Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Throwback Thursday: Springfield relocates for a second time…”At Long Last Leave”

It’s been three years since the Simpsons were ran out of Springfield for the second time and Springfield relocated – for a second time.

The 500th episode of the show premiered on February 19, 2012, and the show is airing its 567th episode this Sunday. The Simpsons were run out of town again and set up home in the Outlands…and met Julian Assange and some crazy rednecks, which I don’t think were happy when Springfield decided to set up shop – again, there, but this time, they haven’t transported the whole town using a truck, which happened exactly 300 episodes prior to this one.

The Simpsons’ new favourite TV show is FOX…sorry, a fox.

But that’s not all we’re celebrating today, we are also celebrating 20 years since the episode where Bart’s run of offending nations continued, but hasn’t yet reached the standard Top Gear has done, and was threatened to be kicked up the bottom with a boot as a punishment for ringing someone there and inquiring which way the toilet water went down the drain – and Bart running from being kicked with a boot formed the plot for the episode.

Plus, back in the quiet Simpsons-era of early 1989, Homer and Marge try some Home Hypnotism to try and pacify the kids (well, Maggie is already…), but things don’t go to plan.

Finally, there’s another 4 things we need to comment on – births! Amy Tan, born on this day in 1952, writer, guest starred as herself in “Insane Clown Poppy”. 6 years later in 1958, Helen Fielding, best known for creating “Bridget Jones”, was born, who guest starred in “A Star Is Born Again” as herself and was interviewed in 2007 BBC2 documentary The Simpsons: A Culture Show. Then, in 1965, Jon Fishman, member of the band Phish, who voiced himself in controversial Season 13 episode “Weekend at Burnsie’s”, was born. And, then, in 1979, Brendan Hay, who wrote “Coming to Homerica”, was born.

That’s it for now! See ya next Throwback Thursday!

“Brick Like Me” wins a WGA award!


The Simpsons season 25 episode “Brick Like Me“, written by Brian Kelley, has won a Writers Guild of America award for Animation.

Four episodes from the show were nominated, “Brick Like Me”, “Covercraft” by Matt Selman, “Pay Pal” by David H. Steinberg and “Steal This Episode” by J. Stewart Burns. The other two nominees in the category were Bob’s Burgers episodes “Bob and Deliver” and “Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl”.

For a full list of nominees and winners from the Writers Guild of America Awards 2015, see this page.

Behind the Laughter: 22-Year-Comatose Homer?

Could it be true? Could Homer Simpson, one of the most famous characters in US cultural history have been dreaming since April 1993, when Bart’s April Fools prank of shaking a beer can so furiously (and him being flattened by a vending machine), have sent him into hospital?

The theory, which was originally posted on Reddit 10 days ago (Feb 4) and has become so popular it has nearly 1000 upvotes and has made worldwide news.

The redditor, Hardtopickaname, starts off his post with:
“October 1992: Homer The Heretic airs and ends with Homer talking to God.

Homer: God, I gotta ask you something. What’s the meaning of life?
God: Homer, I can’t tell you that. […] You’ll find out when you die.
Homer: I can’t wait that long!
God: You can’t wait six months?

April 1993 (SIX MONTHS LATER): So It’s Come To This: A Simpsons Clip Show airs and involves Bart’s April Fools prank inadvertently putting Homer into the hospital, where he is then crushed by a vending machine and put in a coma.

Now the episode ends with Homer waking up (and giving us a hilarious POV shot of him choking Bart), but it seems to be too convenient and sudden.”

We see Homer’s eyes open before he strangles Bart…but is it something he thinks he’s doing…?

Continue reading Behind the Laughter: 22-Year-Comatose Homer?

Throwback Thursday: It’s Double Trouble… “Homie the Clown”

So Krusty is not Homer’s secret persona, then…

20 years ago to this day, we saw Homer set off to clown college and becomes a clown impersonator. Unfortunately, the mob think Homer’s Krusty…and things get a little out-of-hand.

