# The Simpsons Feb. 21 2010 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 22, 2010, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942 "2010-02-22T03:38:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/21 "2010-02-22T18:28:35Z")
I loved the line by the crusty old clown. “Why do I keep asking for a nickel? That’s like a thousand bucks in 2010 money!” ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/22 "2010-02-22T18:31:10Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > The ad for the self-winding yo-based toy was also hilarious. When was this? I don’t remember seeing that. > [@tdn](#): > > I loved the line by the crusty old clown. “Why do I keep asking for a nickel? That’s like a thousand bucks in 2010 money!” I liked the freeze frame bit afterward where they show the footnote in the book. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/23 "2010-02-22T18:33:02Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > When was this? I don’t remember seeing that. It was in the the magazine Milford was reading under the sassparilla tree. ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/24 "2010-02-22T18:52:11Z")
As a vexillologist, the using of the maple leaf flag for Canada in a story set in civil war era (when there was barely a “Canada” to speak of), a flag only created in 1 **9** 65, bugged me, but I realize that there are very few uber-flag-geeks like me out there, and using the _correct_ flag (ie the Union Jack) would cause more "huh"s, so I grudgingly let it go. Yes, it’s a pointless nit. Overall, thoguh I enjoy the episode because, contrary to Markxxx’s opinion, I like the THOH and other ones which take the Simpsons out of canon and into a fantasy. Mainly because they used up all the possible plots for current day Simpsons wihtout stretching the bounds of believability, they did that about 17 seasons ago (really, what average person meets all the famous people and does all the stuff Homer (just to name one character) does wihtout becoming the unquestioned most famous guy in town?) It showed spark (and the “March to Selma” line was my fave.) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/25 "2010-02-22T19:08:18Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I liked the freeze frame bit afterward where they show the footnote in the book. That went by too fast for me to see. What did it say? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/26 "2010-02-22T19:15:41Z")
A very entertaining episode. I loved Colonel Burns insisting that they play the waltz in 4, and the chaos that ensued. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/27 "2010-02-22T19:15:57Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > That went by too fast for me to see. What did it say? It’s long. In so many words, it says that the clown often said things to no one in particular, and that he would then say they were jokes, although Eliza never reported anybody laughing at them. It goes on to say that Mabel doesn’t see the humor in them either, but she’s including them since Eliza repeated all of them to her. It ends, “Enjoy, people of the future!” ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/28 "2010-02-22T19:22:23Z")
> [@dhkendall](#): > > As a vexillologist, the using of the maple leaf flag for Canada in a story set in civil war era (when there was barely a “Canada” to speak of), a flag only created in 1 **9** 65, bugged me, but I realize that there are very few uber-flag-geeks like me out there, and using the _correct_ flag (ie the Union Jack) would cause more "huh"s, so I grudgingly let it go. I noticed that too, but I just put it down to “this sets the scene quickly and easily.” And it does; they’re in Canada (or the country that will become Canada). True, the Union Jack would have been correct, but may have raised more questions that would distract viewers unfamiliar with the history of British North America: “Why, if they’re in Canada, aren’t they using a Canadian flag?” Same nitpicky kind of thing happened in _The Untouchables_, with Kevin Costner. At one point, Costner and his FBI boys are in the bootleggers’ warehouse, surrounded by cases of whisky smuggled in from Canada. Viewers can tell, because the cases are painted with the maple leaf as it appears on the Canadian flag–which, as you note, wasn’t designed until the early 1960s, finally being introduced in 1965. But again, it sets the scene quickly and easily: this is whisky smuggled in from Canada. No more questions about the whisky’s provenance need be raised. Now, what is the FBI going to do about it? ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/29 "2010-02-22T19:29:08Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I noticed that too, but I just put it down to “this sets the scene quickly and easily.” And it does; they’re in Canada (or the country that will become Canada). True, the Union Jack would have been correct, but may have raised more questions that would distract viewers unfamiliar with the history of British North America: “Why, if they’re in Canada, aren’t they using a Canadian flag?” They possibly could have made another flag, maybe one with a bear throttling a lumberkack or something, as a joke. I thought it was a decent episode. The two things that really stood out for me was the waltz being move to 4/4 time and all the stuff in the attic. