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{{Good article}}
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
| episode_name = Lisa's First Word
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
| image = ]
| image = Lisa says her first word.jpg
| episode_no = 69
| caption = Lisa says her first word, which is "Bart", to an annoyed Bart.
| prod_code = 9F08
| airdate = ], ] | season = 4
| episode = 10
| writer = ]
| director = ] | director = ]
| writer = ]
| blackboard = "Teacher is not a leper"
| production = 9F08
| couch_gag = The family forms a chorus line, which turns into a large production number.
| airdate = {{Start date|1992|12|03}}
| guest_star = ] as ]
| guests = * ] as ]<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season4/page11.shtml |title=Lisa's First Word |access-date=2008-01-19 |last1=Martyn|first1=Warren |last2=Wood|first2=Adrian |year=2000 |publisher=] |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040513154003/https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season4/page11.shtml }}</ref>
| season = 4
| blackboard = "Teacher is not a leper"{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=102}}
| couch_gag = The Simpsons and a lot of circus performers form a ].
| commentary = ]<br />]<br />]<br />]
| prev = ]
| next = ]
}} }}
"'''Lisa's First Word'''" is the 10th episode of '']''<nowiki>'</nowiki> ].


"'''Lisa's First Word'''" is the tenth episode of the ] of the American animated television series '']''. It was first broadcast on ] in the United States on December 3, 1992. In the episode, as the ] gathers around ] and tries to encourage her to say her first word, ] reminisces and tells the story of ]'s first word. Maggie's first word is voiced by ].
==Synopsis==


The episode was directed by ] and written by ]. After its initial airing on Fox, the episode was later released as part of a 1999 ] collection: '']'', and released again on the 2003 DVD edition of the same collection. The episode features cultural references to the 1981 ] video game '']'', the ] song "]" and Olympic gymnast ]'s performance in the ] in spite of a serious injury, among other things.
{{spoiler}}


"Lisa's First Word" received positive reception from television critics, and acquired a ] of 16.6.
When ] and ] unsuccessfully try to get ] to speak, Marge tells the family the story of how ] says her first word.


==Plot==
It is March ], and Homer, Marge, and ] lived in the ] district. One day, Marge says she is awaiting another baby, with Bart imagining a new brother who he can use as a ] for his own misbehavior. But as Marge is pregnant, she feels that the Simpsons are going to need a bigger house. Homer and Marge try to look for houses, including a houseboat that ] has. After unsuccessful attempts, the Simpsons find a house on Evergreen Terrace and buy it for ]15,000 with ] help.
], ], ], and ] are trying to get ] to speak. When their attempts prove unsuccessful, Marge decides to tell the story of when Lisa began speaking. The story flashes back to 1983, when Homer, Marge, and Bart lived in an apartment on the Lower East Side of ]. When Marge became pregnant again, she and Homer decided to move into a bigger living space. After viewing several unsuitable properties within their budget, they bought ]; persuaded by Homer, ] had sold his own house to give Homer and Marge enough money to buy their new house. In 1984, the Simpsons moved into the house and met their next-door neighbors, ] and his family.


Meanwhile, Krusty the Clown began a promotion for the ] with his Krusty Burger chain. The promotion is a "scratch-and-win" game where customers would win a free Krusty Burger if ] won a gold medal, but the game cards were rigged to feature events that athletes from ] were most likely to win. However, just as the promotion was put into effect, Krusty received word of the ] of the Olympics; the campaign thus ended up giving away more free burgers than anticipated, causing Krusty to eventually lose {{US$|44 million}} (equivalent to about ${{inflation|US|44|1984}} million in {{inflation/year|US}}).
In ], the Simpsons move into their new Evergreen Terrace home, with the ] as neighbors. Homer borrows a TV tray from Flanders for "a little while", which he just bought at the hardware store, but he still has it in the present time. Bart has turned two years old, and for the first time, he watches '']'', as well as '']''. Krusty also does a promotion for the ] with his ] chain, which is the "Official Meat-Flavored Sandwich of the 1984 Olympics." The promotion offers scratch-and-win game cards in which people scrape off the name of the event from the game card, and if the ] wins a gold medal, that person will win a free Krusty Burger. However, the ] boycotts the Olympics, and with this, Krusty loses $44 million and Homer gets a steady supply of Krusty Burgers.


Bart was forced to give up his crib so Lisa could have it. Knowing Bart was a fan of Krusty, Homer built him a clown-themed bed. However, because of Homer's poor woodworking skills, the bed looked like an ], which terrified Bart. Soon, Lisa was born, and Bart became jealous of the attention she received from relatives and family friends. After several failed attempts to make Lisa look bad, and then several failed attempts to get rid of her, Bart decided to run away from home. As he packed his possessions, Lisa said her first word, "Bart". Bart was thrilled, and Marge explained that Lisa adored him. Bart and Lisa hugged each other and bonded over how funny it was that they both called Homer by his name, rather than "Daddy" as he wished.
Bart is asked to give up his crib so it can become the new baby's. Homer builds Bart a new bed of a clown, which scares Bart (see below). Marge thinks the baby is coming, and she and Homer go to the hospital, leaving Bart with the Flanders family. He goes home and is scared until Homer asks him to see Lisa. Bart thinks he hates Lisa. Everyone, except Bart, agrees that she is a beautiful baby. Later, Bart does bad things to Lisa&mdash;such as giving her a haircut with household ], sticking stamps on her, and sticking her through the Flanders' doggy door&mdash;and is punished. He blames Lisa for his problems and leaves, until she says her first word, "Bart." Bart discovers that Lisa can talk, and she even knows the name of ]. After this, Bart holds baby Lisa for the very first time, and seems to appreciate her more from then on. However, back in present day, the flashback ends and we see Bart and Lisa having a row. Homer takes Maggie to bed, saying that "the sooner kids talk, the sooner they talk back", and that he hopes that Maggie never says a word. However, when he leaves her bedroom, Maggie removes her pacifier and says "Daddy."


