The only word from The Simpsons that has made it into the Oxford English Dictionary is the most obvious one, Doh!, but according to some fans there should be a few more words that Oxford recognize that us mere mortals use.
01. Yoink
An exclamation that, when uttered in conjunction with taking an object, immediately transfers ownership from the original owner to the person using the word regardless of previous property rights.
Yoink is a word that makes stealing even more fun. While this phrase first appeared in a 1960s episode of The Flinstones, The Simpsons did much to bring it into popular use. In the town of Springfield, the phrase is first uttered by Homer in a fourth season episode as he snatches a wad of cash out of Marge’s hands. The word has also been used by Snake while purse-snatching, Mr. Burns while swiping a $1,000 bill from Bart and an anonymous person stealing Lenny’s diamond tooth.
02. Diddly
A filled pause, a non-word which a speaker uses to take up time or space in a sentence, and which are sometimes used for emphasis.
If “uh” and “um” have a home in the dictionary, then so too does Ned’s favorite non-word. Whether used to add alliteration, replace a swear word or simply as nonsense, few words are as versatile and effective as diddly. One of my favorite diddly quotes: “Son of a diddly!”
03. Glayvin
A nonsensical word used to describe any emotion from surprise to joy to sadness.
Great glayvin in a bag, is this a good word. Glayvin is yet another catchphrase that has earned a considerable amount of steam in the real world. Professor Frink’s most popular utterance is a catch-all term that can be used in almost as many scenarios as “diddly.” The term likely originates form Jerry Lewis’ legendary catchphrase “froyndleyven.” Frink’s character traits are clearly inspired by Lewis.
04. Meh
Indifference; to be used when one simply does not care.
I’d wager a guess and say that “meh” is used in common conversation way more often than “doh.” The word was first muttered in tandem by both Bart and Lisa when Homer asks if they want to go to Blockoland – a Legoland rip-off amusement park. Meh has reached such popularity, that self-described “minor celebrity” John Hodgman has publicly denounced its use. I, on the other hand, find great merit in the word – and apparently so too does the Collins English Dictionary. This British publication added “meh” to their dictionary in 2008 (so stop dragging your heels, America).
05. Kwyjibo
A big, dumb, balding North American ape with no chin and a short temper.
In an early episode, Bart lays down all his tiles in a game of Scrabble to spell “kwyjibo.” The definition above comes straight from Bart’s mouth (with addendum from Marge), and is a thinly veiled description of Homer. Granted, I suppose the validity of the word suffers a bit from the fact that kwyjibos as a species don’t actually exist, which is why I implore nature biologists everywhere to force “kwyjibo” into popular acceptance by bestowing the name upon the next long-lost ape species we discover.
06. Car Hole
A covered place to park your car; synonym for garage.
If you want to refer to your garage without sounding like a snobby Frenchman, then this is the perfect word for you. Moe Szyslak coins this phrase during a game of poker after ridiculing Homer for his fancy-shmancy usage of the word “garage.” The fact that Homer immediately discards his previous nomenclature by using the phrase “car hole” in the very next scene should be testament to the supreme accessibility and usefulness of this perfectly simple and descriptive term.
07. Frogurt
a portmanteau for “frozen yogurt”
Looking back, I’m surprised that The Simpsons were the first to use this term, as it seems like such a natural way to shorten “frozen yogurt” – a term I think we all can agree is way too long and clunky. The delicious word made its debut in a Treehouse of Horror episode in which Homer visits an evil gift shop. Apparently the Frogurt is cursed (that’s bad), but it also comes with a free topping (that’s good).
08. Craptacular
Exceptionally poor quality; spectacularly crappy.
Along with frogurt, craptacular is one of the more accessible portmanteaus crafted by the writers of the Simpsons. Bart uses the word to describe Homer’s Christmas lights display during a Christmas episode. Certainly, there are plenty of instances in the real world where the term “crappy” just isn’t strong enough to effectively portray the sheer terribleness of a particular person, place or thing. For those instances, craptacular is here to help.
9. Unpossible
Not possible; synonym of impossible.
“Me fail English? That’s unpossible!” When Ralph Wiggum blurted out this silly little phrase in the sixth season of the Simpsons, it instantly became one of the most quoted lines of the series. Taken out of context, the term is generally meant ironically, which some may argue gives it less credibility. However, if you think the word is one that would only be used genuinely by uneducated morons, let me just point out that “unpossible” has been used by none other than William Shakespeare. The word appears in his play, Richard II.
