Donald Trump’s surprise election has created a dilemma for South Park’s creators, who planned to move away from politics in the upcoming season.
The last series was unusual in that it had a story arc running throughout it where teacher Mr Garrison became a Trump-like figure running for office.
Hillary Clinton’s victory was deemed the likely outcome, meaning Mr Garrison could return to his old self in the 21st series so the child characters could be the focus again.
#mondaymotivation pic.twitter.com/vhDAX4kTZl
— South Park (@SouthPark) March 6, 2017
But now the Republican is in the White House, Matt Stone and Trey Parker are stuck with him, they said in an interview with US industry website The Hollywood Reporter.
Parker, 47, said: “We just wanted to go back to the kids, which we still do. But it’s also like, you can’t avoid (Mr Garrison as Trump).
“So, we are not actively putting it in, but we are not actively leaving it out. It’s the world we live in.”
Stone, 46, said he liked the overarching storyline in some ways, but “in some ways it trapped us”.
Well? Do I look Presidential? pic.twitter.com/jP3I5CDe4K
— South Park (@SouthPark) February 1, 2017
Parker previously told the Los Angeles Times that the show, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, fell into the same “trap” that comedy show Saturday Night Live has.
“We’re becoming: ‘Tune in to see what we’re going to say about Trump.’ Matt and I hated it, but we got stuck in it somehow,” he said.
The latest season begins airing in the US on September 13.
