By ERIN CARLSON, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - Isaac Hayes has quit "South Park," where he voices Chef, saying he can no longer stomach its take on religion.

Hayes, who has played the ladies' man/school cook in the animated Coedy Central satire since 1997, said in a statement Monday that he feels a line has been crossed.

"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," the 63-year-old soul singer and outspoken Scientologist said.

"Religious beliefs are sacred to people, and at all times should be respected and honored," he continued. "As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices."

"South Park" co-creator Matt Stone responded sharply in an interview with The Associated Press Monday, saying, "This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology... He has no problem — and he's cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians."

Last November, "South Park" targeted the Church of Scientology and its celebrity followers, including actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, in a top-rated episode called "Trapped in the Closet." In the episode, Stan, one of the show's four mischievous fourth graders, is hailed as a reluctant savior by Scientology leaders, while a cartoon Cruise locks himself in a closet and won't come out.

Stone told The AP he and co-creator Trey Parker "never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin."

Isaac Hayes, you just made your way OFF my Christmas card list. Suck on THAT.

how the hell did it take this long? that episode came out when? december?

the episode is running this wednesday night...it's a good one

"you have to come out of the closet!"

wait till they star ragging on isaac hhayes,those will be good episodes

why does matt stone's response sound like mr/ms garrison is saying it?

They should have Chef die from an STD.

For a man of such high moral fiber he sure didn't care about lying on his taxes. THIS IS NOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ONLY MURK'TALTHANGIANS EXACT A TAX UPON THE THETAN COUNCIL WHICH LED TO THE DESTRUCTION OF MALEKTHIR'CORSACNALTNAR"STAK 43 AEONS AGO THE ONE YOU CALL ISSAC HAYES (THETAN NAME: SHURKATHA'LA HAELOGAENGURTHAL) DOES NOT NEED TO ANSWER TO YOUR PUNY HUMAN SOCIETY

Fuck Issac Hayes

issac hayes used to be cool. fuckin scientologist whack job

"This is pretty fucked up right here."

silly black scientologists

i wonder how they'll write him off the show

HE QUIT HIS JEEEEEER!!!

i think the correct pronunciation and spelling of that is
"djerrr"

Chef quit his djerrr!

"Stone told The AP he and co-creator Trey Parker "never heard a peep out of Isaac in any way until we did Scientology. He wants a different standard for religions other than his own, and to me, that is where intolerance and bigotry begin."

Goddamn right, fuck Isaac Hayes, and double fuck scientologists.

next week, i bet they kill off chef haha.

No way, black people over 30 all have the same voice, it won't be hard for them to find a replacement that sounds exactly like him.

niccolai nli said:

Ouch!!!

the TRAPT IN A CLOSET epispode will be airing tomorrow (wensday), I guess this is the one that pissed him off.

TRAPPED, episode, Wednesday.

he found the clitoris.

on top of his bald pate.

the chef character was kinda stupid anyway

i love that episode. i'll be watching it tonight. isaac hayes is a hypocrite.