HOME |
RSS | 
Etsy seller apjam made this clever albeit unauthorized Homer Simpsons sticker for your Apple iPhone.
The next time your iPhone G4 drops a call, don’t blame Antennagate – it’s probably Homer nom nom nomming the connection.
Nerd Approved has the larger pic: Link or go to apjam’s Etsy shop
The years fly by so fast, don’t they? This is from the episode “Lisa’s Wedding” {wiki} which aired in 1995. -via reddit
Need a sofa? How about a life-size sofa from The Simpsons, complete with characters? It only seats one, but with if you’re such a hardcore Simpsons fan, then chances are you don’t have (or need) any friends to share the couch with anyhow, right? 
Link
"cat & mouse" (2005)
In his art series "Perspective Sculptures," British artist James Hopkins uses optical illusions to transform what appears to be a random jumble of objects into a particular image when viewed at just the right angle.
Designboom has more: Link | James Hopkins website – via Nerdcore
Comments Off
The opening to last night’s episode of The Simpsons parodied “Tik Tok“, a song by American pop singer Ke$ha (that’s how she spells it). Featuring Groundskeeper Willy brushing his teeth with a bottle of Jack.
via Comics Alliance | Another Tik Tok Parody
deviantART user Martin Beyer imagined what Mr. Burns from The Simpsons would look like if he was depicted more literally. It looks like a sculpture, but Beyer actually used Zbrush to create a digital 3D image.
If you’re a fan of the longest-running comedy in television history, you probably already know Bill Morrison’s name. Guess what? We’ve got an exclusive interview with him and will be giving away more copies of the new hardcover book The Simpsons Futurama Crossover Crisis. More details on the giveaway contest soon, but first we want to know if you’ve got a question to put to Bill.
Anything you’ve ever wondered about Simpson’s Comics, Radioactive Man, Bartman, Bart Simpson’s Treehouse of Horror, Roswell – Little Green Man, or Futurama, etc. etc, etc.? Now’s your chance to ask the main principal writer and artist/editor. (Also the editor of this new book!)
So go ahead and leave your question in the comments below and we’ll select some to put in front of Bill!
Professor John I.Q. Nerdelbaum Frink, Jr. is a character on The Simpsons. He’s a socially inept scientist and inventor known to proclaiming nonsensical words when he’s nervous. On the show, he often produces inventions of questionable utility and scientific rigor. Dan at McLOL has compiled a list of some of Frink’s more absurd inventions, along with sound files from the show demonstrating their use. A few samples:
Hamburger Earmuffs
If you think inventing the Hamburger Earmuffs was easy you’d be GLAYVENLY wrong. The dear professor had problems like “the pickle matrix” to contend with, something Homer didn’t think of when he tried to steal Frink’s invention.[...]
Debigulator
Uses this invention to shrink Lisa so she can mingle with the tiny people who worship her as their God. (Eedle-blay!)
But when Lisa needs to return to normal size…(Hoyvin Mayvin!)
In 2001, the Homer Simpson expression “Doh!” was entered into The Oxford English Dictionary. Jeff Wysaski of guyism proposes that ten invented words from The Simpsons should be likewise formally incorporated into the English language. Example:
Embiggen: To make bigger or grow in size; a perfectly cromulent word
This graceful word can be attributed to town founder Jebediah Springfield. As the town motto goes, “A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man.” The word is used repeatedly throughout the 7th season episode in which all of Springfield comes down with a major case of Jebeditis (another excellent candidate for this list) during the town’s bicentennial celebration. Adding credibility to the word is the fact that it has appeared in numerous scientific publications since the episode aired.
Simpsons fans can’t think of “embiggen” without thinking of the other fake word used to describe it: cromulent. Clearly, this word should be included on this list as well – if it weren’t for the fact that the Webster’s American dictionary added it to their “New Millenium” edition a few years ago. The official definition: fine, acceptable.
Human ambition expresses itself in myriad ways. Some people climb the highest mountains or journey into the unknown. Others build technological marvels or discover the wonders of science. But perhaps the greatest among us sit around and watch TV all week.
Such is the dream of Glyn Stott, a Simpsons fan from Merthyr Tydfil, UK, who hopes to be entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for watching all 451 episodes of The Simpsons, back to back, without resting:
His six-day feat will be overseen by officials to ensure he does not fall asleep.
Mr Stott, from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, said: “I’m a huge fan of the show and I’ve seen every episode but watching them continuously for almost a week will be a feat of endurance.
“The judges have to make sure my eyes are firmly fixed on the screen – I have to be seen to be concentrating all the way through.”
The current record for non-stop television watching is four days, set by an American viewer.
