• Washington Post, Thursday, March 23, 2006 11:03 AM

Fans of Comedy Central's "South Park" are threatening to boycott feature-film blockbuster "Mission: Impossible III," starring Tom Cruise, if the cable channel refuses to air a Scientology spoof that it recently dropped when one of its voiceover artists, Isaac Hayes, refused to participate in the episode, saying that, as a Scientologist, he thought it was offensive. "M:I III," which will be released in May, is from Comedy Central parent Viacom. When Hayes backed out of the "South Park" Scientology spoof, the show's creators quickly slapped together another episode, which aired this week. Writes Washington Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes: "We're guessing the episode may still not be enough raw meat for the piranha-esque 'South Park' fans, who took to the Internet yesterday urging people to write, phone or e-mail Viacom, or sign [a] petition, letting the corporation know they and their loved ones will not see 'Mission: Impossible III'... until Comedy Central runs the more direct Scientology-skewering episode, 'Tappped in the Closet.'" There's been no official reaction yet from either Comedy Central or Viacom.

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