I heard somewhere that Krusty was originally to be Homer’s secret persona, but I don’t think that plan kinda worked out – especially since it’s blatantly not him in the shorts…which we move onto now, as today, we’re celebrating 26 years since Bart and Lisa went to see a Space Mutants movie in an incongruously empty theater.

The old man at the back is only surprised at the fact he’s not the only one watching this – Ahem.

Also on this date three years ago, three things happened. Lisa found a new love interest in a weird kid who wears a thick jumper all the time and Homer tried his hand at watershoes, two people finished watching 86 hours and 37 minutes of The Simpsons and John Severin, the comic artist who part-worked on story Two Tickets to Heck died.

Other mentionables include on this date in 1980, the actress and guest star Christina Ricci was born, later going onto play Erin in “Summer of 3 Ft. 2” and be interviewed in UK network Sky1’s 20-year celebratory documentaries in 2010; and in 2008, the Writers Guild of America strike, which resulted in Season 19 being shortened, ended.

And that’s it for now! See ya next Throwback Thursday!

Matt Groening to guest star as himself on Portlandia


The Simpsons creator Matt Groening is to guest star as himself in an episode of Portlandia.

Matt Groening will portray a disgruntled version of himself who sues Spike (Fred Armisen) after he creates an unlicensed “Bart Ska-mpson” T-shirt.

Groening was contacted for the role through another Simpsons writer, Matt Selman, who knows Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. A guest appearance on another TV show is very rare for Matt Groening who only really guest appears in obscure documentaries. Groening says that he has not acted since a cameo on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1988.

The episode he guest stars in, “Fashion”, airs tomorrow, 12th February!

Sources:

Throwback Thursday: “Bart’s Little Fantasy”

February 5, 1989 saw the Simpsons have a role-reversal and Bart, Lisa and Maggie became the adults, ordering little Homer and Marge about – but that wasn’t quite how it went.

“We’re the Kids and You’re the Parents!”

It turns out that was just Bart’s Little Fantasy after Bart and Lisa disobeyed their parents’ orders to clean up the rumpus room, and so Bart was sent out to mow the lawn as a punishment.

Isn’t that what every kid dreams of – ordering their own parents about?! Well, they do that anyway nowadays.

And on this day in 1995, some else of “Bart’s” was first shown – his Comet.

Everyone in Flanders’ shelter…except Flanders…

Also on this day in 1927, the late Lee Miskin, who served as an animation timer on two episodes, was born. Christopher Guest, who voiced Nigel Tufnel, was born on this day in 1948. The youngest-ever voice actor on The Simpsons, voicing Charlie the orphan at age 9, Jordan Nagai, was born on this day in 2000. And finally, this day in 2004 saw Bart and Lisa deliver the slogan for their new TV show in the now-defunct UK comic The Best of The Simpsons, issue #8.

That’s it for this Throwback Thursday, and we’ll be throwing back even more next week!

The Simpsons Wins an Annie Award


The 42nd Annual Annie Awards were held on January 31st and The Simpsons was nominated for several awards. The awards were:

Best Animated Short Subject for the Michal Socha Couch Gag from “What to Expect When Bart’s Expecting“.
Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production for “Treehouse of Horror XXV“.
Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production with Matthew Nastuk nominated.
Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production with Brad Ableson, Matthew Faughnan & Stephen Reis nominated for “Treehouse of Horror XXV
Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated TV/Broadcast Production with Rob LaZebnik and Tim Long nominated separately.

Despite being nominated for 5 awards, The Simpsons only won one, although it was probably the biggest. It won Best General Audience Animated TV/Broadcast Production.

Congratulations to The Simpsons!

For a full list of awards and nominees, see the Annie Awards website.

Throwback Thursday: “Bart the Hero”

January 29, 1989 was the date Mr. Chupo and his candy store first appeared on the Tracy Ullman screen, and were to be never seen in any Simpsons media ever again. And it was him and his candy store who were in trouble, as a bandit was robbing the store, when Bart walked in wanting something to treat himself with, and tripped the bandit up when he tried to walk out with the stereotypical bag of swag. Bart was then offered a reward of $10,000, but decided it would be better to be paid in candy bars as a reward.