10. Embiggen
To make bigger or grow in size; a perfectly cromulent word.
This graceful word can be attributed to town founder Jebediah Springfield. As the town motto goes, “A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.” The word is used repeatedly throughout the 7th season episode in which all of Springfield comes down with a major case of Jebeditis (another excellent candidate for this list) during the town’s bicentennial celebration. Adding credibility to the word is the fact that it has appeared in numerous scientific publications since the episode aired. Simpsons fans can’t think of “embiggen” without thinking of the other fake word used to describe it: cromulent. Clearly, this word should be included on this list as well – if it weren’t for the fact that the Webster’s American dictionary added it to their “New Millenium” edition a few years ago. The official definition: fine, acceptable.
I’m not going to lie, I’ve been known to use a couple of these words.. especially when I’m drunk. What words do you think Oxford should use from The Simpsons?
source: 10 fake Simpsons words that belong in the dictionary [Guyism]
Well here it is, Marge Simpson’s photoshoot for Playboy is finally upon us!
The photos are pretty tame, there is no nudity at all. In fact I have seen more of Marge’s body when I was sent a link to The Simpsons porn (nsfw).
According to Marge she stands at 6′6″ including her hair, her bust size is 26″, waist is 26″and her hips are also 26″.
When did you know Homer was the one? : “Well, when the doctor said I was pregnant, I heard a voice saying ‘that’s the man you’re going to marry.’ The voice was my mother’s.”
The secrets on a healthy sex life: “Home and I have one rule that has worked incredibly well: Never go to bed hungry.”
On her family’s reaction to her doing Playboy: “Homer said he was intrigued because he had never heard of your magazine. The notion of women posing in the buff was completely foreign to him. Wasn’t it sweet of him to lie? When Lisa hear about this, she said it was empowering to see a woman in control of her own body. Wasn’t it sweet of her to lie? Bart will never learn about this under any circumstance.”
There isn’t many gay characters on TV these days because it is still considered a big issue, so you can imagine how little there was years ago. Well here is a list of 15 characters that should have come out of the closet…
15. Alice Nelson (”The Brady Bunch”)
Now the first thing you’re going to say here is “Hey Bill, you’re so wrong. Alice wasn’t gay. She was dating Sam the butcher.” Well, I am very aware of that, but have you really considered what they were doing while dating? Most of their time together was spent bowling. Do you know many heterosexual women who own their own bowling ball? Alice often boasted of the ‘”free meat” she received from Sam. In modern times that would translate to sex, but during that period, and the fact that Sam was actually a butcher, it really just meant chuck roasts and hamburger. Unable to exercise her homosexual desires, Alice used the men around her to get what she wanted. In turn spending her time loveless and attempting to live her life vicariously though the families she took care of. Alice, my friends, was a full blown lesbian and we loved her.
14. Uncle Arthur (”Bewitched”)
The fun loving brother of Samantha Stevens’ Mother Endora, Uncle Arthur was considered flamboyant even for warlock standards. He was also the only one of Samantha’s relatives who seemed to like Darren. These are just some of the things that gave us a clue to the sexual orientation of our favorite TV magic user. Poof!
13. Jo Polniaczek (”Facts Of Life”)
Imagine you’re a student in an all girls school who is questioning her sexuality. Imagine that you cannot share your desires with the world because there is too much bias in a decade that has not yet embraced homosexuality (oh, those frigid 80s). It’s a terrible burden to deal with. What do you do? You would turn your tomboy to 11 and threaten to pummel every girl who looks at you wrong. In time, you’re going to be great friends with these other students, but the relationship won’t truly blossom until the college years where you can finally express your sexuality with each other. Poor Jo grew up around girls who she found attractive, but like Ms. Garrett’s cookies, were considered untouchable except to customers and George Clooney.
12. Balki Bartokomous (”Perfect Strangers”)
There is a difference between coming to America to make a better life for yourself, and escaping prosecution from angry and uneducated villagers who don’t understand and can’t begin to fathom your sexual beliefs. Although, even in the strangest of regions our friend, Balki would have been considered an odd duck. What better way to downsize your awkwardness than residing with the most socially inept cousin you barely knew you had. Balki also helped set the bar for fashion trends for many homosexual men. Beyond the occasional lederhosen and bolo tie, he actually created a few fashions that still stand today, though mostly in pride parades and on “Star Search.”