In the present, while Bart and Lisa argue, Homer puts Maggie to bed; he tells her, "The sooner kids talk, the sooner they talk back. I hope you never say a word." As soon as he turns off the light and closes the door, Maggie takes her pacifier out of her mouth and, unheard by anyone else, says "Daddy".
==Trivia==
*This is the first time Maggie has ever spoken in a realistic manner. She would later say other things, such as "Daddily-Doodily" in ]
*This is the third Simpsons episode devoted entirely to telling the events of the past. The first two were "]" and "]." There would be several others after this episode, including "]", "]", "]" and "]." These episodes all evolve around each other, and are usually considered to be among the strongest episodes in their respective seasons.
*Although Homer rejected Captain McAllister's houseboat, the Simpsons would one day later live in one in the episode, "]."
*It is revealed in this episode that Homer was disappointed that neither Bart or Lisa's first word was "Daddy." He was also disappointed that both only referred to him as "Homer" (instead of "Daddy").


==Production==
==Cultural references==
] ] provided the voice of Maggie in this episode.]]
* ] references:
** "]" — Homer sings the ] song as he's walking home from work (even though the song wasn't released until late 1983/early 1984)
** ] — New Jersey comedian was enjoying success on '']'' at the time.
** '']'' — Marge commenting about the TV series — which had just aired its last episode — to her neighbors.
** '']'' — A promo for an hour-long episode of the then-new TV series is heard.
** ] — A then-currently popular arcade game. Also: The decidedly less sophisticated video games of the era.
** '']'' — In its heyday at the time.
* ] — Referenced or spoofed are:
** The Soviet-led boycott of the games.
** The United States' resulting domination of events usually won by the Soviets and its allies.
** Corporate sponsorships (e.g., Krustyburger, the "official meat-flavored sandwich").
** ] and ] — The sarcastic, pro-American sportscasters for the Olympic scenes is modeled after the real-life announcers.
** The title of the ] short, "100 Yard Gash" (where Olympian Scratchy wins the gold medal, despite Itchy having nailed his tail to the track and the feline coming out of his skin) is a play on the Olympic event.
** ] - Dr. Hibbert remarks that Lisa's reflexes are akin to the United States gymnast, who won the hearts of Americans during the 23rd Olympiad.
* Advertising gimmicks — Marge's set-up for the flashback ("] struck a blow for women's rights ...") is just like what's heard on radio and television commericals, where a company wants to promote an anniversary sale or gimmick.
* '']'' - The Vangelis-composed theme to the 1981 film is used in the soundtrack for the Itchy & Scratchy short "100 Yard Gash."
* Children's songs — Bart is forced to sing "]" and "]" to Patty and Selma. Also, Rod and Todd Flanders annoy Bart with their rendition of the religious song " Down in My Heart."
* ] - During the ] games, the Japanese gymnast broke his knee during a floor exercise early in his routine, but continued and made a perfect dismount from the rings. The fate of "Korean gymnast Kim Huyang" is similar (only she suffers a broken leg, which Kent Brockman unsympathetically points out).
* '']'' — The issue of '']'' has a picture of David Hasselhoff and ], which were the stars of the 1982-1986 NBC series.
* ] — Krustyburger's Summer Olympics promotion is inspired by McDonald's "]" promotion during the Olympics. Customers won a free food item — a hamburger, french fries or a soft drink — if they had a ticket listing an event where the United States won a medal. McDonald's lost millions on the promotion, just like Krusty fears will happen.
* '']'' - Bart's attempt to get Maggie to talk, "Can you say, 'Get bent,'" is inspired by the PBS children's series, where Fred Rogers used "Can you say ..." to encourage viewers to practice saying a new word.
* ] - The clown bed's evil remark in Bart's nightmare, "If you should die before you wake" (followed by evil laughter) is a play on the line "If I should die before I wake" in the children's bedtime prayer.
*] - Bart's astonished remark, "Sufferin' succotash" (when Lisa says her first word) is the catchphrase of the Looney Tunes cartoon feline.
* ] — Homer's comment "Homer J. Simpson, you're a genius" (as he admires his handiwork(?) on the custom-built clown bed he made for Bart) is a play on the cartoon penguin's frequent remark, "Phineas J. Whoopie, you're a genius."
* ] — Drederick Tatum (who brutally squashes a Swedish boxer) makes another appearance as Springfield's answer to the boxing champion.
* ] — The ''Springfield Shopper'' headline from the day Lisa was born ("] TO ]: ]") uses the currently popular advertising slogan for Wendy's.
* ] — A de-skinned Scratchy is pictured on a box of the breakfast cereal (as the ending gag of the I&S short "100 Yard Gash").


"Lisa's First Word" was written by ], and directed by ].<ref name="bbc"/> ] and ] were discussing having an episode where Maggie would say her first word, and Reiss thought it would be cute to have her say "daddy" when no one could hear her.<ref name="Jean">{{cite video |people=Jean, Al |date=2004 |title=The Simpsons The Complete Fourth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's First Word" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Jeff Martin was assigned to write the episode because he had done another flashback episode, "]".<ref name="Jean"/> Martin was excited to do another flashback episode because he thought it was fun to check out old newspapers and go back and see what was in the news back in 1983 and 1984.<ref name="Martin">{{cite video |people=Martin, Jeff |date=2004 |title=The Simpsons The Complete Fourth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's First Word" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Martin felt it was a good way of finding a new set of things to make jokes about.<ref name="Martin"/> The extended couch gag was added since the episode was about thirty seconds too short to air.{{sfn|Reiss & Klickstein|2018|p=95}}
=="Can't sleep, clown will eat me"==
]
{{ main|Can't sleep, clown will eat me}}
"Lisa's First Word" is best known as the source of Bart's ] ''"]"''.


