“You said we would be greeted as liberators!”
The Simpsons have been known for political pokes before, but this level of criticism is unusual even for them. Will a heavy-handed pitch to the cheap seats make Middle America think more deeply about the war?
Anyone who thinks Hollywood is run by a liberal cabal won’t change his mind after watching The Simpsons‘ annual Halloween special. The episode, which airs Nov. 5, concludes with an Iraq war satire that may rank as the most pointed political statement the show has ever made.
In the segment, aliens invade Springfield to prevent mankind from obtaining “weapons of mass disintegration,” but their mission, called “Operation Enduring Occupation,” turns into a quagmire. “You said we would be greeted as liberators!” accuses one alien.
“We were looking for an ending to the episode, and it just kind of suggested itself,” says Simpsons executive producer Al Jean. “I’d like to take credit for being adventuresome, but I think we’re expressing a viewpoint 69 percent of the country agrees with.”
Is the American public already split into definitive camps on the issue, or will this scathing parody gain additional sympathy for the anti-war crowd?
I am a bit concerned for us as a nation if a cartoon episode can make people see what over 3,000 lost soldiers could not..
You do have to give the Simpson’s creators kudo for their strong stand and being able to keep an animated series fresh, funny and relevant for as long as they have..
3000 is just a figure. They aren’t seeing the coffins on TV, the deads family, the grief and tragedy, the horror of war.
The Simpsons is doing what the rest of the media won’t, even if it is a drop in the ocean…
“The Simpsons” hasn’t been funny for at least five years and Al Jean is one of the people primarily responsible.
They’re not funny all the way to the bank, my friend. The Simpsons are still hitting most of the notes to this day, and far better than a lot of what’s out there.
“3000 is just a figure. They aren’t seeing the coffins on TV, the deads family, the grief and tragedy, the horror of war.”
Agreed. All television networks should be required to start their daily prime time news broadcasts with full coverage of the funerals of each soldier buried that day.
American families are paying for this war with their family members and friends. We all need to be made painfully aware of the daily cost.
Steve
Who says the Simpsons are not funny? Just shut up!
And then they should do the same for driving. Let’s see the disfigurements, the funerals, the anguished relatives, the increasing body counts up in lights. Let’s have the people understand the true horrors and cost of driving instead of sweeping it under the carpet. Let’s hit them every day with it. Hey, hey FAA! How many kids did you kill today?!
RBG
3000 dead in Iraq in 3 years
6000+ dead at Iwo Jima in two months(Flags of our Fathers ref.)
nearly 3000 dead in an hour+(?) on 9/11/01
just some more numbers to ponder while debating how “Bad” the numbers are from Iraq (source:various wikipedia articles)
We need to honor our fallen hereos by winning not wining.
oops that should be “whining”
About 3,000 people die in vehicular accidents in India every day.
Those who died on Iwo Jima brought a kind of freedom and democracy to the world. The jury is out on what the result of the Iraq sacrifice will be, even predicating a military victory. We all die, but if our death is early and futile and preventable, that’s a tragedy. Or, in the words of Country Joe: One Two Three what are we fighting for?
I still have my Afghan clothes from when I last visited Quetta. I was thinking of adding a beard and an ammo belt and dressing as a Taliban for American Halloween.
Seriously, I am thinking of this! Aren’t Muslims radicals the new American boogymen?
But what are the chances of me getting reported to the police or shot by some gun nut?
#8, JimW
We need to honor our fallen hereos by winning not w(h)ining.
Comment by Jim W — 10/20/2006 @ 10:15 pm
Canada isn’t involved in Iraq, so where do you get this We. The US will take volunteers from other countries and grant citizenship after your hitch is over. Try it and then you can add the “we” bit.
#12: Canada isn’t, but Canada isn’t a soveriegn nation, belonging to Britain.
And yes, Britain is involved, in case you missed it.
7,
That I non-sequitur. While I agree that one should educate the public more about driing accidents, Iraq is not an accident.
The Iraq war is a deliberate action by my country’s leadership in my name, and as a citizen I (and others, such as those who wrote that Simpson’s episode) I have a right to know who is fighting and dying for me and demand a reason why from the Government. I also have the right to openly question that reason, the policies, and the manner in which said troops were deployed.
Correction to14:
Pardon the typo, I meant to say “that is a non-sequitur” in my first sentence, however humorous and/or Freudian the line appears.
What an absolute load of bloocks you guys talk – Canada has f**k-all to do with Britain.
Jim W: What exactly is your connection between ‘9/11’ and the war in Iraq? I don’t personally know of a link, except that it was the same sick, money grabbing fuckers that directed both events.
There are to many memories of Vietnam for anyone to argue about staying the course.
16, Come on, give 13 a break. Of course he meant to write “belonging to the US.”
14, And of course Iraq was an accident. The US was out for a walk one day when it slipped on an AK47-totin’ Koran-breathing Arabic terrorist.
RBG
Who lets liberal media float in the airwaves? Duh! The conservative rich folk.
Why? Double Duh! BECAUSE IT SELLS.
Might ask Air America about that one.
RBG
#13
You better look up the definition of sovereign nation. Yes, Canada shares the head of state with Britain, but it’s still fully sovereign.
#2 The Simpsons is doing what the rest of the media won’t, even if it is a drop in the ocean…
Agreed. There are two many media outlets that are scared to be “un-American” by doing their job by fully questioning the actions of the White House. If they do, it tends to be a short and then onto entertainment and sports. They spend more time covering stories with sex involved (Foley et al) and bimbos (Paris Hilton et al), than actually trying to do real journalism.
#20 – Might ask Air America about that one.
RBG
Air America only serves as the proof that mainstream media is not liberal, but it is indisputable that Fox is conservative… And despite having the backing of a billionaire, go find out how many years it took Fox to achieve profitability.
All Hail the Chief, our Courageous President George W. Bush, God’s Appointed Leader for America who speaks and Acts for God. How dare others portray our leader as crazy and ridiculous. May they all receive a huge raspberry from the rest of us blind dumb loyalist.
I don’t think this will change anyone’s mind. If you still support the President’s policy in Iraq then you won’t change your mind until they water board you.
Watch the episode before you comment. I have and it’s without a doubt the most intense serious moment the simpsons has ever aired. “This is what Iraq will look like……” – chilling. Bravo to Fox and the Simpsons producers/writers for sayingt it outright.
The episode has leaked via review copies, you can find it on popular torrent sites.
It’s a pretty good episode up until the Iraq line, it’s just comes across as heavy handed and crass. It’s a pity since that segment started out so well with the 1930’s version of the show.
I am certain the only minds it will change are a few republicans who won’t tune into the Simpsons anymore.
go to http://www.whatreallyhappened.com or http://www.inforwars.com and read.