Posted on 05/01/2002 5:16:44 PM PDT by aomagrat
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Reports of the imminent demise of Homer Simpson and his beloved but dysfunctional cartoon family are grossly exaggerated, their creator said Wednesday.
In fact, says cartoonist Matt Groening, television viewers are going to have "The Simpsons (news - Y! TV)" to kick around for years and years to come despite what the headlines of the British press might be saying. "D'oh!" as Homer might exclaim.
Groening strongly denied a British newspaper report that he was planning to wind up the series shortly because it was getting harder and harder to find funny things to say.
Cowabunga, dude! That's not the case at all.
"I was misquoted and misunderstood. I don't want anyone to think I am predicting the demise of the Simpsons. They will live on with new adventures for years to come. As long as there are things to make fun of we will be around," the Los Angeles-based Groening said in a telephone interview with Reuters.
The London Financial Times kicked off an international fuss when it quoted Groening on Tuesday as saying: "I think we are closer to winding it up ... Although what happens generally if we win the Emmy for best animation show is that that gives us another couple of years to run it into the ground.
"It becomes increasingly difficult as the years go by to keep on not only surprising the audience, but surprising ourselves."
Groening said these were comments that he often made before but were taken out of context and misunderstood.
"I am always asked how much longer can this go on. I just said that given the fact the we just finished our 300th episode, I would guess we are closer to the end of our life than the beginning. At the end of our 100th episode (one of our writers) said we were halfway home. Now we think the show will last, our ratings are better than ever."
Groening has earned millions for media baron Rupert Murdoch's Fox network since the series featuring Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and baby Maggie first entered the lives of television viewers in 1989. In fact, he predicted that the Simpsons "will continue to make Rupert Murdoch even richer."
He added that he was not bored or unhappy with the program. "After 300 episodes it is more difficult to remain true to the characters. We are trying to top ourselves after all those great shows and the shows are as good now as they have ever been."
"TV Guide" magazine recently placed the animated show eighth on its list of the 50 greatest television shows of all time.
And it retains its ability to cause upset. When a recent episode depicted Rio de Janeiro as teeming with rats, monkeys and street crime, Brazilian (news - web sites) tourist officials were outraged and the show's executive producer was forced to apologize.
I have raised a boy. Bart Simpson is typical of most in many ways, and Bill Bennett needs to lighten up.
I am SO glad that I am not the moral arbiter of cartoons. If I don't like them, I change the channel.
See, the only ones qualified to be the moral arbiters of things are the ones who never want to do the job - your common sense makes you perfect. Like so: if you don't like it, change the channel. Perfect.
Someone needs to carve that statement into a 2x4 and smack Bill upside the head with it ;)
Pompous criticism is not the way to change hearts and minds.
One of my favorite Simpson's quotes:
Marge: That's a prett lousy lesson.
Clinton: Well, I'm a pretty lousy President.
The Simpsons had a GREAT line in tonight's episode. Homer was going to kill an annoying insect on his property, but an EPA agent barged in stopped him. He said, "It is a felony to let an endangered species die in accordance with the Reversal of Freedoms act of 1994". I was ROFLMAO!
Remind me never to buy a koi pond.
Here's a great simpsons site - - - > tastes like burning.
And about last night's episode, the screamapiller was a bit much. But at least Homer had the right idea: Squash, shovel, and shut up.
That was one of the best lines I've heard all year
LOL! I'm sorry I missed it!
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