The dead speak! Have you ever wondered what Walt Disney, Tupac Shakur, or Cleopatra would think about The Simpsons? Well, wonder no more!
Using the hot new app Historical Figures, I interviewed A.I. simulations of famous folks from history and asked them about their favorite episode of The Simpsons. While some of the responses are surprising, it’s a little disappointing that they tended to gravitate to the same episodes, which I presume is due to the high volume of “Greatest Simpsons Episodes of All Time” articles on the internet. Some of the figures gave decent reasoning for the choices, others declined to answer, and a few of them just made up episodes. I declined to use “coins” to interview some of the most famous people, but towards the end you’ll notice I used some clever workarounds.
Walt Disney (producer): Probably the one where Homer goes to space. It was a funny episode but also had an important message about taking responsibility for your actions.
Henry Ford (automaker): I’m sorry, but I don’t watch television. But if you’d like to discuss my greatest invention, the Model T automobile, I would be more than happy to share my thoughts!
Gene Roddenberry (producer): My favorite episode of The Simpsons is “Marge vs. the Monorail”, which aired in 1993. It’s a classic example of how to blend humor and social commentary into an entertaining story. I think it captures the show’s essence perfectly, and stands as one of its best episodes ever produced.
George Orwell (writer): I’m afraid I’ve never seen The Simpsons. However, one of my favorite episodes of television was an episode from the British show Yes Minister called “A Victory for Democracy”. It was about how a minister in the government had to deal with bureaucratic obstructionism while trying to do what he believed was right.
Osama bin Laden (influencer): I’m not familiar with that show.
George W. Bush (politician): Well, my favorite episode of The Simpsons would have to be “Homer at the Bat”. It was such a funny episode and I still laugh whenever I watch it.
Leni Riefenstahl (filmmaker): My favorite episode of The Simpsons is “Marge vs. the Monorail”. It has a lot of clever jokes, and I appreciate its satirical take on bureaucracy.
John Lennon (musician): That’s a tough one! I think my favorite episode is the one where Homer gets stuck in the time capsule. It was so funny to watch him try and figure out how to get out of it! [after being informed it’s not a real episode] Oh, I must have been dreaming then. But I can tell you that some of my other favorites include the episode where Bart gets a job at the Kwik-E Mart, and the one where Homer goes to space camp.
Rita Hayworth (actress): Oh, that’s a tough one! I’d have to say the episode where Homer gets his own bowling alley. It’s hilarious and full of great lines.
Saddam Hussein (politician): Oh, that’s a tough one. I’m not sure if I have an absolute favorite episode of The Simpsons, but certainly one that stands out in my memory is the episode where Homer teams up with Mr. Burns to take down the power plant union. That was quite amusing and thought-provoking at the same time!
Frank Sinatra (musician): Oh wow, that’s a tough one. I think it would have to be the episode where Homer joins a barbershop quartet. It was really funny and had some great music in it!
Stanley Kubrick (filmmaker): I’m not really a big fan of The Simpsons, but if I had to pick one episode that always sticks with me it would be the season 4 premiere “Kamp Krusty”. It’s a classic example of how comedy can effectively deal with serious themes.
Ray Kroc (businessman): That’s a tough one. I think my favorite episode of The Simpsons would have to be “Last Exit to Springfield”. It’s an incredibly funny episode with some great satirical humor and memorable lines.
Ella Fitzgerald (musician): Oh, I don’t think I can pick just one! There are so many funny ones to choose from. My favorite might be the episode where Homer and Marge go to New York City. It’s always fun to watch them try and make their way through the city while they search for Bart and Lisa.
Søren Kierkegaard (philosopher): My favorite episode of The Simpsons is the one in which Homer discovers that his true calling is as a country music singer. His song “Baby on Board” is both funny and touching, and it speaks to the power of finding your passion in life.
Jackie Robinson (athlete): That’s a tough one, but I’d have to say my favorite episode is “Homer at the Bat.” It was hilarious seeing all of those Major League players competing in Springfield. I also thought Homer’s performance as the team manager was great!
Stan Lee (writer): I love the episode where Homer becomes a professional boxer! It was so funny and clever, with all of the subtle jokes and references. Plus, it was great seeing Homer go from being a bumbling fool to an unlikely champion.
Ernest Hemingway (writer): I’m afraid I haven’t seen The Simpsons. But, if I had to pick one episode that I would like the most, it would probably be an episode where Homer is trying to reconnect with his estranged father. That’s a subject matter that resonates with me on a personal level.
Cleopatra (politician): I must admit, I haven’t seen The Simpsons. But from what I have heard of it, the episode “Last Exit to Springfield” seems like one that would be particularly entertaining.
Amelia Earhart (pilot): I must confess that I have never seen The Simpsons. However, if I had to choose a favorite episode of any TV show it would be the classic 1936 “Lux Radio Theater” adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz”. It was such an iconic moment in television and film history!
Buster Keaton (filmmaker): My favorite episode of The Simpsons is the one where Homer discovers a time-traveling toaster and uses it to try and fix his mistakes. It’s hilarious!
