Isaac 'Chef' Hayes quits 'South Park'

Soul singer Isaac Hayes, voice of the Yoda-esque 'Chef' character in Comedy Central's 'South Park', said he was quitting the show after nine seasons, citing 'inappropriate ridicule' of religion as the reason. ""'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 soul legend said. 'Religious beliefs are sacred to people and at all times should be respected and honored. As a civil rights activist of the past 40 years, I cannot support a show that disrespects those beliefs and practices.""' Evidently, the place for satire is when the show's talking about Christianity. Or Judaism. Or Buddhism. Or Islam. Or Hinduism. Or farting Canadians. Or, really, anything that's not Scientology, the religion Hayes belongs to that 'South Park' recently ridiculed. Being the observant folks they are, Matt Stone and Trey Parker commented on this coincidence: Past episodes of South Park have skewered Catholics, Jews and Mormons, among others. However, according to Stone, he and 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,' Stone told the Associated Press. So the end has come for baritoned chocolate salty balls recipes and instructional ditties on getting women in the mood. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of Chef, though. Seeing as how the two parties have parted in bad blood, there's bound to be a sweet death scene in the upcoming weeks. Most likely involving Tom Cruise and at least one or two references about Scientology being 100% true."

Scientologist Isaac Hayes quits 'South Park'

MSNBC.com: "NEW YORK - Isaac Hayes has quit %u201CSouth Park,%u201D 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 Comedy 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.'"

A Jazz Legend Enshrined as a Rock Star?: The New York Times

Miles Davis is being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tonight. Not as an 'early influence,' as Hank Williams, Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and Jelly Roll Morton were; that category is for artists whose careers were established long before rock 'n' roll began. (The hall has not inducted anyone in that category since 2001.) Davis is being recognized as a rock star. Miles Davis, who flirted with rock from the late 1960's on, will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tonight. The view of the trumpeter as rock star is not shared by all. This seems provocative for a second, and then a little meaningless. It is not some sort of timely argument for underappreciated work; adventurous musicians like those in the Black Rock Coalition have been claiming Davis's electric period as an inspiration for decades. There are some jazz adherents who never liked Davis's long electric phase and will be mildly outraged. But after all the jagged turns of his career, and its thorough box-set gilding, most of us have long since let Davis's body of work just assume its own meaning."