Archive-name: simpsons/faq

[Last modified: 5 Sep 93]

	 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (with answers) FOR ALT.TV.SIMPSONS

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Posted on or about the first of the month to alt.tv.simpsons and the
Simpsons mailing list.

Available via Usenet, the alt.tv.simpsons newsgroup is a free forum for
the discussion of various aspects of the television show ``The Simpsons''.
It is also available in mailing list form; write to the address
simpsons-request@net.bio.net to be added or removed from the list.
There are two other relevant newsgroups named alt.fan.itchy-n-scratchy
and alt.tv.simpsons.itchy-scratchy.

If your copy of this FAQ is more than a few months old, the latest
revision can be retrieved electronically by several methods. Read
chapter 2.1 for details.

		      - Table of Contents -

CHAPTER 1:  Lists, Lists, and More Lists

	1.1)   The Shows, The Boards, and The Couches
	1.2)   The Voices
	1.3)   Other lists and guides, who posted them, and where to get them

CHAPTER 2:  Frequently Requested Files

	2.1)   The Simpsons Archive
	2.2)   What is "anonymous ftp" anyway?
	2.3)   ASCII pictures
	2.4)   Quotes files & fortune programs
	2.5)   Where can I get graphics and sound files?

CHAPTER 3:  Questions

	3.1)   Didja notice...?  (Often abbreviated DYN.)
	3.2)   Who is MG?
	3.3)   Where did Matt Groening get the names for the Simpson family?
	3.4)   What's this about "annoying Republicans"?
	3.5)   Where is Springfield?
	3.5a)  What is the Simpsons' Home address?
	3.6)   What does the ``J'' stand for in Homer J. Simpson?
	3.6a)  How about Bartholomew J. Simpson?
	3.7)   Didn't I see/hear ... in ... ?
	3.8)   What phone pranks has Bart used on Moe of Moe's Tavern?
	3.8a)  Where did the idea for them come from?
	3.9)   Which Springfield personality is That?
	3.9a)  Which one's Itchy and which is Scratchy?
	3.10)  Where do you get the episode titles from?
	3.11)  How do I pronounce...
	3.12)  Which episodes have been released on video?
	3.12a) And when will the show appear in syndication?
	3.13)  What's Simpsons Illustrated, and where can I get it?
	3.14)  Where can I get the music from ``The Simpsons'' ?
	3.15)  Are Burns/Smithers/Jacques/Karl gay or bisexual?
	3.16)  When did everything (sorta) happen?
	3.17)  Is my local station cutting the episodes?
	3.18)  What does "OFF" stand for?  (Frequently used acronyms)
	3.19)  Is Matt Groening aware of Usenet?
	3.20)  What became of Tracey Ullman's law-suit?
	3.21)  What's this I hear of a Simpsons television spin-off?
	3.22)  Why isn't/aren't ... mentioned in this FAQ?
	3.23)  Why isn't this rec.arts.tv.simpsons?

===============================================================================

CHAPTER 1:  Lists, Lists, and More Lists

1.1) The Shows, The Boards, and The Couches

  The following episode information is an amalgamation of the various
   Simpsons Episode Guides produced by the following people (the filename
   for their submission in the Simpsons archive is enclosed in brackets):

     Michael L. Brown
     Eddy J. Gurney    (eddy@jafus.mi.org)
     Mark A. Holtz     (mholtz@netcom.com)	    [episode_guide]
     Brian T. Howard   (bhoward@neon.stanford.edu)
     Don Patrick       (syslep@pro-lep.cts.com)	    [program_guide]
     David Tamkin      (dattier@ddsw1.mcs.com)
     Bruce Watson      (bwatson@nyx.cs.du.edu)	    [air_dates]

  Those titles below with a * following them are episodes which actually
   gave their titles at the beginning or in the credits.  Those dates
   with a ** following them are older shows that were repeated *after*
   the new season started.


P.Code Episode (the blackboard) [the couch] {Notes} <Aired>
====== ========================================================================
			     - Season 1 -
7G08   Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire	<12/17/89, 12/23/89, 07/01/90,
       {No quote}				 12/19/91**>
						[No couch scene]
7G02   Bart the Genius				<01/14/90, 03/04/90, 05/27/90>
       (I will not waste chalk)			[Bart]
7G03   Homer's Odyssey				<01/21/90, 06/03/90, 08/30/90>
       (I will not skateboard in the halls)	[Couch collapses]
7G04   There's No Disgrace Like Home		<01/28/90, 03/11/90, 06/10/90,
       (I will not burp in class)		 08/30/92**> [Homer]
7G05   Bart the General				<02/04/90, 04/08/90, 07/22/90>
       {No board quote}				[No couch scene]
7G06   Moaning Lisa				<02/11/90, 04/22/90, 08/05/90>
       (I will not instigate revolution)	[Maggie]
7G09   Call of the Simpsons			<02/18/90, 05/06/90, 07/29/90>
       (I will not draw naked ladies in class)	[Nobody]
7G07   The Tell-Tale Head *			<02/25/90, 05/20/90, 08/23/90>
       (I did not see Elvis)			[Bart]
       {One line as the view enters the classroom states ``I did see Elvis''}
7G11   Jacques to be Wild			<03/18/90, 07/15/90, 09/20/90,
       {No board quote}				 08/30/92**> [No couch scene]
       {This episode is also known as ``Life in the Fast Lane''; also,
	it was originally going to be ``Bjorn to be Wild'', but Albert
	Brooks couldn't get the Swedish accent right, so it became a
	French bowler}
7G10   Homer's Night Out			<03/25/90, 06/17/90, 09/06/90>
       (I will not call my teacher `Hot Cakes') [Couch collapses]
7G13   The Crepes of Wrath			<04/15/90, 06/24/90, 09/13/90>
       (Garlic gum is not funny)		[Homer]
7G12   Krusty Gets Busted			<04/29/90, 08/19/90, 09/27/90>
       (They are laughing at me, not with me)	[Maggie]
       {The August 18, 1990, episode was the last at 8:30pm on Sundays; from
	then on, they aired on Thursdays at 8pm opposite The Cosby Show}
7G01   Some Enchanted Evening			<05/13/90, 08/12/90, 10/04/90>
       (I will not yell "fire" in a crowded	[Nobody]
	classroom)

