South Park episode
"Trapped in the Closet"
Stan is presented to the Scientologists.
Episode no.	137
Airdate	November 16, 2005
South Park - Season 9 March 2005 - December 2005
Mr. Garrison's Fancy New Vagina Die Hippie, Die Wing Best Friends Forever The Losing Edge The Death of Eric Cartman Erection Day Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow Marjorine Follow that Egg! Ginger Kids Trapped in the Closet Free Willzyx Bloody Mary
List of all South Park episodes

"Trapped in the Closet" is episode 912 (#137) of the Comedy Central series South Park. It originally aired on November 16, 2005. South Park is an American animated television series created, written and voiced by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. ... Image File history File links Sp_912. ... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mr. ... Die Hippie, Die is episode 902 of Comedy Centrals South Park. ... Wing is episode 903 of the Comedy Central animated series South Park. ... Best Friends Forever is episode 904 of the Comedy Central series South Park paralleling the Terri Schiavo controversy. ... The Losing Edge is episode 905 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... The Death of Eric Cartman is episode 906 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... Erection Day is episode 907 in the Comedy Central series South Park. ... Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow is episode 908 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... Marjorine is episode 909 of Comedy Centrals South Park. ... Follow that Egg! is episode 910 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... Ginger Kids is episode 911 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... Free Willzyx is episode 913 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... Bloody Mary is episode 914 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... The following is an episode list for the Comedy Central animated television series South Park. ... Comedy Central is a cable television channel in the United States. ... South Park is an American animated television series created, written and voiced by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. ... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The episode was nominated on July 6, 2006, for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming less than One Hour), the show's sixth nomination (one of which they won, for 2005's Best Friends Forever). July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An Emmy Award. ... 1990-The Simpsons(1989)FOX 1991-The Simpsons(1989)FOX 1992-Clymation Easter(1992)CBS 1993-Batman(1992)FOX For episode Robins Reckoning part I 1994-The Roman City(1993)PBS 1995-The Simpsons(1989)FOX 1996-A Pinky and the Brain Christmas Special(1995)Warner Bros. ... Best Friends Forever is episode 904 of the Comedy Central series South Park paralleling the Terri Schiavo controversy. ...

Plot synopsis

Stan is saving his money for a bike, so he can't join Kyle, Cartman and Kenny when they go off to play laser tag. Opting for something that is "fun and free," Stan takes a personality test that is being offered by the Scientologists. After answering a long questionnaire, Stan is informed that he is "one messed up kid" who is "completely miserable and totally depressed" (Even though he didn't know it). Fortunately, this makes him a perfect candidate for Scientology—they offer to help him out for $240. Back at home, Stan asks his parents for the money to help him with his depression. His father suggests that he use the money he has been saving for a new bike. After he pays, Stan is taken into an auditing room with Michelle, who gives him a brief history of Scientology and reads his "thetan levels" using a device called an "E-meter." Michelle is shocked by the high reading, and tries several different meters before pointing these readings out to a higher-up, who faxes the results to the Scientology headquarters in Los Angeles. There, Scientology’s president reviews the results and determines that, because his reading is so high, Stan must be a reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology’s founder and prophet. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Oxford Capacity Analysis (OCA) is a personality test that is given for free by the Church of Scientology. ... Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy. ... The term thetan is used in Scientology to mean something roughly synonymous with spirit or soul. ... An E-Meter is a battery powered electronic instrument manufactured by the Church of Scientologys Gold Base. ... Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (13 March 1911 – 24 January 1986), better known as L. Ron Hubbard, was an American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author and founder of Scientology and Dianetics. ...

