Talking Simpsons - Helter Shelter

This might be my most obnoxious “um actually” ever, but as a longtime trade reporter, what else am I gonna do with this niche knowledge I gain? The joke about the reality series being “ripped off” from European productions is a common conception that American networks steal these reality ideas. However, in reality TV, a lot of the money is made through selling show formats. Simon Fuller, for example, is legally designated as a rich-ass motherfucker because of how many international networks purchased the rights to the American Idol format. Tyra Banks has made obscene money off of similar sales of Top Model. The lack of originality is still certainly something to knock, but very rarely are these ideas literally stolen.

It's indeed weird the Kozlov was wearing the Hammer and Sickle on in 2002, especially if he's an immigrant and not some how "on loan" from the Russian Federation. However, Red Square is not an outdated reference at all. Red Square has been and still is very important in the history of Moscow and its name long predates the Soviet Union and has nothing to do with Communism. The words for "red" (krasnii or краcный) and "beautiful" (krasivii or красивый) are very similar and closely related culturally. If memory serves, centuries ago "Beautiful Square" would actually have been the more accurate meaning. The episode itself had a really good beginning but definitely fell apart in the 3rd act with an even worse rehash of Bart vs Lisa vs the 3rd grade and its craptacular wrapup.

Stephen C. Nedell

I had a best friend growing up named Jeff, and my name is Matt, so a teacher used to call us Mutt and Jeff. Our reaction was like Bart's: "Whoever that is".

littleterr0r

Speaking of celebrities not being able to have a cereal because they got canceled, I sure do regret picking up that box of Lizz-O’s.

Lockerus

Also, Moyers had on Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn, he's left of lib to some degree.

Adam Azzalino

I think it's a better one from that era. That being said, I'm a public historian who has worked for house museums and miss that style of reality show cuz you learn stuff. So, I have my biases.

Adam Azzalino

I feel like there should have been way more fanfare for this one being the final cell-animated Simpsons ever! When Bob pointed this out, my mind immediately went to Miyazaki accepting his honorary Oscar and expressing his privilege at being able to take part in analogue cell animation, as it disappears into the world of digitisation. I have a friend, Jake, who worked on the set of Disney's remake of Pete's Dragon (I also did a bit of work on it) and while on set he made friends with Isiah Whitlock Jr. to the extent of having him record an answer-machine message for his phone. So now when you call through to his machine, you get Isiah's voice saying 'Sheeeeeeeeit, Jake can't come to the phone right now so leave a message'.

Rob MacBride

David Lander’s daughter Natalie is also an actor, BTW, and I produced an episode of a podcast she was on and could not figure out why her voice sounded so familiar. Turns out she is the voice of Terra in modern Final Fantasy adaptations where Terra talks. Also she is lovely.

Drew Mackie

I do think it is important to embrace the episodes that may have been hated back then, but are very funny now

SilkiePJ

I know that Bob and Henry have slowly eased themselves into boiling water, but it's odd when the hosts are like "this one's pretty good!" and play clips of some of the lamest stuff that has not only aged terribly, but was trend-chasing and out of date at the time it came out. I also got the OFF reference, but were any of the old SNPP users still watching the show by this point? Did Don Del Grande get a kick out of it?

Chris Dobson

Mike O’Malley stared in the show Yes Dear from 2000-06. I barely remember the show, but the theme song sounds very 00’s

Blarghjon

Bob's story about his great grandpa having an odd name is sort of similar to my own, except my great grandpa didn't die until I was 18. His name didn't seem odd to me at the time as everyone called him Vinnie, then upon his death I learned that his name was actually Stephen when I saw his grave marker. I was so confused, but apparently he was one of those guys that went by his middle name and not his first name. I never did get an explanation as to why, but it made me wonder how many people knew what his real name was (I don't think my dad, his grandson-in-law, knew either). You guys are pretty nice to this episode, but it's mostly bad. Not "I demand the 24 minutes of my life back I wasted on this thing" bad, but still bad. Enjoyable podcast, nonetheless.

Joe Hodgson

I won't comment on this episode (it's crap), but Mutt & Jeff was the most popular comic strip of the early 20th century. It is from M&J that the trope of cartoon characters wearing gloves came from (not minstrels as everyone on Twitter wants you to believe)... because they look funny on dumb animals and bums.

Thad Komorowski