			     - Season 2 -
7F03   Bart Gets An F				<10/11/90, 12/13/90, 05/20/93**>
       (I will not encourage others to fly)	[Couch falls through floor]
       (I will not fake my way through life)
       {The second board quote appeared in the middle of the show}
7F02   Simpson and Delilah			<10/18/90, 11/29/90, 06/06/91>
       (Tar is not a plaything)			[The family does a dance]
       {The dance at the beginning has been dubbed the ``Simpson Shuffle''}
7F04   Treehouse of Horror			<10/25/90, 12/27/90>
       {Halloween Special, no quote}		[No couch scene]
7F01   2 Cars in Every Garage, 3 Eyes on Every Fish
       (I will not Xerox my butt)		<11/01/90, 01/03/91, 06/25/92**>
       {For the third airing of this episode,	[Couch springs out into a bed]
	it was (It's potato, not potatoe), an eleventh hour replacement
	to accommodate Vice President Quayle.  Network 10 in Sydney,
	Australia, used the "I will not waste chalk" punishment from
	``Bart the Genius'', to help it "fit [their] schedule"}
7F05   Dancin' Homer				<11/08/90, 01/17/91, 08/15/91>
       (I will not trade pants with others)	[Maggie appears from Marge's
       {Note that Network 10 in Australia ALSO	 hair]
	used "I will not waste chalk" for the board for THIS show too}
7F08   Dead Putting Society			<11/15/90, 03/21/91>
       (I am not a 32 year old woman)		[Santa's Little Helper and
						 Snowball II join everyone]
       {The board quote is obviously a joke about Nancy Cartwright}
7F07   Bart vs. Thanksgiving			<11/22/90, 05/23/91, 11/28/91**>
       (I will not do that thing with my tongue)[Grampa Simpson, already on the
						 couch, complains when everyone
						 wakes him up]
7F06   Bart the Daredevil			<12/06/90, 02/28/91, 08/29/91,
       (I will not drive the principal's car)	 07/01/93**>
       {No blackboard on 12/6, none in US on	[Couch tips over because of
	2/28, likely to make room for ``Do the	 Homer's weight; Maggie lands
	Bart, Man'' on 12/6 and Fox's Gulf War	 on a cushion]
	Update on 2/28. Greg Patrick reported the 2/28/91 blackboard and
	also noted some extra scenes shown in Canada that had not been in
	the 12/6/90 airing}
7F09   Itchy & Scratchy & Marge			<12/20/90, 03/14/91, 09/12/91>
       (I will not pledge allegiance to Bart)	[Everyone runs in and looks
						 where the couch should be]
7F10   Bart Gets Hit By A Car *			<01/10/91, 04/04/91, 06/27/91>
       (I will not sell school property)	[After a brief struggle to
       {This does mention the title, and it	 fit, everyone gets bumped
	also says it's ``Episode 23''}		 off, except Homer]
7F11   One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish	<01/24/91, 05/16/91, 11/29/91**>
       (I will not cut corners)			[The couch tips backwards, then
       ("  "    "   "     "   )			 Maggie pops up from behind it]
       ("  "    "   "     "   )
7F12   The Way We Was				<01/31/91, 05/30/91, 08/19/93**>
       (I will not get very far with this	[Couch falls through the floor
	attitude)				 {see 7F03}]
7F13   Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment	<02/07/91, 04/18/91, 08/01/91>
       (I will not make flatulent noises in	[The Simpson Shuffle {see 7F02}]
	class)
7F15   Principal Charming			<02/14/91, 07/18/91>
       (I will not belch the National Anthem)	[The couch springs open into
						 a bed {see 7F01}]
7F16   Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?		<02/21/91, 06/20/91>
       (I will not sell land in Florida)	[Maggie in Marge's hair {see
       {Preston Sturge's comedy ``Sullivan's	 7F05}]
	Travels'' told of a director who, desiring more serious work,
	created a film called ``Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?''}
7F14   Bart's Dog Gets An F			<03/07/91, 07/25/91, 05/28/92**>
       {no blackboard and a VERY abbreviated	[1st time: see 7F08]
	beginning, to make room for		[2nd time: see 7F10]
	``Deep, Deep Trouble'' in the first airing; the second had
       (I will not sell school property), and some new scenes}
7F17   Old Money				<03/28/91, 06/13/91>
       (I will not grease the monkey bars)	[Grampa waking up {see 7F07}]
       {This was the first episode since the end of the Gulf War to have
	a full-length beginning. Also [YAY!], the ending credits actually
	*listed* which voice artists did which characters}
7F18   Brush with Greatness			<04/11/91, 07/04/91, 06/10/93**>
       (I will not hide behind the Fifth	[Couch tips over at Homer's
	Amendment)				 end; Maggie and a cushion
						 end up where they started]
7F19   Lisa's Substitute			<04/25/91, 08/22/91, 08/08/92**>
       {no board; a very abbreviated beginning}	[Couch is missing {see 7F09}]
7F20   War of the Simpsons			<05/02/91, 08/08/91, 08/20/92**>
       (I will not do anything bad ever again)	[{see 7F10}]
7F21   Three Men and a Comic Book		<05/09/91, 08/25/91, 04/30/92**>
       (I will not show off)			[1st time: see 7F11]
       {The board was written in an Old English [2nd time: see 7F08]
	font; no board on the special 08/25/91 airing; on 04/30/92, it was
	(I will not sell land in Florida).  On the 04/30/92 airing, there
	was a small blurb at the end with `Cosby 1984--1992'. Then Bart and
	Homer agree that a show should be milked for as much as it could get,
	and not leave at the peak of its success}
7F22   Blood Feud				<07/11/91, 09/05/91, 10/22/92**>
       (I will not sleep through my education)	[Couch thru floor {see 7F03}]

			     - Season 3 -
7F24   Stark Raving Dad				<09/19/91, 01/30/92, 04/08/93**>
       (I am not a dentist)			[They fall back thru the wall]
       {Before the opener with the second airing, there was a quick jab at
	President Bush's State of the Union address given two days earlier,
	when he spoke of American families being more like the Simpsons than
	the Waltons.  See the capsule for this episode for the details}
8F01   Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington		<09/26/91, 12/12/91>
       (Spitwads are not free speech)		[Homer sits on SLH]
7F23   When Flanders Failed			<10/03/91, 01/02/92>
       (Nobody likes sunburn slappers)		[They do a little dance]
8F03   Bart the Murderer			<10/10/91, 01/16/92, 07/23/92>
       {No chalkboard in US.  In Canada, it was [US: Couch is missing;
       (High explosives and school don't mix).	 CAN: They make a pyramid,
       (I will not bribe Principal Skinner)	 capped by Maggie]
	appears later during the show}
8F04   Homer Defined				<10/17/91, 02/27/92, 07/09/92>
       {No chalkboard with the U.S premiere; in	[Couch tips over, leaving Maggie
	Canada it was (I will not squeak chalk), on the floor; it was much more
	accompanied by some suitable sound	 interesting in Canada; see the
	effects}				 capsule for more info]
8F05   Like Father, Like Clown			<10/24/91, 03/19/92>
       {No chalkboard in US; in Canada, it was	[Bart leaps onto everyone's lap]
	(I will finish what I sta)}
8F02   Treehouse of Horror II			<10/31/91, 08/13/92>
       {No blackboard or couch; instead Marge gives a disclaimer}
8F06   Lisa's Pony				<11/07/91, 04/16/92, 12/24/92**>
       {None in US; in Canada, it was		[Homer lies down, and everyone
	("Bart Bucks" are not legal tender)}	 sits on him]
8F07   Saturdays of Thunder			<11/14/91, 04/02/92, 05/20/93**>
       {None in US; in Canada, it was		[The cushions are missing, but
	(Hamsters cannot fly)}			 they don't notice until it's
						 too late]
8F08   Flaming Moe's				<11/21/91, 03/05/92, 05/27/93**>
       (Underwear should be worn on the inside) [Burglars dump the family off
						 the couch & run away with it]
8F09   Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk		<12/05/91, 05/21/92>
       (The Christmas pageant does not stink)	[SLH growls threateningly, and
						 the family backs off]
8F10   I Married Marge				<12/26/91, 05/14/92>
       (I will not torment the emotionally	[All but Maggie cartwheel into
	frail)					 place and do a `Ta Da!' pose;
						 Maggie hops in and does same]
8F11   Radio Bart				<01/09/92, 04/30/92, 11/26/92**>
       (I will not carve gods)			[Everyone leaps onto the couch,
						 and bounces on the springs;
						 their positions change with
						 each bounce]
8F12   Lisa the Greek				<01/23/92, 06/11/92, 01/28/93**>
       {No blackboard sequence.	 For the 3rd	[Homer sits on SLH (see 8F01)]
	airing, many of the team names were redubbed
	according to the progress of the 1993 football season}
8F14   Homer Alone				<02/06/92, 05/10/92, 09/17/92**>
       (I will not spank others)		[Family forms a pyramid
						 {see 8F03}]
8F16   Bart the Lover				<02/13/92, 06/18/92>
       {No blackboard sequence}			[One-eyed monster {see 8F04}]
8F13   Homer At The Bat				<02/20/92, 07/16/92, 06/17/93**>
       (I will not aim for the head)		[Maggie gets the whole couch
						 after everyone collides and
						 falls down unconscious]
8F15   Separate Vocations			<02/27/92, 06/04/92, 12/27/92**>
       (I will not barf unless I'm sick)	[Bart leaps onto everyone's
       {and (I will not expose the ignorance of	 lap {see 8F05}]
	the faculty) at the end of the show.  The 27th was a two-fer,
	with shows at both 8 and 8:30 [in the US]}
8F17   Dog of Death				<03/12/92, 07/02/92>
       (I saw nothing unusual in the teacher's	[Everyone sits on Homer.
	[sic] lounge)				 {see 8F06}]
8F19   Colonel Homer				<03/26/92, 07/30/92>
       (I will not conduct my own fire drills)	[Cushions missing {see 8f07}]
8F20   Black Widower				<04/09/92, 06/07/92, 09/03/92**>
       (Funny noises are not funny)		[Burglars steal the couch
       {Usually referred to by the production	 {see 8F08}]
	title, ``The Return of Sideshow Bob''}
8F21   Otto Show				<04/23/92, 09/10/92**>
       {No blackboard sequence}			[SLH owns the couch {see 8F09}]
8F22   Bart's Friend Falls in Love		<05/07/92, 07/08/92, 03/18/93**>
       (I will not snap bras)			[Couch tips over and they crash
						 through the wall {see 7F24}]