Back in South Park, Stan is taking out the garbage when he notices a large group of people outside. A large group of Scientologists, including John Travolta, have gathered there to celebrate Stan's "second coming." The President of Scientology arrives in a helicopter and goes inside to talk with Stan’s parents. Stan's parents oppose his being in the group, but the president informs Randy Marsh that "We're not asking him to join us; we're asking him to lead us." Randy sends his son Stan, confused and exhausted, to his room where he finds Tom Cruise waiting for him. Cruise, thinking Stan is genuinely Hubbard's reincarnation, asks his prophet whether he enjoyed his acting and what film he liked best. When Stan tells Cruise that his acting is not as good as Leonardo DiCaprio, Gene Hackman or "that guy from Napoleon Dynamite," but that he is "okay," Tom yells in agony, runs, and locks himself into Stan's bedroom closet, believing he is "a failure in the eyes of the prophet". John Travolta in a 2005 publicity shot from Be Cool. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the use of images on this page may require cleanup, involving adjustment of image placement, formatting, size, or other adjustments. ... Tom Cruise (born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV on July 3, 1962) is an A-list, Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and film producer. ... Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (born November 11, 1974) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor well known for roles in blockbuster movies like Titanic (1997) and The Aviator (2004), and was famed for his far reaching global celebrity influence dubbed as Leo-Mania in the late 1990s. ... Gene Hackman Eugene Alden Hackman (born January 30, 1930) is an Academy Award-winning American actor. ... Jon Heder Jonathan Joseph Heder (born October 26, 1977 in Fort Collins, Colorado), better known as Jon Heder, is an American actor and filmmaker, most famous for his portrayal of the title character in 2004s Napoleon Dynamite. ... Napoleon Dynamite is a film directed by Jared Hess. ...

Stan calls for his father’s help, and Randy knocks on the door and says, "Mr. Cruise, you can't just stay in the closet, all right; you need to come out." Four hours later, Tom is still in the closet and a large crowd has gathered, with the South Park police chief on a megaphone urging him to “come out of the closet.” R. Kelly is on the scene and sings a brief song about Tom Cruise being in the closet, that nobody knows why, and then pulls out his gun and threatens to shoot someone if he is not informed of why Tom Cruise is in the closet. A megaphone, with a three-inch lighter to scale. ... Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois), who goes by the stage name of R. Kelly, is an American R&B singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer who first appeared on the R&B scene in 1992 and came to dominate it throughout the 1990s and in... A Browning 9 millimeter Hi-Power Ordnance pistol of the French Navy, 19th century, using a Percussion cap mechanism Derringers were small and easily hidden. ...

Xenu, as seen in the episode. Note the caption.

Downstairs, the Scientology president tries to convince Stan’s parents to let their son join them. They want to reveal the great secret of life behind their church to Stan. Randy asks his son if he would like to know this information and Stan responds with a “sure.” Usually it takes several years before a member can hear this information, but Stan is on the fast track. The president tells him a condensed version of the story of Xenu, this segment is based directly on the actual Scientology OT III document and is accompanied by an onscreen caption reading, "THIS IS WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS ACTUALLY BELIEVE". After explaining these beliefs, he tells Stan to continue writing where "L. Ron" left off. Image File history File links South_Park_Xenu. ... Image File history File links South_Park_Xenu. ... In Scientology doctrine, Xenu (also Xemu) is an alien ruler of the Galactic Confederacy who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. ... In Scientology doctrine, Xenu (also Xemu) is an alien ruler of the Galactic Confederacy who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. ... In Scientology doctrine, Xenu (also Xemu) is an alien ruler of the Galactic Confederacy who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. ...

Meanwhile, upstairs, Nicole Kidman is trying to get Tom to “come out of the closet,” but Tom repeatedly denies that he is in the closet. Kidman at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. ...

Stan begins writing and, when Kyle, Cartman and Kenny come over to invite him to the movies, he doesn’t have time for them. Kyle is concerned about the "cult" that Stan has joined, but Stan assures him that Scientology is based on fact. If they can’t accept that he has found meaning (instead of the depression he didn’t know he had) then they are no longer friends. John Travolta also tries to get Tom to “come out of the closet,” but instead he finds himself joining him. Out on the street, R. Kelly sings a short song about this latest development, then again pulls out his gun, this time grabbing a hostage, and threatens to "cap this bitch."

Stan shows his writings to the Scientology president, who approves of most of his work, but, when Stan says that "to really be a church, [they] can't charge money to help," the president reveals to Stan that the church is a money-making scam.

