What’s the Comic Book Guy’s real name?
The writers specifically picked a really generic name for the Comic Book Guy to make audience members mad. Matt Groening initially wanted him to be called Louis Lane, but he wasn’t around when the writers finally picked one.
Who is the only character in The Simpsons with five fingers?
If you look closely during Homer's vision of God in the episode "Homer the Heretic," you'll notice that God, while being a large, bearded man with "Perfect teeth. A nice smell. A class act all the way," he also has the usual five fingers on his hand.
Who provided the voice for Maggie in the episode “Lisa’s First Word”?
Though Maggie only says a single word —“Daddy”—they somehow got Elizabeth Taylor herself to provide it. Apparently, they made her do many takes to get it just right and she got extremely frustrated.
Who sang the song “Happy Birthday, Lisa”?
Bizarrely, though Michael Jackson provided his voice for a character in the episode “Stark Raving Dad,” and though he wrote the song, he had a Michael Jackson impersonator sing the lyrics for the episode. When asked why, he said it was a joke on his brothers.
Who has written more Simpsons episodes than anyone else?
Swartzwelder has written nearly 60 episodes, including classics like "Bart the General," "Homer at the Bat," "Whacking Day," "Krusty Gets Kancelled," and "Homer the Great," among many, many others.
What word from The Simpsons does Webster's New Millennium Dictionary of English say is an adjective meaning "fine" or "acceptable"?
“Cromulent” and “embiggen” were introduced to the world in the episode “Lisa the Iconoclast,” and they have worked their way into English speaking culture ever since.
Where did Matt Groening get the names for most of the Simpson family?
Groening’s real-life parents were Homer and Marge, and Lisa and Maggie were his sisters.
What does it say in the script whenever Homer says “D’oh!”?
When first asked to come up with a sound for “annoyed grunt,” Dan Castellaneta came up with a longer “D’ooooohh,” but Matt Groening thought it would work better if it was shortened, and “D’oh!” was born.
What does the cash register say when Maggie is scanned in the opening credits?
Though “The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase” claimed that the register reads “NRA 4EVER,” it actually says $867.63, which was allegedly the monthly average cost to care for a newborn baby.
Which character was named after one of the show’s writers?
John Frink has been writing for The Simpsons for more than 17 years, but he wasn’t actually writing for the show when the team decided to name the character of Professor Frink after him!
Why was Dr. Marvin Monroe “killed off”?
Despite the fact that Monroe was killed off, he made an appearance eight seasons letter, stating that he had just “been very sick.”
Which famous character made his debut in a Butterfingers commercial?
The commercials aired during The Tracey Ullman Show, and though Milhouse would appear in many episodes once The Simpsons became a regular show, it would take until the third season for him to actually get a name.
Who wrote the hit song “Do The Bartman”?
The Jackson written song was never released as a single in the US, but it topped the charts in the UK and Australia, and it even had a music video directed by Brad Bird, who would go on to direct some of the most famous animated films of all time, such as The Iron Giant and The Incredibles.
Which of the following characters were voiced by Albert Brooks?
Albert Brooks is generally considered to be the best guest actor in the history of the show. He was brought back to voice the villain Russ Cargill in The Simpsons Movie.
Which of the following people are banned from The Android’s Dungeon?
Also on the list? Sideshow Bob Terwilliger, Nelson Muntz, and Matt Groening.
What network airs The Simpsons?
The Fox Broadcasting Company owns the rights to the show until 2082, but that doesn’t mean writers won’t poke fun at the network. At one point, the Simpson family even recommended viewers switch channels to competing networks!
Who was Barney Gumble inspired by?
The plan was originally to have Barney be the Simpsons’ neighbor, like Barney Rubble was to Fred Flintstone.
Milhouse got him name from which US President’s middle name?
When creator Matt Groening had to come up with a name for the character, he thought it had to be most unfortunate name for a kid, so he chose the middle name of former president Richard Nixon.