11. Jimmy (”H.R. Pufnstuf”)
I’m going to keep this short. A little boy likes to skip and jump while keeping his best friend in his mouth. I’m not even going to talk about his yellow shirt and haircut.
10. Reuben Kincaid (”Partridge Family”)
You only have to watch two episodes to start questioning why Reuben and Shirley Partridge never hooked up. You only have to watch two more to figure it out why they didn’t. Reuben Kincaid was a closet homosexual. He was a 40-something single man who worked in the entertainment industry and had a large collection of snazzy wool sports coats. There is no way you can convince me that the super-fancy tour bus paint job wasn’t his either. He just never wanted to take the credit.
9. Eddie Haskell (”Leave it to Beaver”)
Well groomed and constantly putting on a persona for everyone around him, Eddie Haskell is a textbook case of hiding homosexuality. It was hard to witness the all the perils in Haskell’s life considering the network wouldn’t even show a toilet in a bathroom. But, a present day “Beaver” sitcom would reveal all sorts of sexual tensions, unspoken desires… and more beaver jokes.
8. Xena (”Xena: Warrior Princess”)
Xena was a penis short of being a man. Her hatred towards men brought on by bad treatment from the Gods scarred her psyche and gave her a really big phallic sword to treat it. Not only is she a lesbian, she is an angry one. Her relationships are usually with very questionable and weak men, as well as young and hot women. She and her partner Gabrielle were often seen together in a bedroll, holding and comforting one another, or declaring their devotion. There was even the occasional kiss. Long, hot, sensual kisses. Yum.
7. Peppermint Patty (”Peanuts”)
Peppermint Patty wrote the book on how the be a man in a lesbian relationship.
6. Col. Wilhelm Klink (”Hogan’s Hereos”)
Understanding this guy wasn’t a person other soldiers would want to share a foxhole with, the German army made him a commander in a POW camp surrounded by hundreds of men he could be the “boss” to all day long. You can’t tell me he wasn’t taking peeks inside the showers or supervising disciplinary actions in the compound. The reason you never heard about these things is the one guy who would know would never say a thing. When asked Schultz would let you know “he sees nuthink!”
5. Murray Slaughter (”Mary Tyler Moore”)
Murray was a single, middle aged man who constantly shared his feelings with his female best friend. Murray was 10 times gayer than even he knew. Often seen in a sweater and unable to express his attraction to Ted Baxter, Murray led a torturous life. I feel he was four more seasons away from committing a horrible sex crime brought on by years of sexual frustration and male pattern baldness.
4. Waylon Smithers (”The Simpsons”)
Is there anything here I can tell you that you don’t already know? His love is expressed everyday for his boss. The one and only man he will ever love, and the one man he can never have. This will never stop him from offering his heart and soul, as well as the lips that will always remained unkissed… unless you count Mr. Burns’ ass.
3. Floyd Lawson (”Andy Griffith Show”)
Lonely and awkward, Floyd spent his days quietly cutting men’s hair or socializing with local gentlemen on the park bench in front of his store. The biggest clue would probably be the name of the first episode he appeared. It was entitled “The Gay Deceiver.”
2. He-Man (”He-Man”)
He-Man is the alter ego of Prince Adam of Eternia, son of King Randor and Queen Marlena and one of the biggest pansies to set foot in Castle Grayskull. Donned in lavender, he spends his days talking to his cat until trouble is found. He then lifts his sword and turns into an even gayer version of himself, He-Man the confident strong gay male that Prince Adam always wanted to be. A nice tan and questionable hair was not all he had. He could use his brute strength to wrestle any opponent to the ground. Watch out, it’s going to get sweaty.
1. Bert and Ernie (”Sesame Street”)
Those two guys have been living together for all these years, sharing a bedroom and sharing each other’s lives. There have never been discussions of women or other manly stuff. It would seem most of their conversations were center Ernie’s baths and rubber ducks. If there were ever two men who needed to confess their undying love for each other… it is these two. Don’t get me started on Kermit the Frog!