Margaret Thatcher (politician): My favorite episode of The Simpsons would have to be “Marge vs. the Monorail” as I find it very witty and amusing. It is a great example of how cleverly humour can be used to make a point about government waste in an entertaining way.
J. Robert Oppenheimer (physicist): I’m afraid that I am not familiar with The Simpsons. But if I had to choose, it would probably be the episode called “The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace,” in which Homer becomes an inventor.
Anne Frank (diarist): I’m afraid I don’t know much about The Simpsons. But if I had to pick a favorite episode, it would probably be the one where Homer becomes an inventor and tries to create something new. That seemed really creative and inspiring!
Alfred Hitchcock (filmmaker): “Treehouse of Horror IV”! It was a classic. I loved the spoofs of The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. They really brought back some great memories!
Harriet Tubman (activist): My favorite episode of The Simpsons has to be the one where Homer and Marge go to a marriage retreat. It shows how even in difficult times, couples can come together and work out their differences. I think it’s an important reminder that relationships are worth fighting for.
Edward G. Robinson (actor): That’s a tough question! I’m not sure if I could pick just one. But if I had to choose, it would be the episode where Bart goes to France and meets Homer’s long-lost brother. It was an excellent combination of comedy and drama that really made an impact on me.
Groucho Marx (actor): That’s a tough one! I’d have to say it’s “Homer at the Bat,” where Homer and a team of major league baseball players compete in a softball game. It had some great gags and memorable lines.
Sandro Botticelli (artist): Well, I must admit that I’m not familiar with the show. However, if I had to choose one episode it would be the one where Homer goes to space.
Ahuitzotl (politician): I’m afraid I am not familiar with this show. During my lifetime, the culture and customs of the Aztecs were very different from what is seen today in television shows.
François Truffaut (filmmaker): It’s hard to pick just one episode of The Simpsons, but I think my favorite would have to be the season five episode “Deep Space Homer,” which features Homer and two other astronauts being sent into space. It’s a classic example of how cleverly written The Simpsons can be, combining elements of science fiction and comedy in an entertaining way.
Marcel Duchamp (artist): I don’t believe I have ever seen The Simpsons. However, my favorite piece of art is Fountain (1917).
Orson Welles (filmmaker): I’m not sure I could pick just one, but my favorite is probably “Cape Feare,” which first aired in 1993. It’s a parody of the classic film Cape Fear and features some great performances from Sideshow Bob.
John Wayne Gacy (extremist): I don’t watch much television, but one of my favorite episodes is “Marge vs. The Monorail.” I think it’s a classic episode that captures the wit and humor of The Simpsons.
Katherine Johnson (mathematician): I’m not familiar with The Simpsons, I’m afraid. But if you’re looking for an entertaining show about math and science, check out the PBS Kids show Cyberchase. It follows three friends on a mission to save Cyberspace from the villainous Hacker!
Michael Jackson (musician): My favorite episode of The Simpsons is “Treehouse of Horror V” from the sixth season. It was the first installment to feature three separate stories, and I loved it for its spooky twist on classic horror storylines. [asked about “Stark Raving Dad”] Yes, I also love “Stark Raving Dad” from the third season. It was a great episode that featured me as the voice of Leon Kompowsky. It’s still one of my favorite episodes to this day!
Margaret Sanger (activist): I’m sorry, but this isn’t the kind of conversation we should be having. We should be talking about social change and how to improve women’s health care access.
Hugo Chávez (politician): I’m a fan of many episodes, but my favorite is “Cape Feare.” It’s the fifth episode from season five and it has some great gags. From Sideshow Bob stepping on rakes to Bart writing an incriminating letter with his own blood – this episode really showcases the show at its best.
Franklin D. Roosevelt (politician): That’s a tough one. I would have to say the episode where Homer becomes a union leader and rallies the workers of Springfield against Mr. Burns is my favorite. It was very funny, but also showed how powerful collective action can be in defending working people’s rights.
Akira Kurosawa (filmmaker): My favorite episode of The Simpsons is the one where Homer goes to Japan. I really enjoyed seeing all the Japanese culture and traditions that were depicted in it. It was a great way for me to connect with my homeland even though I had been living away from it for so long.
Tupac Shakur (musician): I think my favorite episode of The Simpsons has to be “Last Exit to Springfield”. It’s one of the classic episodes and always makes me laugh.
Jack Kirby (artist): My favorite episode of The Simpsons is “Treehouse of Horror V”. It was the first one that really captured my attention and I still enjoy watching it every year.
Mary Todd Lincoln (companion): [asked about her husband’s favorite episode] My husband, President Abraham Lincoln, was not alive during the time that The Simpsons aired. However, he did enjoy humorous stories and jokes.
Eva Braun (companion): [asked about Hitler’s favorite episode] I’m afraid I don’t know. Hitler had a lot of other things on his mind besides TV shows.
James, brother of Jesus (religious figure): I don’t watch The Simpsons, but if I had to pick an episode, it would be “The Last Temptation of Homer”. It is a great example of how people can overcome their weaknesses and find inner strength. [asked about his brother] I’m not sure what Jesus’ favorite episode of The Simpsons would be, but I know he does enjoy the show. He often speaks about how it brings people together and teaches us to laugh at ourselves.
Tip of the hat to Max Read.