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Dialogues@RU is published
annually
by the
Writing Program at
Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
Volume Three
Spring 2004
Sly Fox : The Cultural Impact of One Network - Page 4
by Reina Singh
It is acceptable for the Simpson family to grapple with incendiary social issues because of their cartoon status. A recent episode of the show (post-September 11 th) demonstrates how the show upholds its commitment to social commentary. The ending of the episode is the most significant, when a huge fight erupts at a Springfield Isotopes baseball game. Ultimately, all of the participants agree to end the donnybrook when they see Marge Simpson crying. At someone’s suggestion, everyone convenes in the middle of the field to sing a song of peace. However, the characters opt to sing the Canadian national anthem ¾ as opposed to our own, which has been associated with war and violence. The majority of the viewers were not offended by this ending because the political comment was masked by the silliness of the show.
Unfortunately The Simpsons falls into the realm of popular culture and therefore cannot be discounted as mass culture. While it is true that recurring characters on the show like Kent Brockman and Mayor Joe Quimby parody the two largest corruptors of the American psyche, the media and politics, the show’s elitist and intellectual implications are diminished by lowbrow central characters like Homer and Bart Simpson. Jon Bonne argues that the show’s cultural authenticity has become increasingly lackluster over the years, “hopelessly on track to TV hell, allowing The Simpsons to drift toward ever-coarser humor and lowbrow view of the world that bore little resemblance to the subtle work of earlier years” (Bonne 2). A wonderful example is an episode where Springfield is divided into two districts: Springfield and Olde Springfield. News reporter Kent Brockman claims that the inhabitants of Springfield are inferior to the citizens of the other district. He mocks the Springfieldians by saying they use lowbrow expressions like “C’mere a minute” and immediately Homer and Bart start using the same expression.
The father-son duo embodies the demise of intellectualism in this country. The satiric nature of the show permeates the characters because if Bart and Homer were real, they would not inspire the viewer to identify nor understand the social implications within the show. The brilliance of the show is that each family member functions of a parody of something in American life. For example, Bart and Homer satirize the epidemic of ignorance in this country while Lisa is a parody of leftist politics. Bonne claims that guest stars such as Michael Moore and the show’s references to American scandals like Enron and the Clinton Impeachment are “incongruous” with the nature of the show. His statement is only accurate, however, when applied to the people like the Homers and the Barts who watch the show. Those who are not politically conscious would find these social references inconsistent with the show’s format; however, audience members who think of themselves as knowledgeable would certainly appreciate the many facets of the show. It is true that the mass appeal of The Simpsons prohibits the show from achieving the echelon of “high culture”; however, I believe that it should also not be demoted to the pits of popular culture. The show is a successful satire because it not only mocks state institutions, but the viewers as well. People may not watch the show to “inform” themselves, yet the writers and producers of the show stealthily incorporate parody into the show, “Other characters were no longer mere props for Homer’s gags. Sly social satire was seamlessly woven in” (Bonne 3). Bonne pinpoints how mass culture can successfully educate a one-dimensional audience, with satire woven in “seamlessly,” so well disguised that the average “Homer” cannot detect it.
Subtlety is what makes The Simpsons a part of elite culture. The intellectual and comedic nuances are so beautifully crafted, they are almost undetectable to the Barts and Homers of this world. The writers of this show are able to tackle some of our country’s most complex issues with wit and delicacy. The Clinton Impeachment was an event that most Americans will never forget. “Sunday, Cruddy Sunday” aired on January 21, 1999, during the sensational height of the Impeachment. The episode is actually about the Super Bowl; however, the writers cleverly make reference to the Clintons’ predicament:
Homer: It's a deal! Hey, Moe, you wanna come with me and Wally to the Super Bowl?
Moe: Oh, absolutely! My favorite team's in it! The . . . [he brings a beer mug up to his mouth, obscuring the exact motion of his lips] Atlanta Falcons. Yeah, ever since I was a boy, I've always loved the . . . [again, with the mug] Atlanta Falcons.
Homer: Yeah, they're good, but I wouldn't count out the . . . [gestures for the mug, and also does the mug bit] Denver Broncos.
Wally: Yeah, I hear that President . . . [mug] Clinton is gonna to be watching with his wife [mug] Hillary. (Meyer 24)
Although this transcript does not do justice to the joke, one can see the satiric nature of Homer and Moe’s interaction. In the cartoon, the mug is used to cover the characters’ mouths, so one cannot read their lips. The device was used for the Broncos and the Falcons because the show aired a week before the Super Bowl; the writers only speculated who would be the final two teams. The same gesture was applied to the President and First Lady, implying that it was uncertain who would be in office by the time the show aired. Clever indeed.
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