I agree with pretty much all of them but where the hell is Spongebob?
source: 15 TV Characters Who Never Came Out Of The Closet (But Should Have) [TV Munchies]
Marge Simpson, voiced by Julie Kavner, plants a smacker on her attractive pal in the living room of her family home in Springfield while husband Homer looks on.
But all is not what it seems – it transpires that the smooch is a figment of beer-swigging hubby Homer’s imagination.
The lardy mid-lifer had been panicking about the disasters that could befall his family after his insurance expires but soon started day-dreaming about his wife locking lips with another woman.
The episode – How The Test Was Won – aired in America last night but will be shown in the UK this Sunday on Sky1.
The show has been broaching lesbianism more over the last few years and revealed in 2005 that Marge’s disapproving older sister Patty was a closet lesbian, who consequently gets engaged to a female golf player Veronica.
Veronica was later discovered to be a man who disguised himself to get on the Ladies Professional Golfing Association tour and was promptly dumped by Patty when she found out.
The Simpsons has come under fire from a gay rights group after one of the characters said “that’s so gay” during the show’s Halloween episode.
Nelson Muntz uttered the words on Sunday night to Milhouse Van Houten, now the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) are demanding an apology from Fox Network.
In a statement the group said, Nelson’s use of ‘that’s so gay’ in a negative way is not surprising considering that 90% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth say they hear the term used thisway frequently or often at school.”
GLSEN directed Nelson – known for his trademark phrase “Ha Ha!” – to go to its Web site, ThinkB4YouSpeak.com, and “send an apologetic e-card to Milhouse.”
Yeardley Smith Erickson, or the voice of Lisa Simpson as 99.9% of the world knows her, has filed for divorce from her husband of six years Daniel Erickson.
The court docs [see documents], filed yesterday by Erickson in L.A. County Superior Court, indicate their date of separation is “under determination.” She cites irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.
The couple was married in 2002 and has no children.
It’s always irreconcilable differences, I want the dirty details.
source: Lisa Simpson Has A Cow, Files For Divorce [tmz]
Shows about nothing, shows with characters so outrageous they’re almost (and sometimes literally) cartoons, shows about families and shows about friends — they’re all in our countdown of the Top 10 Comedy Shows of All Time.
10. Friends
(1994 – 2004)
The fact that Monica and Rachel lived in a swanky New York apartment they could never have afforded in the real world didn’t diminish how much we loved the ‘Friends’-ship of the Central Perk gang, the Ross-Rachel romance and our favorite TV wiseacre, Chandler Bing.
9. I Love Lucy
(1951 – 1957)
A comedy so classic it still goes down as smoothly as a bottle of Vitameatavegamin, the first major TV ratings hit owed its success to Lucille Ball’s gift for physical comedy, whether re-enacting the Marx Brothers’ mirror scene with Harpo, wrapping candy with Ethel or selling that “health” tonic.
8. Roseanne
(1988 – 1997)
This picture of a working-class family was loving but not mushy, and didn’t gloss over mundane worries like paying the mortgage, working a dead-end job and dealing with sassy kids. In fact, Roseanne mined them for comedy gold, and did so without looking or sounding like the typical sitcom mom.
7. The Cosby Show
(1984 – 1992)
It was the family we all wanted to be a part of: the Huxtables, led by Cliff and Clair, two professional, in-love parents who ruled with a firm hand and lots of humor, whether buying Theo a Gordon Gartrell shirt, planning the classic anniversary performances for the grandparents or throwing a funeral for a pet fish.
6. M*A*S*H
(1972 – 1983)
From Hawkeye’s womanizing to Klinger’s obsession with getting a Section Eight, a constant barrage of wisecracks and juvenile pranks was just what the doctor ordered for these Korean War army surgeons, whose gallows humor was the only way they, and viewers, could deal with the traumas of war.
5. Cheers
(1982 – 1993)
The Boston gang gave us not only a seminal workplace sitcom, but also one of the best TV romances ever with baseball pro-turned-bar owner Sam and snooty “student of life” Diane, and one of the all-time greatest ensemble casts in know-it-all Cliff, beer-lovin’ Norm, gold-digging Rebecca and naive Woody.
4. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
(1970 – 1977)
She’d once played Dick Van Dyke’s perfect sitcom wife, but here, MTM was the quintessential single career gal intent on conquering Minneapolis. As for the stellar supporting cast, Mr. Grant, Rhoda and Phyllis got their own spin-offs.
