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South Park in the past has aimed its venom-tipped lance at (amongst others) Christianity in its many denominations, Judaism and Islam and, to my knowledge, none of the cast has yet whispered a syllable of a word of mutiny. Now, in Season 10, an episode is in production that satirises Scientology.

It’s about time. But suddenly, Isaac Hayes, he of 'Theme from Shaft' fame who provides the voice of the beloved Chef, has developed a conscience. Out of the blue, Hayes feels that he cannot continue to be associated with a show that features "inappropriate ridicule of religious communities".

It's a landmark in the history of the world's most popular cartoon satire, a phenomenon that is proving to be an essential cog in the ever-stalling machine we in the Western world like to call free speech. It all started with 'The Simpsons'. Currently the longest-running animated series in television history (beating previous record-holders 'The Flintstones' by more than fifteen years), the yellow family who made their debut on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987 are among America's most astute social commentators.

The show's longevity makes Bart Simpson the oldest ten-year-old in the world (by now he should be at least twenty-six!) and the show's creators not only filthy rich but also perhaps America's most consistent, enduring satirists ever.

And along came 'South Park'

If you watch cartoons at all – indeed, if you own a television set at all – you know what happened next. The generation that goes to see Farrelly Brothers movies got its way and a cartoon was created all for them.

'South Park' is now in its ninth year. Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone started out with a good idea and certain episodes in the first season featured intelligent and entertaining themes – the Duck and Cover episode, 'Volcano', hinted at the futility of government-sanctioned safety precautions in the nuclear age – a kind of lowbrow equivalent of Raymond Briggs's 'When the Wind Blows'. 'Big Gay Al's Big Gay Boat Ride' managed, paradoxically, to promote liberalism and tolerance.

Frequently 'South Park' goes too far. Scatological humour and jokes about child molestation all too often overwhelm the subtler social comment and genuine funniness of the show. But we are willing to embrace South Park because, despite the crassness of its comedy it raises issues of importance and, however crudely, the show itself embraces free speech.

Satire fulfils all the criteria of free speech and healthy dissent. 'South Park' may well induce the gag reflex in more sensitive viewers, but it gets its message across. It may well outrage right-wing groups, AIDS activists, gay and lesbian groups, religious viewers and champions of good taste (and Canadians, although I doubt it), but its writers are still free to poke fun at intolerance and to air issues, and if that opens the door to debate and discussion, it gets my vote. But now suddenly an episode that satirises Scientology has prompted the resignation of one of it's most beloved characters.

The timing is fascinating – Hayes has never so much as squeaked about the impropriety of starring in episodes with titles such as 'Merry Christmas Charlie Manson', 'Are You There God? It's Me, Jesus', 'Do The Handicapped Go To Hell?', 'A Very Crappy Christmas', 'Osama Bin Laden Has Farty Pants', 'Red Hot Catholic Love', 'Christian Rock Hard', 'All About The Mormons?' and 'The Passion Of The Jew'.

By pure coincidence, Isaac Hayes is a Scientologist. Chef gets killed off in the first episode of the season.