			     - Season 4 -
8F23   Brother can you spare two dimes?		<08/27/92, 12/10/92>
       (I will not fake seizures)		[Everyone 'cept Maggie cartwheel
						 into position {see 8F10}]
8F24   Kamp Krusty				<09/24/92>
       (This punishment is not boring and	[Guest appearance by the
	meaningless)				 Flintstones]
8F18   A Streetcar Named Marge			<10/01/92, 12/31/92>
       (My name is not Dr. Death)		[The couch turns into a monster
						 and swallows everyone whole]
9F01   Homer the Heretic			<10/07/92, 01/07/93>
       {A very terse introduction and a		[CAN: The entire wall rotates
	recycled couch scene in the US {see	 and the family disappears into
	7F19}. In Canada it was			 a secret room. A empty couch
	(I will not defame New Orleans)}	 waits for its next victims]
9F02   Lisa the Beauty Queen			<10/15/92, 02/18/93>
       {The board quote from 9f01 was shown in	[Homer, Marge and Bart overshoot
	the US; those pesky Canadians got	 and momentarily escape the
	(I will not prescribe medication)}	 confines of the film]
9F04   Treehouse of Horror III			<10/29/92>
       {No blackboard; the introduction sequence[Five skeletons (one has a Bride
	passes through a graveyard instead}	 of Frankenstein hairdo) race
						 for the couch]
9F03   Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie		<11/03/92, 02/25/93>
       (I will not bury the new kid)		[The couch deflates]
       {shown as part of a FOX all-night comedy special as an alternative
	to the blanket coverage given to the US Presidential election; the
	original air-date was delayed due to some regional sporting event.
	Mrs. K forces Marge to write (I will try to raise a better child)}
9F05   Marge Gets a Job				<11/05/92, 03/25/93>
       (I will not teach others to fly)		[Noticing something amiss when
       {Several very strong appeals from	 they sit down, the family
	children suffering from Tourette's	 reach up and exchange *heads*]
	Syndrome saw one of Bart's exam excuses being replaced with rabies
	in the repeat airings. Simpsons writer Bill Oakley posted that it
	is unusual for such an overwhelming reaction to material in the show,
	and the change was made after the writers and staff considered if
	they might have been too insensitive}
9F06   The New Kid on the Block			<11/12/92, 04/22/93>
       (I will not bring sheep to class)	[Couch falls thru the floor
						 {see 7F03}]
9F07   Mr. Plow					<11/19/92, 03/04/93>
       (A burp is not an answer)		[The couch missing, they all
						 squeeze on to a single chair]
9F08   Lisa's First Word			<12/03/92, 07/29/93>
       (Teacher is not a leper)			[All join in for a high-kicking
       {The extended couch sequence makes for	 chorus line version of the
	the longest intro to date: 1'34"}	 Simpsons' theme]
9F09   Homer's Triple Bypass			<12/17/92, 06/24/93>
       {Intro recycled from 7F15 in the USA;	[CAN: A miniature family
	elsewhere (Coffee is not for kids).	 scrambles onto a giant couch]
	Bart's handwriting becomes progressively
	shakier until the last line is just a scribble}
9F10   Marge vs. the Monorail			<01/14/93, 06/03/93>
       (I will not eat things for money)	[Everyone in Springfield crowds
						 in between the couch and tv]
9F11   Selma's Choice				<01/21/93, 07/08/93>
       (I will not yell "She's Dead" during	[They step into a trap and are
	roll call)				 suspended by a net in front of
						 the tv]
9F12   Brother from the Same Planet		<02/04/93, 07/22/93>
       (The principal's toupee is not		[Couch rotates {see 9F01}]
	a frisbee)
9F13   I Love Lisa				<02/11/93, 07/15/93>
       (I will not call the principal		[A chorus line {see 9F08}]
	"spud head.")
       {The premiere US airing used an intro swiped from 8F04}
9F14   Duffless					<02/18/93>
       (Goldfish don't bounce)			[Homer, Marge and Bart overshoot
						 the couch {see 9F02}]
9F15   Last Exit to Springfield			<03/11/93, 08/26/93>
       (Mud is not one of			[Couch monster eats everyone
	the 4 food groups)			 {see 8F18}]
9F17   So It's Come To This: A Simpsons Clip Show <04/01/93, 08/12/93>
       (No one is interested in my		[They exchange heads {see 9F05}]
	underpants)
       {From this episode onward, Simpsons broadcasts shown in New Zealand
	start with a warning to parents that the show '`contains scenes which
	may disturb younger viewers''}
9F16   The Front				<04/15/93, 09/02/93>
       (I will not sell miracle cures)		[A chorus line {see 9F08}]
       {The premiere Ned Flanders short is shown before the closing credits}
9F18   Whacking Day				<04/29/93, 09/09/93>
       (I will return the seeing-eye dog)	[There's only a small chair
						 to sit on. {see 9F07}]
9F20   Marge In Chains				<05/06/93, 08/05/93>
       (I do not have diplomatic immunity)	[A miniature Simpson family
						 take the couch {see 9F09}]
9F19   Krusty Gets Kancelled			<05/13/93>
       (I will not charge admission to		[They step into a trap
	the bathroom)				 {see 9F11}]

              - Season Five (starting September 30th) -
9F21   Homer's Barbershop Quartet
9F22   Cape Feare (Sideshow Bob Returns)

1F01   Rosebud
1F02   Homer Goes to College
1F03   Marge On the Lam
1F04   Treehouse of Horror IV
1F05   Bart's Inner Child
1F06   Boy-Scoutz N The Hood
1F07   The Last Temptation of Homer
1F08   $pringfield (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love
       Legalized Gambling)
1F09   Homer the Vigilante
1F10   Homer and Apu
1F11   Bart Gets Famous
1F12   Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy
1F13   Deep Space Homer

1F14   Homer Loves Flanders
1F15   Bart Gets an Elephant
1F16   Burns's Heir
1F17   Lisa's Rival

1F18   (Bart and Principal Skinner)
1F--   Lisa's Hockey Team
1F--   (Homer and Marge's Marital Problem)
1F--   Bart Gets a Girlfriend
1F--   Grampa Falls in Love with Grandma Bouvier

(And a possible 23rd and 24th, if required.)
1F--   [to be written by John Swartzwelder]
1F--   (Summer Swimming Pool/Rear Window Parody)


1.2)  The Voices

  Starring:

