The aloof creator of The Simpsons will be appearing in an upcoming issue of Playboy! Here is a funny quote:
As a parent, Groening says, “I’m the dad I wished I had. I try to let my kids have a good time.” His reward? “[My kids] tell me I’m not funny anymore. … My son said he wishes [‘Family Guy’ creator] Seth MacFarlane were his father.”
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]
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]
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]
If all goes as planned, the convenience store chain plans to refit 11 stores across the U.S. — Richmond is an unlikely choice — to resemble the front of the Kwik-E-Mart, the convenience store that Homer and other characters frequent in the classic cartoon TV series.
Customers also will be able to buy products inspired by the nearly two-decades-old show, including KrustyO’s cereal, Buzz Cola and iced Squishees (the cup says Squishee, but the contents will be Slurpee).
Here’s the best quote:
Spokeswoman Margaret Chabris said contracts on the promotions have not been signed with movie studios. She didn’t give any further details, saying the company will release more information in coming weeks.
“We’ve done research, and research shows us that our customers like . . . movies, so we’re getting involved with some major studios on some of their properties this summer,” she said.
Wow 7-11 has a crack research department [Richmond Times-Dispatch]
iF: For everyone who worked on [Futurama], it’s been off the air much longer, since Fox had a whole season left in the can to air once production had stopped.
GROENING: That’s the nature of animation. When the SIMPSONS finally ends, there will probably be another season and we’ll do a long farewell tour and wave to people.
WHEREVER YOU GO IN THE WORLD THERE IS ONE FAMILY THAT EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT
NOW THE SIMPSONS ARE TAKING ADVENTURE FURTHER THAN EVER BEFORE
THEY’RE A FAMILY THAT LOVES EACH OTHER… THEY JUST HAVE A “FUNNY” WAY OF SHOWING IT
*”What I Like About You” plays in background*
Fox-owned IGN steps in to settle the fight nobody cares about anymore, Simpsons vs. Family Guy! I didn’t read any of it, but if you want to look at a bunch of pictures of nerds and read their analyses of the two cartoon shows, then be my guest. [IGN]
[Zap2it]