In the episode, Homer builds a scary clown-shaped bed for Bart. The scene was inspired by Mike Reiss, whose dad had built him a clown-shaped bed when he was younger, and just like Bart, Reiss was scared of sleeping in it.<ref name="Kirkland"/>{{sfn|Reiss & Klickstein|2018|p=68}} As the flashback begins in 1983, a young Homer strolls down the street, singing ]'s song "]", which was released that year.<ref name="variety"/> The idea for this sequence came from ] ], who suggested it because the length of the final version of the episode was too short.<ref name="Martin"/> The ] ] wrote a note concerning Homer's line, "Bart can kiss my hairy, yellow butt!" after Marge tells Homer that Bart might be jealous of baby Lisa, citing that the line is considered "coarse", due to the fact that Bart was two during the flashback.{{sfn|Turner|2004|p=20}}
Inspired by an event in Simpsons writer ]' childhood, young Bart does not want to give up sleeping in the crib to make way for his newborn sister. Noticing Bart's affection for Krusty the Clown, Homer decides to build a clown-themed bed to please his son. But thanks to Homer's poor handicraft skills, the bed takes on a sinister appearance and frightens Bart, especially in the darkened room. In his first night in the new bed, far from 'laughing himself to sleep', Bart imagines that the face on the ] of the bed is coming to life, intoning with sinister glee, ''"If you should die before you wake..."'', before collapsing into evil cackling. Bart then curls up into a ] on the sofa downstairs, chanting "can't sleep, clown'll eat me..."


Maggie's first word was provided by the ]-winning actress ], who would also voice herself in the season four finale, "]".<ref name="Martin"/> While promoting the episode, the producers initially did not reveal who the voice of Maggie would be, prompting speculation as to the identity of the actress.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/1992/03/20/article-99/ |title=Face to Face: Maggie Simpson |access-date=2008-01-19 |first=Lisa |last=Schwarzbaum |date=1992-09-11 |magazine=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012212310/http://ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C311750%2C00.html |archive-date=2007-10-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although it was only one word, the voice came out "too ]" and Taylor had to record the part numerous times before the producers were satisfied and thought it sounded like a baby.<ref name=nyd>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/film-fest-de-niro-lashed-picture-show-article-1.248605|title=In the Fox family, they live in fear of a Bart attack |first1=George|last1=Rush |first2=Joanna Rush |last2=Molloy |name-list-style=amp|access-date=2008-07-31 |date=2007-05-04 |work=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106074442/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/film-fest-de-niro-lashed-picture-show-article-1.248605?pgno=1|archive-date=2012-11-06}}</ref><ref name="Groening">{{cite video |people=Groening, Matt |date=2004 |title=The Simpsons The Complete Fourth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's First Word" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Several sources, including John Ortved's ''The Simpsons'' history article "Simpsons Family Values" in '']'', have reported that after Taylor had been made to repeatedly record the line, she said "fuck you" to series creator ] and stormed out of the studio.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/08/simpsons200708 |title=Simpson Family Values |access-date=2012-05-26 |first=John |last=Ortved |date=August 2007 |work=] |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827213908/http://www.vanityfair.com./culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708 |url-status=live }}</ref> Groening recounted this event on a 1994 appearance on '']'',<ref>Groening, Matt, Interviewed by Conan O'Brien, ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', Episode 250, October 7, 1994.</ref> and was also quoted by the '']'' in 2007 as saying "We did 24 takes, but they were always too sexual. Finally, Liz said, 'F— you,' and walked out."<ref name="nyd" /> However, Groening later denied the story in the DVD commentary for the episode "]",<ref name="Gump">Groening, Matt. (2010). Commentary for "Gump Roast", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season'' . 20th Century Fox.</ref> while Jean stated in a piece after Taylor's death in 2011 that Taylor had said "fuck you" in jest and in Maggie's voice and did not storm out.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2011/03/24/elizabeth-taylor-simpsons-al-jean/ |title=Elizabeth Taylor: 'Simpsons' exec producer Al Jean remembers the film legend's one-word turn as baby Maggie -- Exclusive |last=Snierson |first=Dan |date=2011-03-24 |access-date=2021-01-15 |magazine=] |archive-date=November 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121111552/https://ew.com/article/2011/03/24/elizabeth-taylor-simpsons-al-jean/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |first=Al|last=Jean|author-link=Al Jean|user=AlJean |number=1202112642975854592 |date=4 December 2019 |title=Yes, the truth is her swearing was completely a joke, she did not storm out and she was a lot of fun. Anyone who was there could verify. |access-date=September 8, 2024}}</ref> ] supports the latter as well, tweeting she "didn't storm out but she did take exception to being asked to say 'Daddy' 20 times & she let us know by saying 'fuck you' when she was done."<ref>{{cite tweet |first=Yeardley|last=Smith|author-link=Yeardley Smith|user=YeardleySmith |number=1202245492245024769 |date=4 December 2019 |title=Yes, indeed, this is more accurate. She didn't storm out out but she did take exception to being asked to say "Daddy" 20 times & she let us know she by saying "fuck you" when she was done 😂. She also brought her little white dog to the session & one of her giant diamond rings.|access-date=September 8, 2024 }}</ref> ] also mentions the incident in her book '']'', but states Taylor jokingly ad-libbed "fuck you Daddy" as an initial sound check for ].<ref>{{cite book |last=Cartwright |first=Nancy |author-link=Nancy Cartwright|date=2000 |title=] |page=122 |publisher=]|isbn=0747547483 }}</ref>
The catchphrase inspired the ] song, "Can't Sleep, Clowns Will Eat Me," and has become a favorite among ].


