I used to not like The Simpsons.
Ashlee, O.J., Marc, the furniture store in Cedar Falls… I hated ‘em all.
No, not really. I’m actually speaking of The Simpsons, the popular animated series on Fox. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. Back some 18 years ago, or whenever it was the show began, I was not able to watch Fox. The network was still in its infancy, and therefore widely unavailable, especially to residents of rural northeast Iowa. Not long after The Simpsons came on the air, though, you started seeing Bart Simpson’s likeness on t-shirts, plush toys, plastic dolls, etc. I remember attending the Iowa State Fair one summer when such Simpsons fare was particularly ubiquitous. I decided then, for no good reason, that I didn’t like The Simpsons. I didn’t like the show, and I especially didn’t like Bart, for I was sick of seeing him at every turn during my visit to the State Fair.
I believe it was the following summer when I went to Adventureland with my church (or maybe school; I don’t remember). Again, Bart was everywhere I looked. My blind hatred for all things Simpson intensified. In fact, I decided that day that I would try to win one of the giant Bart Simpson dolls only so that I could dump it in the yucky, mucky, amusement park pond beneath one of the roller coasters. That, I thought, would show the world not only that I did not like The Simpsons, but that no one else should like The Simpsons either. Ha! Well, I decided I didn’t want to get in trouble, so I never went through with my plan, but that’s beside the point.
It wasn’t until I was in college, when some of my friends began to speak fondly of The Simpsons, that I began to lighten up a bit on the ol’ yellow folks. And then, when I started dating someone (whom I later married) who watched The Simpsons fairly regularly, and who often extolled the show’s hilarity, I finally began to watch it myself.
I had a change of heart. I realized that the show wasn’t just funny or just entertaining, but freaking hilarious. After I graduated from college and had my first place of my own, and therefore many, many hours to kill each week, I began watching The Simpsons daily. I actually scheduled things around syndicated episodes of the show. I became a true fan of The Simpsons, and remain one to this day.
So thanks to those who opened my eyes and opened my heart to that lovable cast of three-fingered, milk-through-the-nose laughter-inducing louts. I’m better for it.
No, not really. I’m actually speaking of The Simpsons, the popular animated series on Fox. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. Back some 18 years ago, or whenever it was the show began, I was not able to watch Fox. The network was still in its infancy, and therefore widely unavailable, especially to residents of rural northeast Iowa. Not long after The Simpsons came on the air, though, you started seeing Bart Simpson’s likeness on t-shirts, plush toys, plastic dolls, etc. I remember attending the Iowa State Fair one summer when such Simpsons fare was particularly ubiquitous. I decided then, for no good reason, that I didn’t like The Simpsons. I didn’t like the show, and I especially didn’t like Bart, for I was sick of seeing him at every turn during my visit to the State Fair.
I believe it was the following summer when I went to Adventureland with my church (or maybe school; I don’t remember). Again, Bart was everywhere I looked. My blind hatred for all things Simpson intensified. In fact, I decided that day that I would try to win one of the giant Bart Simpson dolls only so that I could dump it in the yucky, mucky, amusement park pond beneath one of the roller coasters. That, I thought, would show the world not only that I did not like The Simpsons, but that no one else should like The Simpsons either. Ha! Well, I decided I didn’t want to get in trouble, so I never went through with my plan, but that’s beside the point.
It wasn’t until I was in college, when some of my friends began to speak fondly of The Simpsons, that I began to lighten up a bit on the ol’ yellow folks. And then, when I started dating someone (whom I later married) who watched The Simpsons fairly regularly, and who often extolled the show’s hilarity, I finally began to watch it myself.
I had a change of heart. I realized that the show wasn’t just funny or just entertaining, but freaking hilarious. After I graduated from college and had my first place of my own, and therefore many, many hours to kill each week, I began watching The Simpsons daily. I actually scheduled things around syndicated episodes of the show. I became a true fan of The Simpsons, and remain one to this day.
So thanks to those who opened my eyes and opened my heart to that lovable cast of three-fingered, milk-through-the-nose laughter-inducing louts. I’m better for it.
posted by Matt at 10:49 AM
8 Comments:
I've never been to the state fair.
I am glad to see that you are willing to change your mind about things. Too often in life we hold on to ideas for no good reason, but not you. You, Matt, are an inspiration to us all. I am proud to call you my friend.
I have heard from a reliable source that a Simpson's movie is in the works.
I don't like the Simpsons.
Really? I've heard you laughing at the Simpsons at least a handful or two or times.
I was just kidding.
Good thing you cleared that up. I was planning an intervention.
Do you think The Simpsons presents an ugly and depressing view of human experience?
Not necessarily (aside from everyone suffering from severe jaundice). I have a book called The Gospel According to the Simpsons. It's interesting; it examines faith and Christianity in the program, and points out that the subject of religion comes up much more frequently on The Simpsons than on most other shows.
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