Upstairs, R. Kelly has now been brought in to try to get both Tom and John to “come out of the closet.” R. Kelly gets angry, pulls out his gun, and, when the closet door opens, finds himself going inside. Outside, the president introduces Stan to his followers, to whom he will read his new doctrine. However, instead of presenting it to them, Stan reveals that he is actually not the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard, and that "Scientology is just a big fat global scam." His followers grow angry, and threaten to sue him. Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and R. Kelly all leave his closet and appear, threatening to sue him (except for R. Kelly, who just walks off-screen). Stan dares them to do so, and the episode ends with the credits listing only John and Jane Smiths.

Satire

This episode of South Park is riddled with satirical references to popular culture.

Star Wars

While Scientology and Star Wars both have their roots a long time ago and in a galaxy far, far away, this episode draws a particular parallel between the two. When it is discovered that Stan has unusually high "thetan" levels, a parallel is instantly drawn to Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In Star Wars, it is found that Anakin Skywalker has unusually high midi-chlorian levels, and as a result, must be the one to fulfill a Jedi prophecy and bring balance to the force. In a related episode which also parodied scientology, The Return of Chef, Chef, after joining the Super Adventure Club, a thinly veiled send-up of Scientology that molests kids, dies and is brought back as Darth Chef. Film poster for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 film by George Lucas starring Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, and Jake Lloyd. ... Anakin Skywalker (41 BBY – 4 ABY) is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. ... Midi-clorians are mysterious organisms in the fictional Star Wars universe. ... Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (right) & his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi (left), from The Phantom Menace. ... The Return of Chef was the tenth season premiere [episode 140] of the Comedy Central series South Park. ...

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise locking himself in a closet is satiric in more than one way. The media targets Cruise, often questioning his sexual orientation. A colloquial description of a non-heterosexual person who keeps it a secret is that the person is "in the closet", while those who reveal their sexual orientation are said to be "out of the closet" (or simply "out"). His relationship with actress Katie Holmes is questioned as being a mere disguise. Cruise has stated he is heterosexual, but the media attention to his orientation has not faded. Cruise rarely replies to these questions and allegations. Tom Cruise (born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV on July 3, 1962) is an A-list, Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and film producer. ... The expression being in the closet has been used to describe keeping secret ones sexual behavior or orientation, most commonly homosexuality or bisexuality, but also including transgender and transsexual people, paedophiles, and pederasts. ... Kate Noelle Katie Holmes [1] (born December 18, 1978) is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as Joey Potter on The WB teen drama Dawsons Creek from 1998 to 2003. ... Heterosexuality is a sexual orientation characterized by esthetic attraction, romantic love or sexual desire exclusively for members of the opposite sex or gender, contrasted with homosexuality and distinguished from bisexuality and asexuality. ...

R. Kelly

While the R. Kelly Trapped in the Closet reference may not be satirical in itself, the reference does seem to poke some fun at his music-opera, with Kelly narrating his actions in song, and constantly pulling out a gun at a moment's notice. Trapped In The Closet is a single released by R&B singer R. Kelly. ...

