The Times - re: The Regina Monologues

[George Cauldron]

There's an article in British broadsheet newspaper The Times today, with The Simpsons on the front page, a nice promo image of Homer throwing away his tea, drinking with Tony Blair.

The US vistor Blair didn't want us to see - yet

Downing Street really did try to prevent an oafish American causing trouble on a visit to London.
Tony Blair, a longstanding fan of The Simpsons, recorded his dialogue for an episode of the cartoon series at Downing Street in April.
But the episode, entitled The Regina Monologues, has been the subject of intense negotiation with Fox TV, which has claimed that No 10 prevented any tapes being released before George Bush's visit to avoid any possible embarassment.
Aides denied this but confirmed they had requested that the show should not be trailed in advance because "we didn't want a lot of hoo-ha about it."
Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's former communications director, is understood to have vetted the script and suggested a number of changes.
In one draft, Homer announces "I'm going to act the way Americans act best - unilaterally."
He then breaches security to crash a Mini Cooper through the gates of Buckingham Palace, catapulting the Queen out of her horse-drawn carriage.
The episode will be screened in the US by Fox this Sunday, and given its first British airing in January.

I guess this explains why The Regina Monologues didn't become the season premiere.

[prince jafar allah]

Originally posted by George Cauldron

Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's former communications director, is understood to have vetted the script and suggested a number of changes.

ahahahahahaha

and furthermore, ahahahahahaha

i can take a simple tony blair appearance, OK, but i loathe alastair campbell and his arrogant spindoctoring with a passion, and i object hugely to having the show tailored to meet tony's propaganda requirements. that's just pathetic. if you don't like the script, kindly fuck off back to downing street.

i suppose the "unilaterally" joke is now cut? Once again, this is pathetic.

[George Cauldron]

I don't see what was wrong with that quote in the first place. It was hardly a slur on the Prime Minister. It's a joke at the Americans' expense!

[prince jafar allah]

but it was implying americans like to act unilaterally. which is totally, like, untrue, because whenever they go to war, britain always goes with them too! plus mighty military powers like poland and micronesia. it's a coalition of the willing, i tell ya!

in other words, the last thing tony and alastair campbell want (and need) is a claim that America likes acting unilaterally. not as if anyone actually believes otherwise, mind you, but they might as well try to minimize the damage of the truth.

[George Cauldron]

Oh well, I obviously didn't get the joke.

I did find proof that the article is real, it's on The Times' website, minus the picture.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspap...901169,00.html

[Rowdy Roddy Peeper]

Are you two the only people who are British and care about this topic? Wezzo where is your post munchkining ass when we need it

I too believe there is too much controversiality on this episode. I bet the Simpsons wonder why they even bother to do these episodes as it brings up too much crap (Brazilians having a go at them, Fox News, this etc.)

[Roger Myers III]

This wasn't the beginning of the controvesy. Blair's bit was previously excised when the first requests came across to "review the footage." The producers later decided to go along with the process to see what the process would be all about. Many twittish letters were circulated, but not a lot would up changing in the end. If anything, though delayed, its all still plenty timely.