The creators of the animated TV show, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, have announced that the series will change its name to ‘South America’, BBC reports. The show, which first aired nearly three decades ago in August 1997, is now in its 29th season.

The move is a clear reference to US President Donald Trump’s attempt to rename Lake Ontario to ‘Lake America’, and the Gulf of Mexico to the ‘Gulf of America’.

“Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of South Park to SOUTH AMERICA,” the creators announced after the show won an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program on Sunday.

A day before the show’s announcement, Trump shared an AI-generated video of him placing the word ‘America’ over ‘Mexico’ on a “Welcome to New Mexico” sign.

And as trade tensions escalated between the US and Canada, Trump ordered a similar change for Lake Ontario in August, renaming it ‘Lake America’. Apple and Google then changed the names in their respective Maps apps for US users.

One of the biggest media mergers

Paramount Skydance is the show’s parent company, and earlier this year, the Trump administration approved a $111 billion merger with Warner Bros Discovery, one of the biggest media deals in history.

“We especially want to thank our parent company, Paramount - a Skydance Capitulation,” the creators said in a post on social media.

Twelve US states have since filed lawsuits against the deal, and the merger has been paused until June 2027.

Pokes at the president

President Trump, his administration and MAGA supporters have frequently criticised the show’s creators for their repeated pokes at the president.

During the show’s 27th season, the White House described South Park as a “fourth-rate” show that was “hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention”, after an episode aired depicting Trump naked in bed with Satan.

The 29th season comes out on Wednesday, September 16, and it is still unknown whether the new name will be adopted permanently or if it will revert to South Park later in the series.