What chain of stores transformed 12 of their shops into Kwik-E-Marts to promote The Simpsons Movie?
The transformed 7-Elevens sold Squishees, Buzz Cola and Krusty-O’s. I just wish they’d sold the usual buckets of ice cream covered with miniature pies.
When the show had a contest for viewers to guess who shot Mr. Burns, how many guessed correctly?
I guess this shouldn’t be much of a surprise, because it still doesn’t make much sense that the baby did it.
Why is it weird the Lionel Hutz says he got his law degree at Princeton?
While maybe people would assume Princeton has a law school, they haven’t for over a century. But hey, that’s why he’s the law… talkin… guy.
Where is Springfield located?
Despite the Simpsons once being called “a northern Kentucky family” and Groening admitting that Springfield is in part based on his hometown of Portland, Oregon, the town’s location is purposely never revealed. In The Simpsons Movie, Ned Flanders says that the city is bordered by Ohio, Nevada, Maine, and Kentucky, so good luck tracking it down.
How many movies are in the Simpsons’ stars’ contracts?
You know the old saying: 30 seasons and three movies. The primary cast has a clause in their contract to do three movies—though that was originally announced over a decade ago, so who can say if another two Simpsons movies will ever happen.
What does Mr. Burns get when he dials SMITHERS, or 764-8437?
In the episode “Homer the Smithers,” Mr. Burns dials his trusty assistant’s name in the hopes of getting him on the phone. He gets Moe’s Tavern instead, and Moe, who’s a little gun-shy about prank phone calls, doesn’t exactly give him a warm reception.
Where was Danny Elfman when he thought up The Simpsons’ theme?
Much like in the classic theme, Elfman was in his car when the idea came to him, and he needed to rush home to get it on tape. The whole process of writing the theme happened in just three days, and Elfman has called it “the easiest thing [he's] ever done."
What show did The Simpsons surpass in 1997 as the longest-running prime-time animated series?
Not coincidentally, the episode that The Simpsons surpassed The Flintstones with was "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochy Show,” about a popular cartoon becoming stale in its long run and introducing a new character to stay fresh. We’re looking at you, Roy.
Which fictional band inspired Bart to become a rock star?
Harry Shearer, who voices a lot of characters in The Simpsons (Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, and many others), also plays Derek Smalls, the bass player from Spinal Tap.
What game show had an episode that inspired “Bart the Elephant”?
In an old episode of The Price is Right, a contestant was offered $4,000 or a “gag prize:” an elephant. Like Bart, this contestant chose the elephant. Who wouldn’t?
Which of the show’s stars famously held out during contract negotiations?
When Fox cut the salaries of the main cast, Harry Shearer wanted to take a larger pay cut than what was offered, but with a small percentage of the back-end profits. He held out for months, but he eventually agreed to the same deal as the rest of the cast.
The writers originally planned for Krusty to be which character in disguise?
When the show’s writers didn’t know that The Simpsons would last so long, they had the idea that Krusty would eventually be revealed to have been Homer in disguise. Eventually, this idea became too complicated to pull off so they just kept them as separate characters.
Your Results
Cletus The Slack Jawed Yokel
“He ma! Look it that pointy-hairded little girl!”—You’ve got some boning up to do, and bone you will!
Milhouse
“But my mom says I’m cool.”—Not bad, but you’ve still got a ways to go before everything’s coming up Milhouse!
Professor Frink
“Well, it should be obvious to even the most dim-witted individual who holds an advanced degree in hyperbolic topology that Homer Simpson has stumbled into… the third dimension.”—You’re a Simpsons fanatic! Now, it’s time to make that monkey pay… mmmHoiven Glaven!
Happy With Your Test Score? This video can help you do better on any quiz... even if you know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the topic.
Quiz
The Simpsons is the longest running scripted show in history. It has received countless awards and it’s widely regarded as one of the best series in television history. But how much do you really know about it? Are you a true fan of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie? Then prove it, and embiggen yourself with our perfectly cromulent quiz!
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