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The chalkboard gag is a running visual joke that occurs during the opening credits of many episodes of The Simpsons. In this gag, Bart Simpson is frowning while he writes a unique phrase on the chalkboard repeatedly; when the school bell rings, he immediately becomes glad, stops writing and runs out of the classroom. The phrase is usually in the form of an admonishment, implying that Bart has been assigned this task as punishment in detention.

In the early days of the series, a chalkboard gag was used in almost every episode, but, as commercial time has increased, they have gradually disappeared. They are now shown as rarely as twice per season. The show's producers have said that they may soon disappear altogether.

Chalkboard gags

Season 1

• I will not waste chalk
• I will not skateboard in the halls
• I will not burp in class
• I will not instigate revolution
• I will not draw naked ladies in class
• I did not see Elvis
  • (he means he didn't see Elvis Presley)
• I will not call my teacher "Hot Cakes"
• Garlic Gum is not funny
• They are laughing at me, not with me
• I will not yell "Fire" in a crowded classroom
  • (a reference to "shouting fire in a crowded theatre", a phrase used describing limits on free speech)

Season 2

• I will not encourage others to fly
• I will not fake my way through life
• Tar is not a plaything
• I will not Xerox my butt
• It's potato, not potatoe
  • (a reference to Dan Quayle's infamous misspelling of the word at an elementary school spelling bee)
• I will not trade pants with others
• I am not a 32 year old woman
  • (a reference to Nancy Cartwright, the actress who provides the voice of Bart)
• I will not do that thing with my tongue
• I will not drive the principal's car
• I will not pledge allegiance to Bart
• I will not sell school property
• I will not cut corners
  • (followed by a line of ditto signs)
• I will not get very far with this attitude
• I will not make flatulent noises in class
• I will not belch the National Anthem
• I will not sell land in Florida
  • (a reference to the Florida land boom)
• I will not grease the monkey bars
• I will not hide behind the Fifth Amendment
• I will not do anything bad ever again
• I will not show off
  • (written in Olde English style font)
• I will not sleep through my education

Season 3

• I am not a dentist
• Spitwads are not free speech
• Nobody likes sunburn slappers
• High explosives and school don't mix
• I will not bribe Principal Skinner
• I will not squeak chalk
  • (which the chalk is heard squeaking as he writes)
• I will finish what I sta
  • (does not finish)
• "Bart Bucks" are not legal tender
  • (a reference to community currency)
• I will not fake rabies
• Underwear should be worn on the inside
• The Christmas Pageant does not stink
• I will not torment the emotionally frail
• I will not carve gods
  • (a reference to the second commandment)
• I will not spank others
• I will not aim for the head
  • (for a baseball-themed episode)
• I will not barf unless I'm sick
• I will not expose the ignorance of the faculty
• I saw nothing unusual in the teacher's lounge
• I will not conduct my own fire drills
• Funny noises are not funny
• I will not spin the turtle
• I will not snap bras
• I will not fake seizures

Season 4

• This punishment is not boring and pointless
• My name is not Dr. Death
• I will not defame New Orleans
  • (an apology to the people of New Orleans after offending them through song in the previous episode)
• I will not prescribe medication
• I will not bury the new kid
• I will not teach others to fly
• I will not bring sheep to class
• A burp is not an answer
• Teacher is not a leper
• Coffee is not for kids
  • (each line becomes less and less legible; the last line is a scribble)
• I will not eat things for money
• I will not yell "She's Dead" during roll call
• The principal's toupee is not a Frisbee
• I will not call the principal "spud head"
• Goldfish don't bounce
• Mud is not one of the 4 food groups
• No one is interested in my father
• I will not sell miracle cures
• I will return the seeing-eye dog
• I do not have diplomatic immunity
• I will not charge admission to the bathroom

