Fact Check: : Paramount bowed to President Trump by paying bribes, firing a dissenting host, and then interviewed all this while negotiating a $1.5 billion deal with South Park—yet abruptly suppressed the episode mocking them.

Fact-Check: Paramount Bowed to President Trump by Paying Bribes, Firing a Dissenting Host, and Suppressing a Mocking Episode

What We Know

The claim involves several interconnected events surrounding Paramount's dealings with President Trump and the animated series South Park.

1. Settlement with Trump: Paramount settled a lawsuit with Trump for $16 million related to allegations of "election interference" in a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, which some critics have described as a "big fat bribe" (Wired, The Guardian).

2. Cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Following the settlement, The Late Show, hosted by Stephen Colbert, was reportedly canceled. Colbert, a vocal critic of Trump, had previously condemned the settlement, calling it a bribe (CNN, Esquire).

3. $1.5 Billion Deal with South Park: Paramount announced a five-year, $1.5 billion deal with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, which includes 50 new episodes. This deal was made public shortly before the premiere of the show's 27th season, which featured sharp satire aimed at both Trump and Paramount (NBC News, Newsweek).

4. Episode Content: The South Park episode titled "Sermon on the ’Mount" aired immediately after the announcement of the deal and depicted Trump in a highly critical light, including references to his physical appearance and his legal threats (Wired, The Guardian).

5. Public Reaction: The episode sparked significant public discourse, with some viewing it as a defiant stance against Trump, while others expressed concern over potential repercussions for South Park from Paramount (CNN, Economic Times).

Analysis

The claim that Paramount "bowed" to Trump by paying bribes and firing dissenting voices is partially substantiated by the events surrounding the settlement and the subsequent actions taken by the network.

• Settlement as a Bribe: The characterization of the $16 million settlement as a bribe is supported by comments from Colbert and various media outlets. However, the term "bribe" is subjective and reflects a critical perspective on corporate dealings with Trump (Wired, The Guardian).

• Firing of Colbert: While Colbert's show was indeed canceled, the official reasons provided by Paramount were financial rather than politically motivated. This raises questions about the reliability of claims that the cancellation was directly tied to his criticism of Trump (CNN, Esquire].

• Content of South Park: The episode that aired after the deal was critical of both Trump and Paramount, suggesting that the creators felt empowered to continue their satirical approach despite the corporate relationship. This counters the notion that Paramount suppressed dissenting voices, as the creators used the platform to critique both Trump and the network (NBC News, Newsweek).

• Source Reliability: The sources used in this analysis vary in reliability. Established media outlets such as Wired, CNN, and NBC News provide credible reporting, while opinions expressed in social media and less formal platforms may reflect bias or sensationalism (Wired, The Guardian, CNN).

Conclusion

The claim that Paramount bowed to President Trump by paying bribes, firing a dissenting host, and suppressing a mocking episode is Partially True. While there is evidence of a significant financial settlement and the cancellation of a critical show, the narrative of suppression is complicated by the fact that South Park aired a critical episode immediately after the deal. This suggests that while there may have been corporate maneuvering to appease Trump, the creators of South Park retained some degree of creative freedom to critique both Trump and Paramount.

Sources

1. Paramount Has a $1.5 Billion 'South Park' Problem
2. South Park targets Paramount after signing $1.5bn deal ...
3. White House Slams ‘South Park’ Over Episode Skewering Trump ...
4. 'South Park' premiere skewers Trump and Paramount in ...
5. South Park Roasted Trump and Paramount Right After ...
6. 'South Park' mocks Paramount's settlement with Trump after ...
7. South Park tests Paramount's nerve with Trump–Satan ...
8. South Park Eviscerates Donald Trump After Paramount ...