	Dan Castellaneta	Homer J. Simpson, Abraham J. ``Grampa'' Simpson,
				Krusty the Klown, Groundskeeper Willy,
				Barney Gumble, Mayor Diamond Joe Quimby
	Julie Kavner		Marjorie ``Marge'' Bouvier Simpson,
				Patty and Selma Bouvier, Marge's mother
	Nancy Cartwright	Bartholomew J. ``Bart'' Simpson,
				Nelson Mundt, Todd Flanders, Kearney
	Yeardley Smith		Lisa Simpson
				Maggie Simpson (in The Tracey Ullman Show)
	Hank Azaria		Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Moe, Dr. Nick Riviera,
				Police Chief Wiggum, Prof. John Frink, (Sulu)
	Harry Shearer		Charles Montgomery Burns, Wayland Smithers,
				Principal Seymour ``Spanky'' Skinner,
				Dr. Marvin Monroe, Otto, Rev. Timothy Lovejoy,
				Ned Flanders, Kent Brockman, Jasper, Herman,
				Dr. Julius Hibert, (Kirk)

  Supporting:

	Doris Grau		Della (Lionel Hutz's secretary) [7F10]
				Lunch Lady Doris		[8F05]
				the chapel clerk		[8F10]
				Lurleen Lumpkin			[9F10]
	Jo Ann Harris		Wanda				[8F08]
				(many others)
	Phil Hartman		Lionel Hutz, Troy McClure
				Voice of Heaven			[7F10]
				Moses and assorted TV voices	[7F13]
				Plato				[7F17]
				Stockbroker			[8F09]
				Smooth Jimmy Apollo		[8F12]
				Lyle Lanley			[9F10]
				himself				[9F12]
				Tom				[9F12]
	Pamela Hayden		Milhouse, Sylvia Winfield, many others
	Jon Lovitz		Artie Ziff			[7F12]
				Professor Lombardo		[7F18]
				Aristotle Amodopoulos		[8F04,8F13]
				Llewellyn Sinclair		[8F18]
				Ms. Sinclair			[8F18]
	Tress MacNeille		Adil Hoxha, many others
				Marge's friend in high school	[7F12]
	Maggie Roswell		Maude Flanders, Ms. Hoover, MANY others.
	Russi Taylor		Martin, Sherri & Terri
	Marcia Wallace		Mrs. Krabappel, Ms. Mellon, and
				Ms. Allbright (the Sunday School teacher)

  Guests:

	Aerosmith		themselves			[8F08]
	Edwin ``Buzz'' Aldrin	?				**
	Steve Allen		Bart				[8F15]
	Neil Armstrong		himself (uncredited)		[9F03]
	Anne Bancroft		?				**
	Tony Bennett		himself				[7F05]
	Greg Berg		?				[7F07]
	Dr. Joyce Brothers	herself				[9F15]
	Susan Blu		?				[7G05,7G06]
	Wade Boggs		himself				[8F13]
	David Bowie		?				**
	Ernest Borgnine		?				[1F06]
	Albert Brooks		Cowboy Bob the RV Salesman	[7G09]
				Jacques				[7G11]
				Dr. Brand Goodman		[1F05]
	James Brown		?				[1F05]
	Michael Caine		?				**
	Jose Canseco		himself				[8F13]
	Michael Carrington	?				[9F13]
	Johnny Carson		himself				[9F19]
	Terry Cashman		himself				[8F13]
	Roger Clemens		himself				[8F13]
	Christopher Collins	?				[7G01,7G03]
	Daryl L. Coley		?				[7F05]
	Gerry Cooney		?				[1F08]
	David Crosby		himself				[9F20]
	Gabor Csupo		Maggie Simpson (sucking) [Tracey Ullman Show*]
	Beverly D'Angelo	Lurleen Lumpkin			[8F19]
	Danny DeVito		Herbert Powell			[7F16,8F23]
	Harvey Fierstein	Karl the Secretary		[7F02]
	Miriam Flynn		?				[7G06]
	June Foray		Rubber Baby Buggy Bumper Baby-
				 sitting Service receptionist;
				 telephone operator for ``America's
				 Most Armed and Dangerous''	[7G01]
	``Smokin'' Joe Frazier	himself				[8F23]
	Liz Georges		Maggie Simpson		 [Tracey Ullman Show*]
	Sara Gilbert		Laura				[9F06]
	Robert Goulet		?				[1F08]
	Kelsey Grammer		Sideshow Bob			[7G12,8F20]
				Sideshow Mel			[8F20]
	Ken Griffey Jr.		himself				[8F13]
	Matt Groening		Maggie Simpson (voice)		[7F06]
	Christopher Guest	Nigel Tufnel (Spinal Tap)	[8F21]
	Neil Patrick Harris	himself (as Bart)		[8F03]
	Chuck Hearn		Lakers' announcer (himself)	[8F04]
	Hugh Hefner		himself				[9F19]
	Dustin Hoffman		Mr. Bergstrom			[7F19]
				{This was listed as "Sam Etic" in the credits;
				 apparently contract stipulations dictated that
				 Mr. Hoffman's name *not* be listed.}
	Bob Hope		himself				[9F02]
	Michael Jackson		himself				[7F24]
				{Billed as John Jay Smith.}
	Earvin ``Magic'' Johnson himself			[8F04]
	James Earl Jones	Narrator for ``The Raven''	[7F04]
				Serak the Preparer		[7F04]
				the moving man			[7F04]
	Tom Jones		himself				[9F05]
	Larry King		Bible-on-Cassette Narrator	[7F11]
	Werner Klemperer	?				**
	Cloris Leachman		Mrs. Glick			[7F21]
	Kipp Lennon		?				[7F24]
				(vocals over closing credits)	[9F14]
	Ken Levine		?				[7F05]
	Joe Mantegna		Fat Tony, and himself		[8F03]
	Penny Marshall		Lucille Botzcowski (Miss Botz)	[7G01]
	Jackie Mason		Rabbi Hyman Krustofski		[8F05]
	Don Mattingly		himself				[8F13]
	Larry McKay		?				[8F07]
	Michael McKean		David St. Hubbins (Spinal Tap)	[8F21]
	Sam McMurray		?				[7G03]
				Gulliver Dark (lounge singer)	[7G10]
	Audrey Meadows		Beatrice ``Bea'' Simmons	[7F17]
	Bette Midler		herself				[9F19]
	Joey Miyashima		Master chef			[7F11]
	Sam Neill		`some old English guy'		[1F09]
	Leonard Nimoy		himself				[9F10]
	Luke Perry		himself (aka ``Sideshow Luke'')	[9F19]
	Michelle Pfeiffer	Mindy				[1F07]
	Michele Pillar		(vocals over closing credits)	[9F11]
	Tom Poston		Capital City Goofball		[7F05]
	Conan O'Brien		himself				[1F11]
	Catherine O'Hara	Waitress			[8F08]
	The Ramones		themselves			[1F01]
	Red Hot Chili Peppers	themselves			[9F19]
	Pamela Reed		Laura's mother			[9F06,1F03]
	Kimmy Robertson		Samantha Stanky			[8F22]
	Alex Rocco		Roger Meyers, CEO of I&S Intl.	[7F09]
	Linda Ronstadt		herself				[9F07]
	Steve Sax		himself				[8F13]
	Mike Scioscia		himself				[8F13]
	Brooke Shields		herself				[9F16]
	Sab Shimono		Master chef's trainee		[7F11]
	Ozzie Smith		himself				[8F13]
	Ringo Starr		himself				[7F18]
	Daniel Stern		narrator			[7F21]
	Sting			himself				[8F11]
	Darryl Strawberry	himself				[8F13]
	Elizabeth Taylor	Maggie				[9F08]
				herself				[9F19]
	James Taylor		?				[1F13]
	Ron Taylor		?				[7G06]
	Diana Tanaka		hostess at oriental restaurant	[7F11]
	George Takei		Akira, your waiter		[7F11]
	Tracey Ullman		Miss Winthrop			[7F14]
	Frank Welker		Animal noises			[7F14,8F06,8F17]
	Adam West		himself				[9F07]
	Barry White		himself				[9F18,9F19]
	Lona Williams		?				[8F01,8F18,9F02]
	Paul Willson		?				[7G01]

  Notes:
     * For the half-hour show, Maggie's sucking noise is replayed from
       a synthesizer.
    ** A rumoured guest in an upcoming episode.

