 The running gag of Kenny 's deaths in earlier seasons was incorporated into the season 9 ( 2005 ) episode " Best Friends Forever " when Kenny , in a vegetative state , is kept alive by a feeding tube while a media circus erupted over whether the tube should be removed and allow Kenny to die . The episode received much attention as it served to provide commentary on the Terri Schiavo case , originally airing just one day before Schiavo died . The episode earned South Park its first Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program . 