Controversy

This episode sparked controversy when and after it was aired. In fact, the episode's credits list each contributor's name as "John Smith" or "Jane Smith", a reference to the possibility of lawsuits from the Church of Scientology. Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy. ... Dianetics is a practice which is based on ideas about the human mind. ... In Dianetics and Scientology, an engram is defined as a painful memory containing unconsciousness and contained as part of the mind. ... In Dianetics and Scientology, Clear is defined as a state in which a person is free of unwanted influences of past memories, unwanted emotions, and mental and physical pain not existing in present time. ... This article examines the beliefs and practices of Scientology as taught by the Church of Scientology. ... The term thetan is used in Scientology to mean something roughly synonymous with spirit or soul. ... In Church of Scientology doctrine, the subjects of supernatural or superhuman powers and abilities are ones that recur often. ... In Scientology doctrine, space opera was the term used by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard to describe extraterrestrial civilizations and alien interventions. ... In Scientology doctrine, Xenu (also Xemu) is an alien ruler of the Galactic Confederacy who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. ... The Church of Scientology bases most of their beliefs on human history from the information provided from the Churchs founder, L. Ron Hubbard. ... This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... In Church of Scientology doctrine, there have been a number of controversial medical claims made, usually centered around their auditing process, which uses a device called an E-meter to analyze and treat a persons so-called Reactive mind and Body Thetans. These claims range from the 1950 publication... In the Church of Scientology, It has long been considered essential that the word of founder L. Ron Hubbard is incontrovertible, and that his works, or Tech, must be preserved unaltered. ... This article examines the beliefs and practices of Scientology as taught by the Church of Scientology. ... Study tech, or study technology, is a method of study, devised and spelled out by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Disconnection is a practice in Scientology, in which a Scientologist severs all ties between themselves and friends, colleagues, or family members who criticize Scientology practices. ... In Scientology, a rundown is a procedure set out as a series of steps to produce a particular end result, or phenomena. ... The Scientology Justice system is a means for a Scientology organization to take action against a member whose conduct or actions are viewed as highly desctructive or offensive by an executive within the organization. ... In the Scientology religion, MEST is an acronym for Matter, Energy, Space and Time, considered by Scientologists to be the four component parts of the physical universe. ... ARC is a fundamental concept in Scientology doctrine. ... The Tone scale in Scientology technology is a characterization of human behavior and bodily appearance. ... The reactive mind is defined in Dianetics as the portion of a persons mind which works on a totally stimulus-response basis, which is not under his volitional (willing) control, and which exerts force and the power of command over his awareness, purposes, thoughts, body and actions. ... Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (13 March 1911 – 24 January 1986), better known as L. Ron Hubbard, was an American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author and founder of Scientology and Dianetics. ... David Miscavige (born April 30, 1960) is Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center (RTC)[1], a corporation that owns the trademarked names and symbols of Dianetics and Scientology. ... Tory Christman (former married name Tory Bezazian; online name Magoo) born 1947, is a former member of the Church of Scientology who left the organization in 2000, after being a member for about three decades. ... Lisa McPherson (born Lisa Skonetski, February 10, 1959–December 5, 1995) was a Scientologist who died while in the care of the Church of Scientology (CoS). ... Arnaldo (Arnie) Pagliarini Lerma (b. ... Karin Spaink (born December 20, 1957 in Amsterdam) is a journalist, writer and feminist. ... Jonathan Caven-Atack, generally known as Jon Atack, is a British artist and writer. ... The Oxford Capacity Analysis (OCA) is a personality test that is given for free by the Church of Scientology. ... The Volunteer Minister program is a worldwide effort founded by the Church of Scientology International. ... The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR; also sometimes known as the Citizens Committee on Human Rights) is an advocacy group established in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Thomas Szasz. ... The Association for Better Living and