Newsflash: " `Muhammad' now a dirty word." So reports the Hollywood Reporter today in a story about Comedy Central's decision to bleep all references to Mohammed in this week's episode of "South Park," a follow-up to last's week's episode spoofing the criticism-proof Islamic prophet. That's criticism-proof according to Islamic law (sharia),  of course, which Westerners have supinely submitted to.

Here is a statement on Comedy Central's censorship from series creators Parker and Stone. It's more explanation than denunciation, but it's clear that they are unhappy about it:

In the 14 years we've been doing South Park we have never done a show that we couldn't stand behind. We delivered our version of the show to Comedy Central and they made a determination to alter the episode. It wasn't some meta-joke on our part. Comedy Central added the bleeps. In fact, Kyle's customary final speech was about intimidation and fear. It didn't mention Muhammad at all but it got bleeped too. We'll be back next week with a whole new show about something completely different and we'll see what happens to it.