Latest news with #Simpsons
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alf Clausen, The Simpsons' Longtime Composer, Dead at 84
The post Alf Clausen, The Simpsons' Longtime Composer, Dead at 84 appeared first on Consequence. Alf Clausen, the longtime composer of The Simpsons who scored more than 560 episodes of the animated series, had died at the age of 84. Clausen died after a decade-long battle with Progressive Supernuclear Palsy (PSP). A two-time Emmy Award winner with 30 additional nominations, Clausen provided the music for The Simpsons for 27 years, composing a unique piece each week accompanied by a 35-piece orchestra. In a cost-cutting measure, Fox fired Clausen in 2017, leading the composer to sue the network for ageism and disability discrimination two years later. He later dropped the suit, and Simpsons producers recognized in later seasons as 'composer emeritus.' 'I think that's one of the reasons they've kept me all these years: they were looking for somebody who could score all those different types of music in small clip-form,' Clausen reflected in a 2017 interview with Consequence. 'That's what's been fun for me. I think that anyone else who would have been hired for this job and stayed for this long would have gone to the nuthouse.' Clausen also composed music for the television series ALF, and well contributed to films like The Naked Gun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Weird Science. Popular Posts Billy Joel Diagnosed with Brain Disorder, Cancels All Upcoming Tour Dates Man Wearing Nazi T-Shirt Gets a Beatdown from Fans at Punk Rock Bowling Fest Freddie Mercury's Alleged Child Revealed in New Biography Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence Are Now In-Laws David Lynch's Personal Archive Going Up for Auction Dave Mustaine: Metallica Stole "Enter Sandman" Riff from Another Band Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Lego's June Releases Tremble Before Galactus
And Galactus probably trembles before the arrival of Lego 'Bluey', to be honest. Summer is well and truly upon us, and what better way to beat the heat than to be inside building Lego based on the movies you could be out in that heat going to watch? After last month's Star Wars bonanza, in June Lego's opening up to a whole host of other franchises to get in on the fun with new sets, including the very first Fantastic Four Lego set, a return to Fortnite, and yes… the arrival of the world's most famous Australian dog. Lego Bluey is arguably going to be the big drop of the month, but it is one among many highlights in a bumper month for Lego. The aforementioned Fantastic Four: First Steps set finally brings Marvel's first family to the physical world of Lego, the Jurassic World line is all in on Rebirth ahead of its arrival in cinemas, and Lego Simpsons makes a triumphant return. But that's not all, there's plenty to tempt your wallet this month—and yes, even a little more Star Wars, too. Check out the lowdown on the biggest Lego releases of June 2025 below! Lego Book Nooks This month Lego is launching a new line of designs featuring a series of foldout display pieces that can also serve as themed book nooks in your shelf space. So far the company is sticking to novel-themed ideas, like the debut Sherlock Holmes set and a Lord of the Rings encounter between Gandalf and the Balrog (albeit inspired by its rendition in the Peter Jackson films), but who's to say where the line goes from here? Lego Bluey Sets The kids cartoon sensation is now ready to bring Australian dominion to the world of Lego too, with a series of sets explicitly aimed at young builders in both the Duplo series and Lego's 4+ sets (although the young-at-heart adult Bluey fans will no doubt find some enjoyment with the latter, too). Whether you want something small with Bluey and her friends, or the whole Heeler household in one set, there's plenty for everyone. Lego City The City Tower Lego City is usually only in io9's proverbial wheelhouse when it comes to the line's myriad space exploration sets, but this new tower display is a celebration of all sorts of aspects of Lego City—space included! There's a rocket launch, a train, mirrored police and fire stations, a construction crane, and even a skate ramp for good measure. It's a peculiar mashup, but a fun way to make a Lego City set that reflects much of the line's mainstays. ($210, available here) Lego Star Wars Sets Star Wars got all the fun last month, but that doesn't mean there's nothing from the galaxy far, far away coming in June. It is a smorgasbord of smaller sets though, from a Plo Koon microfighter, a Darth Maul mini-mech, and an Ahsoka-inspired battle pack that gives you a squad of Night Troopers to add to your legions. Lego Jurassic World Rebirth Sets Rebirth is the name of the game this month in the land of Jurassic World, with a whole host of sets inspired by the new movie. The time is now for