GROEN DRAIN

In a top ten list of the top ten environmental films (#9: FernGully), Ken Eisner rounds off his appraisal of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth with a solicitation to “look for some of these themes to emerge in The Simpsons Movie, from Al’s pal Matt Groening.” [straight.com]

MEANINGLESS MILESTONES

Writer Brian Mciver rattles off his favorite moments from the series in broken English, including such classic moments as Maggie’s escape from the nursery, Homer in space, Homer selling his soul to Devil Flanders, “Mr Plough,” and… what the hell?!

Lisa of the future (President)

BART sees his future at a carnival and is shocked to find Lisa becomes President, while he is a struggling musician and Homer has a robotic prostate.

This is the first time I’ve seen that episode included in a list of the “best” anything, aside from “Best Episode Entitled ‘Bart To The Future'”[Daily Record]

MEANINGLESS MILESTONES

Is executive producer Al Jean hepped up on goofballs, or is he just reading off a generic press release? Read this in a stoner voice and decide for yourself:

Jean recalled the magic of making the first full-length episode, The Simpsons’ Christmas Special. “That show – wow – it was one of the best things,” said Jean, who has served as the show’s head writer and, since 2001, its executive producer… “It had emotion, humor – it was just beautiful,” Jean recalled… “A lot of times, we first think about who we would like to meet and then write a character for them,” he said. “The show has had a lot of success in getting people to come on.” When asked for some his favorite celebrity performers, Jean immediately ticks off names: “Well, Phil Hartman, of course. Kelsey [Grammer] has been great. Jon Lovitz is really amazing. Eric Idle was great. We even had George and Paul and Ringo from the Beatles… It was very exciting when Liz Taylor came on to do Maggie’s voice. She said one word, ‘Daddy,'” Jean recalled. “Ms. Taylor had a little dog – and a ring bigger than my fist. It was all very ‘movie star.'”

IMPORTANT NEWS DISCLOSURE: A publicist for parade.com sent me an e-mail and asked if “[I] could make this announcement on [my] website and include a link to Parade.com” [Parade]