==Cultural references==
==Goofs==
The '']'' headline from the day Lisa was born ("] to ]: ]") uses the then-current advertising slogan for ].<ref name="Jean"/> Mondale, a candidate in the ], used the "Where's the beef?" phrase at an election rally in 1984 while mocking one of his opponents.<ref name="bbc"/> Marge sets the scene for her story of Lisa's first word with references to the 1981 ] video game '']'' and the American actor ].<ref name="Kirkland">{{cite video |people=Kirkland, Mark |date=2004 |title=The Simpsons The Complete Fourth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's First Word" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The group of boys hanging around the apartment building is a reference to the popular 1930s boys group ]. When Lisa is born, Homer says he has already started saving for her college fund in ], which suffered a scandalous financial collapse in the late 1980s causing thousands of investors to lose their life savings. The episode features an ''Itchy & Scratchy'' cartoon called "100-Yard Gash", which uses the music from '']'' (1981).{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=102}}


The Olympic promotion by ] is based on the ] by ], in which McDonald's visitors could win a ], ], a drink, or even a cash prize up to $10,000 if ] won a medal in the visitor's listed event. McDonald's lost millions on the promotion due to the ] by the ], as happened to Krusty.<ref name="Jean"/><ref name="Kirkland"/><ref name="variety"/> At one point in the episode, ] refers to Olympic gymnastic medalist ].<ref name="bbc"/>
*According to Marge, the first scene of the flashback is set on ], ], due to the ] series finale airing the night before. In that scene, Homer is seen singing "]", which was not released until ], and did not chart until ].


==Reception==
*The Itchy and Scratchy title card is missing the closing quotation mark.
In its original American broadcast, "Lisa's First Word" was watched by 28.6 million viewers,<ref>{{cite news |title=ABC's Tuesday lineup ends up rosy |work=] |first=Donna|last=Gable |page=03.D |date=December 9, 1992}}</ref> the most-watched episode of the season. It finished thirteenth in the ratings for the week of November 30 to December 6, 1992, with a Nielsen rating of 16.6.<ref name="ratings">{{cite news |title=Nielsen Ratings |date=December 9, 1992 |agency=] |publisher=] |pages=C6}}</ref> The episode was the highest-rated show on Fox that week.<ref name=ratings/> It acquired the highest national Nielsen rating of the show since the ] episode "]{{-"}} aired on October 11, 1990.<ref>{{cite news |title=Arts Beat |last=Bark |first=Ed |date=December 5, 1992 |work=] |pages=39A}}</ref>


Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', said the episode is a "convincing portrait of young marriage and hardship in the days of ]—and the biggest name to guest voice gets the littlest, but the most significant, to say".<ref name="bbc"/> When asked to pick his favorite season out of ''The Simpsons'' seasons ] through ], Paul Lane of the '']'' picked season four and highlighted "the sweetly funny" "Lisa's First Word".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dzikiy |first1=Phil |first2=Paul|last2=Lane |title=Television: 20 years&nbsp;— A 'Simpsons' extravaganza |work=] |date=September 25, 2008 }}</ref> David Johnson at DVD Verdict named it "one of the greatest flashback episodes".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason4.php |title=DVD Verdict Review&nbsp;— The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season |first=David |last=Johnson |publisher=DVD Verdict |date=July 12, 2004 |access-date=2008-08-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926155746/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason4.php |archive-date=September 26, 2008 }}</ref> Dave Manley at DVDActive said in a review of ''The Simpsons: Greatest Hits'' DVD that it is "one of the better episodes and probably my personal favourite on the disc, although most Simpsons connoisseurs would probably go for the ] ", and added that there are "some great parodies in the episode too".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/simpsons-the-greatest-hits.html |title=Simpsons, The: Greatest Hits (UK&nbsp;— DVD R2) in Reviews |last=Manley |first=Dave |publisher=DVDActive |access-date=2008-10-26 |archive-date=March 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329014945/http://www.dvdactive.com/reviews/dvd/simpsons-the-greatest-hits.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The '']''{{'}}s Gregory Hardy named it the fourteenth best episode of the show with a sports theme (the Olympics in this case).<ref>{{cite news |title=Hitting 300 - For Sporting Comedy, 'The Simpsons' Always Score |last=Hardy |first=Gregory |date=February 16, 2003 |work=] |page=C17}}</ref>
*] is revealed to be illiterate in ], yet he is seen reading the memo informing him of the Soviet Union Boycott of the ].


Elizabeth Taylor's performance as Maggie was praised by critics. She was named the 13th greatest guest spot in the history of the show by '']''.<ref name="IGN">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/04/top-25-simpsons-guest-appearances |title=Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances |access-date=January 15, 2022 |date=January 4, 2010 |last1=Goldman |first1=Eric |last2=Iverson |first2=Dan |last3=Zoromski |first3=Brian |website=] |archive-date=June 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622134744/http://tv.ign.com/articles/730/730566p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Taylor also appeared on ]'s list of their favorite 25 ''Simpsons'' guest stars.<ref>{{cite web|last=Potts|first=Kimberly|title=Favorite 'Simpsons' Guest Stars|url=http://www.aoltv.com/feature/the-simpsons/guest-stars|access-date=2008-11-24|publisher=]|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924092118/http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/guest-stars}}</ref> Todd Everett at '']'' called the last scene in the episode, where Maggie speaks her first word, "quite a heart-melter".<ref name="variety">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/1992/tv/reviews/the-simpsons-maggie-s-first-word-1200431052/ |title=The Simpsons Maggie's First Word |last=Everett |first=Todd |date=December 7, 1992 |work=] |access-date=January 15, 2022}}</ref> He added that "it is probably no surprise that the casting of Elizabeth Taylor as the voice for baby Maggie Simpson's first word was a publicity stunt No mind, the episode in question delivered well-rounded view of series' multiple attractions."<ref name="variety"/> '']''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Nathan Ditum ranked her performance as the best guest appearance in the show's history.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/the-20-best-simpsons-movie-star-guest-spots/ |title=The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots |last=Ditum |first=Nathan |date=March 29, 2009 |work=] |publisher=GamesRadar |access-date=2022-01-15 |archive-date=April 10, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090410171103/http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-20-best-simpsons-movie-star-guest-spots/page:4 |url-status=live }}</ref> Fox rebroadcast the episode on April 3, 2011, in memory of Taylor, following her death on March 23.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exclusive: FOX to Rebroadcast Elizabeth Taylor's "Simpsons" Episode This Sunday |publisher=] |date=2011-03-31 |access-date=2011-04-03 |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2011/03/31/exclusive-fox-to-rebroadcast-elizabeth-taylors-simpsons-episode-this-sunday-853011/9203}}</ref>
*When Bart asks how long it was before Homer had Grandpa put into a home, Homer responds with "About three weeks." The family starts laughing, including Homer, however his mouth only moves once despite the fact that he is heard laughing along with everyone else.


