Ask Simpsons Questions Here (Jokes We Don't Get, Which Episode, etc.)

[Andy]

It was Diatribe of a Mad Housewife.

It's mentioned in the FAQ (http://www.nohomers.net/faq.php?faq=..._marvin_monroe). They probably won't explain why Monroe was dead from seasons 7-15 and then return. It's just one of those 'fuck with continuity to upset those paying attention' things.

[Hydro]

Can someone explain how this can happen?

Creative license.

EDIT: Crosspost with Andy.

[thrilling bargains]

I didn't get the joke about 'Don't forget your twelve steps, Barney,' in tonight's episode There's Something About Marrying.
What was that?

I mean, I know about AA's twelve step program, but was that just making fun of the idea of 'twelve steps'?

Just didn't add up, really.

[pat]

"don't forget your twelve steps", then he actually took 12 steps.

mcbain sez: "that's the joke"

I think you were just thinking too hard, dude.

[Hydro]

The joke is that when he first tells himself "Don't forget your twelve steps," we are to think that he is falling for the boys' prank, and that he is trying to avoid the temptation of the beer. But it turns out that he is, in fact, contriving to steal the bottle, that he is not fooled by the prank, and was talking about a more literal "twelve steps" that he must take in order to get the beer while avoiding getting meloned. It's a "misdirection joke" combined with a pun.

[Roger Myers III]

What ever happened to one armed Herman, I can't remember seeing him in any recent episodes even going back a couple seasons.

Herman has appeared in the background in "Strong Arms of the Ma" when Marge is beating up the mugger on the sidewalk. He appears as a background character a lot, just like Ms. Hoover, Helen Lovejoy and other characters that have gotten the silent treatment. But the last time he actually spoke was probably seasons ago. Maybe "22 Short Films About Springfield?"

Like many, many secondary characters, Herman still shows up a heck of a lot in crowd-scenes and -reactions - he was even sitting in the row behing Martin in tonight's "Marrying" - but hasn't spoken for quite some time. He has a line in this production season, though. Its not the same as Hoover & Helen, though - Harry does his voice, whereas they're voiced by Maggie Roswell, who contributes to the show far less frequently.

I'm watching "Bart Gets Famous" right now and there's a joke I don't get. What the hell does Homer mean when he says, "You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel"...?

A couple things: Of course, its playing off the scene we just saw before it with Marge, also racing to answer the phone at home from the shower wrapped in a towell; its very common to need and ask someone to speak up when you're speaking to them from the shower, due to the bad acoustics and noise, but never just because you've came out of one; and the absurdity/stupidity of Homer announcing (proudly) that he's "wearing a towell" to an unknown, unidentified person on the other end of the line, while at work.

Has anyone noticed, probably most blantantly in "Pranksta Rap," Marge's, and, for that matter, the entire family's obsession with Lenny. Another notable example is "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder" when Marge and the kids show a concern for Lenny's health. There, the concern seems blantantly obvious. I am trying to think of more examples. If anyone has them, I'd appreciate some, and, of course, feedback on what the meaning of this is.

Even Homer considers that Lenny may have been voted "Sexiest Man Alive" in "Blunderdome", and Marge has Lenny's 'sophisticated portrait' of Homer's from an earlier ep stored in her bouffant hairdo in "Pranksta". No deep meaning - its just a running gag.

The joke is that when he first tells himself "Don't forget your twelve steps," we are to think that he is falling for the boys' prank, and that he is trying to avoid the temptation of the beer. But it turns out that he is, in fact, contriving to steal the bottle, that he is not fooled by the prank, and was talking about a more literal "twelve steps" that he must take in order to get the beer while avoiding getting meloned. It's a "misdirection joke" combined with a pun.

Its even a play on the concept of "stepping" - because they amount to just a way of gathering enough momentum to make the necessary leap to clear the trap.

[Jaffas85]

Has Maggie Roswell actually stated that from now on she will be contributing to the show on a lesser extent than what she previously did before she departed??

Since she returned we've only seen her characters speaking in small parts but how do we know thats not just because suitable storylines with these characters havn't been thought up yet meaning that, then, of course her characters would only be seen in the background as the were never 'prime' characters in the first place.....

