# Simpsons episode - 'Langdon Auger' **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2007, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682 "2007-01-12T09:19:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/1 "2007-01-12T09:19:49Z")
A Simpsons repeat was on tonight where Lisa and Homer play ‘truth or dare’ and she tells him she is in love with a boy named Langdon Auger. I remembered this episode from previous airings, and it always struck me as some sort of inside joke. Before answering the question, Lisa looks away from Homer and pauses as though she is trying to make up a lie and looking for something that might give her an idea for a fake name. She then says, “his name is Langdon Auger”, and adds “he’s quiet and he enjoys puzzles”. The comment makes no sense in the context of the scene - it’s not funny and has nothing to do with the plot of the episode; It just seems like a throw-away line, which leads me to believe it’s an inside joke and ‘quiet’ and ‘enjoys puzzles’ are clues to the real meaning of this name, or that the name itself is a puzzle. Given the level of attention Simpsons fans generally give to stuff like this, I’m guessing _someone_ has figured it out. A newsgroup search didn’t help me - lots of references to the puzzle, but I didn’t find the answer. The name is alternately spelled as Langden Olger, Landen Auger, etc… One suggestion was that it’s an anagram, but how do you solve an anagram if you’re not sure how the name is spelled in the first place? Anybody know the answer? I apologize if this was covered before - I tried to do a search but it didn’t work very well. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/2 "2007-01-12T12:22:54Z")
I never thought it was supposed to be an inside joke. The [episode capsule](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/3F17.html) over at the Simpsons Archive lists some famous people named Langdon and Alger (the capsule uses the spelling “Alger,” which I always thought it was, too). There’s always the possibility the writers were stuck for a name and got it out of the phone book or a person they actually knew- the staff has commented on DVD audio commentaries that names such as “Don Brodka” were taken from the phone book, and Armin Tamzarian was a lawyer who represented the show. I’ll have to see if there’s any reference to the naming of Langdon on the commentary for that episode. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/3 "2007-01-12T15:04:02Z")
I think you’re reading too much into it, **lowbrass** ; I doubt the name has any significance. He’s Lisa’s crush, so it makes sense that she knows a little about him - and with that name and description, he sounds nerdy, like her. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/4 "2007-01-12T15:08:23Z")
The name came up again later in the episode when Homer had to order a new console to get Bart home. He ordered it under the name Langdon Alger, with a wink to Lisa. I’m pretty sure that was the extent of it. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/5 "2007-01-12T15:09:03Z")
Plus, the name does come up later in the episode when Homer has the Safety Console shipped to “Langdon Alger”. ---
**Author:** ![lowbrass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dc4da7/32.png) [@lowbrass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lowbrass)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/6 "2007-01-12T19:07:52Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] I never thought it was supposed to be an inside joke. The [episode capsule](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/3F17.html) over at the Simpsons Archive lists some famous people named Langdon and Alger (the capsule uses the spelling “Alger,” which I always thought it was, too). There’s always the possibility the writers were stuck for a name and got it out of the phone book or a person they actually knew- the staff has commented on DVD audio commentaries that names such as “Don Brodka” were taken from the phone book, and Armin Tamzarian was a lawyer who represented the show. I’ll have to see if there’s any reference to the naming of Langdon on the commentary for that episode. [/QUOTE] It wasn’t the name itself that made me think it was an inside joke; it was the way Lisa said it, the pause, and the cryptic-sounding remarks. Why would she just out of the blue say, “He enjoys puzzles”? It’s generally a well-written show, which is why bizzarre lines tend to get my ‘inside joke’ radar up. Like the episode where Homer gives his AOL screen name a little _too_ conspicuously, and sure enough, when you went and checked on your computer, they had created a fake AOL profile for Homer. They have given ‘clues’ to websites they created as well. I could be reading too much into it, but my intuition tells me they had some other intention there. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/7 "2007-01-12T19:12:32Z")
[QUOTE=lowbrass] It wasn’t the name itself that made me think it was an inside joke; it was the way Lisa said it, the pause, and the cryptic-sounding remarks. Why would she just out of the blue say, “He enjoys puzzles”? [/QUOTE] Because she’s an 8 year old girl talking about the boy she’s got a crush on. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/8 "2007-01-12T19:36:22Z")