3. All in the Family
(1971 – 1979)
At the center of this groundbreaking comedy was “lovable bigot” Archie Bunker, whose rants on race, sex, religion, his dingbat wife and meathead son-in-law (and his hilarious meeting with Sammy Davis Jr.) only served to highlight just how ridiculous his viewpoints were.
2. Seinfeld
(1990 – 1998)
A show about nothing? Nah, it was about everything in the lives of four self-involved New Yorkers. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, because no one but Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer — and show co-creator Larry David — could have turned minutiae into nine seasons of comedic brilliance.
1. The Simpsons
(1989 – Present)
The longest-running comedy on TV holds that record for a reason — it is, quite simply, the best sitcom in history. The animated classic has spent 19 seasons mocking and celebrating pop culture, and giving us TV’s most beloved family and most delightfully ornery 10-year-old, Bartholomew J. Simpson.
Dead last in the ratings and nearly canceled after its first year, ‘Cheers‘ went on to become one of the most successful sitcoms in history.
Let’s revisit the happy half-hour at the bar where everybody knows your name to find out what the regulars have been up to since Sam’s joint was shuttered 15 years ago.
TED DANSON
Sam Malone (1982-1993)
Then: Former Red Sox pitcher, recovering alcoholic and unrepentant ladies man Sam Malone was rarely Sam Alone as bartender/owner of the Cheers pub. Whether he was romancing Diane or indulging in one-night stands, his banter with the barflies was as nonstop as his love life.
Now: Post-’Cheers,’ Danson dated Whoopi Goldberg and caused an uproar by donning blackface for a Friar’s Club roast. Since marrying Mary Steenburgen in 1995, he’s starred in ‘Becker,’ supported eco-causes and dabbled in home-brewed scotch (Danson’s Best).
SHELLEY LONG
Diane Chambers (1982-1987)
Then: Haughty hottie Diane was stranded at Cheers by her fiancé in the series pilot and stayed to play barmaid for five seasons. An academic fish out of water amid the tanked bar patrons, she enjoyed a volatile relationship with Sam, which led to marriage proposals … but no wedding.
Now: Shelley left ‘Cheers’ for movie stardom that never quite happened (’The Money Pit,’ ‘Troop Beverly Hills’), but stayed in the game by playing Carol Brady in ‘The Brady Bunch Movie’ and appearing in scads of episodic TV, including several eps of the ‘Cheers’ spin-off ‘Frasier.’
KIRSTIE ALLEY
Rebecca Howe (1987-1993)
Then: Neurotic businesswoman Rebecca became Sam’s foil and femme fatale after Diane left. She didn’t just turn up the heat — she burned Cheers down at one point. And though she swooned over rich men, she flushed her ambitions of wealth by marrying a plumber (Tom Berenger) in the series finale.
Now: Kirstie hit it big with ‘Veronica’s Closet’; and after her Showtime comedy ‘Fat Actress,’ she cagily parlayed her weight problem into a gig with Jenny Craig. Dropped by Jenny in 2008, Alley’s exploring her own diet business. An active Scientologist, she ranks as Operating Thetan Level 7.
RHEA PERLMAN
Carla Tortelli-LeBec (1982-1993)
Then: This sharp-tongued barmaid had a harsh word for everyone: “If you can’t say anything nice, say it about Diane.” Appearing in all 273 episodes (along with Sam and Norm), Perlman’s Carla had eight kids, two ex-husbands, and one TV-requisite heart of gold.
Now: Perlman’s ‘The Tortellis’ was the first ‘Cheers’ spin-off but lasted only 13 episodes, sparking protests for perpetuating Italian-American stereotypes. These days, Perlman’s busy with stage and screen work; she authored the Otto Undercover children’s book series and is married to Danny DeVito.
WOODY HARRELSON
Woody Boyd (1985-1993)
Then: Stepping in to fill the “adorable dumb guy” role after Coach died, assistant bartender and full-time straight man Woody was the butt of many jokes, most of them based on his relentlessly good-hearted idiocy.
Now: After years of playing dumb, Woody made a lot of smart career moves, starring in hit movies like ‘White Men Can’t Jump,’ ‘Indecent Proposal’ and ‘Kingpin.’ Nominated for an Oscar in ‘The People Versus Larry Flynt,’ Harrelson also champions environmental causes and the legalization of marijuana.
