“Cartoon star Homer Simpson has been named as the favourite US TV character among UK viewers, according to an opinion poll. In the poll, carried out by listings magazine Radio Times, 38% of viewers voted for Homer, the father in the cult series The Simpsons. In second place with 14% was Frasier Crane of the comedy series Frasier, while Rachel from Friends, came third with 10% of the votes. The Simpsons recently celebrated its 300th episode after 13 years on screen. Its success has made global icons of its dysfunctional family, in particular dumb dad Homer. In another question, viewers said they considered the programme content on 24-hour news channel CNN to be most representative of the American people. In second place came Friends and The Simpsons trailed in at number three.” Read More >>>
Author: Adam
Yeardley’s One-Woman Show
Yeardley Smith, best known for voicing Lisa Simpson on the FOX-TV hit “The Simpsons,” will workshop her new one-woman show at Joe’s Pub. On June 13 at 7 PM, Smith will present a reading of her new show, which is titled The Good Life. Developed through Voice & Vision’s ENVISION Lab, The Good Life follows the actress’ comic journey both in and out of show business. Born in Paris, France, Yeardley Smith has been seen on the small screen in “Herman’s Head,” “The Tracey Ullman Show,” “Brothers” and “Dharma & Greg.” Her feature film credits include “City Slickers,” “Jackie Toothless” and “As Good As It Gets.” More Info >>>
Flaunt It, Baby!
“In an early episode of The Simpsons, Krusty the Clown is invited to dinner and says grace in Hebrew. “He’s talking funny talk,” says Homer. Lisa points out that Krusty is Jewish. Homer is incredulous. “A Jewish entertainer? Get out of here!” The whole programme turns out to be a strange meditation on the history of Jewish entertainers in the US. Bart and Lisa are trying to reunite Krusty (real name Hershel Krustofsky) with his father, Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, who disowned Krusty when he gave up the rabbinate to become a clown. “A musician or a jazz singer, this I could forgive,” the rabbi tells his son. “But a clown!” This parody of The Jazz Singer is given a further twist because Rabbi Krustofsky is played by comedian Jackie Mason, who himself trained to be a rabbi. The history of Jewish entertainers in America, from The Jazz Singer to The Simpsons, is examined at New York’s Jewish Museum.” Read More >>>
No More Simpsons Folder
If you’ve visited The Simpsons Folder recently, you’d have noticed at first a photo of a locked door, followed by a ‘not found’ page, and now a 403 ‘forbidden’ error. I spoke to Jukka, seven-year owner of the page and he informed me that the site would not be returning. A number of factors are involved, but the closure is mainly due to personal reasons involving life. It’s a shame to see this once-huge website disappear without a trace, but that’s the way of evolution. Jukka has left the building.
There’s a new site online called The Blunder Years. Shows some promise but could do with some work.
Cast Interviews A Treat
Bravo Canada will again be screening The Simpsons: Inside The Actors Studio today at 5pm. If you missed the special previously, now’s your chance to see it. Canoe News has posted a related article today to accompany the rerun.
“Inside the Actors Studio, the academic interview series hosted by Saturday Night Live and Mad TV target James Lipton, welcomes the six principle voice actors for the show. “I dealt with them as six individuals,” says Lipton, who spent an incredible five hours on stage with the Springfield players. Nobody in the audience left. Little wonder. The studio audience, as ever, is filled with college students studying acting, writing and directing –in other words, adoring Simpsons’ fans.” Read More >>>
Treehouse Of Horror DVD
While we wait ever-so-patiently for the Season sets to slowly come to us, Fox has decided to trick us with a Halloween treat. A special Treehouse of Horror DVD comes to North America on September 2nd. The disc is a compilation of various Simpsons Halloween specials, and has been available in Regions 2 (United Kingdom And Europe) and 4 (Australia) since October last year.
Halloween specials XII, VII, VI, and V are included, as well as a bonus video montage of Kang and Kodo’s finest moments. For further details, see Australia’s EzyDVD description. Price is $14.98 American, $16.98 Canadian, though someone at SCS has found it available for $7.18 when pre-ordered.
