The Simpsons - 05/16/04 (1 Viewer)

[Michael Reuben]

Gentlemen, MatthewA has left the thread at my suggestion, and as I said before (and I'll quote it for emphasis):

Moving on includes not debating him further. On that basis, I've excised posts that continue to do so.

Move on. Seriously.

M.

 

[WillG]

I did acknowledge that there have been a few incidents. I believe that the Dixie Chicks have sold more records since that incident. That certain film with the distribution trouble will eventually get a release and make all the more money for the controversy. I don't think it's always conspiracy to silence the left, I think it's that most corporations don't want to be the subject of a controversy. It seems to be the rumblings of the left that has been causing that as of late. I think it could go either way if climates change. But, I don't want to stray far from the Simpsons episode and go onto tangents.

 

[Brent Hutto]

The ending was a little weak but up until about the last five minutes it may have been the best Simpsons of this season. From approximately "Stick me, Chuckles" to just past "Hitler City" it was a sustained level of funny that most shows only dream of.

Oh, and the Tom Brokow impersonation was spot on. If he ever actually says "ululation" on the NBC Nightly News we know what it will sound like.

 

[WillG]

I thought it was Tom Brokaw. I forgot to check the credits, but I thought I had read that he was slated to do a guest voice in this season.

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

That Brokaw impersonation was one of the funniest parts of this entire season. It was so good I thought it was actually him exaggerating his voice. This would be a good companion episode to the Clinton/Dole Treehouse of Horror episode, methinks.

 

[Rob P S]

Anybody know who "Nash Castor" was supposed to represent?

 

[Richard Kim]

This isn't the first time Brokaw appeared on the Simpsons. He appeared in The Sweetest Apu (DABF14 / SI-1314), spoofing his praise for "The Greatest Generation."

I believe Harry Shearer does the Brokaw imitation.

 

[Jason Walstrom]

Elmo Hanged himself in his cell. Lol!

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Is the cost of living in San Francisco that high?

 

[MickeS]

I thought it was a great episode. This subject is always topical, and especially so now. Some stuff was of course over the top, but it's The Simpsons, so what else is new? It's not like Brazil is overrun by monkeys either. It's called satire!

I saw the talk show host as being mostly Chris Matthews and Bill O'Reilly.

 

[Sam Favate]

Next week's show should also be topical -- it's about media consolidation, as Mr Burns buys up all the media outlets in Springfield, except Lisa's newspaper.

 

[Jeff Pounds]

Oh yes! That's one of my all-time favorites:

CLINTON AIDE/STEPHANOPOLUS (sp?): "Ummm... Mr. President, some of the voters are a bit confused why you and the Senator are walking around holding hands..."

KANG/CLINTON: "We are mearly exchanging long protein strings... if you have an easier way, I'd like to know!"

 

[PeterTHX]

Again, untrue. They may have been taken from select markets, but that was NOT the government doing it. What Natalie Maines said, IN ANOTHER COUNTRY (ironically the one we fought to gain our freedom of speech and independence from) was the issue. I found it annoying, but I expected no less from someone who attended Berkley College. I doubt the other Chicks were thrilled with her outburst.

I found this Simpsons episode below par. They have done far better political commentary.

 

[Sam Favate]

I wasn't implying it was the government that banned them. It was Cumulus Media, one of the largest owners of radio stations next to Clear Channel. If one or two corporations ban your work from the air, you might as well not exist. What the singer said anywhere (doesn't matter it was in another country) shouldn't result in banning. That's what free speech means. And let's be polite enough not to take swipes at colleges.

As for Moore, Disney may have said a year ago they didn't want to distribute the film, but it was only recently that word came down from Michael Eisner. That made it definitive.

I stand behind the Simpsons episode as topical and funny as hell.

 

[Brent Hutto]

"If one or two corporations ban your work from the air, you might as well not exist."

Actually, if one or two media corporations ban you from the air you won't make as much money. Speech is free. Art is art. Pop music is commerce.

"And let's be polite enough not to take swipes at colleges."

As if The Simpsons never takes swipes at colleges. Remember Lisa yelling "I Will NOT Be A Gamecock!" a couple seasons ago? That was after Homer offered to send her to any college she wants...in South Carolina. Great stuff.

The problem with the Berkely comment wasn't that it's a swipe at a college. It's that it wasn't funny.

"I stand behind the Simpsons episode as topical and funny as hell."

And how. I truly find it hard to believe that anyone who likes The Simpsons in general didn't find this one hilarious. I suppose we all have our sensitivities.

 

[WillG]

Well, here you have it. Personally, I found some the jokes to be funny, but if you are going to do a blatanly political episode, there are going to be many who are not going to find it very funny. I hope this is not going to be the Simpsons of the future. I wonder if they are trying to go the way of "South Park" for all the accolades they get for their topical episodes. Of course, "South Park" is able to create an episode with such little turnaround that what they are satirizing is still current. I find "South Park" to be more balanced politically when doing something topical. Maybe come February of next year, we'll start seeing the Janet Jackson jokes on "The Simpsons"

 

[Kwang Suh]

*cough* *cough*

Isn't this discussion getting rather "political"?

 

[TheLongshot]

Well, that's more making fun of their mascot, rather than the college.

Most of the swipes, so to speak, are pretty mild, and more refect Lisa's elitist attitude toward higher education.

I still enjoyed the Seven Sisters skit. It is funny because it is true.

While I do think the episode was a bit heavy handed, and it only plays to the lefties in the audience, I thought it was funny. Unfortunatly, the writers aren't quit as clever as the South Park writers, who manage to make political points without too much fuss...

Jason

 

[Brent Hutto]

Well, I found it pretty sidesplitting for at least 2/3 of the episode and the only people who would consider me a lefty probably live in a cabin somewhere out in Idaho awaiting the end of the world.

The Simpsons has always been an equal-opportunity offender, as far as I can tell. Especially in recent years the show specializes in unsubtle slap-in-the-face humor. The episodes that fail to entertain are the ones that try to get by on being offensive or outrageous rather than being funny AND outrageous. All IMO, of course.

Apu isn't funny because he's a stereotype of a person from India. He's funny because he's a stereotype of a person from India who says funny things like "Ummm, that is good adultery". Same goes for Cletus or Smithers or all the other stereotypes. They're only funny when they are given a funny script.

There seem to be at least three types of Simpsons fans. For one type (myself included), a given show is either funny or not without regard to what groups it offends. For others, it's only funny when it doesn't terribly offend anyone and the jokes are all at the expense of the individual cartoon characters in the show. The third group thinks it's funny except for the rare episode that picks on their own group or beliefs.

 

[Marvin]

Actually, I thought the donkey ripping off Bart's shorts was supposed to be a Janet Jackson joke. The ads for the show referred to it as a wardrobe malfunction.