- Comedy Central removed a 'South Park' episode parodying Charlie Kirk after his assassination
- Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck during a campus Q&A session in Utah and later died
- The episode featured Eric Cartman mimicking Kirk and addressed immigration and political themes
Comedy Central has pulled a South Park episode after the assassination of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk, who was parodied in the show.
Mr Kirk, 31, a right-wing activist, was shot dead in Utah on Wednesday. He was conducting a Q&A session from a pop-up tent on campus when he was shot in the neck in front of hundreds of people. Follow LIVE updates on Charlie Kirk shooting here
Titled "Got a Nut", the episode is the second instalment of Season 27 of the long-running animated television series. It features Eric Cartman imitating Mr Kirk. The storyline follows school counsellor Mr Mackey taking a job with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after being fired due to federal budget cuts. Alongside ICE raids involving Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Mr Cartman runs a podcast and interacts with callers, mimicking Mr Kirk's style and mannerisms.
The episode portrayed Mr Kirk as a "master debater" online, showing him as a viral influencer who often criticised "woke" culture, opposed critical race theory, and denied climate change.
In the days before the episode aired, Mr Kirk told Fox News he considered the parody a "badge of honour." He also posted on X that he was changing his profile picture to the black T-shirt-wearing Mr Cartman parody of himself.
While the American cable network removed the episode from its nightly lineup, it remains available to stream on Paramount+ with a subscription.
On Wednesday, Charlie Kirk was hit on the neck by a single shot reportedly fired from a nearby building.
He was immediately transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that afternoon. Law enforcement initially detained a person of interest wearing all-black tactical gear, including a helmet, mask, tactical vest, and aviator glasses, but the individual was later released.
The FBI continues to investigate the shooting as a "political assassination." US President Donald Trump mourned his ally as a "martyr for truth and freedom." The shooter remains at large.
