SAN DIEGO (AP) — “South Park” co-creator Trey Parker had the briefest of responses Thursday to anger from the White House over the season premiere of the animated institution, which showed a naked President Donald Trump in bed with Satan.

“We’re terribly sorry,” Parker said, followed by a long, deadpan-comic stare.

‘South Park’ premiere skewers Trump, prompting White House response

Parker was asked for his reaction to the fracas as he sat on the stage at San Diego’s Comic-Con International at the beginning of a Comedy Central animation panel that also included his “South Park” partner Matt Stone, “Beavis and Butt-Head” creator Mike Judge, and actor Andy Samberg, who co-created the animated “Digman!”

Earlier in the day, the White House issued a statement on the 27th season premiere, which aired Wednesday night.

“This show hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in the statement. “President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country’s history – and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump’s hot streak.”

Later in the panel, Parker said they did get a note from their producers on Tuesday night’s episode.

“They said, ‘OK, but we’re gonna blur the penis,’ and I said, ‘No you’re not gonna blur the penis,’” Parker said.

The premiere also took aim at Paramount and its $16 million recent settlement with Trump just hours after Parker and Stone signed a five-year deal with the company for 50 new episodes and streaming rights to previous seasons. The Los Angeles Times and other outlets report the deal was worth $1.5 billion.

In the episode, Trump sues the town of South Park when its residents challenge the presence of Jesus Christ – the actual person – in its elementary school.

Jesus tells them they ought to settle.

“You guys saw what happened to CBS? Yeah, well, guess who owns CBS? Paramount,” Jesus says. “Do you really want to end up like Colbert?”

CBS and parent Paramount Global canceled Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” last week, days after Colbert sharply criticized Paramount’s settlement of Trump’s lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” interview.

CBS and Paramount executives said it was a financial decision to axe “The Late Show.”

The efficiency of “South Park” production, and the brinksmanship of its creators, allow it to stay incredibly current for an animated series.

“I don’t know what next week’s episode is going to be,” Parker said at Comic-Con. “Even just three days ago, we were like, ‘I don’t know if people are going to like this.’”

Though many of Trump’s real-world policies and actions were spotlighted in the show – such as defunding National Public Radio, implementing tariffs on Canadian goods, and expressing displeasure with a portrait of himself in the Colorado State Capitol – the animated version of the president indulged in other lewd shenanigans, like trying to have sex with Satan. As in the devil, Satan, who has been a longstanding character in the “South Park” universe.

‘South Park’ co-creator jokes he’s ‘terribly sorry’ over premiere that drew White House anger

In the episode, Satan also questioned Trump about the Epstein files and alluded to the fact that the president reminded him of his ex, Saddam Hussein. The episode ended with a deep-fake public service announcement that showed Trump walking through the desert, taking off his clothes and collapsing nude in the sand. It ended with the slogan: “Trump. His penis is teeny tiny, but his love for us is large.”

In a statement to Variety, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers addressed the cameo, lambasting “South Park” as a “fourth-rate show.”

“The Left’s hypocrisy truly has no end – for years, they have come after ‘South Park’ for what they labeled as ‘offensive’ content, but suddenly they are praising the show. Just like the creators of ‘South Park,’ the Left has no authentic or original content, which is why their popularity continues to hit record lows.”

“This show hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention,” the statement continued. “President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country’s history – and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump’s hot streak.”

In addition to skewering Trump, “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone took aim at their parent network, Paramount, which recently settled a lawsuit with the president for $16 million. The president sued CBS News for allegedly editing a “60 Minutes” interview with presidential candidate Kamala Harris in a deceptive manner.

Legal experts said the case had no legs, and “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert called the settlement a “big fat bribe" to persuade the government to approve Paramount’s merger with another media company called Skydance. Days later, “The Late Show,” which aired on CBS, was canceled.

In the “South Park” episode, Jesus – yes, that Jesus – comes to warn the citizens of South Park, Colorado, to stop protesting the president or they, too, may get canceled.

“The guy can do whatever he wants now that someone backed down, OK?” Jesus says. “Do you really wanna end up like Colbert?”

Parker and Stone have been outspokenly critical of the networks’ merger, going so far as to say it’s ruining "South Park," in much more colorful language. For now, season 27 seems like it will go on as planned. On Wednesday, the show and network announced they'd reached a five-year deal to make 50 new episodes and move the entire "South Park" library to Paramount+ -- for a reported $1.5 billion.

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The reality dating show travels to cities across the U.S. seeking out singles who are ready to tie the knot. But there’s a catch.

As the name suggests, the premise is to find out “if love is truly blind,” as hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey often say, by having people date without seeing one another. Instead, they have conversations from two individual “pods” separated by a wall. The goal is to build a deep emotional connection and fall in love based solely on personality.

Is reality TV a watch party-worthy sport? These Denver bars bet on it.

