Tag: miscellaneous

The Simpsons brought their own special brand of havoc to Bromley in the UK last week – as producers filmed a new ‘human’ opening sequence for the hit American TV comedy. The spectacular scenes were shot throughout the day last Friday in Lansdowne Avenue, Orpington, because one of the properties looked similar to the family’s home in make-believe Springfield. Producers wanted to film an entirely different version of the opening credits scene, which is always slightly altered every episode, and called up a host of look-alikes for the job. Read the Bromley Times for the full exclusive report and pictures.

SOURCE: Bromley Times

A motorist has been fined £30 after being told that the softly glowing blue hair of a Marge Simpson figure mounted on her dashboard could be confused with an emergency vehicle’s flashing lights. Susan Gates, 57, was pulled over by a police patrol car after an officer noticed that the figures of Marge, Homer and Bart were illuminated by tiny blue lights. Mrs Gates was given a £30 fixed penalty notice. The three illuminated figures had been installed by her husband, Rod, who had added two more lights by the washer jets on the bonnet. The officers made Mrs Gates stand in the rain while they examined her car.

Watching the creation of an episode of “The Simpsons” is exciting — or at least hearing it is. After all, the series has been dubbed the greatest show of the 20th century by Time magazine. Each week, it begins at the “table read” on the Fox studio lot. Here, cast members try out a new script as writers and producers take careful notes, sometimes based on the reactions of the roughly three dozen guests ringing the room in padded blue chairs. Part assembly line and part creative gestation, it will take another nine months for the finished episode to see the light of a television screen — such as the show’s belated Halloween special, “Treehouse of Horrors,” which aired Nov. 6 on Fox. And you thought putting a “Simpsons” episode together was some chaotic laugh riot thrown together in a week? D’oh!

SOURCE: Monterey County Herald

Stroudsburg native Danny Chun, an executive story editor on The Simpsons, will get his first lead writing credit next month. The episode, which will air Nov. 13 has Bart Simpson spending so much time with Marge that he’s in danger of becoming a “mama’s boy,” says Chun, who has worked on the popular animated sitcom since May 2003. Though he’s written two other scripts for ”The Simpsons,” they probably won’t air for another year, Chun says. What’s the hardest thing about writing for a show that’s been on television for 17 years? Finding new material, Chun says. “I watched the show when I was 13 or 14 years old and so the jokes are implanted in my brain. I’ve pitched jokes in meetings that people tell me they did years ago,” Chun says.

SOURCE: McCall.com

“The Simpsons” and “Futurama” can teach you a thing or two about math. The animated shows contain hundreds of references to math in all its forms — addition, subtraction, long division, calculus. Several of the shows’ writers hold advanced math degrees from some of the nation’s best universities, and they’re not averse to working in a little Pythagorean theorem, if the timing is right. “We never wrote a joke where we tried to say nobody’s going to get that joke except a mathematician”, said writer for both shows Ken Keeler, who got his doctorate in applied mathematics from Harvard University. “On the other hand, if it was something that worked in the story,” it was fair game, Keeler said. On Sunday, Keeler and two other “mathematical” writers from the popular shows will share the inside scoop those references at a free public forum at the University of California, Berkeley.

SOURCE: Inside Bay Area

Animation Connection once again presents its Simpsons Mania event, Sunday October 30th at Steam Whistle Brewing in Toronto, Canada. Simpsons animator and director Bob Anderson will be there, speaking at 1:00, 2:30, and 4:00. Hear his behind the scenes stories and watch him draw all your favorite characters. At this years show there will be a world exclusive release of original art from the episode Two Dozen & One Greyhounds as well as other episodes directed by Bob Anderson. All artwork comes with a signed dedication from Mr. Anderson. Online pre-sales start Saturday October 15th. Visit www.SimpsonsMania.com for all the details.

SOURCE: Simpson Mania

What do these shows have in common? Friends, Frasier, Spin City, Home Improvement, Mad About You, Murphy Brown, Cheers, Roseanne.

The answer: They are all once-popular sitcoms that have come and gone, outlasted by an impudent cartoon with bright yellow cartoon characters. Now in its 17th season, The Simpsons is the longest-running TV sitcom in history, and still going strong. Creator Matt Groening has even said that he doesn’t ‘see any end in sight’ for the evergreen TV series. And why should he?

SOURCE: The Electric New Paper

Victor House Publications, a leader in worker safety awareness and training, unveiled a new line of workplace safety products for US and Canadian businesses today featuring characters from The Simpsons. In a series of entertaining posters designed to reduce workplace injuries, the characters illustrate ways to work safely using their unique brand of humor. Based on Victor House’s own SAFE product line, two posters will be released each month using Simpsons images created specifically to reduce worker accidents. The first posters were revealed today on Victor House’s web site at www.SafetyWorld.com. “We have been working closely with the creative people at FOX to come up with powerful and humorous graphics that reach out to employees”, said Hugh Owen, Victor House’s President.

SOURCE: CNW Group

Band The Bloodhound Gang, best known for their songs The Bad Touch and The Roof Is On Fire, release a new album titled ‘Hefty Fine’ on September 27. Included on the release is a song titled Ralph Wiggum, which is comprised entirely of Simpsons quotes which came from the mouth of, you guessed it, Ralph Wiggum (with a bit of Chief Wiggum in the chorus). The band members themselves sing the lyrics rather than taking sound bytes from the episodes, so only die hard fans of the show would notice the familiar quotes. For this weekend only we’re going to allow you to download the track although there is a user limit on the server so you might need to try during a slow hour. Just click the arrows to begin.

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Gabe Kaplan’s character on “Welcome Back, Kotter,” has been named the Most Memorable Teacher on Television by Inside TV magazine. Also on the list: Edna Krabappel of “The Simpsons,” Lydia Grant (Debbie Allen) on “Fame,” Charlie Moore (Howard Hesseman) on “Head of the Class,” Laura Ingalls (Melissa Gilbert) on “Little House on the Prairie,” Ross Geller (David Schwimmer) on “Friends,” Mark Cooper (Mark Curry) on “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” Fonzie (Henry Winkler) on “Happy Days,” Carol Vessey (Julie Bowen) on “Ed” and Max Medina (Scott Cohen) on “Gilmore Girls.”

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