your Jonathan Bailey minifigure! But honestly, the star of the show might be the smallest set on offer: the adorable Dolores, a baby Aquilops. Lego Art: The Fauna Collection Tiger The Lego Art series expands with an original artpiece, recreating a dazzling tiger head surrounded by florals, which can be customized or even enhanced with flowers from the Lego botanicals range. ($65, available here) Lego Marvel Sets The first Fantastic Four: First Steps set (and first Fantastic Four set outright!) might be the draw here, despite Mr. Fantastic's distressing legs, but it's not the only Marvel set we're getting this month, as Iron Spider swings into the Marvel bust line. Lego Minecraft Sets After a brief bout of Minecraft Movie mania, Lego's back to the regular gaming-inspired sets for the survival crafter, with a variety of builds. The standout, however, is a wonderfully pixelated buildable Creeper—who is not only about as articulated as a Creeper can get, but even can have TNT hidden in its head for an explosive easter egg. Lego Icons The Simpsons Krusty Burger Lego returns to The Simpsons for the first time in a decade with another iconic Springfield locale in the form of Krusty Burger. Alongside most of the Simpsons family in Homer, Bart, and Lisa (complete with an appropriate clown-car variant of the family car from Homer's tenure in Clown College), there's a host of Simpsons stalwarts, including Sideshow Bob, a new Krusty farmer inspired by the season 20 episode 'Coming to Homerica', and, of course, the squeaky-voiced teen. ($210, available here) Lego Fortnite Sets Lego's ongoing digital-physical collaboration with Fortnite continues with a series of sets inspired by the Fortnite Lego Odyssey mode, including a giant-sized Klombo beast. Lego Disney Sets There's only one bit of Stitch-adjacent fever from Lego this month to tie-into the new movie in the form of a buildable Angel, Stitch's cutesy companion from the mid-aughts TV show, but the standout is a huge buildable (and customizable) Dalmatian pup from 101 Dalmatians. Check the price tag before attempting to buy 101 of them, though. Lego Ideas Pixar Luxo Jr. Disney-adjacent, but actually from Lego's crowdsourced Ideas series, this adorable replica of the iconic Pixar mascot from the studio's very first short even includes the iconic Pixar ball too, packed with hidden references to a litany of animated classics—plus, you can even pose Luxo Jr. balancing on it for good measure. ($70, available here)
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
My 9-Year-Old Daughter Started Watching The Simpsons, And She Loves It. Here's Why I'm Overjoyed (But Also A Little Worried)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. I'm not gonna lie. I watched a lot of shows that I probably shouldn't have when I was younger. Married…with Children, Beverly Hills, 90210, hell, even some of my favorite Black sitcoms had some questionable content for a little kid (for example, I was only 11 when I fell in love with the Dick Wolf crime drama, New York Undercover). Well, of all the shows that left a massive impression on me, The Simpsons had the greatest impact. I'm glad that I grew up watching it. Even after all these years, it's still one of the smartest shows on TV. So, when my 9-year-old daughter decided that she wanted to watch the series, too, I was overjoyed. But, now that I've watched several episodes with her, I'm also a little worried. So, here's why I have mixed feelings about my daughter's newfound enthusiasm for The Simpsons. First off, my daughter and I share a lot of commonalities. For example, we both have a limited palate, we're both massive pessimists (I'm sure she gets that from me), and we like a lot of the same entertainment. So, when she asked if we could watch The Simpsons together, I was over the moon. I've referenced jokes from the show ever since my kids were babies, and I have several Simpsons toys and books in the basement. I honestly have nobody to blame for my daughter's interest but myself, and I'm mostly okay with that. I love hearing her guffaw at jokes that had me rolling when I was a kid. And, nothing makes me happier than hearing who her favorite character is (in case you're wondering, it's Ned Flanders). What's also great is that unlike a lot of Simpsons fans, my daughter doesn't say things like 'The Simpsons peaked at Season 10.' Nor does she compare it to other shows like Bob's Burgers, which she also likes. Instead, she's been enjoying the episodes for the first time, going through the various seasons since it's on Disney+ (it's still the best thing on the streaming service, if you ask me). However, since she's been going through all the seasons… If you were born in the '80s like I was, then I'm sure you remember Bartmania. But, if you weren't, then let me explain. Bart Simpson was everywhere in the early '90s, and he was definitely the main focus of the show. So, even though