Trigger warning: This story features a clip that depicts fictionalized gun violence and animal cruelty.
South Park’s creative team hasn’t pulled many punches when it comes to Season 27 thus far. The long-running animated series, which has made headlines on various occasions over the years, has already featured parodies of several high-profile political figures throughout its two latest episodes. Among the people to be lampooned is Kristi Noem – the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security who’s been referred to as “ICE Barbie.” Noem wasn’t pleased with how she was depicted, but it seems the show has now doubled down.
During the episode “Got a Nut,” Kristi Noem is depicted as a member of ICE (United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement). The animated version of the public official is shown arresting people who she perceives as Hispanic, and she also kills dogs indiscriminately. Additionally, the cartoon version of Noem is particular about her appearance, as she not only engages in photo ops but also uses botox to prevent her face from melting.
After the real U.S. secretary chastised South Park, the series didn’t hold back from further showing off its take on her. The series’ official Instagram account shared an alternate version of the second episode’s end-credits scene, which was only available to Paramount+ subscription holders up to this point. During it, Noem is shown shooting up a dog-grooming salon. Below, from X, is that very scene, which Comedy Central watchers didn’t see:
Didn’t see this on TV? Here’s the Paramount+ version of the end credits scene. pic.twitter.com/QAvMgQfU9tAugust 11, 2025
That’s not the only way that South Park seems to be going all in on its critique of Kristi Noem. As of this writing, the show’s official Instagram account features a still of the animated Noem’s melting face as its profile photo. While reacting to the parody, the actual Noem took issue with the fact that the series would “criticize” her looks as opposed to simply chastising her job. Noem summed up the entire creative decision as “petty.”
By this point, the homeland security head honcho isn’t the only public official to have reacted to being parodied during a Season 27 episode. A version of U.S. Vice President JD Vance was featured in the season’s second installment and depicted as a physically diminutive assistant to President Donald Trump. Upon seeing a photo of his face, superimposed on a small animated body, Vance responded on social media by saying, “Well, I’ve finally made it.”
This latest season of South Park has also critiqued President Trump in a few ways. In the premiere, a fictionalized version of Trump is depicted as taking issue with the eponymous town, and the small character is later seen getting into bed with the Devil. Another segment from that same installment shows a video of a naked Trump roaming around the desert. The White House issued a response (shared with USA Today) and declared that “the show hasn't been relevant for over 20 years.”
Despite the flood of reactions from the likes of the White House and Kristi Noem, Paramount doesn’t seem to take issue with Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s fan-favorite show, which is still a major IP for the company. Its newly installed CEO, David Ellison, praised the series and its creators, calling them “equal opportunity offenders.” That aside, following the reveal of the Noem caricature and its subsequent virality, it remains to be seen what lies ahead for the rest of the season.
South Park returns with a new episode on Wednesday, August 13, and it’ll air at 10 p.m. ET. Also, be sure to check out the 2025 TV schedule details on other shows set to premiere later this year.
