Simpsons and Butterfinger

Cafe Society
1

In last week’s episode of The Simpsons , in which Marge gets all refined sugar banned from Springfield, there is a scene in which the cops throw all of the town’s sweets into a big bonfire. When they try to throw a bag of Butterfinger bars in, th fire spits them out. Chief Wiggum says, “Even the fire doesn’t want them.”

This was hilarious because of the “biting the hand that feeds them” element. (The Simpsons have appeared in Butterfinger comercials almost since the show began.) But I’m curious–Is there more to the story? Did Nestle somehow screw over Mat Groening or James Brooks?

2

Did you see any Oompa Loompas? Well, only one.

3

It’s just a joke on one of their (longest-running) sponsors. Like they do with FOX:

Homer: “…what’s on FOX tonight? Something ribald, no doubt.”

also:

Closed captions for this episode were sponsored in part by “crispety,
crunchety, peanutbuttery NESTLE BUTTERFINGER. Nestle makes the very best.”

4

Certainly there’s no hard feelings since there are, 3 I think, Butterfinger commercials on the forthcoming Season 2 DVD set.

5

I hadn’t heard that. Makes sense, as The Simpsons commercial spots (which include 1-800-COLLECT) get treatment at least as much as the Tracey Ullman shorts.

http://www.snpp.com/episodes.html

(check out the Mini-Capsules up top)

6

I guess there simply are no sacred cows.

7

I got it off of Amazon.

8

Bart wrote on the blackboard once :“I will not bite the hand that feeds me”.

9

In a later episode, Bart apologized through a blackboard punishment:

I WILL NOT BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS ME BUTTERFINGERS

I guess it was a simple gag. After all, nobody better lay a finger on Bart’s Butterfinger.

Useless fact: The reason that Bart appears in Butterfinger ads (and has for over a decade) is because Butterfinger is Matt Groening’s favorite candy bar.

10

I suspected it was just a gag.

Mobo, where did you read that Butterfingers are Groening’s favorite candy bar (as opposed to the one that pays him the most money)?

11

Here in Japan they have the Simpsons in ads for an awful soft drink called C.C. Lemon. I think they got them because the can is the same yellow as the Simpsons’ faces. The television spots are depressingly uninspiring.

12

But is C.C. Lemon disrespectful to dirt?

13

Taking a look at newsgroup archives, Butterfinger may not be Matt’s “favorite,” but it is one that he enjoys eating.

C.C. Lemon is probably not disrespectful to dirt, but it is no drink for loafers. Join me or die. Can you do any less?

(Useless fact #2: Bart’s buddy Milhouse first appeared in a Butterfinger commercial. He feared he would die of malnutrition after Bart informed him there was apparently a fifth food group-Butterfingers.)

14

Whenever I see Bart chomp down on a Butterfinger, I inexplicably think, “Cannibal!”

Make of that what you will. :smiley:

15

There’s your answer, Fishbulb
All this talk about Butterfingers makes me want to buy a bar and pop it in the microwave. Damn Brad Renfro’s character in “The Cure” for teaching me that li’l orgy of empty calories.

16

What happens to a Butterfinger in the microwave, aside from becoming a mess? I’m afraid to ask.

17

C.C. Lemon banishes dirt to the land of wind and ghosts.

hehe - that’s one of my favorite episodes.
I like Butterfingers, but I don’t eat them very often b/c I can’t deal with the way they get stuck in your teeth. Does microwaving them solve this problem?

18

For lucky best wash, use Mr. Sparkle.

You like Kit Kat, Mr. Sparkle?

Orange Kit Kat?

I’m disrespectful to dirt. Can you see that I am serious?