Latest news with #TheSimpsonsMovie
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
No political jokes in Springfield, says Simpsons creator Groening
Like many American families struggling for unity in the polarised United States, The Simpsons have decided to avoid political jokes, the creator of the series Matt Groening told AFP. Despite the potential for storylines and humour, Groening ruled out venturing into America's toxic politics for laughs. "We don't do political humour because political humour is very limited. It dates very quickly," he said during an interview at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in the French Alps. A Simpsons season takes at least six to nine months to produce, raising the risk of gags turning stale, Groening explained. The show –- broadcast on US network Fox TV and on Disney Plus, which now owns the series –- has sometimes appeared to predict real events, such as Donald Trump's election, which was first referenced in an episode in 2000. It has also featured parodies in the past of a host of politicians from Bill Clinton to Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger. "We just have to stay true to our characters, their spirit and their relationships. And when they face the sadness of the world, people feel briefly connected to them," writer-producer Matt Selman told AFP. Despite Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie remaining frozen in time since their debut in 1989, the writers have ensured the story lines move with the times. A recent episode parodied artificial intelligence when a chatbot was asked to write the finale. "In the plot of that episode, AI was given the job of writing the perfect finale. And of course, it just regurgitated and spat out all the other finales from all the other shows in very unoriginal and silly ways that of course would be terrible," said Selman. "It was our attempt to push back at AI, push back at ever ending the show." The natural environment remains a rich source of inspiration, including in "The Simpsons Movie" in 2007 which featured a disaster caused by Homer that leads to Springfield being sealed under a giant dome. "The environment's not going to get cleaned up anytime soon," Groening added. The Simpsons Movie grossed $536.4 million worldwide, but the creators ruled out making a sequel -- for the moment. "We are still recovering from the first movie," joked Groening. "And the sad truth is we don't have enough time to do both the show and the movie unless we decide we want to work really, really hard." The Simpsons has been translated into 26 languages and broadcast in around 100 countries. The 800th episode is set to air in early 2026. mli-adp/giv
France 24
a day ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
No political jokes in Springfield, says Simpsons creator Groening
Despite the potential for storylines and humour, Groening ruled out venturing into America's toxic politics for laughs. "We don't do political humour because political humour is very limited. It dates very quickly," he said during an interview at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in the French Alps. A Simpsons season takes at least six to nine months to produce, raising the risk of gags turning stale, Groening explained. The show –- broadcast on US network Fox TV and on Disney Plus, which now owns the series –- has sometimes appeared to predict real events, such as Donald Trump's election, which was first referenced in an episode in 2000. It has also featured parodies in the past of a host of politicians from Bill Clinton to Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger. "We just have to stay true to our characters, their spirit and their relationships. And when they face the sadness of the world, people feel briefly connected to them," writer-producer Matt Selman told AFP. Despite Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie remaining frozen in time since their debut in 1989, the writers have ensured the story lines move with the times. A recent episode parodied artificial intelligence when a chatbot was asked to write the finale. "In the plot of that episode, AI was given the job of writing the perfect finale. And of course, it just regurgitated and spat out all the other finales from all the other shows in very unoriginal and silly ways that of course would be terrible," said Selman. "It was our attempt to push back at AI, push back at ever ending the show." The natural environment remains a rich source of inspiration, including in "The Simpsons Movie" in 2007 which featured a disaster caused by Homer that leads to Springfield being sealed under a giant dome. "The environment's not going to get cleaned up anytime soon," Groening added. The Simpsons Movie grossed $536.4 million worldwide, but the creators ruled out making a sequel -- for the moment. "We are still recovering from the first movie," joked Groening. "And the sad truth is we don't have enough time to do both the show and the movie unless we decide we want to work really, really hard." The Simpsons has been translated into 26 languages and broadcast in around 100 countries. The 800th episode is set to air in early 2026.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
If you can spot all the differences you're a certified Simpsons superfan