Season 5

• I will never win an Emmy
• I will never win a Logie
  • (a reference to losing the Logie nomination for the Best Overseas Program category)
• The cafeteria deep fryer is not a toy
• All work and no play makes Bart a dull boy
  • (a reference to a line from Stephen King's The Shining)
• I will not say "Springfield" just to get applause
• I am not authorized to fire substitute teachers
• My homework was not stolen by a one-armed man
  • (a reference to The Fugitive)
• I will not go near the kindergarten turtle
• I am not delightfully saucy
• Organ transplants are best left to the professionals
• The Pledge of Allegiance does not end with "Hail Satan"
  • (image shown on this page)
• I will not celebrate meaningless milestones
  • (used for the 100th episode)
• There are plenty of businesses like show business
  • (a reference to the song There's No Business Like Show Business)
• I will not re-transmit without the express permission of Major League Baseball
  • (interestingly, Fox would win rights to air MLB games a few years later)
• Five days is not too long to wait for a gun

Season 6

• Beans are neither fruit nor musical
  • (a reference to the childhood song Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit)
• I will not use abbrev.
• I am not the reincarnation of Sammy Davis Jr.
• I will not send lard through the mail
• I will not dissect things unless instructed
• I will not whittle hall passes out of soap
  • (possible reference to Woody Allen in Take the Money and Run)
• Ralph won't morph if you squeeze him hard enough
• Adding "just kidding" doesn't make it okay to insult the Principal
• "Bagman" is not a legitimate career choice
• Cursive writing does not mean what I think it does
  • (in You Only Move Twice, episode 3F23, Bart is placed in a remedial class when it is revealed he cannot understand the teacher's cursive)
• Next time it could be me on the scaffolding
• I will not hang donuts on my person
• I will remember to take my medication
• I will not strut around like I own the place
• The Good Humor man can only be pushed so far
• I do not have power of attorney over first graders
• Nerve gas is not a toy
• I will not mock Mrs. Dumbface
• The First Amendment does not cover burping
• This is not a clue...or is it?
  • (Mr. Burns is shot by a mysterious figure in this episode. Also it turned out NOT to be a clue...)

Season 7

• I will not complain about the solution when I hear it
  • (the solution to Who Shot Mr. Burns is revealed in this episode)
• "Bewitched" does not promote Satanism
• No one wants to hear from my armpits
• I am not a lean mean spitting machine
• The boys room is not a water park
• Indian burns are not our cultural heritage
• Wedgies are unhealthy for children and other living things
• I will only do this once a year
  • (a reference to the series' clip shows)
• I will stop talking about the twelve inch pianist
  • (Reference to the infamous 12 inch Pianist joke, which is meant to also mean penis)
• I am not certified to remove asbestos

Season 8

• I did not learn everything I need to know in kindergarten
  • (a reference to the title of the book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum)
• I am not my long-lost twin
• The truth is not out there
  • (in an episode parodying The X-Files)
• I am not licensed to do anything
• I will not hide the teacher's Prozac
• A fire drill does not demand a fire

Season 9

• I no longer want my MTV
  • (a reference to the "I want my MTV" slogan from the 1980s; possibly a reference to MTV's declining popularity in recent years)
• Everyone is tired of that Richard Gere story
  • (a reference to the urban legend that Richard Gere was injured pursuing a deviant sexual practice involving a gerbil)
• I did not invent Irish dancing
• I will not tease Fatty
  • (possible reference to the novel Lord of the Flies)
• There was no Roman god named "Fartacus"
• Rudolph's red nose is not alcohol-related
  • (possible reference to Eddie Murphy's parody of Gumby on Saturday Night Live shouting "We all know why the nose is red, Rudolph!" while making a drinking gesture)
• Shooting paintballs is not an art form
• Pain is not the cleanser
• Silly String is not a nasal spray
• I was not told to do this
• My butt does not deserve a website
• I will not demand what I'm worth
  • (a reference to a salary dispute with the cast)
• I will not set up other children in the class in gay date sites
• I will not mess with the opening credits
  • (appears as part of a couch gag with the rest of the family)
• I am not the new Dalai Lama
• I was not the inspiration for "Kramer"
  • (aired three days after the last episode of Seinfeld)

