The Simpsons
From Muppet Wiki
The Simpsons are the stars of the long-running animated series of the same name, created by Matt Groening. The family appeared in the celebrity version of the Sesame Street song "Monster in the Mirror." The Simpsons replace two monsters on a wall painting, and at the end, Homer reprimands Bart. The show's voice cast are heard in the segment (Dan Castellaneta as Homer, Julie Kavner as Marge, Nancy Cartwright as Bart, and Yeardley Smith as Lisa).
The Simpsons has also made many references to the Muppets and Sesame Street.
Contents |
Visual Mentions
| Pictures | Episode | Description |
|---|---|---|
  | April, 1992 | Homer, Bart, Lisa and Maggie are watching an episode of Dinosaurs on TV. The parody clip shown of a "Simpson-ized" Earl, Robbie and Baby hints at the fact that the show was perceived in some quarters as another Simpsons-clone.
In the DVD audio commentary on this episode, Mike Reiss comments, saying "Look, it's a parody of Dinosaurs! I'm sure none of you remember this show. It came on, I guess, this year and they were giant kind of foam-rubber dinosaurs with human beings inside. I think the Jim Henson Company made them. And it was really kind of a character-for-character knock-off of The Simpsons. And so we took a shot at them. But you see it today and you don't know what we're talking about." The writers of Dinosaurs made a similar joke about The Simpsons being just like them in the episode "Dirty Dancin'". |
 | January, 1996 | When Krusty fakes his own death, Simpsons writer John Swartzwelder is seen in the crowd of the funeral holding a Kermit puppet. |
   | March, 1996 | Troy McClure (voiced by Phil Hartman) stars in a fictional Muppet movie entitled "The Muppets Go Medieval" with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy. The Simpson family watches the movie on TV at the beginning on the episode, and later it is seen again on Troy and Selma's date to the drive-in.
Later at the drive-in, on the screen, Troy (as Sir Lies-alot) rides on a horse, and later, as Troy proposes to Selma, they both echo the same dialogue from the movie playing on screen...
|
  | April, 1998 | In the musical number "The Garbage Man Can," Oscar the Grouch pops out of one of the trash cans. |
  | February, 2000 | When Homer scams the PBS telethon, an angry crew chases after him demanding money. Included in the PBS mob are Fred Rogers, Yo-Yo Ma, the Teletubbies, Big Bird (who angrily squawks like a real bird), Oscar the Grouch and Elmo.
|
 | May, 2003 | When babysitting Maggie, Moe says that "You can't tickle Elmo no more." He then pulls an Elmo doll off the shelf. When he tries to tickle it, it says "No means no for Elmo!" and slaps him. |
 | May, 2004 | When the Simpsons are in prison for being unpatriotic, Lisa points out several celebrities who are there as well including Michael Moore, the Dixie Chicks, Elmo and President Bill Clinton. Elmo admits that "Elmo went to the wrong fundraiser!" Later, when they make their escape and swim in the ocean, Homer says, "I don't wanna end up like Elmo, hanging myself in a cell." |
 | September, 2005 | Marge admits her dislike towards The Count and a clip of him counting coconuts in his castle is shown on the TV. When the Count laughs (in a scary, ghoulish laugh instead of his trademark laugh) Marge gets upset and yells, "Go back to your own country!" |
 | May, 2007 | Police Chief Wiggum admits that he likes to knit violent imagery, and he shows the family a blue sweatshirt he made featuring Big Bird killing Elmo in a saw mill. |
 | November, 2007 | Moe accidentally breaks his plasma-screen TV after buying it at Circuit Circus, so he goes back to his old routine of watching DVDs in family vans. He runs after the Hibberts' van: "Big Bird in China? Won't Grover get lonely? ... Oh, no, wait, he's hanging out with Derek Jeter." |
 | March, 2008 | Maggie is seen playing poker online, but quickly switches over to an education site featuring Elmo when she realizes the family may be watching her. |
 | April, 2008 | On TV, country singer Lurleen Lumpkin (voice of Beverly D'Angelo) is singing to Kermit the Frog wearing a cowboy hat. Lurleen suggests bunking with Kermit that night, and before Kermit can make his decision, Miss Piggy kicks Kermit off the fence and begins choking him. |
 | May, 2008 | During a televised ESPY awards broadcast, Lance Armstrong (voicing himself) and Fozzie Bear co-present an award sponsored by Right Guard deodorant. After a typical corny joke from Fozzie at Armstrong's expense, he angrily throws the Fozzie puppet across the room, revealing the puppeteer's hand underneath. |
Verbal Mentions
- Brother From The Same Planet (Febuary, 1993) - Homer walks down a street and notices a homeless guy in a dumpster to which he exclaims "Heh heh, just like Oscar the Grouch!'
