If someone asked you, are you a fan of The Simpsons, what would be your answer? Well, maybe you would take some time to think before answering. You have probably seen each and every episode of the series, and even more than once! Maybe you even received as a gift a portrait of yourself turned into The Simpsons’ character because all your friends know how much you love the show and they decided it’s a must for you to have it! These are definitely the criteria that a real fan has to meet.
However, this show is the world’s longest-running sitcom and it’s no surprise that its history is full of interesting details, cultural references and wild theories that true fans must know! So let’s find out some of the most interesting facts about this phenomenal show. After reading this, you will definitely be able to call yourself a true fan.
1: The show characters are named after the show creator’s own family. Matt Groening only substituted "Bart" for his own name.
2: It took only three days for Danny Elfman to compose and finalize the famous theme tune.
3: God is the only character with five fingers. The rest of the characters only have four.
4: The running length of the show credits varies depending on the length of each episode. The longer the episode, the shorter the credits, and the other way around.
5: Homer has an active email address. You can contact him on ChunkyLover53@aol.com and receive an automated reply.
6: Homer's signature "D'oh!" has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary, and he also has inspired a much-quoted toast: "To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems."
7: Maggie is scanned at a cash register in one episode, and the price shows $847.63, the average monthly cost to raise a baby in 1989.
8: The show could have been something much different if the designs hadn’t been changed at the last minute because the characters were nearly aired as rabbits rather than yellow people.
9: “The City of New York vs Homer Simpson” originally aired on September 21, 1997. However, after the 9/11 attacks in the city in 2001, this episode was taken off air for 5 years.
10: Fans of the show really enjoyed getting to know the characters, including the first words of all the kids. Lisa’s first word was the name of her older brother, Bart.
11: There’s not just one version of The Simpsons. In an Arabic one, Homer is known as Omar, who drinks soda rather than beer, and swaps the famous hot dogs for Egyptian beef.
12: Bart is voiced by a woman, Nancy Cartwright. In an opening sequence during the show's second season, Bart wrote on the chalkboard, "I am not a 32-year-old woman" (Cartwright's age at the time).
13: Dustin Hoffman had an uncredited speaking role in the show's second season, playing Lisa's substitute teacher Mr Bergstrom. Hoffman chose the name "Sam Etic" in the closing credits - a play on the word Semitic, alluding to the fact that he and Mr Bergstrom are Jewish.
14: An episode during the fourth season featured guest star Elizabeth Taylor voicing a single word: Maggie's first word, spoken during a flashback. And what was the word? "Daddy."
15: “When you’re flicking through channels with your remote control, and a flash of yellow goes by, you’ll know you’re watching The Simpsons.” That’s the reason why the distinctive yellow hue was chosen in part to make the show stand out.
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