Season 10

• I will not file frivolous lawsuits
• "butt.butt" is not my E-mail address
  • (originally "butt.com"; was removed because butt.com actually exists as a porn site)
• No one cares what my definition of "is" is
  • (a reference to a quote from former president Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal)
• I will not scream for ice cream
  • (a reference to the traditional college cheer I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream)
• I am not a licensed hairstylist
• "The President did it" is not an excuse
  • (aired the day after Bill Clinton was impeached)
• My mom is not dating Jerry Seinfeld
• Sherri does not "got back"
  • (a reference to the song "Baby Got Back" by hip hop artist Sir Mix-a-Lot)
• I will not do the Dirty Bird
  • (a reference to the victory dance of the Atlanta Falcons — interestingly Fox has the rights to air the NFC, of which the Falcons are a part)
• No one wants to hear about my sciatica
• Hillbillies are people too
• Grammar is not a time of waste
• It does not suck to be you
• I cannot absolve sins
• A trained ape could not teach gym
• Loose teeth don't need my help
• I have neither been there nor done that
• I'm so very tired

Season 11

• Fridays are not "pants optional"
• Pork is not a verb
• I am not the last Don
• I did not win the Nobel Fart Prize
• I won't not use no double negatives
• I can't see dead people
  • (a reference to the line "I see dead people" from the movie The Sixth Sense)
• I will not sell my kidney on eBay
  • (which, of course, someone did)
• I will not create art from dung
  • (a reference to an art exhibit that had a portrait of the Virgin Mary splattered with feces)
• I will stop phoning it in
• Class clown is not a paid position
• Substitute teachers are not scabs
• My suspension was not "mutual"
• A belch is not an oral report
• Dodgeball stops at the gym door
• "Non-flammable" is not a challenge
• I was not touched "there" by an angel
  • (which refers to the TV show Touched by an Angel)
• I am not here on a fartball scholarship
• I will not dance on anyone's grave
• I cannot hire a substitute student
• I will not obey the voices in my head

Season 12

• I will not plant subliminal messagores
  • (a reference to a Republican TV spot during the 2000 US Presidential Election where "RAT" quickly appeared on screen as a subliminal message)
• I will not surprise the incontinent
• I am not the Acting President
• I was not the sixth Beatle
• I will only provide a urine sample when asked
• The nurse is not dealing
• Science class should not end in tragedy
• Network TV is not dead
• I will not "let the dogs out"
  • (a reference to a popular song at the time "Who Let the Dogs Out" by Baha Men)
• I will not hide the teacher's medication
• I will not publish the principal's credit report
• The hamster did not have "a full life"
• I will not buy a presidential pardon
  • (a reference to controversial pardons granted by Bill Clinton on his last day in office, many of them allegedly connected to contributions to his campaign or the Democratic Party)
• "Temptation Island" was not a sleazy piece of crap
  • (referencing the controversy surrounding the show)
• I will not scare the Vice President
  • (reference to Dick Cheney's heart condition)
• I will not flush evidence
• I will not hit Paddy and Jerry with a chair
• Genetics is not an excuse
• Today is not Mothra's day
  • (this episode aired on Mother's Day)
• I should not be twenty-one by now
  • (references how the Simpsons don't age)

Season 13

• A burp in a jar is not a science project
• Fun does not have a size
• I am not Charlie Brown on acid
  • (a reference to "South Park", which the creators described as "Peanuts" on acid)
• I do not have a cereal named after me
  • (at the time this episode aired, Bart actually did have a cereal named after him)
• I will not bite the hand that feeds me Butterfingers
  • (a reference to the old Butterfinger commercials featuring characters from "The Simpsons")
• The giving tree is not a chump
  • (a reference to The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein)
• Making Milhouse cry is not a science project
• Vampire is not a career choice
• No one reads these anymore
• I will never lie about being cancelled again

Season 14

• Fish do not like coffee
• Milhouse did not test cootie positive
• This school does not need a "regime change"
• SpongeBob is not a contraceptive
• I will not
  • (Bart then chops up the chalkboard with an axe, 300th episode special animation)
• My pen is not a booger launcher
• Sandwiches should not contain sand

Season 15

• Over forty & single is not funny
• I will not speculate on how hot teacher used to be

Season 16

• Beer in a milk carton is not milk
• Poking a dead raccoon is not research
• A booger is not a bookmark

Season 17

• Does any kid still do this anymore?
• I am not smarter than the President
• Teacher was not dumped — it was mutual
• I will not eat things for money (reused in Homer Simpson, this is your wife)
• I will not flip the classroom upside down (the shot of Bart writing on the chalkboard is indeed upside down)

• The Simpsons
• Running gags