  All additions to the list of voices (especially for recent episodes)
   are welcomed with open tentacles.


1.3)  Other lists and guides, who posted them, and where to get them

  The filename in the Widener Simpsons archive is enclosed in square
   brackets; those available from busop.cit.wayne.edu are in parentheses.

   Shorts from the Tracey Ullman Show			[ullman_shorts]
    - Brian Howard (bhoward@neon.stanford.edu)
   Bart's telephone pranks
    - Don Patrick (syslep@pro-lep.cts.com)
   ``Treehouse of Horror'' Tombstones
    - Curtis Hoffmann (currmann@pnet51.org.mn.org)
   ``Treehouse of Horror'' Details			[treehouse_details]
    - Matt Stum (00MJSTUM@bsu-ucs.bsu.edu)
   States with a Springfield
    - Eddie Anthony & Andrew Tannenbaum (trb@ima.isc.com)
   Miniature golf course in ``Dead Putting Society''	[golf_course]
    - Gregg Townsend
   Simpsons Who's Who					[cast_list]
    - Chip Page (chip@cs.widener.edu) & Raymond Chen
   Marge's Itchy & Scratchy list			[marge_list]
    - Jon Byrd (jon@apollo.med.utah.edu)
   Homer's "Dumb Things I Gotta Do Today"		[dumb_things]
    - Mike Straub (mikes@hcx3.ssd.csd.harris.com)
   Simpsons Trading Cards info				[card_list]
    - Brendan Kehoe (brendan@cygnus.com)
   Simpsons Pinball Machine Info			[pinball_info]
    - Steve Baumgarten (sbb@panix.com) &
      Joe Reeves (jreeves@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
   Simpsons Quiz					[quiz] & [quiz_answers]
    - John R. Donald (jdonald@oracle.com)
   Excerpts from the Simpsons postcards			[post_cards]
    - Tom Wilson (wilson@osceola.cs.ucf.edu)
   Full Simpsons Quotes					[quotes]
    - Tom Warren (taw@springfield.cam.bellcore.com)	(quotes.z)
      and John P. Connolly (connolly@wam.umd.edu)
   Itchy & Scratchy Episode Guide			[ins_guide]
    - J.D Baldwin (baldwin@usna.navy.mil)
   The Stellar Acting Career of Troy McClure		[troy_mcclure]
    - Jeff Soesbe (yeff@apple.com) & Chris Baird	(mcclure.txt)
   Abstracts of alt.tv.simpsons discussions from
    December 1992 until mid March 1993
   The Australian Air Dates listing
   Butchered in Australia (changes made by Network 10	[butchered_aussie]
    to the first two seasons)
   Simpson House Floor Plan				[floor_plan]
   The Simpsons Voicing Credits
   Writers & Directors					[writers_directors]
    - All from Chris Baird (cbaird@scorch.apana.org.au)
   Assorted lists and quizzes: Homer's Mmmmm's & Ohhhh's,
    Counting Digits, Marge the Mother, The Perfect Crime,
    Mr. Burns' historical references, Homer the Bonehead,
    Masturbation allusions, Prin. Skinner's slips-of-the-
    tongue, Bart's career paths, Product Placements, The
    Eloquent Maggie S., The Last Word
   Bart vs. the Space Mutants summary			[bart_v_mutants]
   Collected wisdom on `Where is Springfield?'
   Description of the Simpsons arcade video game	[video_game]
   Descriptions of the Franklin Mint collectors' plates
   Movie References					[movie_refs]
   Simpsons' actors' other roles
   The Simpsons in Foreign lands
   The Simpsons selling out -- summaries of their
    animated commercials
   The uncanny predictive powers of the Simpsons writers
    - All from Raymond Chen (raymondc@microsoft.com)

===============================================================================

CHAPTER 2:  Frequently Requested Files

2.1)  The Simpsons Archive

  *** Notice ***
  * Complications at the Widener site have postponed any updates for the
  * time being, but an alternative Simpsons archive (although as of this
  * moment, not as complete) exists at busop.cit.wayne.edu [141.217.75.40].

  An FTP site is being maintained at ftp.cs.widener.edu [147.31.254.132]
   for a lot of the information that's been posted on the group in the past.
   The only restriction is that no graphics (GIF/PostScript/etc) files are
   being stored.  The area is pub/simpsons, and the latest edition of this
   FAQ is available from there.  Raymond Chen's extensive episode
   information has been archived in pub/simpsons/episodes.

  An email archive server is available for those people who do not have
   access to FTP.  Write to archive-server@cs.widener.edu with a Subject:
   line of "help" for info on how to use it.  To get the latest list of
   what's available, use "index simpsons" as a message subject. (For a list
   of Raymond Chen's episode info, write "index episodes".)

  Tom Warren maintains a shadow of the Simpsons archives on a Fidonet node
   at 908/526-1621, 8/n/1, 14.4Kbps. There are also a few "magic" filenames;
   SIMP_AIR will yield the list of air dates, SIMP_EPG sends the episode
   guide, SIMP_FAQ sends the FAQ, and SIMP_QUO sends the quotes program.
   Write to Tom.Warren@f355.n107.z1.ieee.org for further information.


2.2)  What is "anonymous ftp" anyway?

  Anonymous ftp is a method for obtaining files from other machines over
   the Internet.  Ask your system administrator for instructions, since
   the details vary from place to place.  When you ftp, remember that
   somebody else is paying for your obsession, so keep your connections to
   a minimum.  Also, don't ftp overseas unless you *really* have to.


2.3)  ASCII pictures

  The most infamous (but not necessarily the best) ASCII rendition of
   the Simpsons was created by John Schulien (U21187@UICVM.bitnet)
   on 14 Apr 90 and originally posted to rec.music.gdead (!).

                           (####)
                         (#######)
                       (#########)
                      (#########)
                     (#########)
                    (#########)
    __&__          (#########)
   /     \        (#########)   |\/\/\/|     /\ /\  /\               /\
  |       |      (#########)    |      |     | V  \/  \---.    .----/  \----.
  |  (o)(o)       (o)(o)(##)    |      |      \_        /       \          /
  C   .---_)    ,_C     (##)    | (o)(o)       (o)(o)  <__.   .--\ (o)(o) /__.
   | |.___|    /____,   (##)    C      _)     _C         /     \     ()     /
   |  \__/       \     (#)       | ,___|     /____,   )  \      >   (C_)   <
   /_____\        |    |         |   /         \     /----'    /___\____/___\
  /_____/ \       OOOOOO        /____\          ooooo             /|    |\
 /         \     /      \      /      \        /     \           /        \

  A collection of other renowned works of ASCII art is available via the
   Widener archive server in the file "ascii_pix".


2.4)  Quotes files & fortune programs

  The Simpsons Fortune program for IBM PCs is available for anonymous ftp
   from the following archives:

    ftp.cs.widener.edu		       pub/simpsons		 simp465.zip
    ftp.uni-koeln.de		       msdos/textutils		 simp465.zip
    garbo.uwasa.fi		       pc/util			 simp465.zip
    wsmr-simtel20.army.mil	       pd1:<msdos.txtutl>	 simp465.zip
    wuarchive.wustl.edu		       mirrors/msdos/txtutl	 simp465.zip

   Please try to locate your nearest equivalent archive site before
   resorting to these over-burdened systems.

  Tom Warren currently maintains the canonical compilation of Simpsons
   quotes and has written an easily portable fortune program in `C'.
   Email any enquires to his address above.


2.5)  Where can I get graphics and sound files?

  For the most comprehensive list of exactly what's out there, query the
   Archie Internet database either by a interactive telnet session, an
   email enquiry, or through client software.  For initial directions in
   the use of Archie, refer to Jonathan Kamens' periodic posting `How to
   find sources', posted to alt.sources, news.answers, and elsewhere.


