# Proof of the brilliance of the Simpsons
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 7, 2002, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242 "2002-10-07T18:33:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/1 "2002-10-07T18:33:25Z")
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.
---
### Author:  [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/2 "2002-10-07T18:55:52Z")
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.
---
### Author:  [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/3 "2002-10-07T19:17:47Z")
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.
🆒
---
### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/4 "2002-10-07T22:07:42Z")
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!”
---
### Author:  [@NutWrench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutWrench)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/5 "2002-10-07T22:28:43Z")
Homer: “Will you quiet down! I can’t hear myself think!”
Homers Brain: I want peanuts.
Homer: “That’s better!”
---
### Author:  [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/6 "2002-10-07T22:40:47Z")
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.
---
### Author:  [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/7 "2002-10-07T22:47:42Z")
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!"
---
### Author:  [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/8 "2002-10-07T22:58:11Z")
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.
---
### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/9 "2002-10-07T23:31:51Z")
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.
---
### Author:  [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)
#### Post date: [October 7, 2002, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/10 "2002-10-07T23:54:04Z")
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.
---
### Author:  [@tritone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tritone)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/11 "2002-10-08T14:26:20Z")
Don’t remember the episode, don’t remember the context, just remember Marge reading _Love in the Time of Scurvy_
😃
---
### Author:  [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/12 "2002-10-08T14:40:16Z")
_The Simpsons_ has also made numerous references to [Ray-Jay Johnson](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Saluga,+Bill), 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?
---
### Author:  [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/13 "2002-10-08T15:53:52Z")
Grandpa: They may say Bea died of a burst ventricle, but I know she died of a broken heart.
---
### Author:  [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/14 "2002-10-08T17:29:32Z")
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!
---
### Author:  [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/15 "2002-10-08T18:38:54Z")
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.
---
### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/16 "2002-10-08T18:56:56Z")
“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. 😃
---
### Author:  [@Baron\_of\_Graymatter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_of_Graymatter)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/17 "2002-10-08T19:43:20Z")
Marge: Homer, it’s awfully easy to criticize.
Homer: Fun, too!
---
### Author:  [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/18 "2002-10-08T19:58:59Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by BurnMeUp \*
> \*\*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. \*\*
I never could make out what Marge said. THAT IS HILARIOUS!
---
### Author:  [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/19 "2002-10-08T20:02:14Z")
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?](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=585&e=1&cid=585&u=/nm/20021008/sc_nm/life_spain_invention_dc).
'nuff said.
---
### Author:  [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)
#### Post date: [October 8, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242/20 "2002-10-08T20:11:18Z")
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.”
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proof-of-the-brilliance-of-the-simpsons/131242.md?page=2)