Isaac Hayes's Son Says His Father's Management Forced Him off of 'South Park'

Over the course of its long history, South Park has been remarkably unafraid to make fun of anybody and everybody. That means that the show has had its fair share of controversies over the years. One such controversy occurred in 2006, when Isaac Hayes, who voiced Chef in the show's early seasons, left the series.

At the time, it seemed like Isaac had decided to leave over the show's depiction of Scientology, which they ridiculed fairly relentlessly. In 2025, though Isaac's son has offered new clarity about why his father departed the show. Here's what we know.

Isaac Hayes III told Cracked that his father's management was actually responsible for his decision to leave the show. The controversy started around the 2005 episode "Trapped in the Closet," which focused on Scientology. The episode re-aired in 2006, just weeks after Isaac had a stroke.

"When it re-aired, that’s when Scientology got upset. At that time, my father was recovering from a stroke — literally learning how to talk, learning how to function," Isaac III explained.

"I visited my father," he continued. "He was really struggling sometimes to even speak and say words. At the time, the people that were around him were largely Scientologists — his publicists and management. Those decisions about his involvement in the show, his leaving the show, were made by those people and not him."

At the time, a statement was released on behalf of the singer that seemed to explain his decision to leave the show.

"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins. Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored," the statement said. "As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

Isaac III maintained, though, that his father "would never have quit that show."

"He loved that show, and he was making a lot of money doing that show. So, I take issue with the way those decisions were made on his behalf because it put him in a position to actually have to go on the road and tour before he was ready to tour," he said.

Isaac III added that he believes the decision to quit the show, and the shortfall in income that resulted, forced his father to return to touring in fragile health.

"I don’t think Matt and Trey knew that at the time, because, even his own family, we were not always allowed to be in that inner circle. Anybody that has a celebrity parent, sometimes the core team around them, Scientology or not, can be a barrier to their family and personal relationships."

Clearly, then, there might be more to the story of Isaac's departure than meets the eye. The singer and actor died in 2008, when he was just 65 years old.