# Simpsons, lost in syndication... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 17, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-lost-in-syndication/202206 "2003-09-17T19:30:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-lost-in-syndication/202206/21 "2003-09-18T18:56:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whatmove \* > \*\*I’m always bummed when watching the syndicated episode featuring _Mr. Sparkle_ when Homer calls Japan from the library. In the original version Homer asks to use the phone, the librarian asks if it’s a local call, Homer says yes and proceeds to dial what seemed to be upwards of 20 digits. \*\* I’ve seen this in syndication lots of times, and they leave it in. I always thought where they cut was after the librarian walks away from the desk. I expected someone to come over to yell at Homer. ---
**Author:** ![Rayn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rayn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayn)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-lost-in-syndication/202206/22 "2003-09-18T21:06:09Z")
Remembered another one: In the episode where Homer eats the Guatemalan Insanity Peppers, while he’s tripping they cut out several smaller segments of what the townsfolk look like, including some segments of his walk out in the desert. Rough. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/65b543/32.png) [@Quiddity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-lost-in-syndication/202206/23 "2003-09-18T21:32:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lord Ashtar \* > \*\*If you cut five seconds here and ten seconds there, you can fit in another commercial or two. That’s probably why they do this. \*\* From [here](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/scg-faq.html#whycut): > [@](#): > > Episodes are cut to allow more time for commercial advertising. Episodes rarely have censorship cuts – at least in the United States. > … > Back-end syndicated episodes are also time-compressed. Episodes are played faster than normal, creating more time for advertising. What I want to know is: how much EXTRA commercial time could they possibly need? And why are they allowed to have so much more in syndication? Can anybody explain the difference in regulations? (sorry if it’s too much of a hijack) ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-lost-in-syndication/202206/24 "2003-09-19T00:01:03Z")
I HATE when they do that. Naturally of course, right now I can’t recall _specific_ cuts, but I’ve seen many episodes where I was expecting something to happen and it didn’t. I wonder if it’s just Fox that does it. I remember they used to do it to MASH too. An episode I knew would suddenly be missing a short scene. Hell, sometimes it was as much as a couple of minutes and the cut was really obvious. Cheap bastards. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-lost-in-syndication/202206/25 "2003-09-19T10:40:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by photopat \* > **I wonder if it’s just Fox that does it. I remember they used to do it to MASH too. An episode I knew would suddenly be missing a short scene. Hell, sometimes it was as much as a couple of minutes and the cut was really obvious.** No, other studios do it as well. The most obvious non-_Simpsons_ to me was in the final episode of _Seinfeld_, in which the four are put on trial for all of their antics over the course of the series. The syndicated version removes the Bubble Boy’s testimony, even though Geraldo Rivera still refers to it later on in the show. ---
**Author:** ![NFlanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@NFlanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NFlanders)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-lost-in-syndication/202206/26 "2003-09-20T06:56:33Z")
One of my favorite Simpson’s moments was cut out in syndication. I thought I must have dreamed it (like SkittleBrau) since it wasn’t there when I saw the episode again. But thanks to **ArchiveGuy** ’s link, I found it again: Homer and co-worker Mindy are on a business trip together. > [@](#): > > Mindy: [seductive] No, Homer, let’s do it. [joyous] Let’s call room service! > Homer: Oh… > [A buzzer sounds in Mr. Burns’ office] > Smithers: Someone is charging room service on the company, sir. > Burns: Well, we’ll just see about that. > [walks over to a cage full of black-winged monkeys] > Fly, my pretties, fly! > [They walk to the window and plummet to their deaths] > Burns: [sighs] Continue the research. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simpsons-lost-in-syndication/202206.md?page=1)