Jokes We Don't Get

[Roger Myers III]

Thank you for your kind elucidation, Jafar, but what I said was:

The term "irregular" refers to a category of food, not an adjective.

There is no reason the label "irregular" has to do with taste (or a 'bad' food texture, for that matter,) contrary to what SPD Officer said.

And, therefore, the reason for Moe's "oh" reaction was something else nasty, indeed, left to the imagination. And that's part of the joke.

It appears Squishee Lady "got it." Now you do, too!

[prince jafar allah]

i got it in the first place, i was just pointing out that you didn't really directly address the original question in your reply. but you have now, and that's fine.

[Roger Myers III]

Ummm... actually...

Originally posted by squishee lady
In "The Cartridge Family" when Homer has the NRA meeting and moe brings the irregular oreos and says "I don't see whats wrong with this one" (or something like that) then he bites into it and say "oh". Is there supposed to be something specific about the cookie?

That is the 'original question'. SquisheeLady asked if there was "something specific" about that particular "irregular oreo". SPD Officer then proceeded to explain it as having to do with the "irregular" label, and he tied this to the cookie's "taste", which indicates a lack of understanding of the term "irregular", as used. This also mistakenly limits the 'cause' of Moe's reaction to the 'taste'. If you've fallen into that trap, you will not understand that the writers have left the specific reason to our imaginations.

This was all "directly addressed" in my original answer. There was nothing new in my second one - it was just dumbed-down. And you got it then, and that's fine too.

[prince jafar allah]

i dont know whats going on

roger, look, i was just originally pointing out that you didn't say "it was supposed to be left to your imagination" in your original reply, you just said "a) Moe is a cheapskate, and b) he got what he paid for." and corrected SPD Officer. you didn't make it very clear, made fairly obvious by squisheelady's "assumption" post.

but really, i couldn't care less. let's just let this drop, as I had tried to do so until you brought it up again.

[Sex Cauldron]

When Bart is looking through the Covet House catalog, he sees that you have to dial 1-800 to order, then laments "Our phone doesn't go up to 800... unlesssss...." then it cuts to the scene where Bart receives his package. So what exactly was he supposed to be thinking when he said "unless"? I never understood the significance.

[squishee lady]

I think he just figured out the by typing in an 8 and two 0's he could get "800".

[Roger Myers III]

The "Unless..." has become somewhat of a running gag by now, usually with Homer using it ("Treehugger": Lisa you're alive!! Unless...). Whereas usually, in tv shows, someone faces an overwhelming challenge, its a cliche for them to go "unless...", and then we jump-cut to a 'wacky sceme,' already in progress. When they do it on OFF, its usually followed by the challenge being very easily overcome, if it was actually an obstacle at all. As Squishee Lady points out - Bart simply figured out how to dial an "800".

Jafar, the only thing more evident now is that the question was sort of nebulous. Which is how 80% of them are, so no offense to the Lady. But as a big fan of your writing, I expected a closer analysis from you. You're better than this game of "last word, drop it" that you're playing now.

[prince jafar allah]

Originally posted by Roger Myers III
But as a big fan of your writing, I expected a closer analysis from you. You're better than this game of "last word, drop it" that you're playing now.

Closer analysis of WHAT? the question has already been fully answered by you (with assistance by PEF), a question which I knew the answer to already anyway. I really don't know what you're getting at here.

[Andy]

I actually thought S.P.D Officer's answer was good and valid. The cookie probably tasted weird or disgusting, or something else. They wanted us to guess what it was, it's a very subtle joke. It wasn't a 'guesswork' answer, and I don't think anyone should be telling S.P.D Officer to not take a good-hearted stab at it, which S.P.D Officer did. That's where I think this whole mess started, and it needs to stop.

Just answer the questions, people. Please don't try to top each other's answers unless you find something clearly wrong in someone's answer. Thanks.

[SideshowTim]

Okay, This isn't a Simpsons question but I don't feel like starting a new thread about it. What exactly is 'TiVo? I keep hearing about it around here, So what exactly is it?

[Adam]

tivo is basically a vcr with a hard drive. it can record like.. 80 hours of your favourite shows every time they're on without having to use a video tape. it can also pause, rewind, slow mo, etc, and skip commercials with ease.

australia needs it

[SpongeBob No Pants]

wasn't Tivo the guy who homer blamed stuff on at the SNPP?

[Andy]

Actually, that was http://www.nohomers.net/member.php?a...fo&userid=4874

[Starbucks Exec]

Why, at the end of THOH IV, do we hear 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,' which is a Christmas carol?

[Citizen Kang]

That is a parody of the ending of "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

And since one of the most famous Halloween Cartoons is "It's The Great Pumpkin" they decided to be ironic and parody Charlie Brown's Christmas episode in their THOH.

Or something like that...

[mr. broom]

The point is further borne out by the fact that Santa's Little Helper starts to dance like Snoopy.

[George Cauldron]

Short and to the point: I don't understand Milhouse's "puppy goo-goo, fetch me a dream!" line from Barting Over. I won't make assumptions yet, because I really don't know.