Link | Image: Fox
The Estonian station TV3 recreated the introduction to The Simpsons as though the show took place in an Estonian village.
via The Presurfer | Company Website
Stained glass artist Joseph Cavalieri created panels based on The Simpsons. The series is called “Missing Episode” and mixes that TV show with the work of 17th Century French poet Jean de La Fontaine. Pictured above is “The Death in the Playground”.
Link via Popped Culture
Comments Off 
How do you improve the world’s best classic artworks? Simpsonize ‘em! That’s what illustrator David Barton did … and the results turn out awesome!
I particularly like the Apu Dali, as inspired by Philippe Halsman’s Tilted Head (Portrait of Salvador Dalí).
Link – via design:related
Previously on Neatorama: Famous Works of Art, Simpsons-Style
Comments Off 
Not happy with the current candidates for mayor? Why not write-in your choice? The National Ledger has a list of the top write-in vote getters for the New York City mayoral election … and the winner is:
Mr. Burns from ‘The Simpsons’ notched 25 write-in votes on Election Day for New York mayor. The Simpsons favorite character to hate, Homer Simpson’s billionaire boss, collected the most write-in votes for NYC Mayor.
More good stuff from Gotham’s mayoral election and the angry voters trying to make a point, according to the New York Daily News, "Rodney Dangerfield, who died in 2004, received a write-in vote."
Mad Magazine icon Alfred E. Newman, Fantastic Four arch-villain Victor Von Doom, Mickey Mouse, and Sleeping Beauty also received write-in.
Bart’s Blackboard is an archive of every sentence that Bart Simpson has been forced to write on the blackboard in the opening sequence to The Simpsons. So far, there are six seasons loaded in this ongoing project.
Link via J-Walk Blog
In 1997, home developer Kaufman & Broad built a house in Henderson, Nevada that looks exactly like the house that the Simpson family lives in, both inside and outside, including furniture and pictures on the walls. From an article in The Las Vegas Sun, written at the time of construction:
“The Simpsons”, the satirical, animated clan who put the phrases “Doh!” and “Eat my shorts” into the national vernacular, are celebrating their 10th year on television. And in true Simpson fashion, the producers of the show are doing the unexpected – recreating the family’s two-story domicile right down to the throw rugs. Builder Kaufman & Broad has taken the 724 Evergreen Terrace address out of two dimensions and cast it in three, placing it smack dab in the middle of Henderson, Nev., in a housing development appropriately called “Springfield.”
News Story and Gallery via GearFuse
The Itchy & Scratch Show is a “show within a show” featured on The Simpsons. If you are at all familiar with it, you’ll enjoy today’s Lunchtime Quiz at mental_floss. See if you can decide which title is an episode of Itchy & Scratchy, and which are actual names of horror films. It’s not easy! I scored only 50%. Link
I can’t get enough of this: The Simpsons theme song, the a cappella version sung by Canvas. Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] – via Land-O-Links
Star Trek- composed by Alexander Courage
Check out these opening lines: Beyond the rim of the starlight / My love is wand'ring in starflight. Even though the lyrics were never used, Roddenberry still got half the royalties for the theme. (Photo: Listening Post) The Simpsons - composed by Danny Elfman
To see his vision through, Groening approached composer Danny Elfman to write the opus, handing him a mix tape to help him get the idea. Highlights included The Jetsons theme, selections from Nino Rota's Juliet of the Spirits, a Remington electric shaver jingle by Frank Zappa, some easy-listening music by Esquivel, and a teach-your-parrot-to-talk record. After listening to it for a while, Elfman told Groening, "I know exactly what you're looking for." Apparently, he did. The Emmy-winning theme has been covered on screen by everyone from Yo La Tengo to Green Day. Jeopardy! - composed by Merv Griffin
Friends ("I'll Be There For You") - composed by Michael Skloff & Allee Willis and performed by The Rembrandts
When The Rembrandts agreed to record "I'll Be There For You" for the TV show Friends, they were little-known rock band that was happy to get the gig. Overnight, the theme became a sensation, earning The Rembrandts a Grammy nomination. Years later, band member Danny Wilde reflected, "We went from being a cool, cutting-edge band to a pop flavor-of-the-month." And just like that, the flavor was gone. By the end of the 1990s, there was so little demand for The Rembrandts' music that the band resorted to playing shopping malls, opening once for Richard Simmons. It wasn't their day, their month, or even their year. Bonus: The Legendary Soundman Behind Hollywood's Most Famous Noises