GEORGE WENDT
Norm Peterson (1982-1993)
Then: Ultimate regular Norm (or “NOOORM!”) was a beer-drinking machine who joked constantly with bar staff and his snide-kick, Cliff. A six-time Emmy nominee and a very Norm-like six-time loser, Wendt appeared in every ‘Cheers’ episode.
Now: Wendt’s career has mostly amounted to appearances as Norm on series like ‘St. Elsewhere,’ ‘Wings,’ ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Frasier.’ In 1993, Wendt and John “Cliff” Ratzenberger sued (and settled with) Paramount for using their likenesses on robot characters at a chain of ‘Cheers’-themed bars.
JOHN RATZENBERGER
Cliff Clavin (1982-1993)
Then: After auditioning unsuccessfully for the part of Norm, Ratzenberger convinced producers that Cheers needed a know-nothing know-it-all. So they created mama’s boy mailman Cliff to wax erroneous on topics like how the first Thanksgiving involved ancient Egyptians and space aliens.
Now: Since ‘Cheers,’ Ratzenberger has had a full dance card, including lasting six weeks on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ His voice is featured in all of Pixar’s movies (’Toy Story,’ ‘Finding Nemo,’ ‘Cars,’ etc.), and he hosts the Travel Channel series ‘John Ratzenberger’s Made in America.’
KELSEY GRAMMER
Frasier Crane (1984-1993)
Then: Freudian fussbudget Frasier joined the ‘Cheers’ party two years late, but stayed to the bittersweet end with his smart putdowns and snooty ‘tude. Left at the altar by Diane, the Harvard shrink married fellow intellectual Lilith before dumping her on the way to his own hit sitcom in Seattle.
Now: As Frasier, Grammer enjoyed a 20-year run on ‘Cheers’ and ‘Frasier’; he also won an Emmy as Sideshow Bob on ‘The Simpsons.’ And despite early personal traumas, including the murders of his father and sister, Grammer continues to succeed, bouncing back with the 2007 sitcom ‘Back to You.’
BEBE NEUWIRTH
Lilith Stermin (1986-1993)
Then: Uptight Frasier met his match in psychiatrist Lilith, whose ice-queen exterior housed a smoldering sensuality. The combustible pair married and had a child, but split when she ran off to live in an eco-pod with a colleague.
Now: After the bar closed, Neuwirth, already a theater veteran, lit up the Great White Way as Velma Kelly in ‘Chicago,’ winning her second Tony. Between film and stage roles she also earned her third Emmy by reprising Lilith on ‘Frasier.’
NICHOLAS COLASANTO
Ernie ‘Coach’ Pantusso (1982-1985)
Then: Though he’d been Sam’s Red Sox mentor, the dim-bulb barman said he got the name because he liked flying coach.
Now: Colasanto’s unexpected death at 61 was a cruel blow. ‘Cheers’ kept Coach alive for a time with outtakes, and honored him by hanging his prized Geronimo portrait on set.
JAY THOMAS
Eddie LeBec
Then: Boston Bruins hockey goalie Eddie scored with Carla and married her after she got pregnant. But Thomas was written off the show for insulting Rhea Perlman’s looks on his radio talk show. Oops! The writers banished Eddie to a traveling ice show, where he was killed by a Zamboni machine.
Now: After getting iced by ‘Cheers’ scribes, Thomas played radio talker Jerry Gold on ‘Murphy Brown.’ And he continued the shock jock routine in real life, currently hosting a show on Sirius. When he’s not broadcasting or acting, Thomas sells real estate in Santa Barbara, California.
DAN HEDAYA
Nick Tortelli
Then: A sleazebag deadbeat dad, Carla’s ex-hubby was an easy mark for putdowns in the pub. Nick married bombshell Loretta in Season 2 to irk Carla, but his exes ultimately bonded over his odious personality.
Now: The longtime character actor made a go of the ill-fated ‘Cheers’ spinoff ‘The Tortellis,’ returning to film to play Alicia Silversone’s dad in ‘Clueless’ and Richard Nixon in ‘Dick.’ Among his dozens of stage and screen roles was a touching turn on ‘Monk’ as Adrian’s long-lost dad.