Credit: Instagram/@opticalillusionss As the longest-running sitcom in television history, The Simpsons has cemented its place as a cultural icon, with decades of jokes, characters, and unforgettable moments. If you've been following Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie right from the start, or even if you're just a casual fan, this brain teaser is a fun and interesting way to test your knowledge and observational powers. This clever puzzle takes the classic " spot the difference " format and adds a unique Simpsons twist. In the scene, Homer Simpson is holding up the unforgettable Spider-Pig—yes, the same ceiling-walking pig that was made famous in The Simpsons Movie. At first glance, the two images look nearly identical. But look closer: there are several subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences hidden between the two. Think you can catch them all? These kinds of visual puzzles offer more than just a moment of nostalgic fun. Operation Sindoor 'Did not want to...': Pak def min gives absurd excuse for army's failure to withstand Op Sindoor Blackouts, sirens & Pak's failed attacks: 10 things that happened in the last 36 hrs '1971 war was not remotely as terrifying': Residents of border areas shell-shocked Studies have shown that regularly solving spot-the-difference challenges can sharpen your memory, improve focus, and enhance your attention to detail. They even trigger a small dopamine boost when you successfully spot a difference, making you feel more motivated and engaged. Even more impressively, daily brain teasers like this one keep the brain active and help its growth as we grow old. So, whether you're a Simpsons aficionado or simply love a good mental workout, this puzzle is well worth your time. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025 Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Be warned: not all differences are obvious. Some may pop out instantly, while others are so sneaky they'll have you second-guessing yourself. That's because our brains process visual information with a slight delay, so what we "see" is actually a bit behind real-time. Thus this makes spotting even small changes an interesting challenge. So grab your magnifying glasses, focus, and see how many differences you can find in the Homer and Spider-Pig showdown. Superfans, this one's for you. Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
The Guardian
22-02-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
The Observer view: when an asteroid is hurtling to Earth, do you head for the pub or the church?
Following the possible trajectory of 2024 YR4 – AKA the scariest asteroid ever detected – is not for the nervous of disposition. Is it going to hit us, or not? Every day, a different answer. Last Tuesday, Nasa calculated it had a 3.1% chance of hitting Earth in 2032, and so some people set to worrying. Twenty-four hours later, however, the agency provided an update. New observations, made since the passing of the full moon, show it now has a 1.5% chance of impact. Time to exhale? Not necessarily. The asteroid is estimated to be 40-90 metres wide, about the same size as a large building. If it does hit, and doesn't splash down into the sea, it could decimate a city. Scientists calculate that its impact could be similar to that of the Tunguska asteroid, which flattened an area more than double the size of New York in Siberian forest in 1908. If it landed in central London, windows 20 miles away in Slough would be broken – an event that would exceed the wildest dreams even of John Betjeman, who once wrote a rather mean poem about the town. How to feel about this lump of rock hurtling towards us at 38,000mph? To pinch from The Simpsons Movie, is it the pub or the church for you? (Faced with catastrophe, the patrons of Moe's Tavern run from bar to church, while the congregation of the latter sprints in the opposite direction, desperate for a stiff drink.) Most of us will keep calm and carry on, whatever the percentages. Seven years is a long time: you'll be a size 10 by then – that, or getting divorced. The key thing about Armageddon is that it's always in the future, as the followers of myriad cults have found to their cost down the years. Let us trust the experts – remember them? – to sort it out. A few years ago, Nasa significantly changed the orbit of an asteroid. The Dart spacecraft slammed into a 150-metre asteroid moon at speed, changing its orbital period by more than 30 minutes – a result that could be replicated, if planning began now. A few, should the predictions get worse, may go full survivalist, filling their bunkers with tinned carrots. But their number will be small. The news cycle is hardly relaxing at the moment, the old order as frangible as digestive biscuits. A person has the capacity for only so much terror, and now may not be the time to start worrying what will happen to Birmingham if YR4 turns out to be West Midlands-bound. The year 1998 came with its share of global calamities, but the notion of a world war seemed far away compared with today, which may be one reason why two big films about asteroids then played to packed cinemas. In Deep Impact, a comet on a collision course with Earth hits, causing a tsunami that destroys the US east coast, a mission by the Messiah spacecraft having failed to alter its path. In Armageddon, a rogue asteroid is broken into fragments by a nuclear bomb that is somehow inserted into it by, among others, an oil driller played by Bruce Willis – though it's not all good news: Shanghai is obliterated by another meteor strike along the way. No prizes for guessing which film did better at the box office. Sign up to Observed Analysis and opinion on the week's news and culture brought to you by the best Observer writers after newsletter promotion Hope springs eternal, though we all know perfectly well that no one gets out of here alive.