D’oh Sweet Home
“Bob Socci has been the Albuquerque Isotopes’ play-by-play announcer for three months, and still he thinks the team’s nickname is funny. And why not? After all, it comes from one of television’s funniest shows. When you’re a new franchise trying to earn recognition in an established Triple-A baseball league, like the Pacific Coast League, you need a gimmick. The Albuquerque franchise took marketing to a new level when it adopted the name of Homer Simpson’s favorite baseball team. Hence, the Isotopes were born. The name comes from a March 2001 episode of the The Simpsons, the long-running Fox cartoon series. In the segment, entitled “Hungry, Hungry Homer,” Homer Simpson foils a plan to move his favorite baseball team, the Springfield Isotopes, to Albuquerque. The name also refers to New Mexico’s involvement in scientific research and the atomic bomb.” Read More >>>
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Pocket Rage Advance
“The Game Boy Advance version of The Simpsons Road Rage, developed by Altron and published by THQ, is due in exactly one month, on 4th July. The game is very much like its console brothers, and sees you take on the role of one of 15 taxi driving Simpsons characters, though ten of those need to be unlocked. The four modes of play are Road Rage, which charges you with making as much money as possible in a time limit, mission mode, with ten specific tasks, a practice mode going by the name of Sunday Drive and a head-to-head mode.” This is the first Simpsons game to appear on Game Boy Advance. You can see in-game screenshots at Game Asylum.
Simpsons Includes Hispanics
“While preparing for a night out on the town with his wife, Marge, Homer Simpson hummed a tune to himself while wiggling his rather rotund bottom around his bathroom. The tune? It was “Patricia,” an instrumental from 1958. Homer’s gyrations were actually that Spanish-influenced dance craze of the ’50’s — the Mambo. Who would have figured that Homer and his freaky family would turn out to be some of the most Hispanic-friendly characters on U.S. television? The show has included Hispanics in its humorous references almost since the day the characters first aired in 1989. Most “Simpsons” fans remember that episode as the one where Homer and Marge hire the “Baby Sitter Bandit,” but I remember it because of that throwaway moment when I first realized “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening was capable of coming up with the most obscure references.” Read More >>>
Homer: Foul-Mouthed Parrot
“The owners of an escaped wolf-whistling parrot who is said to behave like Homer Simpson have appealed for help finding him. The missing African grey parrot flew off from his Suffolk home on Saturday. He’s named Homer and continuously chants expletives and the phrase “Homer, stop it!” Homer is grey in colour with white around the eyes with a red tail. He likes to watch television, particularly the US cartoon show. “We always watch the Simpsons and when we go out, we usually leave the TV on for him, particularly when the Simpsons is on. He could have got anywhere by now,” said his owner Emma Robinson, 23. In addition to the three bad swear words he knows, Homer’s vocabulary also contains the words hello, goodbye, get off, as well as a tuneful rendition of the Addams family theme, which co-owner Paul Mead has taught him. Mr Mead says he misses Homer and that his home is too quiet without the bird.” Read More >>>
Reiss Brings Laughs To Drexel
“Mike Reiss, a producer for The Simpsons and creator of The Critic, visited Drexel’s campus May 23. After spending the day meeting with students and professors, his visit culminated with an hour-long lecture in the Patten Auditorium. At the event, Reiss shared information about his career while keeping the audience in stitches. He talked about his Harvard roots, his experience working on The Critic, and his 15 years of writing for The Simpsons.” Read More >>>
Is Your Dad Like Homer?
How does a V.I.P. trip for four to Hollywood to visit a recording session of The Simpsons sound? If you are a resident of Canada and have a father that reminds you of Homer Simpson, then it can be yours. Global and Zeller’s Father’s Day promotion in conjunction with canada.com asks kids and adults to explain in 50 words or less, why their old man is a Duff beer-drinking, doughnut-eating doofus just like Homer. The best entries will then be judged by readers of the website in order to find the most deserving winner. The contest starts tomorrow and ends on June 27th. To enter, you can pick up a form at your local Zellers or at Canada.com. Runners up can receive 1 of 22 limited edition Simpsons animation cells or 1 of 314 inflatable Homer Simpson pool chairs. Further details are available at the official contest website.