Comedy Central has decided to remove planned reruns of a South Park episode that mocked Charlie Kirk, following his assassination on Wednesday (September 10). The episode, titled "Got a Nut," originally aired on August 6 and parodied Kirk's public persona and debates with college students. Despite its removal from the cable schedule, the episode remains available for streaming on Paramount+.
Kirk, who was the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University. The Utah Department of Public Safety reported that he was struck by a single bullet and pronounced dead at Timpanogos Regional Hospital. A manhunt for the shooter is ongoing.
Before the episode aired, Kirk had reacted positively to its teaser, calling it a "badge of honor" and noting that conservatives should be able to take a joke. He even temporarily changed his profile picture to an image of South Park character Eric Cartman dressed in a manner similar to him.
The decision to pull the episode comes amid heightened tensions and criticism from some of Kirk's supporters, who partially blamed the show for the tragic event.
Despite the controversy, South Park0creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have not publicly responded to the episode's removal. The show is set to return with a new episode on September 23.