Well, not proof so much, but an absolutely great comic scene that has stuck in my head for about 2 months since I last saw the episode.
In “Papa’s got a Brand New Badge” from the last season, Snake is robbing the Quik-e-Mart. Apu presses the silent alarm button at which point, in a loud booming voice, we all hear
“Silent Alarm Activated!”
The inanity and randomness of that happening still makes me giggle when I think about it.
IMHO, the genious of the Simpsons is how it seemingly integrates (sometimes obscure) references to pop culture, real world issues, and inane random silliness.
For example:
Homer takes the day off from work and tells Marge “Relax…I got someone covering me”. We then see the person “covering” Homer is a makeshift dummy made out of brooms and a bucket with a taperecorder playing “I work hard for the money…” over and over. Burns likes the “get up and go” spirit of this happy singing “employee”, he promote him to a corner office…where the tape shorts out and causes a huge fire.
Here is some more:
Shopkeeper: Take this object, but beware: it carries a terrible curse!
Homer: Oooh, that’s bad.
Shopkeeper: But it comes with a free Frogurt!
Homer: That’s good!
Shopkeeper: The Frogurt is also cursed.
Homer: That’s bad.
Shopkeeper: But you get your choice of toppings!
Homer: That’s good!
Shopkeeper: The toppings contain potassium benzoate.
[Homer looks puzzled.]
Shopkeeper: That’s bad.
Homer: Can I go now?
and
Grampa Simpson: Welcome home, son. I broke two lamps and lost all your mail. What’s wrong with your wife?
Homer: Never mind, you wouldn’t understand.
Grampa Simpson: Flu?
Homer: No.
Grampa Simpson: Protein deficiency?
Homer: No.
Grampa Simpson: neumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis?
Homer: No.
Grampa Simpson: Unsatisfying sex life?
Homer: N – yes. But please, don’t you say that word!
Grampa Simpson: What, seeex? What’s so unappealing about hearing your elderly father talk about sex? I had seeeeex.
One of my favorite gags (which has been used at least twice):
Bart: “Dad, you killed the zombie Flanders!”
Homer: “He was a zombie?”
and:
Grandpa: “We have to kill the boy!”
Marge(?): “How did you know he was a vampire?”
Grandpa: “He’s a vampire? Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!”
Homer: “Will you quiet down! I can’t hear myself think!”
Homers Brain: I want peanuts.
Homer: “That’s better!”
Homer’s rare moments of brilliance are hysterical, mostly for making the audience do a double take. Observe:
Apu: I have come to make amends, sir. At first, I blamed you for squealing, but then I realized, it was I who wronged you. So I have come to work off my debt. I am at your service.
Homer: You’re … selling what, now?
Apu: I am selling only the concept of karmic realignment.
Homer: You can’t sell that! Karma can only be portioned out by the cosmos. [slams the door]
Apu: He’s got me there.
Another scene with Snake that I love is during the Homer gets a gun episode.
Homer tries to stop Snake’s robbery by holding the pistol to him which Snake then take’s and points at homer
Homer: Well that gun won’t do much without these bullets. (Holds up box of bullets)
Snake: (Pointing gun) Give me those bullets!"
Homer (Handing over bullets) Ahh! Don’t Shoot!"
Is this another “Favorite Simpsons Quote” thread?
Yeah, I guess it is. Speaking of which, I think it’s time for the show’s producers to slap a gimmick episode together in which every line is a line from a previous show, not necessarily spoken by the original character. This would help prove my theory that it’s possible to communicate in English using only sentences previously heard on The Simpsons.
Homer: In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!
Sometimes the cultural references escape me, but when they drop a good physics line, I chuckle.
I think one of the genius lines was when they board the plane for Tokyo
Homer: I don’t want to go Tokyo
Marge: Come on Homie, you might like Japan. We rented Rashomon and you liked it
Homer: That’s not how I remember it.
Definately very subtle and very funny.
Don’t remember the episode, don’t remember the context, just remember Marge reading Love in the Time of Scurvy
The Simpsons has also made numerous references to Ray-Jay Johnson, a '60s comic who had ten minutes (if that) of semi-fame.
Lisa: Bart’s acting funny.
Homer: Ray-Jay funny or O.J. funny?
Grandpa: They may say Bea died of a burst ventricle, but I know she died of a broken heart.
Homer searches for a peanut.
Homer: Something’s wrong … eww, squishy! ah, moving! here it…ohhhh, $20 … but I wanted a peanut!
Homer’s Brain: Wait! $20 can buy many peanuts.
Homer: Explain how.
Homer’s Brain: Money can be exchanged for goods and services.
Homer: Woohoo!
One of the hippies: “In a way the sixties ended the day we sold (the bus). Dec. 31, 1969.”
I wish I could work that into more conversations.
“I’ve never been a religious man, but it you can hear me, SAVE ME, SUPERMAN!”–Homer Simpson
I sometimes use this as a sig.
Marge: Homer, it’s awfully easy to criticize.
Homer: Fun, too!
I never could make out what Marge said. THAT IS HILARIOUS!
The brilliance of the Simpsons does not end at the humor, oh no! Recall the episode where Homer’s brother Herb invents the Baby Translator? I present to you the Why Cry?.
'nuff said.
Prison warden, describing a painting by a convict:
“He painted a unicorn in space! What does it breathe?”
Homer: “Air?”
Warden: “There’s no air in space!”
Homer: “There’s an Air in Space Museum.”