==Legacy==
*It says that this episode is when they moved into the house they're living in (in the present), although it says that they were either already living or moved into the house 2 other times (], and ].
==="Can't sleep, clown will eat me"===
]
Inspired by an event in ''The Simpsons'' writer Mike Reiss' childhood,<ref name="Kirkland"/>{{sfn|Reiss & Klickstein|2018|p=68}} young Bart does not want to give up sleeping in the crib to make way for his newborn sister. Noticing Bart's affection for ] but unable to afford a professionally built Krusty-themed bed, Homer decides to build a clown-themed bed himself to please his son. However, because of Homer's poor handicraft skills, the bed takes on an ] and frightens Bart, especially in his darkened bedroom. In his first night in the new bed, far from "laughing himself to sleep", Bart imagines that the face on the ] of the bed comes to life, intoning with evil glee, "]", before bursting into evil cackling.


The next morning, Bart is curled up into the ] on the floor next to the sofa downstairs, repeatedly uttering the phrase "can't sleep, clown will eat me..." The line inspired the ] song "Can't Sleep, Clowns Will Eat Me" from the 2001 album '']''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/AT/lib00059,117508302B023D18.html |title=Some pop culture creations demonize the red-nosed men |access-date=2008-01-19 |date=2007-02-15 |work=]}}</ref> The phrase has since found its way into popular use.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7191721.stm |title=Why are clowns scary? |first=Finlo |last=Rohrer |access-date=2022-01-15 |date=2008-01-16 |publisher=] |archive-date=March 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307081454/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7191721.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
*the scene were homer is in the garage is the same one from ]


When Homer and Marge must leave for the hospital for Lisa's birth, they leave Bart in the care of Ned Flanders. Bart finds himself bored at the Flanders' house and wants to go home, but quickly changes his mind when he sees the clown bed in his bedroom window. When Bart attempts to run away, the bed appears in his bedroom again. The bed appears again in the episode "]", where it eventually falls apart.
==Quotes==
*'''Bart:''' (in frightened mantra) Can't sleep, Clown will eat me! Can't sleep, Clown will eat me...
*'''Grandma Flanders:''' Pa, can ya help me with my ]s?<br/>''(Bart screams.)''<br/>'''Ned Flanders:''' Oh, Bart, you met Grandma Flanders. Hope she didn't scare ya.<br/>'''Grandma Flanders:''' Hello, Joe!
*'''Marge:''' This story begins in the unforgettable spring of 1983. ] struck a blow for women's rights. A young ] taught us how to laugh.
*'''Bart:''' Homer!<br/>'''Homer:''' Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh. Homer's what grownups call me. Call me "Daddy."<br/>'''Bart:''' Homer.<br/>'''Homer:''' Daddy.<br/>'''Bart:''' Homer!<br/>'''Homer:''' DADDY!!<br/>'''Bart:''' Da... da... da...<br/>'''Homer:''' Yes?<br/>'''Bart:''' D'ohmer! Hah, hah, hah...<br/>'''Homer:''' Why you little! ''(strangles Bart)''
*'''Marge:''' I'm afraid we're going to need a bigger house.<br/>'''Homer:''' No, we won't. I've got it all figured out. The baby can have Bart's crib and Bart'll sleep with us until he's 21.<br/>'''Marge:''' Won't that warp him?<br/>'''Homer:''' My cousin Frank did it.<br/>'''Marge:''' You don't have a cousin Frank.<br/>'''Homer:''' He ] in ]. Then he joined that ]. I think his name is Mother Shabubu now.
*'''Homer:''' The sooner kids talk, the sooner they talk back. I hope you'll never say a word. ''(leaves the room)''<br/>'''Maggie:''' ''(takes away her pacifier)'' Daddy.
*'''Marge:''' Homer, I think the baby's coming.<br>'''Homer:''' Wow. A baby and a free burger. Could this be the best day of my life?<br>'''Announcer:''' Coming up next, an hour-long episode of '']''.<br>'''Homer:''' Yes!
*(In Bart's head)<br>'''Marge:''' From now on the baby sleeps in the crib.<br>'''Todd:''' Iron helps us play!<br>'''Bed Clown:''' Hahahahahahaha<br>'''Grandma Flanders:''' Hello Joe!<br>(repeats 2 times)
*'''Homer''': ''(to baby Bart)'' Got your nose! <br/> '''Bart''': Got your wallet!
*'''Bart''': I am so great, I am so great, everybody loves me, I am so great!