- The Twisted World of Marge Simpson (January, 1997) - In a deleted scene, Marge tells Homer to "name one thing that was ever helped by mob ties." Homer mentions Las Vegas, boxing, football, and Children's Television Workshop.
- My Sister, My Sitter (March, 1997) - Ned Flanders tells Homer that he's got a "Fozzie of a Bear of a problem."
- Miracle on Evergreen Terrace (December, 1997) - Milhouse tells Bart that he's gotten a "Tickle-me-Krusty" (a play on the Tickle-me-Elmo).
- Grift of the Magi (December, 1999) - The head of a toy company says that they have a hard time "coming up with the new Furby or Tickle-me-Elmo."
- Brawl in the Family (January, 2002) - At a meeting of the Springfield Republicans, Krusty the Clown suggests that they get rid of PBS because "those lousy Muppets" have been taking up his airtime.
- Blame it on Lisa (March, 2002) - The Simpsons fly to Brazil in search of Lisa's pen pal Ronaldo. While staying at a hotel, Bart watches a "children's show" with scantily clad female dancers, a walkaround pineapple, a lizard and a tall flamingo. Marge shows her disgust for the sexuality saying, "Bert and Ernie left it to your imagination."
- E Pluribus Wiggum: (January, 2008) - Springfield elects Ralph Wiggum for president. Since Ralph hasn't chosen to be either Republican or Democrat, Chief Wiggum tries to help him make up his mind, stating that the Republican party's mascot is an elephant, and the Democrates mascot is a donkey. When asking who he likes better, Ralph says that he likes Elmo. On a talk show, it is asked if Ralph can go from Sesame Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.
References
- In the Dinosaurs episode "Dirty Dancin'," the show's writers commented on the similarities drawn between Dinosaurs and The Simpsons. In one scene Earl observes that TV stinks because it mainly consists of shows with the same characters and premise. Baby then quotes Bart Simpson's popular catchphrase of the time, "Don't have a cow, man!"
- On Farscape, John Crichton, always ready to display his pop-culture knowledge to uncomprehending aliens, twice referenced The Simpsons during the fourth season, in both cases in the second half of a multi-part story. In "What Was Lost: Resurrection," Crichton greets Grayza with "Bad news from Smithers?", likening Braca to the toadying assistant to Mr. Burns on The Simpsons. In an inversion of the same allusion, during the second part of the "We're So Screwed" storyline "Hot to Katratzi," Crichton shouts "Feel the love, Mr. Burns!" to Scorpius. In interviews, actor David Franklin, who played Braca, admitted to being a Simpsons fan and joking about the Smithers similarity.
Connections
Recurring Cast
- Dan Castellaneta plays Homer Simpson, Grandpa Simpson, Krusty the Klown, Groundskeeper Willie, Itchy the Mouse, Mayor Quimby, Barney Gumble and others
- Kelsey Grammer plays Sideshow Bob Terwilliger
- Julie Kavner plays Marge Simpson, Patty and Selma Bouvier, and Jacqueline Bouvier
- Jon Lovitz plays Artie Ziff, Jay Sherman, Llewelyn Sinclair, Aristotle Amadopolis, Professor Lombardo, Enrico Irritazio and others
- Harry Shearer plays Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy, Kent Brockman, Dr. Hibbert, Principal Skinner, Otto Mann, Lenny Leonard, Rainier Wolfcastle and others
- Yeardley Smith plays Lisa Simpson
- Russi Taylor plays Martin Prince, Sherri and Terri, Uter and others
- Frank Welker plays Santa's Little Helper and provides other animal and creature sounds
Crew
- Tom Martin credited writer of 3 episodes
- Conan O'Brien credited writer of 4 episodes
- Scott Shaw! has written and illustrated many issues of Simpsons Comics.
