Animated series South Park has altered its branding to South America in a marketing stunt mocking a presidential executive order regarding geographic names, according to creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The announcement arrived on September 8, 2026, just days after the Comedy Central program captured an Emmy Award for best animated series.
The Parody Behind the South America Name Change
Parker and Stone announced the satirical rebranding in a joint statement, declaring that the long-running show would henceforth use the new title. According to the creators, the pivot was “inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google,” referencing how major mapping services adopt administrative name changes.
The stunt directly parodies an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in August, which directed his administration to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America amid trade disputes with Canada. Apple Maps and Google Maps adopted the Lake America designation for users within the United States. Trump previously issued orders to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and suggested that New Mexico could face a potential renaming to New America.
Alongside the announcement, the production team released new promotional artwork for the upcoming season, superimposing the word “America” over “Park” in the show’s iconic title logo.
Emmy Win and Recent Political Satire
The rebranding follows South Park winning the Emmy for best animated series on September 6, 2026. Celebrating the victory on social media, the show’s official account published a graphic depicting Trump with his pants down holding an Emmy statue—a jab at the president’s previous public complaints about never winning an Emmy for The Apprentice.
The animated comedy spent its 27th season, which began in July 2025, and its 28th season heavily targeting the Trump administration. Parker and Stone utilized a real photograph of Trump’s face placed on an animated body to portray him as a central character across episodes. In an interview with The New York Times, Parker defended the heavy political focus, stating, “It’s not that we got all political. It’s that politics became pop culture.”
Response From the White House
The administration previously pushed back against the show’s satirical approach. In a statement provided to USA Today in 2025, the White House dismissed the program, stating that South Park “hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention.”
South Park is scheduled to return for Season 29 on September 16, 2026. Produced with an exceptionally fast turnaround schedule that allows the creators to comment on recent headlines, the show’s latest naming stunt confirms that contemporary politics will remain central to upcoming episodes.
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