==External links== ==Merchandise==
"Lisa's First Word" originally aired on the ] in the United States on December 3, 1992.{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=102}} The episode was selected for release in a 1999 ] collection of selected episodes titled: ''The Simpsons: Greatest Hits''.<ref name="amazon1">{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00004CZ8S |title=The Simpsons: Greatest Hits (VHS) |website=] UK |date=July 21, 2003 |access-date=2008-10-17 |archive-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909025741/https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00004CZ8S |url-status=live }}</ref> Other episodes included in the collection set were "]", "]", "]", and "]{{-"}}.<ref name="amazon1"/> It was included in ''The Simpsons'' season 4 DVD set, which was released on June 15, 2004, as ''The Simpsons&nbsp;— The Complete Fourth Season''.<ref>{{Cite AV media|title=The Simpsons&nbsp;— The Complete Fourth Season (1992) |work=] |publisher=20th Century Fox |date=June 15, 2004 }}</ref> The episode was again included in the 2003 DVD release of the "Greatest Hits" set, but this time the set did not include "Trash of the Titans".<ref name="amazon2">{{cite web |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000BZNIZ |title=The Simpsons: Greatest Hits (DVD) |website=] UK |date=September 8, 2003 |access-date=2008-10-17 |archive-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909025713/https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000BZNIZ |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{wikiquote}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book |last=Groening |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Groening |editor1-first=Ray |editor1-last=Richmond |editor1-link=Ray Richmond |editor2-first=Antonia |editor2-last=Coffman |title=] |edition=1st |year=1997 |location=New York |publisher=] |lccn=98141857 |ol=433519M |oclc=37796735 |isbn=978-0-06-095252-5 |ref={{harvid|Richmond & Coffman|1997}}}}
*{{cite book |last=Turner |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Turner (author) |title=] |others=Foreword by ]. |edition=1st |year=2004 |location=Toronto |publisher=] |oclc=55682258 |isbn=978-0-679-31318-2}}
*{{cite book |last1=Reiss |first1=Mike |last2=Klickstein |first2=Mathew |author1-link=Mike Reiss|author2-link=Mathew Klickstein|title=] |date=2018 |publisher=] |isbn=978-0062748034 |page=68|location=New York City|ref={{harvid|Reiss & Klickstein|2018}}}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_4#Lisa.27s_First_Word|"Lisa's First Word"}}
{{Portal|The Simpsons}}
* {{snpp capsule|9F08}} * {{snpp capsule|9F08}}
* {{IMDb episode |id=0701160 |episode=Lisa's First Word}}

{{The Simpsons episodes|4}}
{{Simpsons Sideshow Bob}}


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Latest revision as of 21:55, 26 December 2024

10th episode of the 4th season of The Simpsons
"Lisa's First Word"
The Simpsons episode
Lisa says her first word, which is "Bart", to an annoyed Bart.
Episode no.Season 4
Episode 10
Directed byMark Kirkland
Written byJeff Martin
Production code9F08
Original air dateDecember 3, 1992 (1992-12-03)
Guest appearance
Episode features
Chalkboard gag"Teacher is not a leper"
Couch gagThe Simpsons and a lot of circus performers form a kickline.
CommentaryMatt Groening
Al Jean
Jeff Martin
Mark Kirkland
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Mr. Plow" 		Next →
"Homer's Triple Bypass"
The Simpsons season 4
List of episodes

"Lisa's First Word" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was first broadcast on Fox in the United States on December 3, 1992. In the episode, as the Simpson family gathers around Maggie and tries to encourage her to say her first word, Marge reminisces and tells the story of Lisa's first word. Maggie's first word is voiced by Elizabeth Taylor.

The episode was directed by Mark Kirkland and written by Jeff Martin. After its initial airing on Fox, the episode was later released as part of a 1999 video collection: The Simpsons: Greatest Hits, and released again on the 2003 DVD edition of the same collection. The episode features cultural references to the 1981 arcade video game Ms. Pac-Man, the Cyndi Lauper song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and Olympic gymnast Shun Fujimoto's performance in the 1976 Summer Olympics in spite of a serious injury, among other things.

"Lisa's First Word" received positive reception from television critics, and acquired a Nielsen rating of 16.6.

Plot

Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa are trying to get Maggie to speak. When their attempts prove unsuccessful, Marge decides to tell the story of when Lisa began speaking. The story flashes back to 1983, when Homer, Marge, and Bart lived in an apartment on the Lower East Side of Springfield. When Marge became pregnant again, she and Homer decided to move into a bigger living space. After viewing several unsuitable properties within their budget, they bought a house on Evergreen Terrace; persuaded by Homer, Grampa Simpson had sold his own house to give Homer and Marge enough money to buy their new house. In 1984, the Simpsons moved into the house and met their next-door neighbors, Ned Flanders and his family.

Meanwhile, Krusty the Clown began a promotion for the 1984 Summer Olympics with his Krusty Burger chain. The promotion is a "scratch-and-win" game where customers would win a free Krusty Burger if the United States won a gold medal, but the game cards were rigged to feature events that athletes from Communist countries were most likely to win. However, just as the promotion was put into effect, Krusty received word of the Soviet boycott of the Olympics; the campaign thus ended up giving away more free burgers than anticipated, causing Krusty to eventually lose US$44 million (equivalent to about $129 million in 2023).

Bart was forced to give up his crib so Lisa could have it. Knowing Bart was a fan of Krusty, Homer built him a clown-themed bed. However, because of Homer's poor woodworking skills, the bed looked like an evil clown, which terrified Bart. Soon, Lisa was born, and Bart became jealous of the attention she received from relatives and family friends. After several failed attempts to make Lisa look bad, and then several failed attempts to get rid of her, Bart decided to run away from home. As he packed his possessions, Lisa said her first word, "Bart". Bart was thrilled, and Marge explained that Lisa adored him. Bart and Lisa hugged each other and bonded over how funny it was that they both called Homer by his name, rather than "Daddy" as he wished.

In the present, while Bart and Lisa argue, Homer puts Maggie to bed; he tells her, "The sooner kids talk, the sooner they talk back. I hope you never say a word." As soon as he turns off the light and closes the door, Maggie takes her pacifier out of her mouth and, unheard by anyone else, says "Daddy".

Production

Elizabeth Taylor provided the voice of Maggie in this episode.

"Lisa's First Word" was written by Jeff Martin, and directed by Mark Kirkland. Mike Reiss and Al Jean were discussing having an episode where Maggie would say her first word, and Reiss thought it would be cute to have her say "daddy" when no one could hear her. Jeff Martin was assigned to write the episode because he had done another flashback episode, "I Married Marge". Martin was excited to do another flashback episode because he thought it was fun to check out old newspapers and go back and see what was in the news back in 1983 and 1984. Martin felt it was a good way of finding a new set of things to make jokes about. The extended couch gag was added since the episode was about thirty seconds too short to air.

