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Media & Censorship
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How a Single 'South Park' Episode Got the Entire Series Banned in China
In 2019, South Park's episode ‘Band in China’ satirized Chinese censorship and Hollywood's self-censorship to access its market. The episode's direct criticism led to the entire show being completely banned and scrubbed from the Chinese internet, proving its own point in real-time.
For over two decades, the animated series South Park has built its legacy on fearless, take-no-prisoners satire. No topic has ever been too sacred for creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. But in 2019, they aimed their satirical lens at a global superpower known for its lack of tolerance for criticism: the People's Republic of China. The resulting episode, ‘Band in China,’ was so pointed and accurate in its critique that it managed to get itself banned in China, proving its own point in the most spectacular way possible.
A Tale of Two Chinas
The genius of the episode, which aired as the second episode of the 23rd season, lies in its dual storylines that perfectly lampooned the relationship between Western businesses and the Chinese government.
In one plot, Randy Marsh travels to China hoping to expand his ‘Tegridy Weed’ business. He is promptly arrested and sent to a forced labor camp, where he encounters other prisoners, including a despondent Winnie the Pooh and Piglet—a direct jab at China’s ban of the character after memes compared him to President Xi Jinping. The scenes depict harsh conditions, re-education, and allude to serious human rights allegations.
Meanwhile, Stan, Butters, Kenny, and Jimmy form a death metal band, Crimson Dawn. Their story takes off, and they soon find themselves navigating the world of Hollywood, where a biopic about their band is in the works. However, the script is constantly being reshaped and censored by Chinese officials to ensure it can be shown in the country’s massive and profitable film market. Every line, theme, and character motivation is scrutinized and flattened to appease the authorities, perfectly mirroring the real-life self-censorship that many Hollywood studios undertake.
Life Imitates Art: The Ban Hammer Falls
The Chinese government’s reaction was swift, severe, and ironically, exactly what the episode had predicted. Within days of its airing, South Park was virtually erased from the Chinese internet. According to The Hollywood Reporter, everything related to the show—from full episodes and clips to discussions on social media platforms like Weibo and Baidu Tieba—disappeared. Searching for "South Park" yielded no results. The government didn't just ban the offending episode; it banned the entire series, effectively memory-holing over two decades of content.
The move was a real-time demonstration of the very censorship the episode mocked. The creators didn't just talk about the issue; they provoked it, and the resulting ban became the ultimate punchline.
A Not-So-Sincere Apology
As pressure often mounts on Western figures and companies to apologize for offending China, the world waited to see how Parker and Stone would respond. They did not disappoint, issuing a statement dripping with their signature sarcasm:
Like the NBA, we welcome the Chinese censors into our homes and into our hearts. We too love money more than freedom and democracy. Xi doesn’t look just like Winnie the Pooh at all. Tune into our 300th episode this Wednesday at 10! Long live the Great Communist Party of China! May this autumn’s sorghum harvest be bountiful! We good now China?
This "apology" doubled down on the critique, referencing a recent controversy where the NBA was under fire for its handling of a pro-Hong Kong tweet from a team manager. It was a defiant stance, reaffirming that South Park would not bow to authoritarian pressure, unlike many of the corporate giants it was satirizing.
A Necessary Critique of a Disturbing Trend
‘Band in China’ resonated so deeply because it wasn't just about China; it was about Hollywood's increasing willingness to compromise artistic integrity for financial gain. For years, major studios have altered films—removing LGBTQ+ references, changing plot points, or even cutting entire characters—to gain access to China's billion-dollar box office. The episode held up a mirror to an industry that often prioritizes profit over principles like freedom of expression.
By getting banned, South Park cemented its place as one of the few mainstream Western media properties to directly challenge China's censorship and Hollywood's complicity. The episode remains a powerful and hilarious example of satire doing exactly what it's supposed to do: speak truth to power, no matter the consequences.