Has Maggie resumed voicing miscellaneous female characters who appear in different storylines *like what Tress Macneile does quite a bit*?

Thanks.

P.S. Do we know Maggie's thoughts on the exit of Maude and on Marcia-Mitz Gaven?

[729]

I read once about an extra scene in "Three Men And A Comic Book" where Bart says he'll run The Cosby Show into the ground but have never seen it on TV or the Season 2 DVD.

Could it possibly make an appearence on a future DVD like the Bush speech which I first saw on the Season 4 featurette.

[grissom]

About the thing with the Simpsons watching the Bush Sr. speech, I don't think it's actually in an episode. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

[Andy]

It wasn't in an episode, it was aired before an episode (Stark Raving Dad to be exact).

[Handsome Peter]

Not only that, but it only aired on Fox once - January 30, 1992. If you want to see it today, you either need to borrow someone who taped the 1/30/1992 airing of Stark Raving Dad or, like me, buy the Simpsons Season 4 DVD.

Dr. Marvin Monroe likely faked his own death. Remember "Mother Simpson", when Homer does this and gets a grave in the cemetery even though he's not dead? Same deal here.

Scott Christian - another character that has gone missing. I believe the last time he was seen was for less than a second in "Radioactive Man" (the "Everybody is talking about Radioactive Man, y'all" scene). Unless I missed one of the newer episodes.

[HUGHJASS72]

After this week's episode I've been thinking about something. Were there any other episodes that advised viewer discretion>/ I'm not completely sure right now.

[Nameless]

After this week's episode I've been thinking about something. Were there any other episodes that advised viewer discretion>/ I'm not completely sure right now.

Nope.

[SeanOhio]

Does anyone know the origin of "Maybe I will, son . . . maybe I will" or other variations of that line frequently used by Homer? I seem to recall hearing it in an older medium--TV or film, not sure. It's just always rang a bell with me.

[Roger Myers III]

Has Maggie Roswell actually stated that from now on she will be contributing to the show on a lesser extent than what she previously did before she departed??

Has Maggie resumed voicing miscellaneous female characters who appear in different storylines *like what Tress Macneile does quite a bit*?

P.S. Do we know Maggie's thoughts on the exit of Maude and on Marcia-Mitz Gaven?

Maggie doesn't have a say in how often she 'contributes'; the producers write her in when they wish to - when she's called for in a storyline, which isn't (and never has been) often. She usually records whatever's called for over a number of eps in one session. So she wouldn't really 'issue a statement' about it. She doesn't really do "misc" characters, ether - but she never really did. She has never spoke ill of Mitzman-Gaven, but the clique of professional voice-over artists is so relatively small, and so in competition these days from actual "celeb voices", that its also not surprising that she hasn't done so. Do a search of the Forums for "Maggie Roswell" - I know that others have posted various correspondance from her about the "Maude" situation.

I read once about an extra scene in "Three Men And A Comic Book" where Bart says he'll run The Cosby Show into the ground but have never seen it on TV or the Season 2 DVD. Could it possibly make an appearence on a future DVD like the Bush speech which I first saw on the Season 4 featurette.

It was a quick scene that preceded an episode as "The Cosby Show" was going off the air, using animation recycled from "Saturdays of Thunder", with Homer remarking that they had "run him into the ground". Can't remember the ep. It may show up as a DVD extra.

Dr. Marvin Monroe likely faked his own death. Remember "Mother Simpson", when Homer does this and gets a grave in the cemetery even though he's not dead? Same deal here.

Speculation. Andy covered everything in his post.

Scott Christian - another character that has gone missing. I believe the last time he was seen was for less than a second in "Radioactive Man" (the "Everybody is talking about Radioactive Man, y'all" scene). Unless I missed one of the newer episodes.

Scott was, ottomh, in both a Channel 6 Poster in "Fraudcast", and in the phone-chain in "Diatribe". I believe he spoke recently, throwing the newscast to Kent.

After this week's episode I've been thinking about something. Were there any other episodes that advised viewer discretion>/ I'm not completely sure right now.

Yes, sort of. Marge provided one in S3, before TOH II. The Television Parental Guides began running in the top corner of the opening sequences in '97, when all the networks began phasing them in (anyone know which the first OFF one was?) - and they themselves were parodied in S9, TOH VIII (the first TOH to display the Guide).

