The truth behind Isaac Hayes' exit from 'South Park'

Isaac Hayes is largely known to have quit the show “South Park” after its 2005 episode, “Trapped in the Closet.” It is believed that he left the show after he felt the episode poked fun at his religion, Scientology. The legendary singer, who died in 2008, voiced the Chef character in “South Park” for 136 episodes, between 1997 and 2006.

Isaac’s son recently revealed the real reason as to why his father had to quit the show. Isaac Hayes III told The Hollywood Reporter, “Isaac Hayes did not quit ‘South Park,’ someone quit ‘South Park’ for him.” He explained that what actually happened was that Hayes had a stroke in January 2006 and he lost the ability to speak and that he was in no position to resign under his own knowledge.

“My father was not that big of a hypocrite to be part of a show that would constantly poke fun at African-American people, Jewish people, gay people, and only quit when it comes to Scientology. He wouldn’t be that hypocritical,” Hayes III said.

Hayes III said that at that time everyone around his father was involved in Scientology, his assistants, the core group of people. He said that someone quit the show on Isaac Hayes’ behalf, but he, or his family don’t know who.

In a statement announcing Isaac’s departure from the series in 2006, the late Hayes (or, according to his son, someone on his behalf) blasted “South Park’s” Scientology mockery as an offence to his history of civil rights activism. “There is a place in the world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends, and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins,” the statement asserted. “As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices.”

The fact that Hayes actually performed on that particular episode and then later reacted to the theory of the makers demeaning Scientology supports what Hayes III has revealed. “South Park” co-creator Parker told The Hollywood Reporter that deep down they knew Hayes was forced to quit the show by senior figures in The Church of Scientology.