===============================================================================

CHAPTER 3:  Questions

3.1)  Didja notice...?

    ... everybody has only three fingers and a thumb on each hand?
    ... whenever police are part of the story, it's the same two cops (who
	both have pigs' snouts)?
    ... Homer works in Sector 7-G at the power plant?
    ... according to ``Itchy & Scratchy & Marge'', Kent Brockman got the
	Emmy he was after in ``Bart vs Thanksgiving''?
    ... Dr. Hibert and his family are strikingly similar to the Huxtables
	from ``The Cosby Show''?
    ... that Mr. Burns lives at the corner of Croesus & Mammon? [Mammon,
	whose name implies "riches", was a daemon of "cupidity" made by
	the fallen angel Milton; Croesus was a king of Lydia in the 6th
	century B.C. and was well-known for his vast wealth. -- Gerald
	Hough <libros@maxwell.physics.purdue.edu>]
    ... whenever there's an establishing shot of the nuclear plant, you
	hear a crow call?
    ... attempting to find a sequence that the episodes occur to is an
	entertaining but futile endeavour?

    [in the title sequence]

    ... that Bart's blackboard punishment changes from show to show?
    ... that there really are people who're interested in where Bart
	cuts off during his punishment, for whatever reason?
    ... that the cash register says Maggie costs $847.63?
    ... Lisa's saxophone solo varies during the third and fourth seasons?
    ... that the ad on the side of the bus [in the first season] was for
	none other than Duff Beer?
    ... that Marge runs through a stop sign?
    ... that no adequate explanation has been given to why Lisa's
	saxophone [in the first season] was strapped to the back of her
	bike inside a banjo case?
    ... that different things happen when the family runs to the couch?

    [also, in the title sequence for the second season]

    ... that Lisa now plays a baritone sax instead of a tenor?
    ... that Marge is reading ``Mom Monthly'' at the checkout?
	And the issues of ``Feeble'' magazine behind her?
    ... all the stuff that flashes by in the very fast pan of Springfield?
	 (Regards to Raymond Chen and David Tamkin)
	 In the park: Milhouse is throwing a baseball;
		   Bullies (including Nelson Mundt from ``Bart the General'')
		   have tossed a kid head-first into a garbage pail -- only
		   his legs are visible;
		   The bullies in ``The Tell-Tale Head'' (the tall thin one
		   with the skull-and-crossbones tee-shirt [Jimbo] and the fat
		   bald one [Kearney] are harassing Martin (the Poindexter);
	 The next yard: Patty and Selma are sunbathing;
		   The twins [Sherri and Terri] are walking across the yard to
		   the park;
	 Springfield Retirement Castle: Grampa Simpson, Jasper, and another
		   guy (Herman?) are gawking at Patty and Selma, but Grampa's
		   holding a book, in case anybody catches him;
		   The Emmy-winning Kent Brockman (accompanied by his
		   camera man) are taping;
	 The road: Dr. Marvin Monroe and Dr. Hibert have clipboards poised.
		   The school bus is parked with Wendell (looking rather ill)
		   hanging his head out of the rear window;
		   Otto's leaning against the front of the bus, taking a
		   break from changing the front tire;
		   The two cops (the only cops that've appeared in the show
		   so far [see 3.1]) are standing behind a police barricade;
		   the white one is wielding his nightstick.
	 The Flanders Home: Maude, Ned, and Todd play with birds. Maude has
		   just let a bird fly away, and Ned has a bird perched on
		   his outstretched finger. How amazingly Flanders-like!
	 The Simpson Home: Homer's workbench is in the garage (continuity
		   error -- see ``Itchy & Scratchy & Marge''), and there's
		   an empty shelf.
    ... that Mr. Burns shakes his watch when the 5:00 whistle blows at 3:00?
	(Homer leaving at 3 is how he and Bart end up at home at the same time)
    ... in ``Do The Bart, Man'' that the line is
		  "I'm the one who made delinquency an art" ?
	(he didn't put the "C" in anything)

    [if your fingers do the walking ...]

    ... Homer's phone numbers, according to Principal Skinner's rolodex card,
	are:
		Before ``Simpson & Delilah''	After
	 Home:	555-6528			555-6832
	 Work:	555-7334			555-6754

	and that you can reach Moe's Tavern at 555-1239 (happy "hour"
	is from 5:00 to 5:30.) ?

    ... the phone numbers from Homer's television debut in ``Mr. Plow''
	 Home:		555-3223
	 Business:	555-3226

    [in Life in Hell ...]

    ... Akbar and Jeff were sporting various hair styles, including
	the "Marge Simpson" ?
    ... The Lombardo Method [7F18] is startlingly similar to ``How to
	Draw Binky'' ?
    ... Bart Simpson cameos regularly in ``Childhood is Hell''.
    ... after watching Bart on television, Binky critiqued the writing of
	the show.. shortly before the premiere of MG's ``Colonel Homer''.
    ... you'll see the occasional ``D'Ohh.'' (note the spelling)

    [in this FAQ ...]

    ... that a lot of this information was never Frequently Asked? Hehe.


3.2)  Who is MG?

  MG is Matt Groening, creator of ``The Simpsons'' and ``Life in Hell''.
   Intending to be a professional writer after leaving Evergreen State
   College, WA (graduated in 1977 at 23), his disappointing career in L.A.
   came to an end with the unexpected success of his ``Life in Hell'' comic
   strip.

  It was LIH that attracted the attention of James L. Brooks of Gracie
   Films, who in 1985 invited MG to develop an idea for a future project
   that later became the animated Simpsons shorts shown during `The Tracey
   Ullman Show'. (Legend says that OFF [see 3.18 for a list of popular
   acronyms] were created in ~10 minutes while MG waited in the foyer to
   Brooks' office.)

  When the show moved to the half-hour format, MG landed the role of
   Creative Consultant, and now has a hand in almost every phase of the
   production process, like one can if they're the CC.  However, it is
   stressed that the talented people employed by Gracie Films, Film Roman,
   et al. are at fault for the bulk of what happens.

  His name appearing on all Simpsons merchandising is a trademark
   requirement, by agreement with the 20th Century Fox Film Corporation,
   who bought from him the rights and ownership of ``The Simpsons''.
   And the distinctive fonts used by the show and magazine (`Matt') were
   specially designed in Postscript by Apple Computer employees, and based
   on his own handwriting (surprise!)  Sorry, but they're proprietary.


3.3)  Where did Matt Groening get the names for the Simpson family?

  Homer and Margaret (`Marge') are the names of his parents (Mrs. Simpson
   is Marjorie); the names of Matt Groening's sons are Homer and Abe.  His
   siblings are, in birth order, Mark (unused so far), Patty (one of Marge
   Simpson's sisters), <then came Matt>, Lisa, and Maggie (named Margaret
   like her mother but called Maggie).  The name Bart, on the other hand,
   was chosen because it is an anagram of `brat'. (Thanks to David Tamkin
   for cleaning this up.)


3.4)  What's this about "annoying Republicans"?

  MG has mentioned in interviews that one of his goals is to annoy as many
   Republicans as possible.


3.5)  Where is Springfield?

  `Springfield' is a fictional location.  MG says he chose the name
   because it is one of the most common city names and the setting of
   the antithesis to the Simpsons, ``Father Knows Best''.  Indeed, from
   Groening's childhood perspective, that Springfield was `the next town
   over' from his home in Portland, Oregon.

   Further evidence points at the fictitious nature of Springfield:
       The state's capital is `Capital City';
       The state's flag is three horizontal stripes;
       The state's motto is `Not Just Another State';

   As far as we know, no state in the USA has these properties.

  The employee information sheet in ``Simpson and Delilah'' had been
   incorrectly cited by many people giving Homer's place of birth as
   `NC'.  Not until recently did someone notice the last letter was
   actually an epsilon-ish `E'.  The guess is this is a play on words,
   representing `Any' state.

