The General Discussion Lounge

[TheFlandersMan]

Has anyone noticed that in the Al Jean episodes Homer refers to himself as Jerkass Homer and is called Jerkass Homer by other people on the show. I think this is hilarious, but i had no idea that the simpsons people were so in tune with the fans. It also might be Scullys revenge and he is making fun of the fans when that happens on the show, I dont know if he still works for the simpsons though.

I'd say Jean's numerous "show is better than ever" remarks in addition to the past few years only proves to show that the Simpsons staff is hardly in tune with the fans. But that's just me.

[troy mclure]

And by fans you mean you. Well you just said that it is just you but remember The Simpsons is watched by millions of people and that millions of people aren't going to agree with you just because you think your opinions are great.

[Imperciph]

I'd say Jean's numerous "show is better than ever" remarks in addition to the past few years only proves to show that the Simpsons staff is hardly in tune with the fans. But that's just me.

What do you expect him to say ? "The show clearly sucks now, we're just in it for the money" ? Any TV show, like it or not, is produced primarily for money. It is first and foremost, a product. And one certainly will not publicly bad mouth his own product, even if he himself is aware of its actual quality. Any producer of a tv show rarely admits the failures of the show and even if he does, he does so when either a) the show itself is over or b) the season whose bad quality he acknowledges is a past season. No producer can be expected to be so honest that he will badmouth his own tv shows' current season and well, it is only fair.

Infact, the fact that the writers selected what was the most well-received episode (TSNES) by fans last season for the Emmy shows that they are aware of which episodes are of quality and which are not.

[DumHonkey]

Personally I think The Simpsons is just as entertaining as it ever was. It's just a matter of the type of humor used.

Early on it was like an abstract traditional sitcom, in the late 90's it was more irrevereant humor, and now it's the obscure slightly offensive humor.

The show has deffinately progressed with the times and I would argue, had it not changed, then it would have been cancelled by not.

The people complaining on NH.Net is not the voice of the fans as a whole. Just a representation of some of the people signed up on this forum.

I happen to think that Homer jumping the gorge was a great episode, but I also think that so was the XFiles episode, and also Goo Goo Gai Pan is great ("Maybe I am the world greatest chinese acrobat!" HA!). In my eyes, just different styles of comedy.

Jokes I am spited about "Die Pod", Weird Al's songs, Bart and Sideshow having a duet, and Homer Dancing in side Burns in a THoH.

4 complaints since 1989, I guess I just don't take it as serious as others.

[jackbergin]

What series is the episode where Homer tries to get cannabis legalized? It's one of the few newer episodes I actually like, and I've only seen it once.......Thanking you in advance noobs....

[Adam R]

We're "noobs"? Anyway, season 13.

[grissom]

Questions really belong in the Q&A thread. The episode is "Weekend At Burnsies" by the way.

And don't call us noobs.

[Nebuchanezzar]

I like being called a noob. It's just like another word for Simpsons nerd, essy dork etc.

[Captain Edwell]

I thought it meant "newbie."

[Nebuchanezzar]

Speaking of newbie's, we do seem to have an awful lot of newer members become active in GD in the past...month or so that I haven't noticed before.

[Reservoir Dog]

This guy is fast becoming my favorite recurring character on the simpsons. I always laugh when i see him. And i always crave his return. He is kind of like the Vaudeville Guy on Family Guy, you never know when he is going to show up but when he does you love it.

If anybody knows any episodes he is in please post them here, although I'm sure I've seen them all.

Another thing is that whenever I see him he has a different job, like an ice cream man or a prison guard or a waiter. I think he also said that he talks that way because he had a "strooooke".

Anyway his voice is done brilliantly by Dan Castellenta and it will never get old, so keep working him in simpsons writers, because I havent seen him for a while.


Let me end with saying "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!"

[Xt'Tapalatakettle]

The only time I can remember actually finding him funny was when Homer walked into Costington's dressed as a bum in Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore and he started going "Oh no, Oh no!" When Homer showed him the money, he says "Oh yes!"

Other than that, he's up there with Crazy Cat Lady and Bumblebee Man as my least favorite characters.

[grissom]

There are a ton of way better characters that deserve the title of best recurring. The yes guy is funny as a throwaway joke and in small doses, but he can be irritating.

Oh, and noob is definitely not another word for a Simpsons nerd.

[Dental Plan!]

Just an interesting stat- when the Simpsons reach 400 episodes, it would take you 5.6 days to watch all the episodes in one sitting, and that's without commercials.

[Mr Black]

^ That's quite something, not that I was ever planning to do that.

I'm expecting a good episode on channel 4 tonight.

[Reservoir Dog]

There are a ton of way better characters that deserve the title of best recurring. The yes guy is funny as a throwaway joke and in small doses, but he can be irritating.

Fine if you think that way who is your favorite recurring character?

[Barnyard]

i think it's cool that there is actually a whatbadgerseat.com

[Straka]

Recently I have noticed that there has been alot of swearing and "bad" words used. Are the Simpsons taking on a more mature look?

