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

[Nebuchanezzar]

Syndication cuts are the most totally pointless thing I've ever seen. The only thing that gets cut in Australias version of syndication are things that aren't really suited for 6:00pm.

[Charlie]

Yeah, and then if a lot of the episode isn't really suitable they show it in the 7:00 timeslot.

[Nebuchanezzar]

And lets not forget the hyper advertising they give to episodes which contain such naughty scenes as Homer smoking pot, or Homer and Marge frequently having sex throughout the episode. Then they slap an M15+ rating on it and put it on late at night. It's a poor excuse for advertising (nothing more), but damnit it works well.

[Charlie]

Yep, they did that for THOH XV here because of a 30-second opium smoking scene, but the advert they showed us was white-blood cells eating Marge's clothes, and ended with a shot of her half-naked...(been thinking...maybe we should take this conversation to the GD Lounge)

[George Cauldron]

Normally when I don't understand something on the show, I try to look it up to 'appreciate' where the joke came from, but there's one I just don't get, and I was reminded of it yesterday, watching Treehouse of Horror XII. In the Wiz Kids segment, Mr Burns/Montymort says that he's avoiding Satan because "his wife has a screenplay." Somebody fill me in.

[BarnyMiler]

Normally when I don't understand something on the show, I try to look it up to 'appreciate' where the joke came from, but there's one I just don't get, and I was reminded of it yesterday, watching Treehouse of Horror XII. In the Wiz Kids segment, Mr Burns/Montymort says that he's avoiding Satan because "his wife has a screenplay." Somebody fill me in.

I just thought it was a reference to those typical Hollywood executive types who have power and money. Apparently Satan has been telling MB about this screenplay his wife wrote for sometime and wants him to read it and hopefully use his connections to get it in front of a studio for production. So he's ducking him because he doesn't want to read it, let alone deal with getting it in front of studio heads.

There might be a specific movie reference in there, but I don't know what it is. That's just my over-simplified explanation.

Here's my question:

In Bart's Comet from Season 6, in the beginning Skinner explains to Bart what his punishment is going to be for messing with the weather balloon. He says "You will assist me with my amateur astronomy. Taking down coordinates, carrying equipment and so forth. 4:30 in the morning." Bart replies "There's a 4:30 in the morning now?" What does Bart mean by this?

In the commentary for the episode, Yeardley Smith comments on how she thinks that it's cute that Bart doesn't know that there is a 4:30 in the morning (as opposed to the 4:30 in the afternoon which he's aware of). But I have always thought that Bart was referring to Skinner's detention schedule. He was used to the typical 3:30 after school detention, but now Skinner has added a new 4:30 in the morning detention as well. Bart being such a veteran of detention and all.

What do you think?

[Mike Scully]

Normally when I don't understand something on the show, I try to look it up to 'appreciate' where the joke came from, but there's one I just don't get, and I was reminded of it yesterday, watching Treehouse of Horror XII. In the Wiz Kids segment, Mr Burns/Montymort says that he's avoiding Satan because "his wife has a screenplay." Somebody fill me in.

I believe "wife" refers to J.K.Rowling.

[Veryjammy]

I just thought it was a reference to those typical Hollywood executive types who have power and money. Apparently Satan has been telling MB about this screenplay his wife wrote for sometime and wants him to read it and hopefully use his connections to get it in front of a studio for production. So he's ducking him because he doesn't want to read it, let alone deal with getting it in front of studio heads.

There might be a specific movie reference in there, but I don't know what it is. That's just my over-simplified explanation.

Here's my question:

In Bart's Comet from Season 6, in the beginning Skinner explains to Bart what his punishment is going to be for messing with the weather balloon. He says "You will assist me with my amateur astronomy. Taking down coordinates, carrying equipment and so forth. 4:30 in the morning." Bart replies "There's a 4:30 in the morning now?" What does Bart mean by this?

In the commentary for the episode, Yeardley Smith comments on how she thinks that it's cute that Bart doesn't know that there is a 4:30 in the morning (as opposed to the 4:30 in the afternoon which he's aware of). But I have always thought that Bart was referring to Skinner's detention schedule. He was used to the typical 3:30 after school detention, but now Skinner has added a new 4:30 in the morning detention as well. Bart being such a veteran of detention and all.

What do you think?

Going by the way it's read, I always interpreted it the way Yeardley did; a disbelief that that time exists seeing as he's always asleep and therefore misses it.