[DaSimpsons]

i think its just a joke about how much of a sissy he is and how he doesnt want Bart, or anyone for that matter, to find out.

[wimms]

during the episode when bart befriends that gay dude he describes kitsch to homer as "the tragically hilarious" and homer responds by saying "like when a clown cries". is this a reference to some kind of art house movie or something? it sounds as if it should have some other meaning

[Andy]

Actually, he said '...when a clown dies.'

If it's a reference to anything, it would be a reference to the Chuckles Bites the Dust episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which, more or less, focuses on Chuckles the TV clown dying. It's been regarded as one of the funniest sitcom episodes in TV history (I think TV Guide gave it a #1 in one of their lists).

But it's probably not really a reference to anything, probably just a simple example of something that's so tragic yet still kinda funny. (Note: Chuckles was fatally trampled by an elephant.)

[vox]

Originally posted by Mr. Broom
The point is further borne out by the fact that Santa's Little Helper starts to dance like Snoopy.

And Milhouse plays the piano like Schroder.

[Miss Springfield]

Bart goes Dad what if there's a girl you like but she likes some clod who is beneath her, then Homer goes I married her! Marge giggles and as she is pulled on to his lap she says something ? The one with Laura Powers. [QUOTE]Originally posted by Roger Myers III
[B]The "Unless..." has become somewhat of a running gag by now, usually with Homer using it ("Treehugger": Lisa you're alive!! Unless...). Whereas usually, in tv shows, someone faces an overwhelming challenge, its a cliche for them to go "unless.. ;-/

DUH! Whats with the stupid questions? stop wasting space by asking obvious crap. Otherwise stop watching The Simpsons if you're too stupid to get something as obvious as that and the irregular oreos joke. It doesn't take a genius, if I can figure it out so can you.

[Andy]

brooke, methinks the last time i told you to stop complaining about the questions people ask has worn off. so, again... stop complaining about the questions people ask.

[mrplow2003]

Originally posted by Roger Myers III
The term is rooted in the U.S. Civil War, when there were situations exactly like that between Yankees, Confederates, and Mexicans.

(Of course, we Americans assign the blame to the minority Mexicans in our idiom. I'm so proud.)

The other funny thing about the phrase is that it juxtaposes an ultra-p.c. term ("Italian-Americans" is the politest of all possible terms for the group,) with an ultra-un-p.c. term ("Mexican standoff"), and therefore renders the whole concept of p.c. terms rather silly.

Uh, sorry bud, I don't think the Mexicans fought in the Civil War.

[mr. broom]

Don't contradict RM3 on matters like this--he certainly knows what he's talking about 99.999% of the time. In the Civil War, there were skirmishes between Union and Confederate forces into which Mexicans got drawn. Thus the three-way "Mexican standoff". He's absolutely correct about the definition of the term.

[Miss Springfield]

Sorry, but what did Marge say? sounded like something about eggs....

[Butters]

Originally posted by brooke2003
Sorry, but what did Marge say? sounded like something about eggs....

"Homer, I just had eggs." or something to that effect.

[Roger Myers III]

Oh, boy. You leave a thread alone for a few days…

Originally posted by PsycheEnFuego
. It wasn't a 'guesswork' answer, and I don't think anyone should be telling S.P.D Officer to not take a good-hearted stab at it, which S.P.D Officer did. That's where I think this whole mess started, and it needs to stop….Just answer the questions, people. Please don't try to top each other's answers unless you find something clearly wrong in someone's answer. Thanks.

That’s exactly what I was doing with SPD’s answer, PEF. My answer was not personal, nor was it an “attack”. SPD Officer has had many good catches and usually makes great posts. (his now-deleted response to Brooke, above, was wonderful.) He may also be a great dancer. However, he gave a wrong answer, badly guessed. And that deserves a correction – unless you want the thread to go down the same road as its previous deleted incarnation. That thread was so rife with errors that it finally incited me to join up and post. I apologize if I’m occasionally snarky, but I’m decidedly tame compared to most others on the boards. I stake my reputation on the other 125-or-so posts in this thread.

“Opinion” threads and reviews of gags, eps, seasons, and producers, etc., are 90% of this site’s contents. But, in the end, they are all – every argument, every opinion - entirely subjective. The individual jokes, however, have concrete explanations, even when an element of them is decisively vague. And to understand the episodes, you must understand the jokes. This is an international forum, and this thread serves an excellent need in explaining the many, many jokes that are based in uniquely American terms, references, slang, history, idioms, people, places, products, ads, trends, etc., etc. And that is why corrections are called for – misinformation, endorsed by this site, is disinformation.

The question, open-ended:

In "The Cartridge Family" when Homer has the NRA meeting and moe brings the irregular oreos and says "I don't see whats wrong with this one" (or something like that) then he bites into it and say "oh". Is there supposed to be something specific about the cookie?

The answer:

Yeah, he doesn't see any physical flaw with it, but it obviously tastes disgusting/wrong, that is why it is irregular!

Originally posted by PsycheEnFuego
I actually thought S.P.D Officer's answer was good and valid. The cookie probably tasted weird or disgusting, or something else. They wanted us to guess what it was, it's a very subtle joke.

Oh, really?

