The Simpsons: Is There Any News They Don't Deliver?

Oh, Simpsons. Glorious, glorious Simpsons.

One of the true wonders of the show is the humor packed in largely for multiple viewers and more than likely for the writers themselves. Signs are absolute gems. But among the most brilliant of the humor comes in the headlines of The Springfield Shopper (and select other publications). Now 55 of the best of them have been compiled in a slideshow.




I just made your day a little (hell, a lot) better. You're welcome. Hat tip.

Bill James and the Simpsons

Over at SI.com Joe Posnanski analyzes Sunday night's Simpsons baseball episode, which cleverly took on the supposed sabermetrics-traditionalist divide.

Even in making fun of statistical analysis, the episode (inadvertently?) got at a larger truth: stealing bases is actually pretty dumb much of the time (not always, just much and possibly most of the time).

Worth Spending Your D'oh!

I have not yet read John Ortved's The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History, but it certainly looks like something I'd be interested in.

By the way, I don't know if I buy the idea that the new seasons are worse than the so-called golden age. Golden Age mythologies are almost always shallow and wrong, and what I find is that The Simpsons gets better with age -- episodes that at first don't blend with our idealized images of good Simpsons suddenly fit perfectly once blended into syndication.

That said, as far as favorite moments go, I would have to go with any number of Mr. Burns lines, such as when Mr. Smithers proposed that they go out for Chinese, and Burns replies, "Bah, those people are all gristle," or when, after losing an election for Governor Burns looks at the hoi paloi and remarks "Look at those slackjawed troglodytes, Smithers. Yet if I were to have them killed I'd be the one to go to prison."

Plus, I am not certain I could teach my classes without The Simpsons as a reference. The Simpsons: Is there anything it can't do?

Best. Episode. Ever. (Well, One of 'Em Anyway)

The Thunderstick sent me a heads up this morning alerting me to this Jim Caple article about one of the greatest Simpsons episodes of all time, "Homer at the Bat." The movie comes out tomorrow. I'll be the guy in line for the earliest showing at the Mayan Theater in San Antonio. Hopefully it'll be the Best. Movie. Ever.

More Simpsons

Courtesy of longtime reader Greg: "Doh! 180 Foot Homer Upsets Local Pagans." The movie event of the summer kicks off in ten days.

All Politics is Local: Simpsons Edition

In this global world I suppose it should not surprise me that I discovered that Springfield, Vermont will be hosting the premiere of the Simpsons movie from a South African newspaper, though the news initially was the result of a contest in USA Today (where you can click to see all of the video entries). I grew up about a half hour from Springfield, and played against them in sports, especially football (we beat them on a great defensive stop my senior year) and track (I won my first high school event at Springfield High my sophomore year; it seemed like we competed there three times a year). And now it is semi-world famous. In my mind this means Newport = Shelbyville (though I suppose in fairness Bellows Falls comes closest in geographic proximity and rivalry value to playing Springfield's foil).

The Simpsons Movie: The Countdown Begins

In honor of the pending release of the Simpsons Movie, which opens on July 27, The Sun provides "Top Simpsons Rib Ticklers." This is far from a complete list as with only one or two exceptions it sticks to the Simpsons themselves, avoiding the minor characters who make the show so great. Nothing from Mr. Burns, Apu, Krusty, Police Chief Wiggum? Only one from Moe? Nonetheless, it's time to start gearing up for the movie event of the summer.

My favorite Mr. Burns moment, by the way, is the following exchange after Burns loses the election for Governor:

Mr. Burns: This anonymous clan of slack-jawed troglodytes has cost me the election, and yet if I were to have them killed, I would be the one to go to jail. That's democracy for you.
Smithers: You are noble and poetic in defeat, sir.

Hat Tip for the link to the Thunderstick.