“South Park” Episode “Conflict of Interest” Satirizes Predictive Markets, Political Figures
The latest episode of South Park, titled “Conflict of Interest,” aired Wednesday, September 24th, after a one-week delay. The episode tackles the war in Gaza and features pointed satire of several political figures, including Donald Trump Jr. and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr.
The episode centers around students at South Park Elementary betting on prediction markets, specifically a prop bet concerning whether Kyle’s mother would attack Gaza and destroy a Palestinian hospital. Cartman, recognizing the potential for profit, attempts to manipulate the odds by fueling Kyle’s anger and spreading antisemitic remarks about his mother, describing it as “obvious rage bait.”
The storyline also involves Donald Trump Jr., portrayed in the episode as Strategic Advisor for Predictive Markets, chair of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, and special Advisor to israel. Kyle attempts to have the offensive wager removed from the app, leading him into a series of interactions with Trump Jr., who directs him to the FCC and Commissioner Brendan Carr.
Carr’s involvement takes a darkly comedic turn as he repeatedly finds himself inadvertently caught in Donald Trump’s attempts to deal with a pregnancy resulting from an encounter with Satan. Throughout the episode, Carr sustains injuries, culminating in a diagnosis of toxoplasmosis contracted from cat feces. A doctor warns Vice President JD Vance that if the infection reaches Carr’s brain, he “may lose his freedom of speech.”
Meanwhile, Kyle’s mother does not ultimately bomb Gaza, but she does travel to Israel to confront Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, questioning his actions and rhetoric. She states, “Just who do you think you are, killing thousands and flattening neighborhoods, then wrapping yourself in Judaism like it’s some shield from criticism?”
Season 27, Episode 5 of South Park – “Conflict of Interest” – will be available to stream on Hulu starting Thursday, September 25th.
