# Simpsons jokes you didn't understand. Hopefully explained! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 4, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980 "2003-08-04T22:00:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/61 "2003-08-07T07:40:48Z")
Long story short, [Kate “Ma” Barker](http://www.biography.com/cgi-bin/frameit.cgi?p=http%3A//www.biography.com/tv/listings/mbarker.html) was a famous outlaw in the '30s. Much of her infamous reputation may be exaggerated - I’m not a crime buff, but that’s the impression I get - but anyway, that’s the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/62 "2003-08-07T11:59:26Z")
Bryan Ekers: But is there any significance to Martin singing “The Summer Winds / Came blowing in / From across the sea…” as he stands naked amid the wreckage of his swimming pool? That is the opening line to a famous Sinatra song “The Summer Wind.” I interept the song as a lover remembering a summer fling. Martin is remembering his brief fling with popularity. That and its’ really funny. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TeaRoses \* > \*\*Now if somebody would just start a thread about double entendres and movie references in Pokemon I’d be all set. (OK that’s because there’s only a few but I’d be set) \*\* Hmm. I don’t have time right now, but I think I’ll do it tonight. There really are some funny ones. Hopefully the thread won’t sink. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/63 "2003-08-07T13:08:43Z")
> [@](#): > > OK, I have one, from the episode where Homer starts SpringShield security force and makes a commercial featuring a monster breaking into an old woman’s bedroom. After they grab it, it says “friend?” in a very distinctive voice, before they all start punching it. It feels like a reference, but I have no idea to what. > > This would be very useful information, since I spend a lot of time saying “Friend?” in the same voice to Mrs. Giraffe. I haven’t seen the episode in question, so I can’t say for certain, but “Friend”, said in a weird and stilted way, was one of the few words that the Frankenstein monster learned and used in the movie **Bride of Frankenstein**. I don’t recall E.T. saying just “Friend” in his movie. ---
**Author:** ![BabaBooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@BabaBooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BabaBooey)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/64 "2003-08-07T20:26:29Z")
OK, I know this one is from Maltese Falcon (thanks snpp), but I can’t find it on DVD locally, so would someone care to explain if not too complicated: Burns: “Oh, and one more thing. You must find the Jade Monkey before the next full moon.” Smithers: “Sir, we found the Jade Monkey, it was in the glove compartment.” Burns: “With the ice scrapers and road maps?” Smithers: “Yes, sir, they were in there too.” Burns: “Excellent. Everything is falling into place.” ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/65 "2003-08-07T21:18:24Z")
Personally, I always thought the joke with Martin and “Summer Wind” had to do with him feeling the summer wind after Kearny had deprived him of his swim trunks… The Jade Monkey thing isn’t a specific Maltese Falcon reference, it’s just a generic joke about scenes where the baddie is trying to find some long-lost MacGuffin artifact (Jade Monkey/Maltese Falcon/Lost Ark/ancient scroll, whatever.) ---
**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:** [August 7, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/66 "2003-08-07T21:42:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Giraffe \* > \*\*OK, I have one, from the episode where Homer starts SpringShield security force and makes a commercial featuring a monster breaking into an old woman’s bedroom. After they grab it, it says “friend?” in a very distinctive voice, before they all start punching it. It feels like a reference, but I have no idea to what. > > This would be very useful information, since I spend a lot of time saying “Friend?” in the same voice to Mrs. Giraffe. \*\* “Monster put in wallet.” ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/67 "2003-08-07T21:48:07Z")
Re “Daisy had puppies” - this may be a reference to the dog in the Blondie and Dagwood comic strip and movies. I’m unsure about this, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that the birth of her puppies was a notable event for the followers of the strip which was pretty popular at the time. I can’t verify this online, however. ---
**Author:** ![CadburyAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@CadburyAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CadburyAngel)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/68 "2003-08-07T22:21:33Z")
I saw the rerun of “101 Greyhounds” last night, the one where Santa’s Little Helper fathers a bunch of puppies. One of the puppies stands on its hind legs and Mr. Burns says that it’s just like a little \_\_\_\_. Some guy’s name. I didn’t get the reference and can’t remember the name to google it, but he eventually refers to all of the puppies as little \_\_\_s. Don’t! Get! It! ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/69 "2003-08-07T22:24:47Z")
