Are the Simpsons Conservative or Liberal

THE KMC BLOG ^ | 11.4.2003

[KMC1]

Ok, I know that I am extremely late to the party...but I have to admit it...I have become a hardened fan of (bite lip and hope for the best) - "The Simpsons". I had never watched on a regular basis for the majority of the time that they had been on the air. Then I interviewed the author of "The Gospel According to the Simpsons" last year. The interview was ok as interviews go but in the author's telling of HOW the episode is put together each week fascinated me. Each epsiode take possibly up to 3 years to put together. Most episodes utilize more than 100 writers and the writing pool is equally divided up: 1/3 Jewish, 1/3 Christian, and 1/3 fill in the blank. The Simpsons, unlike many other TV families do seem to have a profound ability to endure the hardships of life and even underscore some of the most decent of human virtues and values. All that being said, it got me thinking, watching, and now I'm hooked...

[jpl]

I love the scene where are the living Presidents (I believe Nixon may still have been alive at the time) are all going to Mr. Burns' party, and the bodyguard keeps out Carter and Bush Sr, saying "Sorry, no one-termers."

[CollegeRepublican]

The Pistol whip line had me laughing for days. My friends and I still stay it all the time and laugh. I am chuckling to myself right now.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Those are two of my favorites but the greatest episode EVER has to be Homer becoming an Astronaut. Kent Brockman's slavish salute to the Giant Ants just kills me. Plus I also loved the movie it mocks, 2001.

[Lx]

I could agree with that but I don't think that's what they had in mind.

[Chewbacca]

My favorite episodes are when the town bans alcohol and Homer becomes a bootlegger, Homer invents a spine straightening garbage can, the one where Moe gets plastic surgery, and where they all go to the Ichy and Scratchy park.

[Chewbacca]

I almost forgot the episode where Bart joins the Boyscouts.
I just love the scene where Apu is making the straight syrup Squishy, the kids get a serious sugar buzz and later Barney takes a sip and says something about pixies. Cracks me up.

[HamiltonJay]

Simpsons like most good satire pick on all sides... Whether it be showing the Springfield NRA as completely wacked out gun nuts ("And that, is how with a few simple modifications, you can turn 1 gun into 5 guns.." - Moe Sizlack) and later in the episode have them shame Homer for being completely irresponsible with his gun.

To the "A Gay president in 2084" bumper sticker from the log cabin republicans.... there response when asked about it, "Hey, we're realistic".

To the numberous jabs at Bubba... "I think that's a pretty lousy lesson" - Marge to Bill Clinton "Hey, lets face it, I'm a pretty lousy president" - Clinton back to Marge.

Or, when the statue that was supposed to be of someone else turns out to be that of Jimmy Carter, the crowd responds "Jimmy Carter? He's history's greatest monster!!" and then proceed to riot.

The perpetual mocking of fundamentalist neighbor Flanders... etc etc etc...

[Grit]

..his house caught on fire and that he was saved by an all volunteer fire squad consisting of a Christian(Flanders), a Jew (Krusty)..and others (Apu..Hindu).

Lovejoy: God was working in the hearts of your friends and neighbors when they came to your aid, be they Christian, Jew, or ... "miscellaneous" [pointing to Apu].

Apu: Hindu! There are 700 million of us.

Lovejoy: Aw, that's super.

[Grit]

Also: when Maggie goes thru the supermarket scanner (in the intro to every episode) the cash register reads "NRA4EVER."

It does not. That was mentioned in some sort of "clip show episode" hosted by Troy McClure. He made mention of the Simpson's writers right wing beliefs - and showed that NRA4EVER. It was clever - but still a joke.

[HamiltonJay]

“La Maison Derrière,” the local brothel.

Just to be fair, "Le Maison Derrier" is not a brothel, but a Burlesque house. Grandpa "Are they talking about the brothel?" Jasper "No, the burlesque house, shhh.."

[Rate_Determining_Step]

They're somwhat liberal - just like the country.

Don't go around trying to find ANY deep insight from these show - any of them. However, you can catch glimpses of the writer's politics on some from time to time.

I've always maintained Beavis and Butthead show was conservative. I was proved right with King of the Hill.

Once a show gets going, it's a lot about the characters. I like Flanders, Burns and a number of other stereotypical ones (Apu, Kent Brockman, Krusty, Moe, Sideshow Bob, etc.) That show thrives on that. It's long since run it's course. You can always tell by the "guest" appearances when the show is reaching.

Futurama is ok with Bender the only salvagable character.

King of the Hill is much funnier than the Simpsons. Hank, Boomhauer, Dale. Khan steals the show every time.

South Park rules if you like seeing the left skewered. (I'm biased - I love SP) Another way to look at it is to look at who hates the shows. Lefties start convulsing when South Park is mentioned. Same for Beavis and Butthead. They're up for Simpsons and Futurama. "Hill" has too much decorum to be in-your-face offensive.

[antiliberal]

How about during the episode with the bowling team, Homer's laughing at Flanders for not getting a strike, when, after a little prayer, the final pin tips over, and Homer gets zapped in the ass by the pin setting switch. Also, pretty funny, when the family is trying to get away from the werewolf Flanders, Homer prays, " God, if you love me, etc..." and the car immediately breaks down.

Too funny!

[Cuttnhorse]

How about the one where they all went to Canada...what a number they did them...Homer: "Canada, why would anyone want to go to America junior??"

[Sideshow Bob]

Side Show Bob and I share the same last name.

Are we related?

[Xenalyte]

Family Guy is another outstanding cartoon.

One of the funniest things I've ever seen on the superb Family Guy happens during the episode in which Lois and Peter run for the school board.

James Carville shows up, and Peter yells, "Oh, my God, someone opened the Ark of the Covenant!"

[Xenalyte]

Therefore, I conclude, that the Simpsons are equally liberal.

On that basis, your conclusion would be wrong.

I take it you've never seen the gun-control-specific episode . . . Lisa the token liberal* wishes for a world without guns, and is speedily shown the error of her ways.

* And if you think for a moment that it's accidental that the most liberal character is an eight-year-old girl . . .