In the episode, Homer builds a scary clown-shaped bed for Bart. The scene was inspired by Mike Reiss, whose dad had built him a clown-shaped bed when he was younger, and just like Bart, Reiss was scared of sleeping in it. As the flashback begins in 1983, a young Homer strolls down the street, singing Cyndi Lauper's song "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", which was released that year. The idea for this sequence came from animation director Chuck Sheetz, who suggested it because the length of the final version of the episode was too short. The Fox censors wrote a note concerning Homer's line, "Bart can kiss my hairy, yellow butt!" after Marge tells Homer that Bart might be jealous of baby Lisa, citing that the line is considered "coarse", due to the fact that Bart was two during the flashback.

Maggie's first word was provided by the Academy Award-winning actress Elizabeth Taylor, who would also voice herself in the season four finale, "Krusty Gets Kancelled". While promoting the episode, the producers initially did not reveal who the voice of Maggie would be, prompting speculation as to the identity of the actress. Although it was only one word, the voice came out "too sexy" and Taylor had to record the part numerous times before the producers were satisfied and thought it sounded like a baby. Several sources, including John Ortved's The Simpsons history article "Simpsons Family Values" in Vanity Fair, have reported that after Taylor had been made to repeatedly record the line, she said "fuck you" to series creator Matt Groening and stormed out of the studio. Groening recounted this event on a 1994 appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and was also quoted by the New York Daily News in 2007 as saying "We did 24 takes, but they were always too sexual. Finally, Liz said, 'F— you,' and walked out." However, Groening later denied the story in the DVD commentary for the episode "Gump Roast", while Jean stated in a piece after Taylor's death in 2011 that Taylor had said "fuck you" in jest and in Maggie's voice and did not storm out. Yeardley Smith supports the latter as well, tweeting she "didn't storm out but she did take exception to being asked to say 'Daddy' 20 times & she let us know by saying 'fuck you' when she was done." Nancy Cartwright also mentions the incident in her book My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy, but states Taylor jokingly ad-libbed "fuck you Daddy" as an initial sound check for Sam Simon.

Cultural references

The Springfield Shopper headline from the day Lisa was born ("Mondale to Hart: Where's the beef?") uses the then-current advertising slogan for Wendy's. Mondale, a candidate in the 1984 presidential election, used the "Where's the beef?" phrase at an election rally in 1984 while mocking one of his opponents. Marge sets the scene for her story of Lisa's first word with references to the 1981 arcade video game Ms. Pac-Man and the American actor Joe Piscopo. The group of boys hanging around the apartment building is a reference to the popular 1930s boys group The Dead End Kids. When Lisa is born, Homer says he has already started saving for her college fund in Lincoln Savings and Loan, which suffered a scandalous financial collapse in the late 1980s causing thousands of investors to lose their life savings. The episode features an Itchy & Scratchy cartoon called "100-Yard Gash", which uses the music from Chariots of Fire (1981).

The Olympic promotion by Krusty Burger is based on the 1984 Olympics promotion by McDonald's, in which McDonald's visitors could win a Big Mac, french fries, a drink, or even a cash prize up to $10,000 if Team USA won a medal in the visitor's listed event. McDonald's lost millions on the promotion due to the 1984 Summer Olympics boycott by the Soviet Union, as happened to Krusty. At one point in the episode, Dr. Hibbert refers to Olympic gymnastic medalist Mary Lou Retton.

Reception

In its original American broadcast, "Lisa's First Word" was watched by 28.6 million viewers, the most-watched episode of the season. It finished thirteenth in the ratings for the week of November 30 to December 6, 1992, with a Nielsen rating of 16.6. The episode was the highest-rated show on Fox that week. It acquired the highest national Nielsen rating of the show since the season two episode "Bart Gets an 'F'" aired on October 11, 1990.

Since airing, the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics. Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, the authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, said the episode is a "convincing portrait of young marriage and hardship in the days of Reaganomics—and the biggest name to guest voice gets the littlest, but the most significant, to say". When asked to pick his favorite season out of The Simpsons seasons one through twenty, Paul Lane of the Niagara Gazette picked season four and highlighted "the sweetly funny" "Lisa's First Word". David Johnson at DVD Verdict named it "one of the greatest flashback episodes". Dave Manley at DVDActive said in a review of The Simpsons: Greatest Hits DVD that it is "one of the better episodes and probably my personal favourite on the disc, although most Simpsons connoisseurs would probably go for the previous episode ", and added that there are "some great parodies in the episode too". The Orlando Sentinel's Gregory Hardy named it the fourteenth best episode of the show with a sports theme (the Olympics in this case).

Elizabeth Taylor's performance as Maggie was praised by critics. She was named the 13th greatest guest spot in the history of the show by IGN. Taylor also appeared on AOL's list of their favorite 25 Simpsons guest stars. Todd Everett at Variety called the last scene in the episode, where Maggie speaks her first word, "quite a heart-melter". He added that "it is probably no surprise that the casting of Elizabeth Taylor as the voice for baby Maggie Simpson's first word was a publicity stunt No mind, the episode in question delivered well-rounded view of series' multiple attractions." Total Film's Nathan Ditum ranked her performance as the best guest appearance in the show's history. Fox rebroadcast the episode on April 3, 2011, in memory of Taylor, following her death on March 23.

Legacy

"Can't sleep, clown will eat me"

Young Bart in his clown bed, poorly constructed by Homer

Inspired by an event in The Simpsons writer Mike Reiss' childhood, young Bart does not want to give up sleeping in the crib to make way for his newborn sister. Noticing Bart's affection for Krusty the Clown but unable to afford a professionally built Krusty-themed bed, Homer decides to build a clown-themed bed himself to please his son. However, because of Homer's poor handicraft skills, the bed takes on an ominous appearance and frightens Bart, especially in his darkened bedroom. In his first night in the new bed, far from "laughing himself to sleep", Bart imagines that the face on the headboard of the bed comes to life, intoning with evil glee, "if you should die before you wake...", before bursting into evil cackling.

