History Recap / SouthParkS9E12TrappedInTheCloset

'''Creator/NicoleKidman:''' Yes you are, Tom. And you need to just end this and come out. I'm not gonna think any differently of you. Katie's not gonna think any differently of you. You don't need to be in that closet anymore, Tom.

%%* ChurchOfHappyology: How Scientology is portrayed in this episode.

* ShownTheirWork: The depiction of Scientology in this episode is remarkably accurate. This perhaps isn't too noteworthy today, but in 2006 much of its beliefs and doctrine was a closely guarded secret, and information about it was very difficult to find outside of the organisation.

* CoaxThemOutOfTheCloset: Parodied in a literal sense. The creators were not allowed to directly call Creator/TomCruise gay, so they instead made a subplot where Cruise gets upset that Stan didn't like his acting and locks himself in Stan's closet. This leads to a RunningGag where everybody tries to get Cruise (and later, Creator/JohnTravolta and Music/RKelly - for the [[Music/TrappedInTheCloset obvious reference]]) out of the closet, which is [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything clearly meant to resemble a different situation.]]

* AxCrazy: Gun crazy, in R. Kelly's case. He threatens to shoot someone every time he's on screen.

* BlackComedyRape: Implied with how R. Kelly shuffles off with a traumatized look on his face when he, Tom Cruise and John Travolta finally come out of the closet.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: A RunningGag involves Tom Cruise, Jon Travolta and R Kelly [[TransparentCloset locking themselves in Stan's closet and stubbornly refusing to come out of it.]]
--> '''Sharon''': What's going on?\\

--->'''Tom Cruise:''' ..I'm not, I'm not in the closet.
--->'''Creator/NicoleKidman:''' Yes you are, Tom. And you need to just end this and come out. I'm not gonna think any differently of you. Katie's not gonna think any differently of you. You don't need to be in that closet anymore, Tom.

* ChurchOfHappyology: How Scientology is portrayed in this episode.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: A RunningGag involves Tom Cruise, on Travolta and R Kelly [[TransparentCloset locking themselves in Stan's closet and stubbornly refusing to come out of it.]]

'''Original airdate:''' November 16, 2005

* TakeThat: This episode does not shy away from making fun of Scientology.

Stan is dubbed the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard by a local group of Scientologists, causing a chain of bizarre events.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: As soon as he's freed from Stan's closet, Music/RKelly shuffles away in the background (suggesting [[NoodleIncident something happened in the closet]]) while Creator/TomCruise berates and threatens to sue Stan.
* ShoutOut: All of Music/RKelly's dialogue is sung in a similar fashion to [[Music/TrappedInTheCloset the actual song]] the episode takes its title from.

* NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer: The entire "THIS IS WHAT SCIENTOLOGY ACTUALLY BELIEVES" disclaimer was added because it was so out-there that it sounds exactly like something South Park would make up (along the lines of the Catholic Church venerating the Queen Spider in "Red Hot Catholic Love").
* RuleOfThree: After Tom Cruise refuses to leave the closet, they get John Travolta to try and convince him to leave, only to end up joining Tom in the closet, and when that fails, they use R. Kelly, who then also ends up in the closet and refuses to come out.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: As soon as he's freed from Stan's closet, R. Kelly shuffles away in the background (suggesting [[NoodleIncident something happened in the closet]]) while Tom Cruise berates and threatens to sue Stan.

* ShoutOut: All of R. Kelly's dialogue is sung in a similar fashion to [[Music/TrappedInTheCloset the actual song]] the episode takes its title from.
* TakeThat: This episode does not shy away from making fun of Scientology.

* AndYourRewardIsInfancy: The Scientologists are convinced that Stan is the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: As soon as he's freed from Stan's closet, R. Kelly shuffles away in the background while Tom Cruise berates and threatens to sue Stan.

* AndYourRewardIsInfancy: The Scientologists are convinced that Stan is the reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard until the end.