The robbery in action, although Bart seems to have put a stop to things in “Bart the Hero”.

Some more Simpsons media also came about on this date, with January 29, 2006 playing host to the episode “We’re on the Road to D’oh-where”, where Homer’s trip to Vegas is called off due to him having to take Bart to a behavioral modification camp, although things grow a little bond-shaped, as Marge becomes a prescription drug seller. And 2012 saw “Moe Goes from Rags to Riches” as the story of his bar rag is told, and how it survived many eras, once as part of a tapestry.

P.S. The Candy Store bandit was to later appear again in the couch gag for “Flaming Moe’s“.

Also on this date, Louie Pérez, who played the closing credits of “Thank God It’s Doomsday”, was born in 1953; Steve Sax, who voiced himself in the episode “Homer at the Bat”, was born in 1960; Colin Cooper, who has served as a voiceover recordist for every episode since “Bart the Genius”, was born in 1973; and finally, Sara Gilbert who voiced Laura Powers for two episodes (“New Kid on the Block” and “Marge on the Lam”), was born on this date in 1975.

That’s it for now! Until next Throwback Thursday…

Throwback Thursday: “And Maggie Makes Three”

It’s been 20 years since we were told the story of Maggie’s birth, and how Homer juggled jobs with a low-paid job at the bowling alley and his the never-ending loop of getting fired and re-hired at the power plant. January 22, 1995 was the day of “And Maggie Makes Three”

It’s also been 20 years since this heart-warming moment appeared on our screens:

And so Homer decided to, instead of being reminded he can’t quite his job at the plant again, fill up the plaque Burns installed with photos of Maggie, rendering Maggie unforgettable.

P.S. Even though his workstation is filled with photos of Maggie he seems to forget her every so often nowadays, frequently missing her out and constantly talking about his two kids.

P.S.S. So, how often has Homer quit his job at the power plant even after Burns installed the plaque telling him he’ll never quit or leave again?

Whatever.

Also today, Jim Jarmusch, who guest-starred as himself in “Any Given Sundance”, was born on this day in 1953. DJ Jazzy Jeff, who worked as producer, drum programmer, keyboardist and a disk jockey on “Deep, Deep Trouble”, a song he co-wrote with Matt Groening for The Simpsons Sing the Blues was also born on this day in 1965. And sadly, on this day in 2012, Dick Tufeld, who guest-starred as Robot B-9 in “Mayored to the Mob” and “Milhouse Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, died aged 82.

Well, make sure to return next Thursday to see who and what crops up as we throwback to whichever year we want!

That’s it for now!

Back in Block Form

No, the Simpsons aren’t to become Lego again, but I don’t think Homer will take to it too well by mining coal for a living, when The Simpsons come to Minecraft!


That’s right, Xbox 360 and Xbox One players are in for a real treat late next month as TWENTY-FOUR characters, including the Simpson family are added to the console version of Minecraft in $1.99 skin packs!

Details are still sketchy as just the Simpson family is announced, but it’s bound to include some fan favorites.

“We have an active community of more than 17 million die-hard Minecrafters on Xbox Live enjoying the wide range of downloadable content on Xbox, and they have been clamoring for us to bring Simpsons characters to the game,” said Phil Spencer, Head of Xbox. “We are thrilled to partner with Twentieth Century Fox and Gracie Films to bring The Simpsons to life on Minecraft Xbox 360 and Xbox One editions. I can’t wait to see what the community creates.”

“Like The Simpsons, Minecraft is a true cultural phenomenon embraced by people of all ages, from every corner of the globe,” said Roz Nowicki, executive vice president of global sales and retail for Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products. “We know fans of the show will have a ton of fun bringing the colorful characters of Springfield into the intricate worlds they’ve been building in Minecraft.”

This is the second time The Simpsons has become involved in something Minecraft-y, as last April the show parodied the game in a couch gag for “Luca$”.

You can read more about the news below:
*The Guardian – “The Simpsons meet Minecraft in new content pack for Xbox consoles”
*Xbox Wire – “THE SIMPSONS Coming Soon to Minecraft on Xbox”

That’s it for now!