Posted on 11/04/2003 7:29:57 PM PST by 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...
(Excerpt) Read more at kmc.crosswalk.com ...
I disagree. Ned is NEVER shown as a hypocrite, and the characters who are mocking him are shown for what they are. The Reverend Lovejoy is unfortunately representative of a growing number of 'ministers'. Seminaries (more rightly called cemetaries) are turning out graduates by the scores who don't believe in the Bible as the Word of God, don't believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, don't believe in the Resurrection, and on and on.
And the banned episode is airing 11:00. Not 11:30. Tune in at 11:30 you are gonna be upset.
The "Family Guy" is a great show, but I think it's much, much more liberal-leaning than "Simpsons" and definitely more so than "South Park."
Example: Peter directs a parade of circus people to his house for a b-day party for Stewie, and when he shows up riding an elephant he says to Lois "Hey, Lois, look at me! The two symbols of the Republican Party: an elephant and a big, fat white guy who's afraid of change."
While it was funny, it did get my blood boiling.
"Simpsons" has Lisa, who, while being very definitely liberal, is also more often than not either totally corrected or at least re-centered from time to time.
To your first statement, so am I. To your second statement, I agree. Read The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer and you will see that they don't play favorites with any particular topic. Everything is fair game.
Did you see a couple years ago a Christianity Today dubbed him Saint Flanders?
Or this... From Davey & Goliath to Homer and Ned
There are many other links to stories about The Simpson's and Christianity at these articles.
"Whether or not the soul is real, Bart, it's the symbol of everything that is fine inside us." -- Lisa Simpson
As a side note, Christianity Today was founded by Billy Graham. Its not some fringe group.
I have two favorites.
My second most favorite episode is the one where Homer becomes head of the union. So many of the scenes in that one of so damn hysterical to me. When Ralph is in the dentist office and the dentist says in an evil voice something like, "Why do you turn my office into a den of lies?" When Homer is in Mr. Burns' office and he thinks Monty is coming on to him. Homer's response is classic. "Sure, I'm flattered. Maybe even a little interested..." When Homer's butt-crack is showing during one of the union meeting's and somebody drops a pencil into it causing Homer to lose his train of thought.
But my all-time favorite episode it the one starring Michelle Pfeiffer as Homer's sexy new coworker Mindy. I find that episode even more hysterical. When Homer attempts to call up his "inner guide" to help him fight off his attraction towards Mindy it ends up being Colonel Klink from Hogan's Heroes. Marge, Lisa and Bart all end up with various ailments making them appear less than attractive further "pushing" Homer towards Mindy. While Homer and Mindy are at the Energy Convention in Capital City, the people passing by their Nuclear Power Plant booth start bad-mouthing nuclear power and in response Homer tosses a brick and Mindy shouts, "Get Bent." Then after retiring to the hotel, Homer breaks down in tears in front of Mindy saying, "Now we're going to have sex. The cookie told me so." LOL!
This even-handedness is noteworthy. Against the backdrop of conventional sitcoms, it makes The Simpsons damn near reactionary; if 50 percent of the jokes are aimed leftward, that’s 49.5 percent more than we usually get. At the end of an episode originally aired in the spring of 1992, Sideshow Bob is hauled off to prison for attempted murder. He declares, “I’ll be back. You can’t keep the Democrats out of the White House forever. And when they get in, I’m back on the street! With all of my criminal buddies!” The mayor of Springfield, Diamond Joe Quimby, is a corrupt, womanizing lush who met his wife when she worked at “La Maison Derrière,” the local brothel. When the Rush Limbaugh character accuses Quimby of being an “illiterate, tax-cheating, wife-swapping, pot-smoking Spend-o-crat,” Quimby replies, “Hey, I’m no longer illiterate.” Did I forget to mention that Quimby has a distinct Kennedy accent?
In one episode, Bart wrote on the blackboard:
"Five days is not too long to wait for a gun."
From Homer tying the dog up "out back", to Bob and his nemisis, the rack.
I really enjoyed this line... Homer: "The great thing about a house boat is if you don't like your neighbors you can just move." At which point all the boats in the marina pick up anchor and leave.
That episode in particular is so jam packed with comedy that it must be watched over and over to begin to catch all of it.
Homer eventually came around - he does most of the time.
"Five days is not too long to wait for a gun."
Well, if this was the punishment assigned by the teacher, you'd have to assume that Bart, himself, either brought a gun to school or advocated a shorter waiting period.
Americatown is themed with a random assortment of United States politics and pop culture. Each table is shaped like a state. The Simpsons sit at Massachusetts.
Homer: I can't believe they stuck us at Taxachusetts! [points to table] Hey, you know, I once knew a man from Nantucket.
Bart: And?
Homer: Let's just say the stories about him are greatly exaggerated.
Waiter: Howdy gangstas! I'm average American Joe Salaryman waiter.
Bart: These prices suck! 10,000 yen for coleslaw?
Lisa: Don't you serve anything that's even remotely Japanese?
Waiter: Don't ask me; I don't know anything! I'm product of American education system. I also build poor-quality cars and inferior-style electronics.
Homer: [cackles] Oh, they got our number!
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