Those lucky ones who do then commit to an engagement sight unseen. In fact, the prospective couples can only meet face-to-face once they've gotten engaged. From there, they have four weeks to see if they can make things work long term before announcing whether or not they will stay together at the altar in front of friends and family.

Season nine, which features singles from the Mile High City, will premiere on Oct. 1, Netflix announced Thursday.

The airing has been a long time coming. The Denver cast started filming in February 2024, so once the season debuts, participants will have had more than a year off camera to try and potentially see their relationship through. Each season includes a live reunion following the season finale, so viewers can catch up with the couples and, importantly, see who's still kicking.

Can’t wait until October? Netflix recently announced a new season of “Love is Blind UK” will premiere Aug. 13 to hold you over.

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The bar was airing the season finale of “Love Island USA,” a reality dating show in which attractive Americans spend the summer sequestered in a lavish villa in Fiji swapping spit in hopes of finding a life partner. Fans play an essential role in the show’s outcome by voting for their favorite couples throughout the season. The most popular duo wins a hefty $100,000 prize.

Those inside Tom’s Watch Bar held their breath for a moment of anticipation before erupting with cheers, as — spoiler alert — “Love Island” participants Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales were crowned the winners.

“There might have been louder cheers in there when they picked the winners than when Aaron Gordon hit the last-second three-pointer to win a game, literally,” said Tom’s Watch Bar operating partner Dan Stillman, comparing the moment to a Nuggets highlight.

Reality television isn’t something you often see playing in a bar, but as fervor around “Love Island USA” swept the nation this summer, establishments that traditionally broadcast sports seized an opportunity to cash in. By streaming episodes live, just like a game, they not only boosted bottom lines during the otherwise slow off-season but also potentially opened these spaces up to new demographics who are just as passionate as sports fans.

“It was really great to see so many new faces,” said Lyndsey Spano, owner of DNVR Bar, 2239 E. Colfax Ave., which also showed the finale Sunday. “Everybody was really excited, they loved the atmosphere. They loved how many TVs we have.”

Spano admittedly had never seen “Love Island,” which has franchises in the U.S., the UK and Australia. But her social media feed was filled with other bars hosting big crowds for watch parties. She decided to poll her audiences on Facebook and Instagram to see if they’d join a similar event. The answer was “overwhelmingly yes.”

DNVR Bar’s finale watch party packed the house, filling up to its roughly 152-person capacity – a welcome sight in the absence of the football, hockey and basketball seasons.

“We bleed money in the summer,” Spano said. “So it was incredible to have that, and it really helps the bottom line tremendously.”

The bar crowds last Sunday were notably different than a normal game day. Fans at DNVR Bar swapped football jerseys and hockey sweaters for dressier clothing, Spano said. Where Tom’s Watch Bar usually attracts predominantly men for sports, Stillman said it was predominantly women who showed up for the “Love Island” finale.

Denver season of “Love is Blind” gets an official premiere date

The vibe, however, was very familiar.

“It was just like a Broncos, Nuggets, Avs game where, you know, when you hit a goal, people are clapping, people are cheering,” Spano said. “When couples would kiss, when they would say something unexpected, or even if it was a cheesy line, it was lots of laughter, lots of clapping, lots of hollering.”

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In a way, it makes sense that this type of programming would fit aptly into a sports bar, where the atmosphere encourages crowd participation and collective celebration. With abundant TVs – DNVR Bar, for example, has 33 of them – every seat has a good line of sight and the sound systems ensure everyone can keep up with the play-by-play. Or in this case, the famous one-liners from season winner Amaya Papaya, as she is affectionately known.

Still, there are unique aspects about “Love Island” that make it especially great for viewing parties. Unlike most dating competitions, where the contestants are in control of who stays and who goes home, “Love Island” puts those decisions in the hands of viewers. The show incentivizes fans to watch live by having them vote for their favorite couples in real time. Voting windows are only open for a few hours after certain episodes and the couples that receive the least amount of votes typically end up dumped from the island.

As of July 8, more than 5.5 million people had downloaded the Love Island USA app, according to the show’s network Peacock. Fans' voices are not only heard through their votes. Backlash on social media directly influenced producers’ decision to remove a cast member this season.

The frequency and cadence of “Love Island” also contribute to the obsession. It airs six days per week as it’s being filmed, effectively combining elements of live streaming models popularized by platforms like Twitch with the ability to binge-watch if you miss just a couple days. One season usually consists of more than 30 individual, hour-long episodes, so fans get super invested in certain characters.

All that to say, it’s unclear if watch parties for other reality shows will be as successful. Still, Spano and Stillman plan to test it out.

DNVR Bar has "almost every streaming service," so Spano encouraged fans to request what they'd like to see. Once the fall hits, coordinating reality TV alongside sports games could prove tricky, she said, but DNVR Bar has two distinct areas with separate sound systems, so it's not out of the question. That's potentially good news for fans of "Love Is Blind," which will air its Denver-based season later this year.

