Comedy Central has removed a planned rerun of a "South Park" episode that lampooned conservative activist Charlie Kirk after his fatal shooting at a university event Wednesday, Fox News Digital reported.
The episode, titled "Got a Nut," is the second episode of the series' 27th season and originally aired Aug. 6. It features the character Eric Cartman with a hairstyle resembling Kirk's and includes a segment in which Cartman receives the "Charlie Kirk Award for Young Masterdebaters." According to the Comedy Central schedule posted online, the network will skip the episode when airing "South Park" installments in reverse chronological order. Comedy Central did not respond to requests for comment.
The episode remains available for streaming on Paramount+ and through on-demand services. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of "South Park," recently reached a reported $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount, which distributes the series on its platforms.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot while speaking at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday around 12:20 p.m. local time. He was transported to Timpanogos Regional Hospital and pronounced dead, the Utah Department of Public Safety said. Authorities have said the shooter was unidentified.
Kirk rose to prominence during the 2016 election cycle and became a prominent voice in the MAGA movement, building a nationwide organization that sought to mobilize young conservatives and connect them with political figures. His platform included large events, specialized summits and outreach that brought young activists into contact with officials in the Trump administration.
Kirk had publicly responded to the "South Park" parody earlier this year by calling it "kind of funny" and saying it was a "badge of honor." He temporarily changed his X profile picture to a screenshot of Cartman following the episode's original airing. Season 27 of the show has also satirized other political figures and developments, depicting President Donald Trump in a relationship with Satan and lampooning officials such as Department of Homeland Security leadership and other conservative figures.
The decision to remove the rerun from the cable schedule follows similar moves by broadcasters and platforms after the deaths of public figures, as networks weigh programming choices in the immediate aftermath of high-profile incidents. Fox News Digital confirmed the scheduling change by reviewing Comedy Central's posted schedule.
Public reaction to Kirk's death has included vigils and commentary across political and media landscapes. The creators of "South Park" and Paramount have not issued public statements regarding the network's scheduling decision. Fox News Digital reporters contributed to this article.