First of all, assuming that “irregular”, which Moe announces that they are, is just a plain old adjective, then SPDO is saying that Moe eats oreos that he’s described as “irregular”, without a physical flaw, reacts as if they taste disgusting/wrong, and that’s why they’re irregular. That is not just an illogical assumption, it’s a train wreck. Further, it doesn’t even work with – but undermines - the joke: If Moe knew that “irregular” means “tastes disgusting/wrong”, then why, when he eats one, would his reaction be one of any surprise at all?

No, the joke lies in the American label “Irregular” that gets slapped on certain goods. At I described above at length, food items labeled “irregular” are sold at a low cost to poorer consumers with the expectation they are still perfectly edible. This is the absolute crux of the joke. To dismiss it casually, as MJ was attempting to do over 4 posts (which he “couldn’t care less about,”) is to not understand the joke: Moe knowingly purchased cookies for the Gun Club at a discounted price, because he is a cheapskate. However, he was visibly surprised that the “irregular”-labeled cookies he bought were not edible – whether due to taste or texture, and that small part is the part that’s left to our imaginations. In short, Moe was burned by his own cheapness.

The reference to the very American “Irregular” label is the root of the joke – that is why, PEF, it was MJ’s casual dismissal (without closer analysis) that was “where this whole mess started.” That, and his irritation that I didn’t spell it out clearly enough, or use the exact wording he desired. I’m sure it wasn’t personal on his part either. I will listen very carefully to his explanations of any references in “The Regina Monologues” that I don’t get.

Now, on with the show…

Originally posted by Citizen Kang
That is a parody of the ending of "A Charlie Brown Christmas." And since one of the most famous Halloween Cartoons is "It's The Great Pumpkin" they decided to be ironic and parody Charlie Brown's Christmas episode in their THOH. Or something like that...

I’m not sure how the reference would be “ironic” at all, but its likely that they remembered that they’d already done a reference to “Great Pumpkin” in THOH2.

Originally posted by PsycheEnFuego
Actually, he said '...when a clown dies.' If it's a reference to anything, it would be a reference to the Chuckles Bites the Dust episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which, more or less, focuses on Chuckles the TV clown dying. ..

It likely is an indirect-but-knowing reference to “Chuckles”, esp since James L. Brooks won (I believe) his first Emmy for that show, and, besides which, if you watch the episode, you can hear JLB’s prominent, unique honking laughter throughout. He stands out considerably from the studio audience – pre laugh-track days.

Originally posted by brooke2003
DUH! Whats with the stupid questions? stop wasting space by asking obvious crap. Otherwise stop watching The Simpsons if you're too stupid to get something as obvious as that and the irregular oreos joke. It doesn't take a genius, if I can figure it out so can you.

That is quite an indictment, coming from the one poster that continually gets her questions mangled and answers wrong, and then posts that she knew the answer in the first place. Please: Every single question is valid. Hypocritically ragging on the questioners is not.

Marge had just been jostled onto Homer’s lap – her saying “I just had eggs” was a polite euphemism for “I have gas.”

And thanks, Broom – you clarified that better than I could have. And restored my faith in the educational system.

[Miss Springfield]

Ok I said I was sorry, and you are in effect ragging on me which is what you are so against.

[Radioactive Man]

We all agree that the term "irregular" refers to some manufacturing error other than taste. The cookies might look weird but they are still edible. When Moe says he brought a bag of irregular Oreos, we all agree the joke there is he was too cheap to buy a reagular bag. When Moe says "I don't see whats wrong with this one" I assume he picked up the cookie and saw no physical deformity. When he tasted it, he said "Oh" because it had a bad taste and was not edible. I think the joke here is he thought he had lucked out and found a regular one, but instead was unpleasently surprised that it had a bad taste.

I think this is similar to what RMIII is saying. If it's not, I'm sure he will correct me.

Originally posted by Roger Myers III

First of all, assuming that “irregular”, which Moe announces that they are, is just a plain old adjective, then SPDO is saying that Moe eats oreos that he’s described as “irregular”, without a physical flaw, reacts as if they taste disgusting/wrong, and that’s why they’re irregular. That is not just an illogical assumption, it’s a train wreck. Further, it doesn’t even work with – but undermines - the joke: If Moe knew that “irregular” means “tastes disgusting/wrong”, then why, when he eats one, would his reaction be one of any surprise at all?

I don't agree this was an illogical assumption. Moe assumes the Oreos are irregular because they have some physical defect. He sees one that looks normal and takes a bite. He discovers it has a bad taste. He then comes to the conclusion that the taste is what makes it irregular. How is that illogical? Again, the joke here is he thought he had found a regular one because he assumes irregular only applies to physical characteristics, not taste.

I think SPDO gets the joke. He just never fully explained it. What you assumed was his explanation of the joke was just him explaing why the cookie was irregular, it's taste. he was correct in the first place when he said it had a bad taste and that is why it is irregular. What RMIII had a problem with was he thought that was the explanation of the joke.

RMIII, do you agree the oreo was irregular because of the taste? If not, what makes it irregular then?

Damn, I never would have thought I'd write so much on the topic of irregular oreos.