Education (A.B.L.E.) is a secular branch of the Church of Scientology. ... World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE) is an organization that educates and assists businesses in the use of Scientology management techniques. ... Founded in 1983, the Concerned Businessmens Association of America (CBAA) is an element of the Scientology movement directed at promoting moral education and enhanced well-being through the use of Hubbards The Way to Happiness booklet in their Set A Good Example (SAGE) program, which holds childrens... Narconon is not associated with Narcotics Anonymous, which is sometimes abbreviated Narcanon. Scientologys Narconon is an in-patient rehabilitation program for drug abusers in several dozen treatment centers worldwide, chiefly in the United States and western Europe. ... Criminon is a secular non proft 501 C3 working with government departments and inmates to reduce recidivism and restore self respect to the inmate. ... Recruitment and endorsements by celebrities have always been very important to the Church of Scientology. ... This is a list of Scientology organizations operated by the Church of Scientology (CoS), including Church offices, missions, Celebrity Centres and publicized Scientology and Dianetics groups. ... The Sea Org logo. ... The Church of Scientology is the largest organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. ... Celebrity Centres are Church of Scientology centers that are open to the public but serve mostly artists and celebrities and other professionals, leaders and promising new-comers in the fields of the arts, sports, management and government. ... The Church of Scientology (CST) maintains a large base on the outskirts of Trementina, New Mexico. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Office of Special Affairs (OSA) is a department of the Church of Scientology responsible for directing legal affairs, publicizing the Churchs social betterment works, and oversee[ing its] social reform programs. Observers outside the Church have characterized the department as an intelligence agency, comparing it variously to the... The Gold Base is a 500 acre parcel and the headquarters of Golden Era Productions, the media division of the Church of Scientology, located at 19625 Highway 79, Gilman Hot Springs, California 92583, near Hemet. ... The International Association of Scientologists (IAS) was formed in October 1984 by a group of selected Scientologists, who assembled at Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, Sussex, England. ... The Religious Technology Center (RTC) is a non-profit organization established in 1982 by the Church of Scientology to control and oversee the uses of all of the trademarks, symbols and sacred texts of Scientology and Dianetics, including the copyrighted works of the religions founder, L. Ron Hubbard. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In Scientology, a formally condemned and shunned heretic or wrongdoer is labelled a Suppressive Person, often abbreviated SP. L. Ron Hubbard coined the term to refer to enemies of the Church of Scientology, whose suppressive acts are said to impede the progress of Scientology. ... Fair Game is a status assigned to those whom the Church of Scientology has officially declared to be Suppressive Persons or Suppressive Persons are those whose actions are deemed to suppress or damage Scientology or a Scientologist. ... Operation Snow-White was the name given internally by the Church of Scientology to a program which included the largest incident of private domestic espionage in the history of the United States. ... Operation PC Freakout was the name given by the Church of Scientology to a covert plan undertaken by the Church in 1976, with the goal of harassing Paulette Cooper, author of a book critical of Scientology titled The Scandal of Scientology. The plan came to light when the FBI seized... Scientology versus the Internet is the colloquial term for a long-running online dispute between the Church of Scientology and a number of the Churchs online critics. ... Patter drills are a drilling method used in courses in the Church of Scientology which were added to many Church courses in mid-1995, by David Miscavige. ... The Church of Scientology has been involved in a number of court disputes throughout the world. ... The Fishman Affidavit is a set of court documents submitted by ex-Scientologist Steven Fishman in 1994 containing criticisms of the Church of Scientology and, controversially, substantial portions of the Operating Thetan course materials. ... Scientology pays members commissions on new recruits they bring in, so Scientology members routinely try to sell Scientology to others. ... R2-45 is one of the Auditing Processes used by the Church of Scientology. ... A pseudonym (Greek: false name) is a fictitious name used by an individual as an alternative to his or her legal name. ... The Church of Scientology has been involved in a number of court disputes throughout the world. ...