- Patric Verrone credited writer of 1 episode
Guest Stars
- Andre Agassi played himself in "Tennis the Menace"
- Steve Allen played himself in "Separate Vocations" and "Round Springfield"
- Ed Asner played the editor of the Springfield Shopper in "Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner"
- Alec Baldwin played himself in "When You Dish Upon a Star" and Caleb Thorn in "Bonfire of the Manatees"
- Anne Bancroft played Dr. Zweig in "Fear of Flying"
- Drew Barrymore played Sophie in "Insane Clown Poppy"
- Jason Bateman played himself in "Home Away From Homer"
- Tony Bennett played himself in "Dancin' Homer" and "Bart vs. Lisa vs. The Third Grade"
- Greg Berg played Rory the bum in "Bart vs. Thanksgiving"
- Jack Black played Milo in "Husbands and Knives"
- Albert Brooks played Cowboy Bob in "Call of the Simpsons," Jacques in "Life in the Fast Lane", Brad Goodman in "Bart's Inner Child", Hank Scorpio in "You Only Move Twice", and Tab Spangler in "The Heartbroke Kid," and Russ Cargil in The SImpsons Movie
- Mel Brooks played himself in "Homer vs. Patty & Selma"
- Pierce Brosnan played the Ultrahouse 3000 and himself in "Treehouse of Horror XII"
- Peter Buck played himself in "Homer the Moe"
- Jack Burns played Edward Christian in "Beyond Blunderdome"
- Johnny Carson played himself in "Krusty Gets Kancelled"
- Johnny Cash played the Coyote in "El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer"
- Dick Cavett played himself in "Homie the Clown"
- Dick Clark played himself in "Treehouse of Horror X"
- Stephen Colbert played Colby Kraus in "He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs"
- Glenn Close played Mona Simpson in four episodes
- Shawn Colvin played Rachel Jordan in "Alone Again, Natura-Diddly" and "I'm Goin' to Praiseland"
- Rodney Dangerfield played Larry Burns in "Burns, Baby Burns"
- Ted Danson played Sam Malone in "Fear of Flying"
- Danny DeVito played Herbert Powell in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" and "Brother Can You Spare Two Dimes?"
- The Dixie Chicks played themselves in "Papa Don't Leech"
- Plácido Domingo played himself in "The Homer of Seville"
- Fran Drescher played the Female Golem in "Treehouse of Horror XVII"
- Harvey Fierstein played Karl in "Simpson and Delilah"
- Dennis Franz played himself playing Homer Simpson in "Homer Badman"
- Jennifer Garner played herself in "Treehouse of Horror XIV"
- Mel Gibson played himself in "Beyond Blunderdome"
- Kathie Lee Gifford played herself in "Treehouse of Horror IX"
- Jeff Goldblum played MacArthur Parker in "A Fish Called Selma"
- John Goodman played Meathook in "Take My Wife, Sleaze"
- Kathy Griffin played Francine in "Bye Bye Nerdie"
- Melanie Griffith played herself in "The Monkey Suit"
- Tom Hanks played himself in The Simpsons Movie
- Mark Hamill played himself and Leavalle in "Mayored to the Mob"
- Dustin Hoffman played Mr. Bergstrom in "Lisa's Substitute"
- Bob Hope played himself in "Lisa the Beauty Queen"
- Ron Howard played himself in "When You Dish Upon a Star", "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder"
- Joshua Jackson played Jesse Grass in "Lisa the Tree Hugger"
- Michael Jackson played Leon Kompowsky in "Stark Raving Dad"
- Mick Jagger played himself in "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation"
- Penn Jillette played himself in "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder"
- Tim Robbins played Jim Hope in "Grift of the Magi"
- Elton John played himself in "I'm With Cupid"
- James Earl Jones played the moving man, Serak the Preparer, and narrator in "Treehouse of Horror", Evil Maggie in "Treehouse of Horror V", and narrator in "Das Bus"
- Larry King played himself in "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish" and "Sideshow Bob Roberts"
- Cyndi Lauper played herself in "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken"
- Cloris Leachman played Mrs. Glick in "Three Men and a Comic Book"
- Jay Leno played himself in "The Last Temptation of Krust"
- Little Richard played himself in "Special Edna"
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus played Gloria in "I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"
