(Absolutely not a picture of Mohammed. Really. Trust us.)
If there’s anything that everyone knows about Islam (or gets murdered for not knowing) is that it’s a very peaceful religion of peace with no history of killing people over jokes, cartoons or art.
That’s why last month, two Muslims didn’t throw IEDs because they were offended over Mohammed. Also the one time that Paramount censored South Park wasn’t because they were afraid Muslims might kill them for showing Mohammed. So surely this story can’t be true because it’s just so implausible.
At least that’s the media’s position.
Netflix is none too pleased with a claim being made by stand-up comic Mark Normand.
Normand claimed Netflix executives insisted he not promote a joke about Muslims on social media, saying it would be too dangerous for the company.
“We got to do a conference call,” Normand says. “There’s 18 Jews on there with a speakerphone and my Jews. And they go, ‘Yeah, bad news. We reviewed the special again, we’d like you to take out the Muslim joke.’ I go, ‘Oh, why?’ And [they] go, ‘Well, the last time a comic did a Muslim joke, we got bomb threats. We got death threats. They said they were going to kill us. They ruined the whole studio, blowed the place up to smithereens. So we’d like to not use the Muslim joke.’ So I was like: I gotta fight for the joke here.”
Continued Normand: “I was like, ‘Okay, okay, I don’t love it, but okay. I will take it off on one condition: I want you to admit on this call they’re a dangerous people. You gotta admit it, or I’ll post again.’ I mean, I’m half joking … and they go, ‘Well, we’re not going to do that.’ And I’m like, ‘Why not?’ ‘Well, that’s offensive.’ And I go, ‘I just need you to say it out loud. I need acknowledgement’ … Like we’re all signaling, we’re all virtuous, but you don’t actually act that way, right? And I think this is a perfect example of that. ‘Hey we’re scared.’ Why are you nervous? That’s what I was getting at. So they admitted it.”
But a Netflix source strongly denies most components of Normand’s story. The kernel of truth, the source said, is “we advised him that we’re a global company and to be careful with the clips and jokes he used to promote the special on his own social channels.” But the source says the idea that a Netflix executive would portray Muslims as a dangerous threat on a conference call, let alone verbally agree with Normand that they’re a “dangerous people,” is “not true, not correct, completely false.”
Completely, totally implausible. Also please don’t bomb us.
Over 14 seasons “South Park” has courted controversy by skewering religion, but recent episodes depicting the prophet Muhammad in a bear suit may prove deadly, says a radical Muslim group.
The group, RevolutionMuslim.com, has warned the cartoon’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, that they could face violent retribution.
CNN said the New York-based website is known for posts in support of Osama bin Laden and jihad, or holy war, against the West.
Which in no way should be taken to believe that Islam is violent or that Hollywood is terrified of them.
“So there are two things we can’t do on Comedy Central: show Muhammad or Tom Cruise,” Trey Parker said during the MTV Networks portion of the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour.
Regarding the decision not to air the image of Muhammad during the “Cartoon Wars” episode, the pair said it was a corporate decision that could become a slippery slope if other groups begin making threats and affecting content. They also noted that Muhammad seems to be off limits, while it is “open season” on Jesus, who happens to be a “South Park” character. (Depictions of Muhammad are strictly prohibited in Islam.)
Comedy Central president Doug Herzog admitted, “It’s tough, but I think I would say we did overreact. … Matt and Trey enjoy a fair amount of creative freedom. History might show that we overreacted, and we will live with that.”
He added that the image probably will not be shown on the DVD version either, but “I look forward to the day when we can uncover it.”
Clearly not any time soon.
Got to admit I’m starting to really like Jimmy Carr 😂🤣👏👌
Listen Jimmy’s new Muslim joke. pic.twitter.com/QhGzt5Mjh5
— Benonwine (@benonwine) March 14, 2026