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/30 "2010-02-22T19:30:35Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > It’s long. In so many words, it says that the clown often said things to no one in particular, and that he would then say they were jokes, although Eliza never reported anybody laughing at them. It goes on to say that Mabel doesn’t see the humor in them either, but she’s including them since Eliza repeated all of them to her. It ends, “Enjoy, people of the future!” Thanks. That’s awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/31 "2010-02-22T20:43:01Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > They possibly could have made another flag, maybe one with a bear throttling a lumberkack or something, as a joke. Or a boot kicking somebody in the buttocks, like the Australian flag. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/32 "2010-02-22T22:46:11Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > i have no idea what you’re talking about. also, i’m chuckling at the fact that you referred to Obama as “Mr.” rather than “President.” Watch fox news much? for the record, i’m a conservative. > > in addition to Marley’s list, i saw a “I didn’t do it” tshirt (bart gets famous), homer’s bear suit (the fat and the furriest), and there’s an indian skull ontop of the meso-head from the original treehouse of horror sketch that parodies poultergeist. Wall Street Journal often refers to Obama as Mr. Obama. They did the exact same for Mr. Bush as well. So does the Economist. Just an FYI. Not a great episode but always nice to see Groundskeeper Willy. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/33 "2010-02-23T05:12:14Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Thanks. That’s awesome! It reads: > [@](#): > > 17 After the patrollers left, the circus clown made the following comment, which suggests an unusual aptitude for predicting twenty-first century currency values: “Why do I always ask for a nickel? That’s like twenty bucks in 2010 money!” It may have been intended as humorous, although my daughter didn’t mention anyone laughing. This clown seemed to say many things that were humorous to him, but not to those around him, nor to me. But since my daughter repeated them all, I thought I would record them here. Enjoy them, people of the future! In hindsight it’s surprising that Mabel wrote about Virgil coming to their house but didn’t mention the fact that she married him, went to Canada with him, and had his son. On the other hand I liked the divorce settlement joke - Mabel gets one of his shoes, with a note reading “I’m keeping the laces,” which for some reason frustrates both Mabel and Virgil. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/34 "2010-02-23T05:19:25Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Maybe it’s just me, but that was the first episode I’ve seen in a long time that didn’t get me to even crack a smile. No, it wasn’t just you. I felt that it was a very lame episode overall. The whole thing just seemed so forced, hamfisted, and awkward to me. _shrug_ Maybe the tone of the humor no longer resonates with me, I don’t know. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2010, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/35 "2010-02-23T07:23:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > …In hindsight it’s surprising that Mabel wrote about Virgil coming to their house but didn’t mention the fact that she married him, went to Canada with him, and had his son… Well, interracial marriage was a major taboo back then and she did want people to buy the cookbook. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/36 "2010-02-23T17:47:16Z")
Stupid question: I hadn’t seen the episode so I’m wondering how do they take care of the fact that the Simpson women are all successful (researchers, doctors, etc)? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2010, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/37 "2010-02-23T17:50:48Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > Stupid question: I hadn’t seen the episode so I’m wondering how do they take care of the fact that the Simpson women are all successful (researchers, doctors, etc)? They ignored it. Just as they ignored the fact that half of Lisa’s ancestors are Bouviers (and another quarter are from Homer’s mom’s lineage, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942/38 "2010-02-24T05:32:12Z")
“After them!” “Well, obviously.” “Well you didn’t say it.” I’m fully aware that the number of smiles cracked, and LOLs laughed, is a function not only of the quality of the episode but also of the mood I am in when I watch it. But I liked this one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-feb-21-2010/529942.md?page=1)