- William H. Macy played himself in "Homer's Paternity Coot"
- Penny Marshall played Ms. Botz in "Some Enchanted Evening"
- Andrea Martin played Mama Nahasapeemapetilon in "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons"
- Steve Martin played Ray Patterson in "Trash of the Titans"
- Karen Maruyama played a dancing woman in "In Marge We Trust" and a stewardess in "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo"
- Phil McGraw played himself in "Treehouse of Horror XVII"
- Michael McKean played David St. Hubbins in "The Otto Show" and Jerry Rude in "Monty Can't Buy Me Love"
- Ed McMahon played himself in "Treehouse of Horror IX"
- Sam McMurray played a wormer in "Homer's Odyssey" and Gulliver Dark in "Homer's Night Out"
- Bette Midler played herself in "Krusty Gets Kancelled"
- Mike Mills played himself in "Homer the Moe"
- Mr. T played himself in "Today I am A Clown"
- Liam Neeson played Father Sean in "The Father, The Son, and The Holy Guest Star"
- Sam Neill played Malloy the cat burgler in "Homer the Vigilante"
- Willie Nelson played himself in "Behind the Laughter"
- Bob Newhart played himself in "Bark the Fink"
- Paul Newman played himself in "The Blunder Years"
- Leonard Nimoy played himself in "Marge vs. the Monorail" and "The Springfield Files"
- Conan O'Brien played himself in "Bart Gets Famous"
- Dolly Parton played herself in "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday"
- Mandy Patinkin played Hugh Parkfield in "Lisa's Wedding"
- Rhea Perlman played Carla Tortelli in "Fear of Flying"
- Michelle Pfeiffer played Mindy Simmons in "The Last Temptation of Homer"
- Regis Philbin played himself in "Treehouse of Horror IX"
- Natalie Portman played a Teenaged Girl in "Little Big Girl"
- Wolfgang Puck played himself in "The Bart Knows What It Wants"
- Ray Romano played Ray Magini in "Don't Fear the Roofer"
- Linda Ronstadt played herself in "Mr. Plow
- Isabella Rossellini played Astrid Weller in "Mom and Pop Art"
- Susan Sarandon played the Ballet Teacher in "Homer vs. Patty & Selma" and herself in "Bart Has Two Mommies"
- Martin Sheen played Sgt. Seymour Skinner in "The Principal and the Pauper"
- Brooke Shields played herself in "The Front"
- Ringo Starr played himself in "Brush with Greatness"
- Jon Stewart played himself in "E Pluribus Wiggum"
- Patrick Stewart played Number One in "Homer the Great"
- Ben Stiller played Garth Motherloving in "Sweets and Sour Marge"
- Michael Stipe played himself in "Homer the Moe"
- Meryl Streep played Jessica Lovejoy in "Bart's Girlfriend"
- George Takei played Akira the Waiter in "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish," Wink the Japanese Game Show Host in "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo," and the waiter in "A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love"
- Elizabeth Taylor played Maggie Simpson in "Lisa's First Word" and played herself in "Krusty Gets Kancelled"
- James Taylor played himself in "Deep Space Homer"
- Teller played himself in "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder"
- Dave Thomas played Rex Banner in "Homer vs. The Eighteenth Amendment"
- Marisa Tomei played Sara Sloane in "A Star is Born-Again"
- Lily Tomlin played Tammy in "The Last of the Red Hat Mamas"
- Alex Trebek played himself in "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" and "When You Dish Upon a Star"
- Dick Tufeld played the Robot in "Mayored to the Mob" and "Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
- Steven Tyler played himself in "Flaming Moe's"
- Tracey Ullman played Emily Winthrop in "Barts Dog Gets an F"
- Gedde Watanabe played the Mr. Sparkle factory foreman in "In Marge We Trust" and a Japanese father in "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo"
- George Wendt played Norm Peterson in "Fear of Flying"
- Fred Willard played Wally Kogen in "Sunday, Cruddy Sunday"
- Venus Williams played herself in "Tennis the Menace"
- Henry Winkler played Ramrod in "Take My Wife, Sleaze"
- "Weird Al" Yankovic played himself in "Three Gays of the Condo" and "That 90's Show"