[Ryan_]

Bart most likely asks "there's a 4.30 in the morning now" because he's probably never been up that early before

[BarnyMiler]

Bart most likely asks "there's a 4.30 in the morning now" because he's probably never been up that early before

It's pretty much unanimous then. Everyone I've talked to believes the same thing. I'm the only one who thought of it the other way.

I really think it's much funnier as a detention schedule reference. Makes me wonder how many other jokes I have misinterpreted!

[I'M A BRICK]

I believe "wife" refers to J.K.Rowling.

How do you come up with that????
Is it b/c some religious nuts have said that they promote Satanism?
It doesn't even make sense, the Harry Potter movies have been huge hits.

[mulcahym]

At the end of the Marge vs Monorail episode
>>Marge's voice narrates: ``And that was the only folly the people of Springfield ever embarked upon. Except for the popsicle stick skyscraper. And the 50-foot magnifying glass. And that escalator to nowhere.''

When I saw this first it immediately reminded me of an old science fiction type film I saw when I was a kid, maybe a 50's or 60's B&W film. Can't for the life of me remember the film and I'm not even 70% sure it IS a reference but I'd absolutely love to know what that film was. (if its a reference).

What triggered the memory is the tone of voice she uses to narrate and the general athmosphere. I can remember that the end of the old film involved a really tall building or something and someone narrating as well. Can anyone out there help?

[Mike Scully]

How do you come up with that????
Is it b/c some religious nuts have said that they promote Satanism?
It doesn't even make sense, the Harry Potter movies have been huge hits.

Seeing as the whole short was a parody of Harry Potter, aired right before the first film, and there have been several jokes made on the show about the idea of Harry Potter promoting Satanic beliefs (none of which are meant to be taken seriously), it seems like a logical guess.

The joke itself is still pretty confusing though.

[I'M A BRICK]

I did not realize it was b/f the first moive.

I think it's just a Hollywood Joke.
Some one is always pushing a screenplay.

[futuramagirl]

thanks 4 tellin me coz im new

[moneychair2003]

i never understood the joke where the simpsons are in england and they see sir ian mckellen and whenever they say macbeth something bad happens to him.

[TheFlandersMan]

Uhh, what happened to the General Discussion Lounge??! :-O

[Snack Related Mishap]

Uhh, what happened to the General Discussion Lounge??! :-O

Umm, I was just wondering that too. I was about to post in it too. I looked up my posts from the lounge, and they seem to have been erased. What the hell happened? I hope it's not gone forever.

[TheFlandersMan]

Me too, I was just about to post something significant. There was a good conversation going there. Well, at least I know I'm not alone.

[Adam R]

I was just about to ask this, I checked on grissom's last threads and it's not there.

[Simpsons Forever!]

This is weird, so where is it? Anyone know?

[Adam R]

I PM'd CS, he said:

Don't know, but Roarke has revived it. Might return the thread tomorrow.

[Good Moleman To Robert]

i never understood the joke where the simpsons are in england and they see sir ian mckellen and whenever they say macbeth something bad happens to him.

Its considered bad luck to say Macbeth before a performance. They were just taking it to the extreme.

[TriforceBun]

Which episodes have Homer saying in a low, lustful voice, "Oh man...oh baby..." etc. I think it's a hilarious quote in the delivery, but I can't for the life of me remember where it's from.

[Adam R]

One "oh baby" is in War of the Simpsons, when it cuts to him eating a sandwich in bed after Bart says that you can't have any fun in bed.

[moneychair2003]

in "the two mrs. nahasapeemapetilions" homer says it after finishing eating his yodel.

[TheFlandersMan]

Which episodes have Homer going "OOOOOOOOHHHHH, DAMMIT!!!!" in a really loud voice. It's been bothering me all day, I just can't seem to remember.....


Oh, and there's also this one episode where Homer whispers something really stupid into someone's ear.

[Flimpson Tide]

Oh, and there's also this one episode where Homer whispers something really stupid into someone's ear.

Uhh...would that be Regarding Margie, where you think he's whispering to Marge about making love but she remarks something like, "You're telling me how to parallel park"?

Anyway, what is this "Powers of Ten" couch gag I'm hearing of in the couch gag thread? The only time the word "ten" is mentioned in the couch gag list on SNPP is the Tracy Ullman era gag involving ten Simpsons.

[Miguel Sanchez]

The Powers of Ten couch gag is from The Ziff Who Came to Dinner. There's a link to it at the bottom of the Wikipedia Powers of Ten page.

[Adam R]

For any admins that see this:

Why have the colours reversed for the sexy layout? It's not looking so sexy now. Also nice touch with the tagline on generic.