Welcome back to this week’s Throwback Thurs!

20 years ago on this date, we saw the town of Springfield become engrossed in a film competition – with guest star Jay Sherman one of the judges, after Springfield is rated the lowest popular city in the whole country.

This encourages the whole of Springfield to enter, including Hans Moleman’s film of getting hit in the ?$%&£! by a football (or rugby ball, if you’re from the UK), Mr. Burns’ of his fictional life, which sees him in a variety of roles, and Barney’s of his alcoholism story, which won the town’s heart so much it won – after much convincing Homer, who was also on the panel, to vote for it by Marge.

But despite his movie being about keeping off the booze, the prize turns out to be a lifetime supply of Duff, which Barney tells them to hook up to his veins.

Poor Barney. At least he finally managed to sober up again, for longer than he did briefly when he drove Homer’s car to New York, five years later.

(P.S. Did you know that Jay Sherman only guest starred because he thought it would promote his new series The Critic, and that Matt Groening ordered his name be removed from the episode’s opening and closing credits because he didn’t want to be associated with the episode?)

And, last but not least, we have our other commemorations/birthdays/other things that happened on this day. On this day in 1955, Penn Jillette, the illusionist who guest starred as himself in “The Great Simpsina”, was born. Also, in 1969, Sabine Bohlmann, the German voice of Lisa, was born.

That’s it for this Throwback Thursday! See you next week!

Welcome back to another Throwback Thursday! On this date in 1989, Bart and Lisa visited a grocery store without any money (what the-?) and Bart shoplifted some candy – before being caught. Well, they were bulging out of his clothes. And then he decides to eat them. Way to get rid of the evidence, Bart. Try wiping your mouth once in a while.

Then, in 1995, we saw the feud between Homer, Patty and Selma intensify when Homer loses most of his money in pumpkin stocks and has to turn to Patty and Selma for a loan – but the payback isn’t what he expected.

And, then in 2006, PE turned into tragedy as Willie lost the most important thing of his life – his shack.

Also on this day, in 1932, Johnny Cash, who voiced the cayote spirit guide in “El Viaje Misterioso…that Spanish-titled episode” was born. Andy Houts, a production assistant, died on this day in 1997, and so did Lawrence Tierney on this day in 2002, who guest starred in “Marge Be Not Proud” as Don Brodka.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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…

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!