The trailer for Season 27 of South Park has been released, and the animated satirical sitcom appears to have a new target: Elon Musk.
Newsweek has reached out to X outside of normal working hours via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and a close ally of President Donald Trump, has become an increasingly prominent figure in both U.S. and global politics. He was appointed by the president to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and has used his platform, X (formerly Twitter), to amplify right-leaning political viewpoints and causes.
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He has rapidly become one of the most prominent members of the Trump administration but has faced significant backlash and criticism. According to recent polling, his approval rating recently dropped to its lowest recorded rating, and Tesla has lost more than one-third of its value in the first quarter of this year.
What To Know
“Times have changed,” a voice declares at the start of the South Park trailer, and viewers are then given a glimpse into the upcoming season, with a rapid-fire montage of what’s in store.
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The trailer shows Canada going to war with the U.S., France taking back the Statue of Liberty, and numerous planes crashing, as the show continues its tradition of tackling topical news, turning up the dial on the unhinged and absurd.
One particular storyline glimpsed in the trailer appears to take aim at Elon Musk.
The character of Randy Marsh is depicted using and discussing ketamine, first asking his daughter in the trailer, “Shelly have you been taking ketamine? Because I think it could really help you,” and then telling his wife, Sharron “I’m just going to do some ketamine and f*** around with the government a little.”
The scene clearly appears to reference Musk not only due to his public acknowledgment of using prescribed ketamine, but also in connection with his prominent role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Critics have speculated about Musk’s ketamine use, though he has been open about receiving the medication under the supervision of a licensed physician. The reference to “messing around with the government” appears to serve as a satirical nod to Musk’s high-profile and often controversial government role working with the Donald Trump administration.
In 2024, Musk spoke to the journalist Don Lemon about his use of ketamine. He said “There are times when I have a sort of a… negative chemical state in my brain, like depression I guess, or depression that’s not linked to any negative news, and ketamine is helpful for getting one out of the negative frame of mine,” he told Lemon at the time.
He also said that he has a prescription for the drug from what he described as an “actual, real doctor.”
First approved by the FDA as an anesthetic back in 1970, ketamine is a dissociative drug. Studies have found that, when used in low doses, the drug can be effective in treating depression, with the FDA approving a nasal spray called esketamine as a safe depression treatment back in 2021.
This is not the first time that Musk has been mentioned on South Park.
In 2016, he appeared as himself in two episodes of the show’s 20th season: “Members Only” and “Not Funny.” He voiced himself in this episode, which is rare for South Park where the majority of real-life figures are parodied by the show’s creators.
Musk was referenced again in the show’s most recent season, Season 26, which aired in 2023. This time, he was voiced by someone else.
What People Are Saying
Elon Musk, speaking to Don Lemon in 2024 about ketamine usage: “If you use too much ketamine, you can’t really get work done. I have a lot of work, I’m typically putting in 16-hour days… so I don’t really have a situation where I can be not mentally acute for an extended period of time.”
What’s Next
The new season of South Park will premiere on Wednesday, July 9, on Comedy Central.