‘South Park’ and Butters Take on AI Data Centers in Latest Episode

Live Feed Home TV TV News The logline for this week's episode of the Comedy Central series, now renamed 'South America' for its 29th season, points to a tech-world takedown. September 29, 2026 1:25pm A look at this week's edition of 'South Park,' now dubbed 'South America.' Comedy Central Logo text South Park is back on Comedy Central on Wednesday night after a two-week hiatus, and it seems Season 29 will stick with the show’s name change to South America as Butters wades into the controversies around AI. The latest episode of the satirical animated series may jettison politics in favor of some sharp commentary on the tech world, as the data centers powering artificial intelligence suck up resources. Butters, the beloved fifth wheel to main characters Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny, is “unhappy with the data centers that the billionaires are building in our backyards.” That logline, released by Comedy Central on Tuesday, suggests that a few familiar faces from Silicon Valley could turn up in South Park. But who would fit the bill? Peter Thiel already visited town in Season 28’s fan-favorite episode “Twisted Christian,” though it didn’t quite feel like the show was done with the character. Other possibilities include Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg or, of course, Elon Musk. They can’t say they weren’t warned. South America‘s creators have already taken a swipe at the tech world this season, skewering some of the industry’s giants over their near-immediate compliance after the Trump administration renamed Lake Ontario Lake America. That move led to the show’s name change, which Trey Parker and Matt Stone explained in a Sept. 8 press release: “Inspired by the bravery and patriotism of Apple and Google, we are changing the name of South Park to ‘SOUTH AMERICA.'” The latest episode of the Emmy-winning series airs Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central and will stream on Paramount+ and on demand after the premiere. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up