Top 10 Times The Simpsons ROASTED Politics

“Sideshow Bob Roberts”

First appearing in the episode “Sideshow Bob Roberts,” this rotund conservative pundit was a parody of the late controversial radio host Rush Limbaugh. Barlow was the host of a local radio station in Springfield who worked tirelessly to make sure that Sideshow Bob became mayor of the town. Like with Limbaugh, Barlow’s politics turn off a lot of people, but they manage to appeal to regular joes like Homer for some “mysterious” reason. In portraying the character, Harry Shearer gets down Limbaugh’s mannerisms and cadence and his over-the-top bombast.

“Bart vs. Australia”

Occasionally, “The Simpsons” makes fun of politics in countries other than the United States, with Australia being a notable example. In “Bart vs. Australia,” the government of Australia was shown in a less than flattering light. A member of parliament was a pig farmer with a coarse blue-collar accent, and the prime minister was a hick drinking a beer while floating in the middle of a pond. This insulting depiction was no doubt one of the many reasons why the people of Australia took issue with the episode when it first aired.

“Sideshow Bob Roberts”

If there’s one person who shouldn’t be in public service, it’s Sideshow Bob. That’s mainly because of his attempts to murder Bart Simpson, among others. This doesn’t stop Springfield from voting Bob as mayor, and unsurprisingly, he abuses his power. Later, it’s revealed that Bob rigged the election by having dead people vote for him, which prompts the maniacal mayor to go on a tirade about how people clamor to be ruled by right-wing tyrants. Kelsey Grammer, who voices Bob, is a real-life conservative, and it’s fun to watch the actor satirize his own political views.

“Much Apu About Nothing”

When Springfield votes on a proposition that would get rid of illegal immigrants, Apu finds himself in trouble as he’s been living in the US without documentation. The whole episode focuses on Apu’s plight as an undocumented immigrant and the struggles and prejudice that immigrants face. Fortunately, Apu is able to pass the citizenship test and be naturalized before the proposition passes. Much has been said about how “The Simpsons” uses Apu as the butt of jokes, but this episode makes Apu a fuller character, giving him more depth.

“Treehouse of Horror VII”

In the “Treehouse of Horror” segment “Citizen Kang,” Kang and Kodos kidnap Bill Clinton and Bob Dole, impersonating the two presidential candidates. Trying to pass off as human, the pair nevertheless exhibit odd behavior. But the highlight has to be Clinton’s speech at the debate where the soaring rhetoric gets absurd. The speech manages to be generic as a traditional politician stump speech, but also goofy because of its inhumanity. Bill Clinton is a great target for political satire, which “The Simpsons” frequently made fun of.

“Politically Inept, with Homer Simpson”

After a video of Homer ranting goes viral, he becomes a talking head on a cable news network and eventually gets his own show called “Gut Check.” Unsurprisingly, Homer’s show focuses more on over-the-top delivery than it does substantive content. However, Homer’s everyman shtick resonates with audiences enough that the Republican party lets him pick their presidential candidate that year. His choice is none other than rightwing eccentric Ted Nugent in a hilarious guest spot. “Gut Check” is a spot-on parody of over-the-top political rhetoric that was popular at the time with political hosts like Glenn Beck.

“Bart to the Future”

A casino manager gives Bart a peek into the future where Lisa becomes president, but her presidency is full of hardships. The country is heavily in debt with creditor nations demanding their money, and Bart makes things harder when he moves into the White House. The episode has lots of jabs at US politics, but perhaps the most noteworthy gag was the unwittingly accurate prediction that Donald Trump would one day become president himself. Given the trillions of dollars of debt the US is in, this could be the country’s future.

“The Cartridge Family”

This episode explores the Second Amendment in gun culture in America, making fun of how easy it was for someone like Homer to get a gun and his irresponsible gun ownership. Homer and Marge end up having a large disagreement over whether a gun makes you safer or exposes your family to more danger. The episode wasn’t entirely anti-gun, but was able to poke fun at the subject. One of the funniest parts of the episode was Homer frantically waiting for his background check to clear while Tom Petty’s “The Waiting” is overheard in the background.

“Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish”

In this classic episode from Season 2, the billionaire power plant mogul makes his gubernatorial bid after the state government issues hefty fines for regulatory violations. C. Montgomery Burns doesn’t have a natural personality for politics. So his campaign staff has to be creative to make him presentable. The whole episode points out how fake the performative arts of politics are as Mr. Burns uses every opportunity to pivot to his campaign rhetoric. The ending where Marge ruins Mr. Burns’s prospects was a nice heaping helping of karma.

“Two Bad Neighbors”

This moment stems from a previous dispute between George H.W. Bush and “The Simpsons.” President Bush called out the animated family in a political speech, and the show decided to return the favor by dedicating an episode to Poppy. In the episode, the Bushes move next door to the Simpsons, but unfortunately for Mr. Bush, Bart antagonizes him endlessly, starting a feud between the families. The episode makes fun of Bush’s reputation for being reserved and uptight, essentially turning him into Mr. Wilson from “Dennis the Menace.” The fight between Bush and Homer at the end of the episode is nothing short of epic.

What’s your favorite political moment from “The Simpsons?” Let us know in the comments.