NEED TO KNOW
- Isaac Hayes was part of the cast of South Park as Chef from its debut in 1997 through 2006
- At the time of his departure, a statement released on the singer’s behalf indicated he was quitting the show due to the contents of an episode that poked fun at the Church of Scientology, which he was a member of
- His son, Isaac Hayes III, opened up about the statement and why he says it wasn’t the reality of the situation
Isaac Hayes’ son is speaking out about his dad’s departure from his role as Chef on South Park.
The character was one of the most beloved in the early days of the series, only to meet an end that left fans upset and confused. Over the years, different theories behind the singer’s departure from the series have come forth. In recent years, his son, Isaac Hayes III, has spoken out about misconceptions about his dad, who died at age 65 in 2008.
On July 17, Isaac III spoke at length about South Park, in particular, with Cracked, explaining how his father’s status as a Scientologist played into the exit from the show.
PEOPLE has reached out to The Church of Scientology for comment. Isaac’s estate and former agent did not reply to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
According to his son, also a voice actor, the singer appreciated the show because “it gave him a second fan base.”
“He’s known primarily for his music and that’s extremely important, but it’s funny because, the older you get, you realize that most people always have different chapters — like a first, second, third act or whatever. Like John Travolta, he was hot, he wasn’t, and he was hot again. Or like Jason Bateman in the 1980s, and then he was gone and in the 2000s he came back and he is bigger than ever,” he explained.
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“There are those highs and lows, and, for my dad, this was definitely an American pop-culture high that he was a part of that was really powerful.”
The show’s raucous material might have pushed others away from an appearance, but it drew the soul legend in.
“He tended to be the moral compass of the show, always helping the kids out. That’s what I really liked about his character. They’d always come and ask him questions, and he’d always have the answers to these really uncomfortable things about masturbation and all kinds of stuff. My dad was comfortable with that, as opposed to sometimes being the gigolo of the town with all the ladies or whatever, which is also hilarious. That fit more into his persona of who he was as an artist, so he understood that as part of his character,” Isaac III explained.
“But my father was an educator and a very smart guy, so I think, a lot of the stuff he would talk about, he probably knew or even had a deeper understanding of than what was conveyed in the script.”
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When it came to the sense of humor, the singer appreciated that “you’re not supposed to take it so seriously. It’s serious commentary, not to be taken seriously.”
Trouble began with the show’s late 2005 episode, “Trapped in the Closet,” which poked fun at Tom Cruise and the Church of Scientology’s dogma. As Isaac III explained, the episode didn’t make waves when it first aired. It wasn’t until a reairing in spring 2006, weeks after the singer had a stroke, that things changed.
“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. I visited my father. 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,” Isaac III said.
At the time, a statement was released on the singer’s behalf that said, “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,” Hayes said.
“As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices.”
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However, his son said that knowing his father, “He would have never 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.”
The son explained that the loss of income from the show necessitated touring, which had an impact on the singer’s already-fragile health.
“My dad loved Matt and Trey. He loved that character. He loved the show. He loved what it meant. He would have stayed involved all the way until right now. To this day, he would still be on the show. That’s the part that frustrates me,” he said.
Comedy Central/Everett Collection
“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.”