"Marrying" was the first to have a "viewer discretion" frame added by Fox before the show proper. They also had "viewer discretion advised" written and spoken in the ep's promos.

Does anyone know the origin of "Maybe I will, son . . . maybe I will" or other variations of that line frequently used by Homer? I seem to recall hearing it in an older medium--TV or film, not sure. It's just always rang a bell with me.

I don't know the actual first tv show to utilize it, but it was an often-used tv sitcom convention in the 60s and 70s to close one scene, in which an idea or plan is proposed, and then edit right into a new, "later" scene in which the idea or plan was enacted. (Think of: Gilligan saying "I'm not gonna dress up like a woman! You can't make me, you can't make me!", edit, then we see Gilligan dressed up like a woman.)

[Jaffas85]

What are we supposed to assume Milhouse is talking about in "Large Marge" when he and Bart and in front of the T.V. in their sleeping bags and Milhouse starts saying, "I think I'm finally ready to tell you why I was crying at Recess today....."?

[Andy]

It's another "it's best left to your imagination" joke.

[Jaffas85]

I used the search function and found posts saying that Maggie had recorded her voice for her characters action figures and that she was asked back for the Season 14 Halloween episode and had even recorded a brief Helen part.

I know that since then she has recorded lines for most of her other main characters but do we know if she actually re-signed a proper contract with FOX to come back aboard as a permanent voice cast member and is she now able to record her lines from Colorado?

Thanks.

[Jaffas85]

At the show's ratings peak how much did it average in viewers per week??

And what year(s) was it at it's ratings peak?

[Miss Springfield]

A couple things: Of course, its playing off the scene we just saw before it with Marge, also racing to answer the phone at home from the shower wrapped in a towell; its very common to need and ask someone to speak up when you're speaking to them from the shower, due to the bad acoustics and noise, but never just because you've came out of one; and the absurdity/stupidity of Homer announcing (proudly) that he's "wearing a towell" to an unknown, unidentified person on the other end of the line, while at work.



Why would you call someone in the shower? :laugh:

[Roger Myers III]

Why would you call someone in the shower? :laugh:

How would the caller know that the person they're calling is in the shower at that moment?

(Honestly, anyone that (A) regularly bathes, and (B) gets a lot of phone calls, would understand this. :laugh: )

[John]

What was the episode called where Bart and Lisa and Nelson and a few other kids start a TV news station.

[Andy]

Girly Edition.

Play off the CBS show Early Edition, where a guy somehow gets tomorrow's paper early.

[John]

Does anyone know where I can find grabpics or other pictures of buildings and locations in springfield?

[Flimpson Tide]

I have a question myself. Who is Karl W(I don't know the rest) that is listed in the voice credits of each episode? He isn't considered a main actor, so he must not do much.

[Andy]

Karl Wiedergott; he's been doing minor male voices for the show since season 9.

What's funny is that he was completely omitted from The Simpsons Forever! guide book. He did Vincent Price in Sunday Cruddy Sunday and most (if not all) of the Bill Clinton appearances in the Scully era and thereafter.

[whisman]

I've asked this before, but could someone please explain what is going on at ending of "My Sister, My Sitter" where Ned and Lisa are talking on the phone. It always confuses me.

[Seikima]

I've asked this before, but could someone please explain what is going on at ending of "My Sister, My Sitter" where Ned and Lisa are talking on the phone. It always confuses me.

Ned is simply asking Lisa to babysit. When he says, "Just a minute," and there's a long pause, I can only assume he's conferring with Maude about the news that Lisa almost killed her brother, but, as with Hibbert in the conversation before this, they don't seem as concerned about that as the fact that they need a sitter.

[Lady2Hotty]

What's the deal with the Woody Allen skit in 30 Minutes Over Tokyo when he's doing the commercial and he says "What did I do to deserve this?...Oh, yeah..."
I was wondering what he meant by this. ( I have never followed Woody Allen's career...?)

[Andy]

The 'thing he did to deserve' doing a commercial in Japan is probably the fact that he married the girl he and ex-wife Mia Farrow once adopted.

But many A-list celebrities do commercials for other countries anyway.