Top 10 Dark Truths About The Simpsons
#10: Fox Reluctant to Say “Gay”
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While Smithers’ feelings for Mr. Burns have always been evident, “Homer’s Phobia” was the show’s first episode to directly tackle LGBTQ+ themes. Homer is initially homophobic towards a gay man named John, but the episode takes a clear stance against prejudice and ignorance with room for plenty of laughs. Although it’d win an Emmy and GLAAD Award, the episode almost didn’t air due to censorship. The showrunners received two pages of notes with the use of the word “gay” being the main point of contention. The censors deemed the episode “unacceptable for broadcast.” Thankfully, the censors were replaced following a change of leadership at Fox. The new censors accepted “Homer’s Phobia,” which aired not long before “Ellen’s” “Puppy Episode” and the debut of “Will & Grace.”
#9: Clashing Over “Critic” Crossover
Branching off from “The Simpsons,” writers Al Jean and Mike Reiss created “The Critic” with James L. Brooks as a producer. Following a swift cancellation at ABC, “The Critic” was given a second life on Fox. What better way to commemorate Jay Sherman’s new home than with a “Simpsons” crossover? Well, Matt Groening was critical. Not only did he think it was a gimmicky commercial for a struggling show, but he feared audiences would think he created “The Critic.” When getting the episode pulled didn’t work, Groening had his name removed and publicly criticized Brooks. Mr. Brooks was “furious” with Groening, saying, “Certainly he’s allowed his opinion, but airing this publicly in the press is going too far.” “The Critic” ended shortly after. That stinks!
#8: The Reason for Maude Flanders’ Death
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Maggie Roswell isn’t the only “Simpsons” voice actor to clash with the network over compensation, although her negotiations had the most infamous outcome. The voice of Maude asked for her rate to be raised from $2,000 per episode to $6,000 per episode. This wasn’t due to ego, but because Roswell was flying from Denver to L.A. for line recordings. Her salary didn’t cover travel expenses, but Fox only offered her $150 extra. Roswell quit and the writers decided to address Maude’s absence by killing her off. This would be one of the most contentious moments in the show’s history. Even Mike Reiss agreed when a critic said, “Killing Maude was a sin.” Roswell later returned, but there was no resurrecting Maude (officially).
#7: The Adoption Joke That Writers Regret
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There are only a handful of jokes that the writers might take back if they could. One of them occurs in the classic episode “Homer’s Triple Bypass.” Going into surgery, Homer tries to express his love for his children, but he struggles to find the right words. An otherwise heartfelt scene takes a grim turn when Barts jokingly tells Homer to inform Lisa that she’s adopted. According to Mike Reiss, James Brooks pitched this line. Reiss also recalled the “Simpsons” team receiving angry feedback from parents of adopted children. The idea of an adopted child finding out that their parents don’t like them is honestly horrifying. Parents made this abundantly clear to the “Simpsons” team with Reiss acknowledging that the joke probably crossed a line.
#6: Waltons vs. Simpsons
Considering what other animated shows get away with now, it’s hard to believe that “The Simpsons” was once seen as TV’s most rebellious program. So rebellious that it caught the attention of then-President George H.W. Bush, who said that American families should be more like the Waltons than the Simpsons. The crew swiftly responded with an opening addressing Bush’s comment and the country’s financial situation. Whether or not this contributed to Bush’s failed re-election, “The Simpsons” weren’t done with the 41st. A few seasons later, Bush moves across the street from the Simpsons, receiving a brutal beating from Homer and an even more savage takedown of his political career. Decades later, we all know the Simpsons, but how many people talk about the Waltons?
#5: Sam Simon’s Exit
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Matt Groening created “The Simpsons,” but the show wouldn’t be what it is today without co-developers James Brooks and Sam Simon. Simon felt that Groening and Brooks got a lot more credit for the show’s success with his contributions going overlooked. People like Brad Bird would attest that Simon was the show’s “unsung hero.” As tensions rose, Simon left Gracie Films, although he retained his executive producer credit. He’d also receive a salary of more than $10 million annually until his death in 2015. Despite this contention, the team ended on better terms with Groening and Brooks honoring Simon after his passing. Taking his income into account, Simon said before his death, “I’ve gone from getting too little credit for ‘The Simpsons’ to too much.”
#4: The Joke That Had to be Altered
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Once an episode airs, the “Simpsons” crew will rarely go back and modify a joke. They were compelled to do so with Season 4’s “Marge Gets a Job,” however. Mrs. Krabappel lists all the excuses that Bart has come up with to get out of tests, including Tourette’s syndrome. Bart then proceeds to imitate someone with Tourette’s. Many were offended by this, including a boy named Joshua Smith, who insisted that the episode not be re-aired, that Bart befriend somebody with Tourette’s, and that Bart apologize. While most of these requests went unfulfilled, Mike Reiss apologized, saying it was “a mistake.” For repeats, the line would be changed from Tourette’s to rabies, which is ironic since Bart is attacked by a wolf in the episode.
#3: Tracey Ullman Seeks Royalties
Despite all the acclaim “The Tracey Ullman Show” garnered, it’s best remembered for the original “Simpsons” shorts. Ullman was offered the role of Marge, but due to her schedule, cast member Julie Kavner lent her voice. According to producer Ken Estin, Ullman wasn’t thrilled with the shorts “because she didn’t think they were the quality of her show.” Ullman nonetheless would make a guest appearance when “The Simpsons” became a series. Not long after, though, Ullman pursued legal action against the show, claiming she was entitled to more than $2.25 million. The courts ruled in “The Simpsons’” favor, finding that Fox paid Ullman $58,000 in royalties and another $3 million for her show. Ullman was “very disappointed,” but has since joked about it.
#2: The Troy McClure Movie That Never Was
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Phil Hartman voiced various “Simpsons” characters, most notably incompetent lawyer Lionel Hutz and fish-loving actor Troy McClure. Hartman was especially fond of McClure, even showing enthusiasm for a live-action movie based on the character. Apparently, this was only an idea that didn’t get far beyond the conception stages. We’ll never know what could’ve been, as Hart’s life was cut tragically short on May 28, 1998. His wife, Brynn Omdahl, murdered Hartman in his sleep before taking her life. Hartman had already recorded his lines as McClure in Season 10’s “Bart the Mother,” which aired four months later. It would be the last time we heard Hartman on the show with his characters being retired out of respect. Nobody can replace Hartman in live-action or animation.
#1: “Stark Raving Dad” Pulled
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In Season 3, Homer befriends a Michael Jackson soundalike voiced by John Jay Smith. It was eventually confirmed that Smith was the real Jackson, although Kipp Lennon provided the character’s singing voice. Following Jackson’s death, Fox re-aired “Stark Raving Dad” and the music video “Do the Bartman,” which Jackson also worked on. At the time of his death, Jackson was already a controversial figure. Yet, it wasn’t until “Leaving Neverland” came out a decade later that the creators decided to remove the episode from circulation. While still available in some forms, you won’t find it in syndication, on the DVD reprint, or on Disney+. Since then, an “MJ” musical has come out with a biopic in the works, but “Stark Raving Dad” remains locked away.
