Hi and welcome to another Simpsons on Sundays post. On the death front, original AC/DC drummer Colin Burgess passed away, aged 77 on Friday. No, we haven’t heard any of his drumming on any AC/DC albums that I know of. However, apparently he was the last person to see Bon Scott alive in 1980 before he passed away. RIP.
On the birthday front, entertainer and hunter Ted Nugent turns another year older today. Like I said last year, never mind his political views, or his views on the pandemic and public health restrictions such as wearing masks. Also, let’s forget that he did contract COVID and it wasn’t an easy ride for him either. Let’s also forget that he is a big supporter of Donald Trump, as he is also a member of the republican party. Let us just remember that he is a musician and entertainer, first and foremost. Why do you think he says what he says in interviews and does not give the usual indoor voiced answer to questions these days? The answer is that he has a lot to get off his chest and he is so damn passionate, about what he thinks is right. I agree with him, but politically I do not agree with him. I believe we should be free and defiant against the man, but since he is supporting a party he is one arm of the man (in a sense) whether he thinks so or not. Let us just remember his 2 Simpsons guest starring appearances and focus on the most important thing, which is that he is a great rock musician and fuck the rest of the noise which he has created around himself.
To further distance myself and this blog from Ted’s political leanings and focussing instead on his occupation, let’s watch this interview with Ted done by a couple of comedians and a radio veteran. If the names Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson ring a bell, you may know them and Eddie Trunk from the TV show That Metal Show. Jim did a show called Crank Yankers, which has Simpsons guest star connections with Sarah Silverman and Wanda Sykes among other notable names. They don’t do crank calls like Bart did to Moe, instead they waited for people to call and they would be a royal pain in the ass, by playing various characters who are varying degrees of annoying, confrontational and at the same time, hilarious. I believe that the call with Wanda Sykes complaining about finding a turd in a car is probably them. I don’t know for sure, but I will take a look on Youtube and elsewhere. Anyway, here is Eddie Trunk, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson altogether in various parts of the US, with Ted Nugent showing up during this video. https://www.youtube.com/live/hyYI2Hw5cLE?si=t6RaA58WCfsiVSBW
This week it is December 17th 2023 today. I know that it is rather damn obvious, but I mention this because it is a day, when 4 Christmas themed episodes and one non-Christmas episode had aired on this day in the past. There could have been one a few years ago, but Gone Boy was aired earlier than today, in 2018. So, to review let’s go over the 5 episodes which had aired today and the years they had been broadcasted on TV for the first time.
First, we have the episode which started it all with Simpsons Roasting On an Open Fire. I had done a post on this episode on it’s 30th anniversary in 2019 so, if you are subscribed or want to read it again or for the first time, just go into the archives.
Next is Homer’s Triple Bypass and again, I had done an episode about the Simpsons patriarch and his heart thump last year, on it’s 30th anniversary. Next is Marge be not Proud, which aired in 1995. This was the episode where Bart was caught shoplifting because he wanted a video game so bad and was there for banned from a department store, where his family were going to shop for Christmas presents and get a family photo taken. Next, we have 2000’s Skinner’s Sense of Snow and again, I did a post on it’s 20th anniversary during the first year of the cOVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, we have 2006’s Kill Gil, Volumes I & II during Season 18. I haven’t done a post on it yet and at some point, I will do one. For now, let’s just say that the main plot is centred around Gill Gunderson, as he loses his job and moves in with The Simpsons and doesn’t leave. He gets told off by Marge and his life is ruined!
Those are the 5 episodes in total, with 4 of them being Christmas episodes which had aired for the first time on this day in 1989, 1992, 1997, 2000 and 2006. We have an episode airing tonight called Murder, She Boat and another one next week called Do The Wrong Thing. Both episodes have no hint of Christmas or the holiday season in general in the plot of either of them. However, I will be composing a new post next week and I’m not sure what I will talk about yet, but I will think of something because we have a couple of notable birthdays of a cast member and a Rolling Stone turning 80 years old.
Simpsons on Sundays 