The son of a South Park star who left the show after an episode criticised Scientology has finally ‘set the record straight’.
After rising to fame as a singer-songwriter in the 1960s, Isaac Hayes was part of the cast of the animated sitcom during its debut in 1997.
He voiced the character of Chef, the lunchroom cook at South Park Elementary, the school where lead characters Stan, Kyle, Eric and Kenny attended.
However, nine seasons later, in 2006, a statement was issued in his name following the airing of the episode Trapped in the Closet – which took aim at the Church of Scientology, of which he was a member.
At the time many were puzzled by the move, however Hayes never clarified any more beyond that initial statement. He died two years later following complications from a stroke he’d suffered in 2006.
Nearly 20 years on his son has now made explosive claims, revealing the ‘truth about what really happened’.
Who was Isaac Hayes?
Hayes began his music career in the early 1960s as a session musician for acts recorded by the Memphis-based Stax Records, later going on to co-write a string of hits including You Don’t Know Like I Know, Soul Man and Hold On, I’m Comin.
He went on to release his debut album, Presenting Isaac Hayes, in 1968. Although it was a commercial flop, he found success with future releases.
The American singer and his song-writing partner David Porter were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005, while he was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Throughout his career Hayes won three Grammy Awards.
In 2006 Hayes revealed he’d suffered a stroke and died two years later, aged 65, after being found unresponsive in his home near Memphis.
Who was Chef in South Park and when did the character leave?
Part of the original cast of Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s series South Park, Hayes voiced Chef Jerome McElroy for nearly a decade.
The character was regularly turned to as a source for advice from the children, with Chef also inspired by a dining hall worker Parker met while attending college.
Why did he leave the show?
Although the show was known for pushing the boundaries with its storylines, a 2006 episode that poked fun at Scientology reportedly didn’t sit well with the actor, whose character did not feature in the episode.
The episode followed Stan joining Scientology after recruiters became convinced he was the reincarnation of church founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Soon after the episode aired, a statement was released in Hayes’ name, in which he requested to be released from his contract with Comedy Central and calling out South Park for satirising religious beliefs.
‘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. As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices,’ it read, but did not directly mention Scientology.
Responding to the statement, Stone said the actor had never previously expressed concerns about similar storylines. ‘He has no problem –and he’s cashed plenty of checks– with our show making fun of Christians, Muslims, Mormons, or Jews,’ he said.
Soon after reports started emerging that Hayes had not requested to leave the show and had instead been pushed to do so by fellow members of his church.
How was the Church of Scientology involved in his exit?
Over the years claims have been made that Hayes did not have a say in his South Park exit and was instead influenced by others.
Last year his son, Isaac Hayes III, said the stroke left the musician and actor ‘in no position to resign under his own knowledge’.
He also spoke about his belief that members of the Church of Scientology had stepped in and taken it upon themselves to remove Hayes from the show after the controversial episode.
His comments came after Stone told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016: ‘We knew in our hearts there was something way more going on. Isaac’s a really sweet guy. We’re still like, “Isaac, you’ve got to come out of it”. But he’s just brainwashed.’
This week he went on to release a lengthy statement about how he wanted to now ‘set the record straight’.
‘For over 14 years, people have speculated about why my father @isaachayes left South Park. I’m here to set the record straight. My dad did not quit South Park. Scientology did,’ he began the post, which was shared on X.
‘After the episode Trapped in the Closet aired in 2005, my father suffered a stroke just a few months later that left him unable to speak or make decisions on his own. He was not in any condition to resign from anything. The truth is, someone else within his Scientology circle made that decision and quit the show for him.
‘He loved being the voice of Chef. He loved the character. He loved connecting with fans. He would joke with people who recognized his voice, and he truly enjoyed being part of the show.
‘The narrative that he quit because he was offended by the satire is not true. That was a cover story created by others. My father never got to speak for himself because his health robbed him of that chance.’
He went on: ‘So now I am speaking for him. He did not leave South Park willingly. He was forced out by illness and by people who did not have his best interest at heart.
This is for anyone who loved Chef. This is for anyone who admired my father’s work. This is the truth about what really happened.’
Has the church responded to claims?
Although the Church of Scientology has never publicly responded to the claims, Hayes told Cracked this week: ‘I haven’t had any connection with anybody from Scientology since before my father passed away.’
Metro has contacted the Church of Scientology for comment.
South Park season 27 will stream on Comedy Central on July 23.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
