25 random facts about The Simpsons

Everyone probably knows of The Simpsons. They are your average, every day dysfunctional family that puts the "fun" in "dysfunctional". But, unlike on shows like Family Guy or American Dad, The Simpsons are not irreverent, they always end on a good note, they always end up doing the right thing, even if it's in an unusual way and they never offend anyone on the basis of race or ethnicity, like on Family Guy, where you might see someone exhibiting a British stereotype or something. So, here are some cool facts about The Simpsons

1
-Creator Matt Groening named the characters after people in his own family, but substituted his name for "Bart"

2
-The characters yellow skin was designed to catch the eye of those who like to channel surf

3
-Danny Elfman composed the music for the show in only 3 days

4
-The town's name, Springfield, was named for a generic reason, as there are so many Springfields in the U.S.

5
-TIME Magazine named the show the Best TV Show of the 20th Century

6
-Bart is voiced by a woman named Nancy Cartwright

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

-In Season 2, Dustin Hoffman has a speaking role as Lisa's substitute teacher, Mr. Bergstrom. He wasn't sure about being identified with a cartoon show at the time, so he chose the name "Sam Etic" in the closing credits. This is a play on the word Semitic, essentially stating that both he and Mr. Bergstrom are of Jewish descent

8
-Near The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios there are versions of Duff Beer

9
-In the early 1990s, schools banned Bart Simpson t-shirts, fearing he was a bad role model

10

-Groening says this about Krusty The Klown "The satirical conceit that I was going for at the time was that 'The Simpsons' was about a kid who had no respect for his father but worshiped a clown who looked exactly like his father"

11
-The University of California-Berkeley has course on The Simpsons

12
-During a speech in 1992, then president George H.W. Bush said "We are going to keep on trying to ... make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons". Then the writers for the show rushed a segment where Bart says "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too"

13

-Harry Shearer, who voices millionaire Montgomery Burns, modeled his voice after Ronald Reagan

14
-An episode that aired in 2003 listed Homer's email address as ChunkyLover53@aol.com. And when one of the episodes writers, Matt Selman, signed up for the address, he found it filled to 999-message limit

15
-This show earned Anne Hathaway for a voice over performance

16

-When Groundskeeper Willie describes the French as "cheese-eating surrender monkeys", it was used in 2003 after France opposed the invasion of Iraq

17
-During the fourth season, Elizabeth Taylor voiced Maggie and uttered one word- Daddy

18

-During the third season episode "Stark Raving Dad", which was about Homer getting sent to a mental institution, spoofing the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Michael Jackson guest starred as a mental patient

19
-In 2010, elusive street artist Banksy created an opening for the show involving children and animals slaving in a hellish unground sweatshop producing Simpsons memorabilia

20

- Actor Hank Azaria voices over 16 of the show's characters. including Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu, Police Chief Wiggum, Moe the Bartender

21
-Exiled WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange guest starred as himself in an episode in season 23

22

 -The Simpsons Movie, which debuted in 2007 and was a major hit, was planned as a musical

23
 -Homer's signature phrase D'oh! was added to the Oxford English Dictionary

24
-Some of the celebrities who have turned down opportunities to guest star include: Michael Caine, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Anthony Hopkins

25
-Al Jean, one of the show's producers, says that if the show ever ends, he wants the final episode to end with the arrival of the Christmas Pageant from the final scene of the pilot episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", thus looping the whole show