In 2006, only two years before he died, Isaac Hayes quit South Park over an episode called “Trapped In The Closet,” which criticized Scientology. Now his son, Isaac Hayes III, is setting the record straight about his dad's departure from the show, claiming he was pressured by fellow Scientologists to leave.
Hayes was a known Scientologist and voiced Chef in the series. “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," his original statement about his exit read. In an interview with Cracked, his son explained that Hayes had been recovering from a stroke and was “literally learning how to talk” again. He son said:
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. He would have never quit that show.
“He did not leave South Park willingly," he emphasized in a tweet. "He was forced out by illness and by people who did not have his best interest at heart. This is for anyone who loved Chef. This is for anyone who admired my father’s work. This is the truth about what really happened.”
Read the full article here, and read his full tweet below.
For over 14 years, people have speculated about why my father @isaachayes left South Park. I’m here to set the record straight.
My dad did not quit South Park. Scientology did.
After the episode “Trapped in the Closet” aired in 2005, my father suffered a stroke just a few months later that left him unable to speak or make decisions on his own. He was not in any condition to resign from anything. The truth is, someone else within his Scientology circle made that decision and quit the show for him.
He loved being the voice of Chef. He loved the character. He loved connecting with fans. He would joke with people who recognized his voice and he truly enjoyed being part of the show.
The narrative that he quit because he was offended by the satire is not true. That was a cover story created by others. My father never got to speak for himself because his health robbed him of that chance.
So now I am speaking for him. He did not leave South Park willingly. He was forced out by illness and by people who did not have his best interest at heart.
This is for anyone who loved Chef. This is for anyone who admired my father’s work. This is the truth about what really happened.
Hear the full story on @cracked online.
#IsaacHayes #southpark #southparkchef
For over 14 years, people have speculated about why my father @isaachayes left South Park. I’m here to set the record straight.
My dad did not quit South Park. Scientology did.
After the episode “Trapped in the Closet” aired in 2005, my father suffered a stroke just a few… pic.twitter.com/C2wGvT7kcx
— Isaac Hayes III (@IsaacHayes3) July 18, 2025