[QUOTE=Tengu] Because she’s an 8 year old girl talking about the boy she’s got a crush on. [/QUOTE] True, but in most episodes Lisa talks and acts more like an **18** year old than an 8 year old. Maggie’s the only Simpson kid that acts her age anymore. ---
**Author:** ![carterba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@carterba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carterba)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/9 "2007-01-12T20:03:08Z")
[QUOTE=lowbrass] Like the episode where Homer gives his AOL screen name a little _too_ conspicuously [/QUOTE] But that was a joke too, on how ridiculous we sometimes sound when giving out our email addresses or IM userids: “All one word, with an underscore (no, the underline thing—shift-dash), and the number ‘4’ instead of F-O-U-R, …”. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/10 "2007-01-12T20:19:58Z")
I ran Langdon Alger through one of those web anagram things and didn’t come up with anything that looked like another name. ---
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/11 "2007-01-12T21:36:12Z")
I hate to hijack, but in The Episode Itchy and Scrathcy and Poochy, Poochy is created by a panel of artists and writers… are these caricatures of actual Simpsons writers? As for Langdon Alger, I always thought it was just written as being a name that Homer would never of heard of, or even think was a real name! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/12 "2007-01-12T21:41:16Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] True, but in most episodes Lisa talks and acts more like an **18** year old than an 8 year old. Maggie’s the only Simpson kid that acts her age anymore. [/QUOTE] I thought they had a few episodes, especially The Haw-Hawed Couple, where Bart was a fairly realistic 10-year-old. Kids on TV only act their age when it’s convenient anyway. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/13 "2007-01-12T22:27:33Z")
[QUOTE=bubastis] I hate to hijack, but in The Episode Itchy and Scrathcy and Poochy, Poochy is created by a panel of artists and writers… are these caricatures of actual Simpsons writers? [/QUOTE] Indeed they are. Caricatures of _Simpsons_ writers have appeared in other episodes as well- usually as Itchy & Scratchy writers. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/14 "2007-01-12T22:40:40Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] Maggie’s the only Simpson kid that acts her age anymore. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I remember when I was one; hit my father in the head with a mallet, later saved him from drowning, bowled a 300 game… ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/15 "2007-01-12T23:13:43Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Yeah, I remember when I was one; hit my father in the head with a mallet, later saved him from drowning, bowled a 300 game… [/QUOTE] Those were the days, huh? I was more the billionaire-shooting type. And the shooting-Dad-with-a-nailgun type. Oh and the mobster-shooting type. Dad kept a lot of weapons around. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/16 "2007-01-12T23:21:47Z")
I checked the commentary- turns out Langdon Alger is an actual person, a childhood friend of Rich Appel, the episode’s writer. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/17 "2007-01-12T23:27:29Z")
[QUOTE=Birdmonster] Those were the days, huh? I was more the billionaire-shooting type. And the shooting-Dad-with-a-nailgun type. Oh and the mobster-shooting type. Dad kept a lot of weapons around. [/QUOTE] Was your favourite toy a power drill, too? ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/18 "2007-01-12T23:31:45Z")
**Brian** : It’s like we’re connected at the brain. Also: good work **mobo85**. You yet again earn your title. Flaunt that thing. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/19 "2007-01-12T23:31:53Z")
**Brian** : It’s like we’re connected at the brain. Also: good work **mobo85**. You yet again earn your title. Flaunt that thing. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682/20 "2007-01-12T23:33:45Z")
Sorry; tried to catch the crappy coding. I failed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-episode-langdon-auger/387682.md?page=2)