Rrory Calhoun, star of such classic movies as _Motel Hell_. I always thought it was just a random chosen name. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/70 "2003-08-07T23:05:03Z")
> [@](#): > > _From [snpp.com](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/2F18.html)_ > > **Burns:** There you are…there you go, little fellow…and you. > [one of the puppies stands on its hind legs] > [gasps] Smithers, look: he’s standing up. I’ve never seen > anything so adorable! Do you know who it reminds me of? > > **Smithers:** Benji? > > **Burns:** No. > > **Smithers:** Lassie? > > **Burns:** No, no, no, a person. You know who I mean. > > **Smithers:** Snoop Doggy Dogg? Bob Barker? David Brenner? > > **Burns:** No, no! The person who’s always standing and walking. > > **Smithers:** Rory Calhoun? > > **Burns:** That’s it! It wasn’t just the randomness of the name, it was the fact that Smithers knew, from such a weird reference; who Mr. Burns was talking about. ---
**Author:** ![caffeine\_overdose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@caffeine\_overdose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caffeine_overdose)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/71 "2003-08-08T04:02:34Z")
How about from the General Sherman episode: But if you win… It will be a victory for all mankind. They will tell of your tale for generations, when ever a person asks “did anyone ever defeat this fish?” They will reply “Well, one fella came close. Went by the name of Homer. Seven feet tall he was, with arms like tree trunks. His eyes were like steel, cold, hard. Had a shock of hair, red like the fires of Hell…” ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/72 "2003-08-08T14:04:01Z")
caffeine\_overdose, you sure you have that quote correct? On [snpp.com](http://snpp.com) it doesn’t have the _Henry V_-ish text before it: > [@](#): > > Clerk: Yep, `General Sherman’. They say he’s five hundred pounds of bottom-dwelling fury, don’t you know. No one knows how old he is, but if you ask me (and most people do), he’s hundred years if he’s a day. > > Customer: And uh no one’s ever caught him? > > Clerk: Well, one fella came close. Went by the name of Homer. Seven feet tall he was, with arms like tree trunks. His eyes were like steel, cold, hard. Had a shock of hair, red like the fires of Hell. > > – The making of a legend, ``War of the Simpsons’’ ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/73 "2003-08-08T14:05:39Z")
Shoot. Here’s the link I got that from: [http://www.snpp.com/episodes/7F20.html](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/7F20.html) ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/74 "2003-08-08T23:03:45Z")
What’s with the chase scene in the episode where Bart plays hookie? It feels like a send-up of Predator or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![teemingONE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@teemingONE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teemingONE)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/75 "2003-08-09T00:25:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marley23 \* > \*\*I think the _Simpsons Forever_ episode guide suggests the joke was about Castaneda, but apparently it’s not. Homer’s original line was “I’m the first cartoon character to travel backwards in time!” and then Mr. Peabody and Sherman appear. Get it? Well, the writers didn’t think it was funny enough, so they changed it to non-Brazillian. I’m trying to find a cite for this; I’ve seen other fans mention it around here. \*\* I swear on my almost never failing ability to remember pointless stuff, that I heard Homer say he was the first cartoon. I’ve only seen that episode a good 5 times. The first time was when it premiered on Sunday, and Homer said cartoon. He only started saying Brazillian after the premier episode. Have The Simpsons driven me crazy, or am I right? ---
**Author:** ![punkkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@punkkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/punkkid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/76 "2003-08-09T00:31:45Z")
**Lisa:** \* laughs [/i[ **Marge:** What’s so funny **Lisa:** Just a joke I heard on Herman’s Head What? What’s so funny about Herman’s head? I always thought it was the one-arm thing that was Herman’s gag… ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/77 "2003-08-09T01:32:00Z")
Herman’s Head was a Fox show. I thought it was pretty funny. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/78 "2003-08-09T01:34:46Z")
The joke is that Yeardley Smith (the voice of Lisa) had a role on that show. ---
**Author:** ![punkkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@punkkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/punkkid)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/79 "2003-08-09T02:23:13Z")
OH! I was thinking of Herman (the munition’s store owner) Now I really feel stupid! Granted, we never got that show in the UK, but… ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980/80 "2003-08-09T04:26:49Z")
I had forgotten about that **Marley23**. She was the short blonde secetary, right? Something with an A. Audrey? I had a huge crush on her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-jokes-you-didnt-understand-hopefully-explained/192980.md?page=5)