The Simpsons: A Journey Through Shit

[JamesTC]

Stewart Lee has let himself go (onto The Simpsons)

[Consignia]

I finally, due to a shared Disney+ account, got to the see the Homer taking medicinal weed episode which isn't on TV rotation. Despite being relatively old, and near some episode I actually like, it was bloody awful. Like the stuff being reviewed in this thread depths of despair.

[Pauline Walnuts]

Morrissey's management (and reading between the lines, almost certainly Morrissey himself) unamused by Moz parody in last nights episode:

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/morrissey-blasts-the-simpsons-for-hateful-and-hypocritical-parody-075837650.html

Don't blame him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyaAai9Se88

[Bernice]

Christ. Why does he sound like a bad Paul McCartney impression?

[idunnosomename]

So since he's scouse the only thing that makes it certain he's a largely a Morrissey parody is him being a fat racist at the end lol

[neveragain]

It's quite heartening to see Le Simps really dig into a celebrity these days. For years now it's seemed anyone with big money gets an automatic exclusion from criticism. (Yes, I'm still reeling from Elon Musk's episode.)

Also, a recently-aired-on-Sky episode called Wad Goals - plot: Bart becomes a caddy - was possibly the worst ever. Just boring from start to end, in way the show has never been. Like one of those old Warner Bros cartoons you might have on in the background as a child; you know it's meant to be funny but instead it's just there.

[ajsmith2]

I have to admit, the kerfuffle over this has to be the least manufactured Simpsons talking point (that didn't involve their own problematicness being questioned) in decades. Maybe because as you say neveragain, they actually stuck the boot into a celebrity rather than licking it for once and then he helped them by seeming to take genuine offence in the most risibly vain way imaginable.

I mean the obvious comeback would be for Moz to say something pithy about The Simpsons decline while not even lowering himself to comment on its content, it was right there for him to turn this around easy peasy, but instead he fumbles the ball and admits that he's mortally offended by being portrayed as an old fatso on a toothless and decrepit mainstream TV show, in the process multiplying its satirical effectiveness exponentially.

[idunnosomename]

i really find it difficult to side with the Simpsons here because even from those clips Lisa's character just seems totally wrong. but also Morrissey getting triggered by a terrible cartoon that should've stopped twenty years ago because showing him with his "belly hanging out" is basically racism is the funniest thing the show has caused in that time

[JamesTC]

Make Morrisey a regular character you cowards.

[ajsmith2]

Direct Morrissey response: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/19/morrissey-the-simpsons-parody-panic-on-the-streets-of-springfield

'Writing for the Simpsons, for example, evidently requires only complete ignorance. But all of these things are too easy for me to say. In a world obsessed with Hate Laws, there are none that protect me ... free speech no longer exists."

He just had to go there with the free speech cliche/non sequitur didn't he? Is he on a quest to be out-do modern Simpsons in banality with that rubbish?

[Mr Trumpet]

Make Morrisey a regular character you cowards.

Cancel The Simpsons, make a show about Morrissey being a chump

[JaDanketies]

Cancel The Simpsons, make a show about Morrissey being a chump

I reckon Matt and Trey could do an internet series.

[St_Eddie]

Direct Morrissey response: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/19/morrissey-the-simpsons-parody-panic-on-the-streets-of-springfield

The writer of the episode, Tim Long, previously told Variety that the character was not solely based on Morrissey. "I'm sticking by that. The character is definitely Morrissey-esque, with maybe a small dash of ... Ian Curtis from Joy Division, and a bunch of other people."

"A bunch of other people".  Disingenuous cunt.  The character is named Quilloughby, fronts a band named The Snuffs, holds the same views as Morrissey and sings the same way as Morrissey and looks like Morrissey.

That writer is a spineless, backpedaling little toad.

[Jumblegraws]

"A bunch of other people".  Disingenuous cunt.  The character is named Quilloughby, fronts a band named The Snuffs, holds the same views as Morrissey and sings the same way as Morrissey and looks like Morrissey.

That writer is a spineless, backpedaling little toad.

Eh? Backpedaling from what?

[Zetetic]

holds the same views as Morrissey

The words of a man looking to get sued by Quilloughby.

[popcorn]

Springfield is looking like a really nice place these days. All leafy.

[idunnosomename]

Stop the Simpsons
Stop the Simpsons
Stop the Simpsons
Stop the Simpsons
Stop the Simpsons Stop the Simpsons Stop the Simpsons
Stop the Simpsons Stop the Simpsons Stop the Simpsons

[banana]

Eh? Backpedaling from what?

From the truth that they wrote a character that plays off the currently fashionable negative image of Morrisey so they could look a bit cool.
They are obviously not a bit cool, but in fact a bit of a wuss, which makes the whole thing a little lame.

