The Simpsons
By Sean Tuohy
Author's note: Major thanks to Michael Foley, who jogged my memory while writing this piece and gave me a couple great laughs.
On Sunday nights, the boob tube in my house was normally turned to Fox and, like any decent American child of the 1990s, I was rolling on the floor laughing at "The Simpsons." The yellow skinned four-fingered family, made up of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and little Maggie, have in one way or another shaped the humor of all of us who love animation, television, and snappy writing. "The Simpsons" was one of the few things I shared with my father growing up, I have built lifelong friendships watching it, and the foundation of my humor was built upon it.
Much like Daniel Ford's ode to "Parks and Recreation," I wanted to come up with five jokes that best sum up the show's 20-plus years of humor. Let's get started before I have to moonwalk out of the band room playing my saxophone Lisa Simpson-style.
Zap!
Filmmaker John Waters guest starred in this romp of an episode as Homer's new best friend John, who happens to be gay. This episode is so un-PC and over the top and is a great showcase for makes "The Simpsons" so awesome.
Remember Which Lot We Parked In
Whenever I am in a parking lot of any kind I have to say this line. Have to!
Hello Everybody! Hi, Doctor Nick!
Why wouldn't you want the whacky Doctor Nick to take care of you? You would mostly likely die.
Gun!
I learned more about gun safety and gun control laws from this episode of television than I ever did watching CNN
Frogurt
Every Halloween you wanted two things: candy from strangers and to see the new Treehouse of Horrors.
So yeah, I have more than this. Stay tuned for Part 2, which I'll have finished as soon as I stop saying "excellent" and tenting my fingers à la Mr. Burns.
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