  Others talk about the zip code in ``Principal Charming'' (90701) as
   being in Artesia, California; some have suggested this is simply
   because MG lives in the area, and isn't a clue that the Simpsons live
   in CA. (Sacramento looks nothing like Capital City, to begin with.)

  [Even-more-eagle-eyed viewers will notice that on the box for `sex',
   Homer checked `F', then erased it and marked `M'.  And super-sharp-
   eagle-eyed viewers will notice that he filed the Employee Copy of the
   form!  What a Homer!]

3.5a) What is the Simpsons' Home address?

  In ``Blood Feud'', ``Bart the Lover''	94 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield, USA
  In ``Mr. Lisa goes to Washington''	59 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield, T.A
  In ``Marge In Chains'', and on Homer's drivers license
					742 Evergreen Terrace, Springfield.
  In ``New Kid on the Block''		1094 Evergreen Terrace
  In ``Kamp Krusty''			430 Spalding Way, Springfield, U.S.A

  (Tony Shepps <tredysvr!cellar!toad@gvls1.gvl.unisys.com> wagers that the
   last address hints to monologist and actor Spalding Gray, whose humor
   is also considered subtle, poignant, and yes, generally irritating to
   Republicans.  The others were undoubtedly inspired by MG's alma mater.)


3.6) What does the ``J'' stand for in Homer J. Simpson?

  Matt Groening says that Homer's middle initial is a token of admiration
   for Rocky and Bullwinkle (Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose),
   whose own J's were in honor of their creator, Jay Ward.

3.6a) How about Bartholomew J. Simpson?

  In the ``Simpsons Rainy Day Fun Book'', it states that Bart's middle
   initial stands for ``Jebediah'', and not ``JoJo'', as was previously
   reported by Sharon Crichton (sharonc@meaddata.com).  Yet, her claim was
   backed up by the appearance of ``JoJo'' in a Simpsons periodical. One
   can only guess that some facts got lost when the Rainy Day Fun Book was
   made.


3.7)  Didn't I see/hear ... in ... ?

  Here are only few of the more frequently recognized appearances.
   *Many* others are listed in the "Simpsons' actors' other roles" guide.

    Nancy Cartwright	    Marian Rose White, The Twilight Zone: The Movie,
			    an endless list of Saturday morning cartoons
    Dan Castellaneta	    LA Law, Love and War, Married with Children,
			    Second City (Chicago), The Tracey Ullman Show,
			    The War of the Roses, an even longer endless list
			    of television commercials
    Julie Kavner	    Alice, Awakenings, Crimes and Misdemeanors,
			    Hannah and Her Sisters, Katherine, No Other Love,
			    Radio Days, Revenge of the Stepford Wives, Rhoda,
			    This is My Life, The Tracey Ullman Show
    Yeardley Smith	    City Slickers, Heaven Help Us, Herman's Head
			    (Louise), The Legend of Billy Jean, Maximum
			    Overdrive, Silence Like Glass, Toys, `a Steven
			    Spielberg animated feature, but that won't come
			    out for, like, four years.'
    Hank Azaria		    Herman's Head (Jay), Pretty Woman
    Harry Shearer	    The Fisher King, Le Show (Radio), Man Bites Town
                            (Sunday LA Times), The Right Stuff, Saturday Night
			    Live, This Is Spinal Tap! (Derek Smalls)
    The Simpsons	    Die Hard 2, My Own Private Idaho, Oprah Winfrey,
			    Sesame Street, The 1990 Emmy Awards


3.8)  What phone pranks has Bart used on Moe of Moe's Tavern?

	7G03:  Hey, everybody, I. P. Freeley!
	7G06:  Hey guys, I'm lookin' for a Jacques Strap.
	7G01:  Is there an Al Coholic here?  ... and ...
	       Call for Oliver Kloushoff.
	7F11:  I wanna Seymour Butts.
	7F15:  C'mon, one o' you guys has gotta be Homer Sexual.
	7F22:  Hey, has anybody seen Mike Rotch lately?
	8F08:  Somebody check the men's room for a Hugh Jass!
	8F09:  Come on guys, do I have a Bea O'Problem here?
	9F06:  Why can't I find Amanda Hugginkiss?  ... and ...
	       Hey, everybody, put down your glasses.  Ivana Tinkle!
	       (Bart had an accomplice for this one.)

3.8a) Where did the idea for them come from?

  An album called ``The Tube Bar'' was recorded some time ago, comprised
   of nothing but real prank phone calls. (Like Al Coholic, etc.)


3.9)  Which Springfield personality is That?

   ... Bart's teacher				Mrs. Edna Krabappel.
   ... the bully with the ``Ha Haaa'' laugh	Nelson Mundt.
   ... the pale-skinned kid who's always sick	Wendel.
   ... the three punks				Jimbo Jones, Kearney and Dolph.
   ... the Kwik-E-Mart operator			Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.
   ... the armed bandit with the tattoo		"Snake".
   ... Groundskeeper				Willy.
   ... the name of the actor that plays McBain  Rainier Wolfcastle
   ... Springfield's illustrious town founder
			       Jebediah Obadiah Zachariah Jedediah Springfield.

  Springfield's Spanish TV show starring a guy in a bumblebee costume
   reminds us of `Lo Mejor De Chesperito' from the Miami-based Univision
   network.  The town's 24 hour all-talk radio station (callsign `KBBL')
   has referred to itself as `K-Babble'.

  The most comprehensive register of ``Springfield's Who's Who'' is
   Raymond Chen's cast list, available from the Simpsons archive.

3.9a) Which one's Itchy and which is Scratchy?

  As Lisa and Bart explained to Herb Powell:
      Lisa:  "The mouse's name is Itchy, and the cat's name is Scratchy."
      Bart:  "They *hate* each other."
      Lisa:  "And they're not shy about expressing it."


3.10) Where do you get the episode titles from?

  Some newspapers print the episode titles.  We are indebted to Brian
   Howard, who was able to get ``inside'' information for the second and
   third seasons before they when to air. (He's since married his source,
   and made her move out of L.A.  Such priorities!)  For details of the
   fourth and fifth seasons, our thanks goes to David Mirsky and Bill Oakley.

  Two of the episodes (as noted in section 1.1, ``The Tell Tale Head'' and
   ``Bart Gets Hit By A Car'') actually included their titles; it is,
   however, rare to see them actually named when broadcast.


3.11) How do I pronounce...

  `Groening'?	    In one of the Life In Hell strips, MG mentioned that
		    it rhymes with `complaining'. (The High German
		    pronunciation would be more clearly described as being
		    between `groaning' and `grayning'; however, since it's
		    his name, we must pronounce it as he wishes, linguistic
		    purity notwithstanding.)  Also, in an interview on the
		    television show ``Personalities'', the reporter
		    consistently pronounced it `grayning'.

  `Yeardley'?	    `Yeardley' is a variant spelling of the British name
		    `Yardley', whose pronunciation is non-problematical.

  You can remember the two trickiest names in the credits with the phrase
   `hardly complaining'.


3.12) Which episodes have been released on video?

  A set of first season episodes (7g02, 7g03, 7g04, 7g05, 7g06, 7g07,
   7g09, 7g11) were released in Britain, New Zealand, and Australia during
   October 1991.  The collection was distributed on four PAL-encoded VHS
   tapes that sold for 10 pounds apiece in the UK.  In North America, only
   the Christmas special (7g08) has made it to the stores. (And the
   frequent demands for the immediate release of the entire Simpson
   archives on LD don't appear to be getting anywhere, sigh.)

3.12a) And when will the show appear in syndication?

  MG has confirmed in a newspaper interview that `The Simpsons' went up
   for syndication in January 1993, with the first broadcasts in the Fall
   of 1994. (Kudos to Gary Goldberg for this info.)

