Vibe.com, March 14th, 2006
Isaac Hayes, a prominent scientologist who played the multitasking mac-daddy/school-cook/advise-guru in Comedy Central’s South Park, resigned from his nine-year gig on account of the show’s barefaced mimicry of religion.
Last November, co-creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker satirized Scientology and it’s mass celebrity following in an episode titled Trapped in the Closet. Here, an animated Tom Cruise locks himself in a closet and refuses to come out after Stan, a main character who is heralded by Scientology leaders as the reincarnation of founder/prophet Ron L. Hubbard, tells Cruise what he thinks of his acting.
In a statement released March 13, Hayes criticized the show’s method of roasting spiritual institutions as picture of intolerance.
"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins," the soul singer said.
“Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored. As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."
Hayes reportedly made no reference to the November episode. Yet Stone responded publicly to R&B; legend’s termination, reporting to the Associated Press that neither he nor Parker, “heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin.”
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