After taking his first (uncredited) job on the original Death Race 2000 in 1975, Burtt would go on to turn movie sound into an art. By capturing and manipulating ambient and mechanical noises, he created entirely new aural worlds. Here are a few of his trademark sounds. R2D2's Voice: Most movie fans think that the robot's voice is an elaborate creation of computer synthesizers, but it's actually a combination of Burtt whistling and making fart noises into an old tape recorder. The Clicks of Wall-E's Cockroach Pet: After experimenting with various synthesized animal noises, Burtt settled on accelerating the chatter of an irritated raccoon. The Star Wars Lightsaber: The hum and the clash of the lightsaber came from two malfunctioning devices - a broken television set tuned between two VHF channels and an idling film projector. Chewbacca's Voice: Although the fictional wookie looks all ape, his voice is based on the barks and grunts of dogs, mixed with the growls of lions and bears. Star Wars' T.I.E. Fighter: The roar of the evil Empire's fighters (the name stands for Twin Ion Engine) is actually the roar of an elephant. To add some length to the sound, Burtt layered in the buzz of his car driving on a wet road. Indiana Jones' Whip: The crack of Dr. Jones' whip is just that - the sound of Indiana Jones cracking his whip. During the making of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Burtt recorded Harrison Ford snapping the whip along a rural road in Marin County, California. To add a little more whoosh, Burtt dropped in the sound of a Harrier Jump Jet that flew by. |
|
 |
TV Theme Songs That Will Never Die is written by Bill DeMain, and The Legendary Soundman Behind Hollywood's Most Famous Noises is written by John Scott Lewinski. They are reprinted with permission from the Scatterbrained section of the May/June 2009 issue of mental_floss magazine. Be sure to visit mental_floss' entertaining website and blog for more fun stuff!
|
“This is the biggest and most adhesive honor The Simpsons has ever received,” said Matt Groening, creator and executive producer of The Simpsons.
Link -via J-Walk Blog
Of all the brilliant characters the writers of The Simpsons have gifted to popular culture over the years, Ralph Wiggum is one of the few who make me giddily happy to the point of embarrassment. Something about his absurdist oddballism speaks to everything fundamentally great about inspired comedy writing.
How much do you know about Ralph Wiggum? Since I don’t watch TV, I didn’t even try the quiz. You, no doubt, will do better. Link
(Links open in a new browser window/tab)
 |
Green Tie in Front of a Green Screen
It certainly made the weather report more interesting, perhaps all weathermen should wear green ties! |
 |
Backwards Beethoven Previously on Neatorama: Singing Backwards |
 |
Yoshimoto Cube Philip Brocoum explains: Link |
 |
Bob Munden: Fastest Gunman Ever
|
 |
Simpsons Duet: 2 Guys 1 Piano They're pretty awesome! Link |
For more the web's most interesting videos, check out: VideoSift.
I can’t imagine the time it must have taken to put this together! Even if you don’t care that much about the map itself, it’s worth it just to go through and read the clever names of some of the establishments – the Texas Cheesecake Depository cracks me up.
Link via Instructables.
Remember our post about Jar Jar Bink carved out of a jicama? Well, the guy who did that made another one. This time, it’s Side Show Bob of the TV series The Simpsons , carved out of a Mexican Turnip! Link – Thanks Ken!
| FEATURED ITEMS FROM THE NEATOSHOP | |
 |
Mustache Bottle Opener |
 |
My Cryptozoological Family - Family Car Stickers |
 |
Zombie Hand Bottle Opener |
View more: New Items &
Best Sellers |
|
Did
you know that the Star Trek theme music has lyrics? Neither did composer
Alexander Courage when he signed a deal to write the music. The fine print
gave the show's creator, Gene Roddenberry, the option to write words to
Courage's tune - and he did. 
From
the beginning, The Simpsons creator Matt Groening wanted his
show's song to be big. Here's how he put it: "The trend in TV themes
for the previous 15 years had been namby-pamby synthesizer schlock that
seemed to whimper, 'We can't offer you much, but please like our pathetic
little show.' I wanted a big orchestrated, obnoxious, arrogant theme that
promised you the best time of your life." (Photo: 
Game
show maven Merv Griffin knew what he was doing when he wrote the theme
song for Jeopardy. He later recalled, '[The Jeopardy
theme] is only 14 seconds. So I rewrote it in another key, [repeated it],
then added the 'bum-bump' to get it to 30 seconds, which was the amount
of time contestants needed for the Final Jeopardy answer. Now, it's played
at sporting events; I've played it with the Boston Pops. It's one of the
most lucrative themes in history." In 2006, Griffin estimated he'd
made $70 million in royalties from the tune. (Photo: 
If
you've seen Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or Wall-E, then
you know the work of Hollywood's most legendary sound designer, Ben Burtt.
(Photo: 