JEAN KASEM
Loretta Tortelli
Then: The second wife of Carla’s ex-husband Nick, ditzy aspiring singer Loretta described herself as a “taller, blonder, less-Mormon Marie Osmond.” She went from being Carla’s rival to her ally against Nick when she “realized that Carla and I are both women.”
Now: Jean is the spouse of influential rock radio legend Casey Kasem. Despite a series of small movie and TV roles, she’s been more successful in business, creating Little Liberty Cribs, a unique line of round and heart-shaped baby beds (for which she holds 11 patents).
ROGER REES
Robin Colcord
Then: Billionaire blowhard Robin wooed and wowed Rebecca, who was smitten by his cash — until Sam caught Robin conspiring to swindle the corporation that owned Cheers and frame Rebecca for it. Robin got busted, went on the lam and was later left at the altar by Rebecca.
Now: Having appeared in a wide range of stage and screen roles, he’s probably best known stateside as eccentric British diplomat Lord John Marbury on ‘The West Wing.’ He also popped recently up on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ as Cristina Yang’s ex-paramour, Dr. Colin Marlow.
HARRY ANDERSON
Harry the Hat
Then: Drawing upon Anderson’s real-life background as a street magician and his popular magic-comedy act, Harry the Hat thrived on the gullible marks at Cheers. He used his wiles to win bar bets from the regulars, but also helped Coach get back money he’d lost to one of Harry’s “associates.”
Now: Harry’s career did anything but disappear when he starred on the hit ‘Night Court’ and later on ‘Dave’s World.’ In 2000 Harry and his wife moved to New Orleans, opening a nightclub where Harry often performed; after Hurricane Katrina, they closed their club and moved to North Carolina.
JACKIE SWANSON
Kelly Gaines
Then: Woody took naive, rich girl Kelly to a monster truck pull on their first date, which put them on the bumpy road to matrimony. At their chaotic wedding, the minister died and tumbled onto the wedding cake. They lived hilariously ever after.
Now: A Prince pal who appeared in the singer’s ‘Raspberry Beret’ video (and for whom he wrote ‘Palomino Pleasure Ride’), Swanson didn’t have much to cheer about career-wise after she left the bar — just a few scant guest shots on shows like ‘NYPD Blue’ and ‘Cold Case.’ Call it the ‘Cheers’ hangover.
The writers outside the Time Warner Building were handing out these flyers, an open letter, to everyone willing to take one.
The flyer states their position regarding the strike. The bonus is for those of us who are supporting them. It supplies a list of media executives and their respective addresses.
Call or write them!
[Click the thumbnails for a larger view]
Ironically, the flyer is poorly written.
For a complete list of the affected shows, go HERE.
They are serious about tracking people down who put movies on the internet, even going international. Authorities have tracked the first known pirated copy of “The Simpsons Movie” to make it online to a home raided by Australian police on Friday.
Police ordered a 21-year-old Sydney man to appear in a Sydney court in October when he will be formally charged, the Australian Federal Police said. Details of the likely charge and penalties have not been made public.
The Motion Picture Association industry group said the investigation involved News Corp.’s Twentieth Century Fox movie studio, Australian police and the private investigation group Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft.
The federation said the illegal “Simpsons” copy was the first on the Internet and was recorded by a cell phone in a Sydney cinema on July 26 — hours before its release in most of the world. Officials said the movie was uploaded to a video-sharing site based in the United States before it hit U.S. theaters July 27.
“Within 72 hours of making and uploading this unauthorized recording, AFACT had tracked it to other streaming sites and P2P (peer-to-peer) systems, where it had been illegally downloaded in excess of 110,000 times, and in all probability, copied and sold as a pirate DVD all over the world,” AFACT executive director Adrianne Pecotic said.
That must be one sweet ass cell phone that can record an entire movie. Or maybe I should stop using the free phones the company gives you when you sign up.
Source: “Pirated ‘Simpsons’ tracked to Australian” [Yahoo]; Photo: The Protagonist
The Simpsons made their first high fashion photo spread in the pages of Harper’s Bazaar.
The Simpsons were dressed up in Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Lanvin, Versace, and Viktor & Rolf. Actual gowns from the designers Fall 2007 shows are represented in the spread.
Over the weekend, 7-Eleven Inc. turned a dozen stores into Kwik-E-Marts, the fictional convenience stores of “The Simpsons” cartoon, in the latest example of marketers making life imitate art.
