“The simpsons”
Infamous running gag won’t be “tamed”
Homer Simpson (right) will continue to choke his son Bart (here in a future episode).
© imago images/Everett Collection
“Nothing is tamed”: “Simpsons” creator James L. Brooks on rumors about an old running gag.
“Wait a minute, you little…” – Since the early days of The Simpsons, Homer Simpson choking his son Bart has been a running gag. And it will stay that way. Producer James L. Brooks (83) stepped in “People” countered rumors that the famous choking would be abolished. “Don’t think for a second that we’re going to change anything,” the “Simpsons” co-creator reassured fans.
Choking forbidden? This is how the rumors started
A “Simpsons” episode from the current 35th season from October 2023 was responsible for the rumor that choking was a thing of the past. In it, a new neighbor praises Homer’s firm handshake. “You see, Marge, choking pays off,” he says to his wife. Then the father rows back: “That was a joke. I won’t do that anymore. Times change.”
This little scene took on a life of its own, and articles appeared reporting on the passing of the running gag. The “Simpsons” makers responded in typical fashion with a caricature. On X (formerly Twitter) they posted a drawing, on which Homer chokes Bart. The ten-year-old is holding a smartphone with the headline “Simpsons: No more strangling” written on it. No more choking. “Wait, you little clickbait…” Homer shouts. It reads: “Homer Simpson could not be reached for comment because he was busy strangling Bart.”
The choking gag has been pushed into the background for a long time
“Nothing is tamed. Nothing, nothing, nothing,” James L. Brooks now affirmed. Bart continues to be choked. “If you want to use this terrible term for it,” said the “Time of Tenderness” director. Brooks continued: “He will continue to be loved by his father in a certain way.” In fact, the strangulation joke hasn’t appeared in a while. Homer last choked his son in season 30.
Since its launch in 1989, “The Simpsons” has been repeatedly criticized for promoting questionable family values. In 2020, the series made its first concession to the zeitgeist: the white voice actor Hank Azaria (59) no longer speaks the Indian Apu with a fake accent. The supermarket owner, who was often the victim of stereotypical gags, has been a silent background character ever since.