South Park has once again turned its satirical spotlight on the tech industry and politics. In its latest episode titled Sickofancy, the long-running animated series parodied Apple CEO Tim Cook’s real-life presentation of a gold plaque to former U.S. President Donald Trump. The exaggerated scene was designed to mock both corporate sycophancy and Trump’s well-known obsession with flattery.
The episode aired on August 20, 2025, and features a storyline where prominent figures from technology and politics line up to offer Trump lavish golden gifts. Tim Cook’s portrayal is a direct reference to Apple’s actual ceremonial gesture when the company presented Trump with a 24-karat gold and glass plaque as part of the American Manufacturing Program. In the parody, Cook compliments Trump in an over-the-top fashion, saying, “Mr. President, your ideas for the tech industry are so innovative..” This punchline serves as both a critique of exaggerated corporate praise and a dig at Trump’s insecurities, a theme South Park has used before.
Beyond Cook’s moment, the episode piles on the satire by including other industry figures and nations. Mark Zuckerberg is shown gifting a golden Meta Quest headset, while Florida offers a silver-plated space shuttle and Qatar presents a golden model airplane. Each gift underscores the broader message of the episode: the absurd lengths that individuals and organizations will go to secure political favor. The exaggerated depictions highlight how material wealth and empty praise are often used as leverage in relationships with those in power.
The scene escalates when Trump is later shown in bed with Satan, holding the golden plaque from Cook and dismissing it as “what some dip**it tech CEO gave me.” This surreal imagery, paired with biting dialogue, encapsulates South Park’s ability to merge absurdity with sharp political critique. The satire reinforces the idea that even the grandest gestures can quickly lose meaning when aimed at someone whose interests lie elsewhere.
Here is the complete clip as shared by a user on X:
South Park’s decision to spotlight Cook and Apple is significant because it connects a real-world corporate gesture with the exaggerated fictional world of the show. By doing so, it draws attention to the fine line between corporate diplomacy and excessive flattery. For Apple, a company often under scrutiny for its relationships with political figures, the parody may spark renewed conversations about how far businesses should go in aligning themselves with political leaders.
With its trademark irreverence, South Park has once again inserted itself into real-world discourse by amplifying a cultural moment and turning it into biting satire.