Those stores and most of the 6,000-plus other 7-Elevens in North America will sell items that until now existed only on television: Buzz Cola, KrustyO’s cereal and Squishees, the slushy drink knockoff of Slurpees. It’s all part of a campaign to hype the July 27 opening of ‘The Simpsons Movie.’
For 20th Century Fox Film Corp. and Homer’s creators at Gracie Films, the stunt is a cheap way to call attention to their movie, since 7-Eleven is bearing all the costs. Executives of the retail chain put the costs somewhere in the single millions, but think they will more than recoup that figure. They also hope it shows they have “the ability to laugh at themselves.”
The promotion, however, is not risk-free.
The proprietor of Kwik-E-Mart is a man named Apu who speaks in a heavy Indian accent. He is based on a manager Groening encountered while shopping at a 7-Eleven in Los Angeles nearly 20 years ago and plays to stereotypes about convenience-store operators and Asian immigrants.
“I know it’s a stereotype, but it doesn’t bother me. Everybody knows it’s a joke,” Assandas said. “I’m a big Simpsons fan myself, and maybe subconsciously it even inspired me to become a 7-Eleven owner.”
The only thing missing? Duff Beer. Just grab a six-pack of Natural Light and call it a day.
It appears as though the world’s largest convenience store will get Simpsonized, though 7-Eleven said the deal isn’t done yet.
If all goes as planned, the convenience store chain plans to refit 11 stores across the U.S. — Richmond is an unlikely choice — to resemble the front of the Kwik-E-Mart, the convenience store that Homer and other characters frequent in the classic cartoon TV series.
Customers also will be able to buy products inspired by the nearly two-decades-old show, including KrustyO’s cereal, Buzz Cola and iced Squishees (the cup says Squishee, but the contents will be Slurpee).
The chain also will use pictures of Simpsons characters to promote 7-Eleven’s line of fresh foods, such as placing the face of Homer and his classic “Mmmm . . . sandwich” quip on sandwich wrappers.
Details of 7-Eleven’s plans were showed to employees in a booth at a company event at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. It was unclear yesterday which 11 stores of the more than 4,700 nationwide would receive a cartoony facelift or sell inventory of the Simpsons-inspired products.
Rolling Stone has assembled what they believe to be the 25 funniest moments from the first ten years of “South Park” and provide a video clip for each of them.
Their tastes are clearly different from mine, as I don’t find several of the ones they picked funny at all. I mean, the Towelie character? C’mon.
Still, these are pretty good:
MOMENT #22 Cartman addresses Congress in an attempt to save his friend by convincing them of the merits of stem-cell research. They finally agree after he leads them in a sing-along version of prog supergroup’s Asia 1980’s classic “Heat of the Moment” — one of many songs from that era Cartman has an affinity for.
MOMENT #21: South Park takes on The Simpsons. South Park pays homage to its predecessor by admitting that The Simpsons has covered literally every plot imaginable. In the end, all the characters morph into yellow-skinned Springfield residents.
MOMENT #19 Realizing just how profitable Christian pop rock can be, Cartman forms a group called Faith +1 with Token and Butters. They go on to sell millions. Sample lyric: “I wanna get down on my knees and start pleasing Jesus! I wanna feel his salvation all over my face!”
MOMENT #12 In what turned out to be South Park’s most notorious episode, Scientologists conclude that Kyle must be a reincarnation of L. Ron Hubbard. Kyle is given a brief overview of the cult’s beliefs via an abridged version of the Scientology creation myth, which features frozen aliens in volcanoes, alien warlord Xenu…the whole she-bang. Throughout, the message “This is what Scientologists actually believe” is periodically flashed on the screen.
There are a lot of classic South Park scenes missing from the list, though, and some of the show at its sick-not-funny worst included.
“Within 72 hours of making and uploading this unauthorized recording, AFACT had tracked it to other streaming sites and P2P (peer-to-peer) systems, where it had been illegally downloaded in excess of 110,000 times, and in all probability, copied and sold as a pirate DVD all over the world,” AFACT executive director Adrianne Pecotic said.
The proprietor of Kwik-E-Mart is a man named Apu who speaks in a heavy Indian accent. He is based on a manager Groening encountered while shopping at a 7-Eleven in Los Angeles nearly 20 years ago and plays to stereotypes about convenience-store operators and Asian immigrants.