This episode was partially inspired when the show's creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker heard from their good friend Penn Jillette that he was originally planning to do an episode of Bullshit! based on Scientology, but it was scrapped by Showtime to avoid the possibility of legal action from the church itself. [1] Matt Stone Matthew Richard Stone (born May 26, 1971) is an American animator, film director, screenwriter, actor and voice actor. ... Trey Parker Randolph Severn Trey Parker III (born October 19, 1969 in Conifer, Colorado) is an American animator, screenwriter, film director, voice actor, actor and musician. ... Penn Fraser Jillette (born March 5, 1955 in Greenfield, Massachusetts,) is an American illusionist and comedian known for his work with fellow illusionist Teller as Penn & Teller. ... Bullshit!, also known as Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, (2003—) is a Showtime Channel television series shown in the United States, Canada, Australia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. ... Showtime is a subscription television brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States. ...

Chef was notably absent from the episode, perhaps because Isaac Hayes (who provided Chef's voice) is a Scientologist. Hayes, who had recently suffered a minor stroke, would later leave the show altogether citing South Park's "religious intolerance" as a main factor. There is speculation that Scientology leaders pressured Hayes to quit. In an interview for The A.V. Club on January 4, 2006, Hayes was asked about the episode. Hayes said that he told Parker and Stone, "Guys, you have it all wrong. We're not like that. I know that's your thing, but get your information correct, because somebody might believe that shit, you know? But I understand what they're doing. I told them to take a couple of Scientology courses, and understand what we do. [Laughs]"[2] Parker and Stone's reasoning for not using Chef was because Hayes was unavailable at the time (he wasn't in many of the episodes in the second half of the season), by some reports due to poor health. However, Parker and Stone did clear this episode with Hayes, according to an interview with Parker. Jerome Chef McElroy was a recurring character on the Comedy Central series South Park. ... Isaac Hayes performs at the International Amphitheater in Chicago as part of the annual PUSH `Black Expo`, October 1973 Isaac Lee Hayes (born August 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee, United States) is an actor, and influential soul singer, songwriter, musician and arranger. ... A voice actor (also a voice artist) is a person who provides voices for animated characters (including those in feature films, television series, animated shorts), voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides. ... The Onion is a parody newspaper published weekly in print and on the Internet. ... January 4 is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A Fan's Depiction: Tom Cruise to Stan: "I'll sue you in England!"

On March 13, 2006, which is, oddly enough, L. Ron Hubbard's birthday, Hayes announced that he was quitting the show because of the series's treatment of religion, though he didn't specifically mention Scientology in his statement. [3] That same day, Stone responded to Hayes' departure in an interview with The Associated Press saying, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology... He has no problem — and he's cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians...He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and, to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin."[4] However, recent reports say that Hayes was in no condition to stay, because of a stroke he suffered in January. According to a Fox News article, "Isaac Hayes is no quitter [5]," Hayes did not in fact leave the show out of protest, instead suffering a minor stroke before production of the tenth season began. The article points to Hayes's agent Christina Kimball, herself a devout Scientologist, as the source of the statements that Hayes had quit South Park. Image File history File links Uk_southpark_lawsuit. ... Image File history File links Uk_southpark_lawsuit. ... Tom Cruise (born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV on July 3, 1962) is an A-list, Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and film producer. ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Associated Press logo This article concerns the news service. ...

This episode was scheduled to re-run on March 22, 2006, but that airing was cancelled without prior notice. It was replaced with Chef's Chocolate Salty Balls. Representatives of Comedy Central insist that the episode was changed as a tribute to Isaac Hayes. While it has been thought the episode was pulled it is scheduled to rerun on July 19, 2006. March 22 is the 81st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (82nd in Leap years). ... This is a list of television-related events in 2006. ... Chefs Chocolate Salty Balls is episode 209 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ...

In Canada, the episode continues to air on The Comedy Network most recently on May 12, 2006. No word has been given to the media on how/if any of Bell Globemedia's other outlets will be affected. The Comedy Network logo (the yellow oval now usually appears by itself) The Comedy Network (colloquially often just Comedy) is a Canadian cable television specialty channel with comedy programming. ... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... This is a list of television-related events in 2006. ... Bell Globemedia Inc. ...

New Zealand television network C4 aired the Trapped in the Closet on May 3, 2006. There was speculation that New Zealanders may not see it at all as the Bloody Mary episode had already aired much earlier in the year despite the fact that it was actually placed two episodes after Trapped in the Closet. C4 is a music television station operating in New Zealand and owned by Canwest MediaWorks NZ, a company 70% owned by Canadian broadcasting conglomerate Canwest. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... This is a list of television-related events in 2006. ... Bloody Mary is episode 914 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ...

On July 19,2006 Comedy Central will be showing a rerun of the episode at 10:00 pacific time and again on July 23,2006 at 11:00 pacific time. Comedy Central is a cable television channel in the United States. ...

Tom Cruise has denied being involved in stopping the rebroadcast of the episode: "First of all, could you ever imagine sitting down with anyone? I would never sit down with someone and question them on their beliefs. Here's the thing. I'm really not even going to dignify this. I honestly didn't really even know about it. I'm working, making my movie, I've got my family. I'm busy. I don't spend my days going, 'What are people saying about me?'" Cruise denies 'South Park' Rumors.