I for one don't like this. Now with the Simpsons losing alot of their 'funny', they are using lame jokes and swearing just to pass the time. I don't think we need that. Also alot of young kids watch it too, I watched the Simpsons alot in my childhood myself. Now the Simpsons have become vulgur from friendly.

[camelenchilada]

..no they haven't. all they've ever really said was "hell" and "damn" in variations, and on one occasion i can remember, they used "bitch". i haven't really noticed an increase of swears...maybe just me.

[Reservoir Dog]

I guess the censors have just gotten less restrictive about swearing.

By the way speaking of censors, I just saw the Moaning Lisa episode for the first time in a long time and I noticed "The Jazz Hole". Is that name supposed to be what i think it is?, because if it is, that is a little advanced for first season censorship.

[Imperciph]

The show has used words like "damn", "bitch" and even "fuck" as early as s2 and it has often resulted in some great jokes. Swearing is not something that the writers are coming up with because they are "losing the funny", it has always existed.

Oh Brother Where Art Thou :

Bart: So, any idea where this bastard lives?
Homer: Bart!
Bart: His parents aren't married are they? It's the correct word, isn't it?
Homer: I guess he's got us there.
Marge: Mmm...
Bart:[singing]Bastard,bastard, bastard, bastard, bastard, bastard bastard!

THOH IV :

Burns: [over the intercom] Welcome, come in. Ah, fresh victims for my ever-growing army of the undead
Smithers: Sir, you have to let go of that button.
Burns: Well, son of a bitch

Bart's Inner Child :

Kent Brockman : Folks are finally accepting their feelings and really communicating, with no holding back, and this reporter thinks it's about fucking time.

Two Dozen and One Greyhounds :

Bart: Aw. Me and Santa's Little Helper used to be a team, but he never wants to play any more since his bitch moved in.

Team Homer :

Homer: Yeah, Moe, that team sure did suck last night.They just plain sucked! I've seen teams suck before, but they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked.

Home Sweet Home- Diddily- Dum- Doodily

Homer: We leave you the kids for three hours and the county takes them away?
Abe: Oh, bitch, bitch, bitch.

Bart The Lover had a full subplot which involved Homer trying to give up excessive swearing.

And this one is my favorite gag involving an expletive :

Homer: Kids, would you step outside for a second?
[the kids run out]
[standing up] F --
[a church organ plays a chord; birds fly away; everyone stops]
Ned: Dear Lord! That's the loudest profanity I've ever heard.

[camelenchilada]

i'm guessing they bleep out "fucking" from brockman in bart's inner child?

[Reservoir Dog]

Didnt he say F'ing

[Mr Black]

In TOH VIII OFF appear in the Jerry Springer show and they turn out to hand out the "fucks" in that one quite a lot, but I think they were supposedly making fun of shows like that.

[grissom]

Fine if you think that way who is your favorite recurring character?

Apu, Mr. Burns, Comic Book Guy, Flanders, Chief Wiggum.

And I wouldn't say that the swearing on the show has gotten any worse. I actually notice less swears in newer episodes. And even if they did swear more, who cares? The Simpsons isn't supposed to be a kids show. I hate it when people get pissed off because there's a swear or a sex reference in an episode. It's not a childrens cartoon to begin with, if you want your kids to watch it, you should be aware that there might be some content in there you think is inappropriate.

[Kiyosuki]

It may not have ever been a cartoon meant for kids, but a lot of kids sure loved it and probably still love it. I can attest to that.

Maybe that says something about dumbing down things "for the kids" too much...

[Reservoir Dog]

Well the dumming down is less for the kids and more for the parents

[Postmaster]

Not really I mean the odd use of the word bitch or bastard is hardly going to be shocking and exciting to an adult. Simpson's is incredibly tame compared to other stuff that's out there, only very young children could be excited by the language.
But I'm with Grissom, I really don't think the language has got notably stronger, TSNES may have been the first example of a character calling another character a Bitch without their being any twist on it, but that's about it.

[BrideofMoleman]

Hell, I still clearly remember Fuzzy Bunny Guide to You-Know-What from when I was a kid. I was so damn curious as to what exactly she was faking...

Didn't The Simpsons used to be controversial among parents because of its testyness (at the time at least)? It's surprising how Bart's language at the time was considered vulgar and now we have good ol' Eric Cartman. I remember several of my friends' parents wouldn't allow them to watch The Simpsons as well. I believe one of the same parents allowed her daughter to smoke a few years later. I suppose I could see there point, I was influenced by The Simpsons on several occasions when I was young (such as, telling my friend My Cats Name was Mittens and giving my mom the kiss of death to see if it was real and then was upset the entire day after my sister told me my mom was going to die).

Homer: We leave you the kids for three hours and the county takes them away?
Abe: Oh, bitch, bitch, bitch.

Its not in its cuss form there, though

[Adam R]

Hell, I still clearly remember Fuzzy Bunny Guide to You-Know-What from when I was a kid. I was so damn curious as to what exactly she was faking...

Heh, same. It's fun to finally get these jokes when you're older. I remember in I Married Marge literally going "oh my god, did they just do that?!" at the free game joke when I was watching it on DVD after not having seen it since I was young.