the entire family was important, Bart was the star attraction. And, since he was the star, a lot of kids tuned in just to see him. Anyway, all of this is to say that a lot of the adult themes and jokes went way over my head when I was younger, since I wasn't focused on the 'adult' content. I was only focused on Bart. That said, my daughter is a lot smarter than I was, and she's not focused on Bart at all. In fact, she finds him kind of annoying. Instead, she's focused more on the adults, like in the episode, 'Homer's Night Out' where the patriarch gets caught with an exotic dancer, or in 'Life on the Fast Lane' in which Marge seriously considers cheating on Homer. I grew up with this show. In that way, even though there were jokes and themes that I kind of got when I was a kid, I understood a lot more of them when I became a teenager. This is because I watched throughout the years. But, since my daughter can just go through the seasons right now, there are some episodes with themes like adultery, or questioning one's faith, that my daughter's watched. That said… I mentioned episodes about questioning one's faith, and the one that resonated the most with my daughter was 'Lisa the Skeptic,' in which a so-called angel is uncovered in Springfield. My daughter, who always groans, 'Why do we have to go to church?' on Sunday mornings is definitely a skeptic, and possibly a future cynic (Again, most likely from me). She's always curious, and constantly asking me hard-hitting questions. When Lisa started to question whether a real angel was found in Springfield, I could tell my daughter wanted to know the answer herself. Once it was all over, and 'the angel' turned out to be a hoax, my daughter said, 'I knew it!' which actually made me feel pretty good. Because even though I'm her father, I'm also a teacher, and I want her to question things. I like that my daughter doesn't just believe everything she's told, and I'm happy that a show like this could make her think about her own beliefs. Yes, a show like Bob's Burgers is clever, and it has its own sort of intelligence. But, I don't think it matches the caliber of The Simpsons' storytelling. Even so… As I said, my daughter is smarter than I was at 9. That means she gets a lot of the more risqué humor on the show that I never understood. The ones that she doesn't get, she actually ASKS me what they mean. For example, in the episode, 'The Frying Game,' Agnes Skinner, who is elderly, casually remarks, 'Who do I have to gum to get a refill?' and I'm sure you could imagine that my jaw was on the floor. When my daughter asked, 'What does she mean?' I just shook my head and said, 'I don't know.' But, my daughter knew I was lying. She gave me the side eye. Also, since she is now a Ned Flanders superfan, she wanted to watch some of the episodes where he's married to Edna Krabappel. But, if you know anything about Edna (RIP, Marcia Wallace), you'll know how lascivious she could be. So, some of her jokes had me cringing next to her, who would often say, 'Oh!' at some of her lines. All of this is to say that I'm a tad worried that my daughter might be learning a bit too much when it comes to ribald humor. Even so… A few semi-dirty jokes is a small risk that I'm willing to take as long as it means that my daughter will get a crash course in learning about the past 60 years or so. Sure, as a '90s kid, I like that I can point out certain topical things to my daughter, like references to Twin Peaks, or Jurassic Park that were current when the show first aired. But, what I like even more is all of the much older historical references, like when the show mocks President Nixon, or JFK. In fact, I've shown my daughter several Presidents on the show, such as Clinton holding hands with Bob Dole in Treehouse of Horror VII, or even Trump himself in the more recent episodes. In a lot of ways, it's is a great introduction to the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s, and I like that I can teach aspects of history to my daughter through such a fun medium. Bob's Burgers is one thing, and The Simpsons is another. But, one show that I refuse to let my daughter watch is Family Guy. And, she wants to! Because a lot of her friends at school are fans. Naturally, with The Simpsons coming before Family Guy, my daughter doesn't see the problem with also watching that show. That said, anybody who's actually watched Family Guy will tell you that it's not for children. And, my problem is telling her 'No,' without explicitly telling her just why it is so much more coarse and vulgar. Now, don't get me wrong. I like the comedy. That said, I feel like I opened the gateway to my daughter when it comes to 'adult' cartoons, and I just hope that she doesn't try to sneak into my Hulu account to check it out when I'm in another room writing. What do you think? Do you also let your kids watch The Simpsons? If so, how young did you start them off?
