Trey Parker, the co-creator of the politically incorrect and foul-mouthed TV cartoon South Park, has announced that he is a Libertarian.

Parker, 31, made the revelation in an April 4 Los Angeles Times article, where he described himself as a "registered Libertarian."

Parker and creative partner Matt Stone were interviewed by the newspaper about their new Comedy Central show, That's My Bush!, a send-up of the Bush presidency and TV sitcom cliches.

California Libertarian Party activist and long-time South Park fan Doug Scribner said he wasn't surprised by the announcement.

"I knew it!" he said. "You can tell by their often libertarian-leaning shows."

Although it was the first time Parker has publicly claimed a Libertarian affiliation, it's not the first time he's been tagged with that label: In November 2000, the National Review complimented South Park for its "extremely amusing libertarian-minded political commentary."

Parker skyrocketed to fame -- or notoriety -- in 1997 when South Park debuted on the Comedy Central cable network.

The crudely-drawn comedy show, starring characters Kenny, Cartman, Kyle, and Stan, features cartoon children using crude language and battling such menaces as a rampaging, Godzilla-size Barbara Streisand and anal-probing aliens.

Parker and Stone later branched out into movies with BASEketball (1997), Orgazmo (1998), and South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (1999). The latter film, a cartoon/musical attack on censorship and jingoistic American military policy, was praised by the Guardian newspaper in London, England for its "libertarian message."

In an ironic twist for the resolutely anti-Hollywood Parker and Stone, one of the songs from the South Park movie, "Blame Canada," was even nominated for an Academy Award.

[ source: LP NEWS ]