The next morning, Bart is curled up into the fetal position on the floor next to the sofa downstairs, repeatedly uttering the phrase "can't sleep, clown will eat me..." The line inspired the Alice Cooper song "Can't Sleep, Clowns Will Eat Me" from the 2001 album Dragontown. The phrase has since found its way into popular use.

When Homer and Marge must leave for the hospital for Lisa's birth, they leave Bart in the care of Ned Flanders. Bart finds himself bored at the Flanders' house and wants to go home, but quickly changes his mind when he sees the clown bed in his bedroom window. When Bart attempts to run away, the bed appears in his bedroom again. The bed appears again in the episode "The Kids Are All Fight", where it eventually falls apart.

Merchandise

"Lisa's First Word" originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 3, 1992. The episode was selected for release in a 1999 video collection of selected episodes titled: The Simpsons: Greatest Hits. Other episodes included in the collection set were "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song", "Trash of the Titans", and "Bart Gets an 'F'". It was included in The Simpsons season 4 DVD set, which was released on June 15, 2004, as The Simpsons — The Complete Fourth Season. The episode was again included in the 2003 DVD release of the "Greatest Hits" set, but this time the set did not include "Trash of the Titans".

References

  1. ^ Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Lisa's First Word". BBC. Archived from the original on May 13, 2004. Retrieved January 19, 2008.
  2. ^ Richmond & Coffman 1997, p. 102.
  3. ^ Jean, Al (2004). The Simpsons The Complete Fourth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's First Word" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  4. ^ Martin, Jeff (2004). The Simpsons The Complete Fourth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's First Word" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  5. Reiss & Klickstein 2018, p. 95.
  6. ^ Kirkland, Mark (2004). The Simpsons The Complete Fourth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's First Word" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  7. ^ Reiss & Klickstein 2018, p. 68.
  8. ^ Everett, Todd (December 7, 1992). "The Simpsons Maggie's First Word". Variety. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  9. Turner 2004, p. 20.
  10. Schwarzbaum, Lisa (September 11, 1992). "Face to Face: Maggie Simpson". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved January 19, 2008.
  11. ^ Rush, George & Molloy, Joanna Rush (May 4, 2007). "In the Fox family, they live in fear of a Bart attack". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  12. Groening, Matt (2004). The Simpsons The Complete Fourth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Lisa's First Word" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  13. Ortved, John (August 2007). "Simpson Family Values". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 27, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  14. Groening, Matt, Interviewed by Conan O'Brien, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Episode 250, October 7, 1994.
  15. Groening, Matt. (2010). Commentary for "Gump Roast", in The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season . 20th Century Fox.
  16. Snierson, Dan (March 24, 2011). "Elizabeth Taylor: 'Simpsons' exec producer Al Jean remembers the film legend's one-word turn as baby Maggie -- Exclusive". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  17. Jean, Al (December 4, 2019). "Yes, the truth is her swearing was completely a joke, she did not storm out and she was a lot of fun. Anyone who was there could verify" (Tweet). Retrieved September 8, 2024 – via Twitter.
  18. Smith, Yeardley (December 4, 2019). "Yes, indeed, this is more accurate. She didn't storm out out but she did take exception to being asked to say "Daddy" 20 times & she let us know she by saying "fuck you" when she was done 😂. She also brought her little white dog to the session & one of her giant diamond rings" (Tweet). Retrieved September 8, 2024 – via Twitter.
  19. Cartwright, Nancy (2000). My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 122. ISBN 0747547483.
  20. Gable, Donna (December 9, 1992). "ABC's Tuesday lineup ends up rosy". USA Today. p. 03.D.
  21. ^ "Nielsen Ratings". Long Beach Press-Telegram. Associated Press. December 9, 1992. pp. C6.
  22. Bark, Ed (December 5, 1992). "Arts Beat". The Dallas Morning News. pp. 39A.
  23. Dzikiy, Phil; Lane, Paul (September 25, 2008). "Television: 20 years — A 'Simpsons' extravaganza". Niagara Gazette.
  24. Johnson, David (July 12, 2004). "DVD Verdict Review — The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on September 26, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2008.
  25. Manley, Dave. "Simpsons, The: Greatest Hits (UK — DVD R2) in Reviews". DVDActive. Archived from the original on March 29, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2008.
  26. Hardy, Gregory (February 16, 2003). "Hitting 300 - For Sporting Comedy, 'The Simpsons' Always Score". Orlando Sentinel. p. C17.
  27. Goldman, Eric; Iverson, Dan; Zoromski, Brian (January 4, 2010). "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances". IGN. Archived from the original on June 22, 2007. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  28. Potts, Kimberly. "Favorite 'Simpsons' Guest Stars". AOL. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
  29. Ditum, Nathan (March 29, 2009). "The 20 Best Simpsons Movie-Star Guest Spots". Total Film. GamesRadar. Archived from the original on April 10, 2009. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  30. "Exclusive: FOX to Rebroadcast Elizabeth Taylor's "Simpsons" Episode This Sunday". The Futon Critic. March 31, 2011. Retrieved April 3, 2011.
  31. "Some pop culture creations demonize the red-nosed men". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. February 15, 2007. Retrieved January 19, 2008.
  32. Rohrer, Finlo (January 16, 2008). "Why are clowns scary?". BBC News. Archived from the original on March 7, 2009. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  33. ^ "The Simpsons: Greatest Hits (VHS)". Amazon UK. July 21, 2003. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved October 17, 2008.
  34. The Simpsons — The Complete Fourth Season (1992). The Simpsons. 20th Century Fox. June 15, 2004.
  35. "The Simpsons: Greatest Hits (DVD)". Amazon UK. September 8, 2003. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved October 17, 2008.

Bibliography

External links

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