Metro
6 days ago
- Politics
- Metro
North Korea says Trump's 'Golden Dome' is the height of self-righteousness'
North Korea has said Donald Trump's new dystopian 'Golden Dome' could turn outer space into a 'nuclear war field'. Last week, the US president announced his new defensive measures for America – a $175 billion 'Golden Dome'. Despite looking like something out of a Simpsons episode, Trump said the Golden Dome will have ground and space-based capabilities that are able to detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack. The project announcement hasn't gone down so well with US adversaries. North Korea's foreign ministry slammed the plan, calling it 'the height of self-righteousness and arrogance'. They went on to accuse the US of being 'hell-bent on militarising outer space'. North Korea has been attempting to build up its nuclear arsenal for decades, in violation of international bans. Recently, Kim warned that North Korea was ready to use nuclear weapons 'anytime and anywhere' as he unveiled smaller tactical warheads. The country has routinely launched nuclear-capable missiles in tests, which have left other Pacific nations worried for their safety. North Korea's scathing remarks followed condemnation from China's foreign ministry, which said: 'The United States, in pursuing a 'US-first' policy, is obsessed with seeking absolute security for itself. 'This violates the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised and undermines global strategic balance and stability.' But Trump has claimed the new 'Golden Dome', which would operate like a much larger 'Iron Dome', as seen in Israel, is necessary for American defence. But Trump's will be much larger – and likely include many more surveillance satellites. There will also be a fleet of satellites that will shoot down offensive missiles soon after lift-off. If the Golden Dome is to work in the same way that the Iron Dome does, it would likely be made of It is made up of dozens of batteries, carrying multiple movable missile launchers. More Trending The system would identify incoming missiles within a certain radius, before putting a path to the rocket into its command-and-control centre. Once they receive this information, the control centre calculates the location of the rocket's impact and whether it is going to strike areas inhabited by people. The race to build hypersonic missiles accelerated in the last decade, which seems to be a major factor in Trump's announcement. He hopes it will be up and running before the end of his second term. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Putin threats to 'throttle' US firms like Microsoft and Zoom in words war with Trump MORE: Donald Trump will soon learn the EU is no pushover MORE: Kremlin says Trump's 'absolutely crazy' jab at Putin was 'emotional overload'
Metro
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Here's how the US's new Golden Dome will work - and tackle its greatest threats
Earlier this week, Donald Trump unveiled his new line of defence for the US – a $175 billion 'Golden Dome'. Despite looking like something out of a Simpsons episode, Trump said the Golden Dome will have ground and space-based capabilities that are able to detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack. While the dome's unveiling isn't new – it was one of the 200 executive orders he signed in January after returning to office for his second term – this week marked the first time we learned the details about it. The technology will allow the US to detect and destroy missiles before a launch, intercept them in their earliest stage of flight, stop them midcourse in the air, or halt them in the final minutes as they descend toward a target. Currently, China and Russia are two countries which have put offensive weapons, such as satellites with the ability to disable critical US satellites, into space. In 2021, China launched a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile which circled the globe before cruising onto its target. Ballistic missiles fly into outer space before returning on steep trajectories at higher speeds, but hypersonic weapons are faster and easier to direct. The race to build hypersonic missiles accelerated in the last decade, which seems to be a major factor in Trump's announcement. Russia is also known to flex its missile capabilities. Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles are often on display during military parades in the country, and have an operational range of around 7,500 miles. North Korea and Iran have also shown off their country's missiles, which prompted the US to launch their nuclear-capable Minuteman III hypersonic missile in a show of force. If tensions were to boil over, missiles in Russia, China and potentially Iran could reach the mainland US quickly – and Trump is worried. Russia has roughly 350 intercontinental ballistic missiles. China has 400, and North Korea has ten or fewer. Submarine-launched ballistic missiles aren't as common, but Russia has 182, and China has 72. In February, Trump carried out a nuclear-capable missile test launch. At the time, The United States Space Force said it was 'part of the nation's ongoing commitment to maintaining a credible deterrent and is not a response to current world events'. The project is somewhat inspired by Israel's 'Iron Dome', which helps shoot down missiles before they reach their target. But Trump's will be much larger – and likely include many more surveillance satellites. There will also be a fleet of satellites that will shoot down offensive missiles soon after lift-off. If the Golden Dome is to work in the same way that the Iron Dome does, it would likely be made of It is made up of dozens of batteries, carrying multiple movable missile launchers. @metrouk Donald Trump has unveiled plans for his 'Golden Dome', a missile defence shield worth £130 billion – aimed at neutralizing attacks from Russia and China. In a theatrical press conference at the White House, the US president made big promises about 'protecting the homeland'. Behind him was a cardboard backdrop of the system that resembled a science project at school. #fyp #donaldtrump #worldnews #usnews #news ♬ original sound – Metro – Metro The system would identify incoming missiles within a certain radius, before putting a path to the rocket into its command-and-control centre. Once they receive this information, the control centre calculates the location of the rocket's impact and whether it is going to strike areas inhabited by people. Despite Trump announcing the concept, the Pentagon is still developing the requirements that Golden Dome will need to meet, which is not the way new systems are normally developed. More Trending The Pentagon and US Northern Command are still drafting what is known as an initial capabilities document, one US official has said. That is how Northern Command, which is responsible for homeland defence, identifies what it will need the system to do. The US already has many missile defence capabilities, such as the Patriot missile batteries that the US has provided to Ukraine to defend against incoming missiles, as well as an array of satellites in orbit to detect missile launches. Some of those existing systems will be incorporated into Golden Dome. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Russian jet capable of carrying guided bombs performing 'dangerous maneuvers' near Nato territory MORE: Donald Trump demands iPhones be made in the US – but is it even possible? MORE: British students will no longer be able to go to Harvard after Trump changes the rules