The “Love Island” finale proved to be the second-busiest two-hour stretch in the last year at Tom’s Watch Bar, behind the Rockies’ opening day, Stillman said. He is now considering showing the “Love Island USA” reunion, scheduled for Aug. 25. Both he and Spano mentioned possibly hosting viewing parties for “Bachelor in Paradise,” which airs new episodes on Mondays throughout the summer.

“We need to think outside the box as a brand,” Stillman said. “We are a watch bar and these are watch parties. This is something that will open us up to more possibilities.”

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The 27th season premiere is now slated to air on July 23 on Comedy Central, according to an announcement Wednesday. It was originally supposed to be released on July 9.

Related: Casa Bonita opens summer reservations to strong demand

Stone and Parker — who were raised in Colorado and are also the proprietors of Lakewood’s famed Casa Bonita restaurant — shared a few choice words on social media in response to the delay.

“This merger is a [expletive] and it’s [expletive] up South Park,” they said in a statement, likely referring to the ongoing merger between Comedy Central’s parent network, Paramount Global, and Skydance Media. “We are at the studio working on new episodes and we hope the fans get to see them somehow.”

You can see their actual words on Instagram.

That last point alludes to uncertainty about where fans may — or may not — be able to watch the show without a cable subscription.

As part of the Paramount-Skydance merger, the two media companies are working to negotiate terms for the future of “South Park,” according to The Los Angeles Times. The show reportedly has two years left on its deal with Paramount, so new episodes will air on Comedy Central for that time. Paramount+ is supposed to be the exclusive streaming hub for the entire “South Park” catalog as of this year, with new episodes debuting on that platform first.

However, “Paramount hasn’t nailed down the streaming rights” due to factors related to the merger, The LA Times reported on June 13, citing three sources familiar with the negotiations.

For several years, new episodes of “South Park” have been available to stream on HBO Max through a licensing deal, but that expired in June, the publication stated. All that appears to leave the show’s streaming availability in limbo. (A Paramount representative did not immediately answer The Denver Post’s inquiry for details about the show’s delay or where it will stream.)

And it gets messier. Late last month, an attorney for Stone and Parker accused Skydance executives of meddling in negotiations as the show has shopped around for new streaming partners, per The Hollywood Reporter.

“If these activities continue, we will have no choice but to act to both protect our rights and discharge any obligations we may have to the public,” the letter stated in part.

Here’s hoping Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny make it back to the airwaves soon for what promises to be a funny and ketamine-fueled season. Watch the trailer below:

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Netflix’s “Trainwreck” anthology series will revive the story that took place on Oct. 15, 2009, as part of its survey of modern tragedies, mishaps and scandals. The Balloon Boy episode is set to premiere Tuesday, July 15, with currently available episodes covering “The Astroworld Tragedy, ” “Poop Cruise” and “The Cult of American Apparel.”

The Balloon Boy hoax would seem to have all the right elements for a revisitation: a hapless, alleged victim (6-year-old Falcon Heene), sky-high danger (the balloon reached about 7,000 feet), daringly duplicitous parents (Richard and Mayumi Heene), and a national profile that gripped audiences.

“What appears to be a tragedy takes a sharp turn into something else,” Netflix wrote in a statement. “Public sympathy quickly turns into righteous outrage, as Balloon Boy quickly becomes one of America’s most infamous and bizarre news stories.”

The fallout has lasted until this decade. After being fined and briefly jailed in 2009, the Heenes were in 2020 pardoned by Gov. Jared Polis, who noted they had “suffered enough.”

Brian Lockwood, who has worked at The French Laundry, Frasca Food & Wine, Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad, has joined the Boka Restaurant Group, which has partnered with renowned chefs around the country to open near 30 restaurants, including Momotaro, Boka and Girl & The Goat, all in Chicago, Elliott Aster in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Laser Wolf in Brooklyn.

The Denver Post profiled Lockwood in July 2024 as he had been a consultant on season 3 of FX’s “The Bear,” helping to train star Jeremy Allen White, who plays Carmy Berzatto. “We were able to just spend a week together just going through these techniques, you know, how to chop, how to butcher a fish, how to segment a piece of citrus, how to actually wipe your board, how to put your spoon back, or how to wear your equipment,” Lockwood said at the time.

Details about the new restaurants, including their names and cuisine styles, will be announced later this summer, according to a statement from Boka and its financier, Magnetic Capital. They will be located on the ground floor and on the rooftop of 2nd & Adams, a mixed-use development that is under construction and expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.

Lockwood is a Boulder native who returned to Colorado during the pandemic.

The Boka Restaurant Group was founded in 2002 by James Beard Award-winning restaurateurs Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm.

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