[banana]

The words of a man looking to get sued by Quilloughby.

Ha ha ha.

Morrisey seems to win the lawsuits when he challenges him about being 'a racist' - SKY and the NME as far as I know?

[St_Eddie]

Eh? Backpedaling from what?

From the fact that the character is clearly an exclusive stand-in for Morrissey.  Now that there's a bit of controversy around the episode, the writer is backpedaling by saying "well, the character is Morrissey-esque, I suppose, but there's also, um, maybe a small dash of... um, Ian Curtis from Joy Division?  And there's also, uh, um... a bunch of other people who I can't think of right now!"

It's disingenuous as all heck.  Hence, backpedaling.

[Jumblegraws]

From the fact that the character is clearly an exclusive stand-in for Morrissey.  Now that there's a bit of controversy around the episode, the writer is backpedaling by saying "well, the character is Morrissey-esque, I suppose, but there's also, um, maybe a small dash of... um, Ian Curtis from Joy Division?  And there's also, uh, um... a bunch of other people who I can't think of right now!"

It's disingenuous as all heck.  Hence, backpedaling.

I read the tone of that completely differently. The writer knows we know it's practically an ersatz Morrissey but isn't interested (as opposed to afraid) of a full on feud with the cunt so is doing a tongue-in-cheek downplaying of the transparency of the caricature. The stuff about elements of Morrissey's contemporaries being a part of the character is probably true.  Beyond not being arsed with a feud, why should he care about Morrissey kicking up a stink? The Simpsons have weathered far worse backlashes.

[JaDanketies]

I don't really expect my animation writers to release statements saying, "yeah fuck you Morrissey, we satirised you as a cunt because you are a cunt." No complaints about some wishy-washy statement about art being in the eye of the beholder and there being plenty of influences. I don't really see what would be so great about the Simpsons writer making a different statement; I don't think they need to condemn Morrissey any more than they did in the 20 minute episode.

[St_Eddie]

I read the tone of that completely differently. The writer knows we know it's practically an ersatz Morrissey but isn't interested (as opposed to afraid) of a full on feud with the cunt so is doing a tongue-in-cheek downplaying of the transparency of the caricature. The stuff about elements of Morrissey's contemporaries being a part of the character is probably true.  Beyond not being arsed with a feud, why should he care about Morrissey kicking up a stink? The Simpsons have weathered far worse backlashes.

But your scenario of the writer not being interested in having a full on feud with Morrissey is still backpedaling.  If you're gonna savagely mock someone in your show, then have the conviction to stand by that mockery.  That's why the writer is a spineless, backpedaling little toad.  He wrote a stand-in for Morrissey, probably hoped that Morrissey wouldn't say peep about it, was proved wrong and then instantly backpedaled on his original intent.

It doesn't matter what his motivation for backpedaling was, be it fear or disinterest in having a feud.  The fact is he's backpedaling.  If you're gonna cast a stone at someone and that person reacts by saying "oi, what did you chuck that stone at me for?", then don't be a disingenuous prick and say "oh, I was just aiming in your general direction and also at the people standing behind you".  It's slimy and cowardly.

[Bernice]

I think he should fight him like a man, the little slug.

[Jumblegraws]

@Eddie Nah, he doesn't owe Morrissey a justification and I don't think the writer should give the impression that every public figure they mock can expect to engage in a debate afterwards.

[St_Eddie]

@Eddie Nah, he doesn't owe Morrissey a justification and I don't think the writer should give the impression that every public figure they mock can expect a debate afterwards.

I'm not saying that the writer owes Morrissey a justification or that he ought to engage in a debate with him.  I'm just saying that he's backpedaling and being disingenuous.  Which he is.

The writer could have either declined to comment when the press reached out to him, or he could have said something to the affect of "The Simpsons has a rich history of satire and mockery.  The episode in question stayed true to that history".  Instead, he chose to backpedal and deny that the character was ever intended as a fully blown exclusive stand-in for Morrissey, even though it quite clearly was.

Next they'll be saying that Mapple isn't an exclusive parody of Apple but rather a general parody of all consumer technology products and that Steve Mobbs isn't a parody of Steve Jobs but rather a general parody of all CEOs of technology firms.  It's bullshit.

[Bernice]

Fuck me, they really did a Steve Jobs/Apple parody called Steve Mobbs/Mapple.

[St_Eddie]

Fuck me, they really did a Steve Jobs/Apple general parody of all CEOs and consumer technology products called Steve Mobbs/Mapple.

[lipsink]

He should've just said: "Well, he is a fucking cunt".

[madhair60]

I, for one, shall no longer be watching The Simpsons.