” Parker and Stone said in the statement distributed across the show’s social media channels. They added a note thanking their parent company with “We especially want to thank our parent company Paramount — a Skydance Capitulation.”[[1]](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp9340rg7k8o?at_campaign=rss&at_medium=RSS)
The statement references recent actions by President Trump, who in August signed an executive order directing the renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America amid a trade dispute with Canada, according to reports from The Guardian and Variety. Trump had previously ordered the Gulf of Mexico to be called the Gulf of America, with both Apple and Google complying by altering the names on their maps for U.S. users. The president also suggested on social media that New Mexico be renamed New America, complete with an AI-generated video, multiple news outlets reported on September 8.[[2]](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/sep/08/south-park-changes-name-to-south-america-trump)
The name change also serves as a jab at Paramount, the show’s parent company following its merger with Skydance Media, which was approved by the Trump administration last year after the company settled a lawsuit with Trump for $16 million over a 60 Minutes segment. Parker and Stone have frequently targeted both the president and their corporate owners in recent seasons of the show. The Hollywood Reporter noted that it remains unclear if the name change is permanent or a promotional stunt for the upcoming season.[[3]](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/south-park-changing-name-season-29-premiere-1236694350/)
South Park won the Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program days before the announcement, marking the show’s first victory in the category since 2013 and its fifth or sixth overall depending on the tally. The win came after seasons 27 and 28, which heavily featured satirical depictions of Trump, including scenes showing him in explicit situations with Satan. USA Today reported that the show’s Instagram account posted an image of the cartoon Trump holding the Emmy with the caption implying he finally got one, referencing Trump’s two losses for The Apprentice.[[4]](https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2026/09/08/south-park-name-change-donald-trump-south-america/91659931007/)
Viewership for the Trump-focused seasons has more than doubled compared with 2023 levels according to Nielsen data cited by The New York Times, with one recent episode drawing 838,000 broadcast viewers. The season 27 premiere alone garnered 5.9 million viewers across platforms in its first three days. Parker accepted the Emmy by thanking fans, noting they are the reason the show has not been canceled in 30 years.[[7]](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/business/media/south-park-trump.html)
Season 29 of the newly renamed South America is scheduled to premiere on September 16, 2026, with subsequent episodes airing on September 30, October 14, October 28, November 11 and November 25. New episodes will be available to stream the following day on Paramount+. TVLine detailed that the season continues the show’s tradition of timely political commentary.[[5]](https://www.tvline.com/2252985/south-park-title-change-explained-south-america-season-29-comedy-central/)
The animated series, which first premiered in 1997, has built a reputation for sharp satire targeting politicians across the spectrum, with Trump becoming a frequent subject since his 2016 presidential campaign. A Forbes article highlighted that this latest move extends a long-running feud between the show’s creators and the Trump administration. Social media accounts for the show have already updated their profiles to reflect the new name while keeping the original handle.[[6]](https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2026/09/08/south-park-changes-branding-to-south-america-in-latest-trump-trolling/)
