South Park’s latest episode has broken records and left viewers reeling after delivering a savage takedown of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The animated satire drew its largest audience in 28 years, with nearly 16% of all cable viewers tuning in last Wednesday, reported by CNN. That’s a massive win for a show that’s been around for over two decades, but South Park doesn’t do things quietly.
The episode, titled “Got a Nut,” aired as part of Season 27 and racked up 6.2 million viewers across all platforms in its first three days. For context, this was a jump from the 5.9 million that the season’s premiere episode had drawn. With South Park making a name for itself by mocking political figures, fans likely expected another outrageous portrayal — and they weren’t disappointed.
The episode delivers exactly what fans have come to expect from the show: a sharply satirical portrayal of Noem as an over-Botoxed ICE agent who’s more obsessed with looking good than doing her job. The episode goes off the rails when she orders a raid on “the afterlife” and commands her crew to “only detain the brown ones.” Angels scatter in a panic as Noem, in the most ludicrous fashion possible, hunts down Latinos in heaven.
If you thought that was too far, South Park escalates the absurdity by mocking Noem’s infamous tale of shooting her own dog, twisting it into an all-out puppy massacre. It’s the kind of dark humor the show is known for, and viewers ate it up.
Not surprisingly, Noem didn’t take kindly to being roasted. In response to the episode, she reportedly dismissed South Park as “lazy” and complained that only “liberals and extremists” make fun of women’s looks. But South Park wasn’t done. In a hilarious rebuttal, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone added a “bonus” scene where Noem goes on a killing spree at a pet store full of puppies. Because why stop at one outrageous joke when you can do five?
While Noem tried to fire back with a critique of the show, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a far more restrained response, thanking South Park for shining a light on ICE recruitment efforts. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance, who was portrayed as a Trump-loving manbaby in the episode, took a more lighthearted approach. Posting a screenshot of his animated self on Twitter, he jokingly celebrated his moment of fame, saying, “Well, I’ve finally made it.”
Of course, the White House didn’t stay quiet either. Following the season opener’s mockery of Trump, the administration scoffed, declaring, “This show hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years.” But judging by the ratings, South Park is still a pop culture powerhouse, proving it can bring in millions of viewers while poking fun at both sides of the political spectrum.
Despite all the political uproar, South Park took a brief hiatus after this episode, airing reruns of fan-favorite episodes instead. But with this new wave of attention and a ratings record under its belt, it’s clear South Park is still capable of making waves, even if it isn’t on every week. Whether it’s lampooning politicians or pushing boundaries, the show continues to prove that it’s far from irrelevant.
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