Satire in the Simpsons Satire

Satire in the Simpsons

Satire and not pure comedy is what makes 'The Simpsons' as immensely popular and longest running cartoon show on television today. There is something about the characters and the idea behind this show that 'The Simpsons' has always been a show both for children and adults. "The Simpsons has always operated on two levels. On one level appealing to children as a fast paced cartoon and then for the older audiences for its wit and satire" (Batscha) it reflects various aspects of American life including parenting, religious, discrimination etc. To help us see our own flaws and laugh at ourselves. Some people maintain that if it were not for television policies, the Simpsons would certainly be on prime time. The Simpsons is an exaggerated reflection of what is wrong with Americans and their various beliefs. How the show has managed to stay right at the top, even surpassing the Flintstones in popularity is no mystery. Satire plays an immense important role in colossal popularity of this program since 1987 when it first appeared on HBO. "The cartoon... premiered in 60-second snippets... before getting its first special, a half-hour Christmas show on December 17, 1989" (Keveney 2).

Homer Simpsons is the device for delivering the most satiric comments on everything ranging from alcohol to children to law to religion. What makes this satire quite wholesome and hilarious is the lack of subtlety with which it is presented to the audience. Homer isn't interested in pleasing anyone so he says what is on his mind and that takes the viewers by complete surprise, though may be no longer with everybody becoming familiar with the show's incongruity. MacGregor maintains: "It is Homer Simpson who drives the show...As a moving, ever expanding satire, he is at once the best and worst of American dadness. He is forever wanting the things he'll never have, scheming to get them and failing, his appetites and disappointments as classic as the central conflicts from which all great theater and literature derives." (MacGregor 27)

Take religion for example, the Simpsons loves to take satirical hits on religion. Homer is not a religious person and he makes no qualms about accepting the truth. Somehow going to the Church is synonymous to going to an unpleasant place and every Sunday he looks for excuses to avoid going to the Church. "I have been having a wonderful day, and I owe it all to skipping church!" Homer often questions religious believes and lives in fear that he "picked the wrong religion." And on days when he succumbs to pressure and decides to go to Church, he comes back complaining and prefers watching TV that he feels "helps get rid of the unpleasant aftertaste of church." In his defense, Homer naively talks to God and does a bad job at explaining his position: "God, "I'm not a bad guy... So why should I spend half my Sunday hearing about how I'm going to hell?." Homer convinces himself that he is happy with the way he follows religion and adds: "So I figure I should try to live right and worship you in my own way." At this point, God appears and replies: "Hmm, you've got a point there. You know, sometimes even I'd rather be watching football. Does St. Louis still have a team?" (Groening 94)

Homer is not just an empty character with too much satire and not enough substance. With all his stupidity and inappropriate behavior, Homer is sincere to the core. What he says, he says with complete conviction. He actually believes religion and spirituality are hollow concepts and similarly believes in everything that Americans find wrong in their culture and society. Homer's exaggerated comments on various issues bring them to the limelight and help America see the sad side of their obsessions, phobias and paranoia. In one episode, we see how Homer uses satire to show the funny side of parents' excessive interference in their children's lives.

Bart and Lisa are competing against each other in youth hockey competition. Both are key players on their respective teams. Marge tries to assure the two that they do not need to compete with each other and take it as nothing more than a game. "We love you both! You're not in competition with each other! Repeat: You are not in competition with each other" (Groening 157) but Homer who is obviously unaware of what Marge was just advocating, barges in and shouts: "Hey! [Your coach] just called. This Friday Lisa's team is playing Bart's team. You're in direct competition. And don't go easy on each other just because you're brother and sister. I want to see you both fighting for your parents' love" (Groening 157). It was the exaggeration of this comment that made it hilarious and also forces people to see the reality of such situations. No matter how we try to cloak such tricky situations, the truth remains that overzealous parents also favor the kid that excels in sports and academic. So Homer's comment 'fighting for your parents' love' takes a direct hit at twisted psyche of 'bad' parents.

And satire is not limited to the Simpsons' family. The show frequently ridicules the faulty police force, the flawed political system, the defective society and everything else. It accomplishes this with the help of caricatures that frequently appear in the show and present a stereotypical picture of various people from politicians to police to teachers. For example Springfield Police Chief Clancy Wiggum is corruption personified. But instead of hinting at bribe that he frequently wishes to draw out of his victims, Wiggum openly asks for the same thus leaving very little to imagination. Wiggum is a perfect caricature of a corrupt police officer. In one episode, he tries to extract a bribe that Homer is unwilling to offer. Homer tells him: