Now, The Simpsons Says Homer Won't Stop Strangling Bart
Homer Simpson recently implied during an episode of The Simpsons that he would no longer strangle Bart because "times have changed."
Last week, several reports confirmed the show would retire the long-running gag.
But Simpsons producer James L. Brooks says that is not the case.
"Nothing's getting tamed. Nothing, nothing, nothing," Brooks told People magazine.
" will continue to be strangled – you want to use that awful term for it. He'll continue to be loved by his father in a specific way."
The official X account for The Simpsons, which now falls under the Disney umbrella, called the reports to the contrary nothing but "clickbait."
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What changed?
The show seems determined to convince viewers it never planned to do away with the gag. But we find that hard to believe.
First, why go the extra mile and randomly have Homer address the gag and tell viewers "Times have changed" if the show didn't actually plan to make a change?
Second, the writers had already essentially done away with the gag. According to TMZ, Homer hasn't strangled Bart in over two seasons after claims the scenes "affirmed child abuse."
Third, the show didn't deny the reports from outlets like The Guardian at the time of the publication.
Instead, The Simpsons addressed the "rumors" after it saw, as per Fox News, fans "suggesting that the show was succumbing to woke culture by removing the recurring joke."
And there it is.
"Succumbing to woke culture" is not the advantageous business play it was previously. Or perhaps even when the writers scripted the recent episode commenting on the strangulation gag.
See, brands are now rightfully cognisant of the consequences of catering to only a small, but noisy minority.
The Bud Light phenomenon in 2023 demonstrates what can happen if a brand detaches itself from the part of the country that doesn't think the female gender can be worn as a mask -- also known as most of the country.
That same majority likely doesn't find a cartoon father strangling his cartoon son offensive.
Now, Homer attacking Bart doesn't make or break the show. Of course, it doesn't.
However, there is no reason to officially do away with the act other than to appease the people trying to police American comedy -- like journalists, college professors, and white women in the Northeast.
And any victory from them is a loss for us. So we will take this win.