"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"
Well, I shouldn't say I'm surprised; The Chef character has been downplayed more and more in recent seasons. If the Scientologists have truly pressured Hayes to quit, then he should go. If it signals the end of South Park, fine: it has had a long run and has nothing to apologize for.
Worst case scenario: The show ends and Matt and Trey can move on to other projects.
The best case scenario would be Trey and Matt pushing the envelope and breaking boundaries with such inventive projects as "Team America" or "Cannibal! The Musical".
South Park has become a creative and artistic drain on them both.