  The same interview also disclosed MG is working on a *live action*
   Krusty the Klown show.


3.13) What's Simpsons Illustrated, and where can I get it?

  Simpsons Illustrated is a quarterly "fan" magazine for people who enjoy
   The Simpsons, and is currently available in North America and the
   Antipodes; it holds all sorts of tasty bits, including shots of the
   studio, trivia, and other information.  In addition to the four
   quarterly issues, a Simpsons Annual is also published.

   North Americans can subscribe	For subscription enquires in
   for a year by sending $7.80 (US)	Australia and New Zealand,
   or $11.56 (Can) to:			write to:
       Simpsons Illustrated		    Simpsons Illustrated
       P.O. Box 10195			    P.O. Box A276
       Des Moines, IA 50340		    Sydney South, NSW 2000
       Ph: 515 243 4543			    Ph: 02 283 5809

  And be on the look-out this November for a new *line* of monthly
   Simpsons comics from the Groening owned Bongo Comics Group!


3.14) Where can I get the music from ``The Simpsons'' ?

  The CD ``The Simpsons Sing the Blues'' is still available from the
   occasional music store; the release of ``The Yellow Album'' has been
   rescheduled for late 1993.  They do not, however, have the title music,
   which appears on Danny Elfman's CD, ``Music for a Darkened Theatre'',
   and a longer guitar rendition is on Danny Gatton's disc ``88 Elmira
   Street''.

  The Simpsons also have maxi-single versions of ``Deep, Deep Trouble''
   and ``Sibling Rivalry''.  It includes the original version of both
   songs plus two remixes of ``Deep, Deep Trouble''. (Info courtesy of
   Phil Salomon <pjs29326@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu>.)

  In Europe, Jan-Erik Saarinen <di2saar@kstad2.hks.se> reports the original
   ``Do the Bartman'' and several remixes were released on 7" and 12" vinyl.
   A maxi-single with ``Springfield Soul Stew'' and three variations of
   ``Deep, Deep Trouble'' also exists, and so do Compact Discs of each
   collection.


3.15) Are Burns/Smithers/Jacques/Karl gay or bisexual?

  Everyone enjoys debating over whether or not certain characters are
   exhibiting sexual characteristics that fit into one group or another.
   For example, Karl, Homer's secretary in ``Simpson and Delilah'', was
   classified as homosexual because he was slightly effeminate and gave
   Homer a kiss.  Also, the relationship between Monty Burns and Smithers
   constantly swings between "close friends" and "lovers".  It's up to
   each individual viewer to decide for himself or herself how to
   interpret these kinds of situations.


3.16) When did everything (sorta) happen?

      1955 1956    1974-1975   1980    1983      1989
        |   |        |          |       |         |
 ...  --+---+--------+----------+-+-----+---------+---  ...
        |   |        |          | |     |         +--Tenth Anniversary
        |   |        |          | |     +--Lisa born
        |   |        |          | +--Bart born
        |   |        |          +--Married
        |   |        +--They graduate High School
        |   +--Marge born
        +--- Homer born (05/10/1955)


3.17) Is my local station cutting the episodes?

  Probably not, unless you're from Australia or Germany, where the show is
   routinely censored to abide with younger childrens' viewing guidelines
   because of a ridiculously early time-slot.  The abridgement of the title
   sequence is done by FOX.  Canadian viewers, who don't get the episodes
   through FOX and watch the show at 8pm, are usually granted the pleasure
   of a full episode each week.

  Each episode is produced with extra and alternate animation, to allow
   the directors the freedom to decide just what will and won't work, up
   until a few days before a show goes to air. FOX has access to the
   footage before the final cuts are made, and so it's not unusual for
   the extra scene to materialize during the promotions.


3.18) What does "OFF" stand for?  (Frequently used acronyms)

  A few of the acronyms in popular use within the newsgroup:

	 OFF		Our Favorite Family -- The Simpsons, of course.
	 DYN		Didja (Did You) Notice
	 UFA		The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album -- a reference
			from Groening Inc. of somewhat questionable accuracy.
	 LIH		Life in Hell -- another agent for MG's notoriety.
	 FF		Freeze-Frame Fun
	 AG		Animation/continuity Goof -- no one's perfect.
	 SI		Simpsons Illustrated
	 TRMO		That Reminds Me Of... -- for allusions to a genre or
			whatever else causes the random firing of brain cells.
      7G01, 8F21, ...	The unique FOX production codes seen during the
			closing credits of each half-hour episode.

  A "FF" is typically a list that requires the pause of a VCR to discern,
   like `Things in the attic', or `degrees on Lionel Hutz's wall'.  The
   text of signs also counts (like `For the Obese or Gangly Gentleman' or
   `Diz-nee-land').  Otherwise, it's a DYN.  So green rats, mouse holes in
   the wall, and purple food glop count as `Didja notice's. --Raymond Chen.

  "TRMO" has been introduced to end the abuse of the word "reference"
   whenever graduation caps are thrown into the air, there's a riot at
   a rock concert, a rickety bridge is crossed over, and so on.


3.19) Is Matt Groening aware of Usenet?

  The more interesting contributions to the newsgroup do occasionally
   follow an indeterminate path and wind up before the creators of the
   show and magazine.  However, for the specific question ``Is MG provided
   with direct access, or is even personally aware of us beyond the `yet
   another group of devoted fans' ?''  The answer is, sadly, no.

  A small number of employees from Gracie Films (James L. Brooks' studio;
   they're the company which actually produces the show for FOX.) have
   known of this newsgroup's existence since the first few months and
   have been "lurking" ever since, according to Brian Howard.

  In the past many postings have claimed to have originated from Matt
   Groening and other identities.  One should immediately be skeptical of
   <any> messages that claim to have been sent by a notable personality;
   it is a trivial exercise to fake an article that appears to have come
   from another person.

  In June 1993 MG accepted an invitation from the Prodigy commercial BBS to
   chit-chat with their users, personally answer a few of those annoying
   standard questions, and detail the reality of his involvement with the
   show.  Users of the Internet can retrieve a transcript of this event
   from the Busop Simpsons archive (pub/simpsons/txt/prodigy.txt).


3.20) What became of Tracey Ullman's law-suit?

  Lawyers on behalf of Tracey Ullman have twice filed litigation
   proceedings against FOX, not MG or Gracie Films, insisting although
   there was never any signed agreements when the show went to the half-
   hour format, that she should be entitled to 7.5% of `The Simpsons' net
   merchandising profits.  Both claims were later rejected in court.


3.21) What's this I hear of a Simpsons television spin-off?

  Although it is not affiliated in any way with The Simpsons or the FOX
   network, former executive producers Al Jean and Mike Reiss are at work
   on an animated series called `The Critic'.  The best reports mention a
   debut in early 1994.


3.22) Why isn't/aren't ... mentioned in this FAQ?

  lists of scripts

   Since Twentieth-Century Fox explicity forbids any retransmission or
   duplication of scripts for the show, it would be illegal.

   But the next best thing to genuine scripts are the episode `capsules'
   [see 2.1] prepared by Raymond Chen.  These contain extensive scene
   summaries and interesting newsgroup remarks and discussions from *all*
   the half-hour and Tracey Ullman Show cartoons. (The most recent set of
   capsules are avaliable from the Busop archive.)

  current lists of newspaper interviews, ISBN numbers for Simpson books, etc.

   Someone is still to accept the Sisyphean feat of bringing much of the
   archives' very out of date material into the 90s'...


3.23) Why isn't this rec.arts.tv.simpsons?

  The rec.arts.tv hierarchy is intended for television series that have
   "Staying" power (aka will be around 5 years from now).  As a result, a
   goodly number of people object to the creation of a Simpsons group in
   the higher-propagated rec hierarchy, because they feel it won't be
   around in a few years.  Tsk tsk!


===============================================================================

			      Thus endeth the FAQ.