Trivia

• This episode is nominated for an Emmy
• Stan mentions the Denver Broncos' 7-2 record. When this episode first aired the Broncos were, in fact, 7-2, with the last game being played three days before the episode's premiere.
• Despite the title of the episode, no one is literally "trapped" in a closet (the title is a reference to R. Kelly's magnum opus Trapped in the Closet). Instead Tom Cruise is shown to voluntarily seclude himself in Stan Marsh's closet; this may be an attempt to lampoon Tom Cruise's history of suing people who claim he is homosexual.
• When Cruise, Travolta and R. Kelly rejoin the public, R. Kelly seems to be pouting and rubbing his arm and he flees instead of joining the others in angrily threatening to sue, but the reason for this is unclear. It may be that R. Kelly shot himself in the closet even though he threatened to shoot other people, or it may be that he felt nervous from being trapped in there.
• A Marklar can be seen in the freezing machine and being dropped into the volcano.
• In the actual story of Xenu as written by L. Ron Hubbard, the alien beings are chained to the base of the volcanoes, and then blown up with hydrogen bombs. The H-bombs are omitted in the South Park episode, which shows the aliens being dropped directly into the volcanoes and then perishing in the lava within.
• FACTNet named the South Park staff their FACTNet Person(s) of the Year for 2005 for this episode. [6]
• Cartman, Kyle and Kenny only appear in two scenes in this episode.
• The questions given to Stan during the personality test are from the actual OCA personality test that Scientology uses [7].
• Recently this episode was parodied by another new South Park episode, The Return of Chef.
• This is the first episode where Isaac Hayes' special Chef title card credit is not seen.
• This is the first episode where nobody but "John Smith" and "Jane Smith" are credited, so the Church of Scientology couldn't sue them.
• Despite the jokes about celebrities' alleged sexuality, the Church of Scientology has actually faced charges of being homophobic. (see Homosexuality and Scientology)
• On February 1, 2006, science fiction and fantasy author George R.R. Martin suggested that this episode be nominated for the 2006 Hugo Awards in the category Best Dramatic Presentation - Short Form. In the event, the episode was not nominated.[8]

City Denver, Colorado Other nicknames Orange Crush Team colors Broncos Navy Blue, Orange, and White Head Coach Mike Shanahan Owner Pat Bowlen General manager Ted Sundquist Mascot Miles Local radio Flagship stations: KOA (850 AM)-English and KBNO (1280 AM)-Spanish Announcers: David Diaz-Infante and Dave Logan-English; Luke... Magnum opus (sometimes Opus magnum), from the Latin meaning great work, refers to the best, most popular, or most renowned achievement of an author, artist, or composer. ... Trapped In The Closet is a single released by R&B singer R. Kelly. ... The word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings over time. ... It has been suggested that Joozian be merged into this article or section. ... In Scientology doctrine, Xenu (also Xemu) is an alien ruler of the Galactic Confederacy who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945 lifted nuclear fallout some 18 km (60,000 feet) above the epicenter. ... The Oxford Capacity Analysis (OCA) is a personality test that is given for free by the Church of Scientology. ... The Return of Chef was the tenth season premiere [episode 140] of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... The Church of Scientology is based upon the writings of author L. Ron Hubbard. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... // For other meanings see Fantasy (disambiguation) Fantasy is a genre of art that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. ... George R. R. Martin, circa 1986 George Raymond Richard Martin (born September 20, 1948 in Bayonne, New Jersey) is an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, and also a screenwriter and producer. ... The Hugo Award is given every year for the best science fiction or fantasy stories of the previous year, and for related areas in fandom, art and dramatic presentation. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Trapped in the Closet (South Park episode)

• "Trapped in the Closet" Image Gallery 150 pictures
• Transcript from 'Trapped in the Closet'
• Scientologist soul singer Isaac Hayes (Chef) quits 'South Park'
• ChefGate - The official on-line petition to bring back this episode

Image File history File links Wikiquote-logo-en. ... Wikiquote logo Wikiquote is a sister project of Wikipedia, using the same MediaWiki software. ...

Ginger Kids is episode 911 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... The following is an episode list for the Comedy Central animated television series South Park. ... Free Willzyx is episode 913 of the Comedy Central series South Park. ...