18 Facts You Probably Don't Know About "The Simpsons"

"It was the best of times, it was the 'blurst' of times."

1. In 1990, Barbara Bush criticised The Simpsons. Marge responded.

Via lettersofnote.com

And then Barbara Bush responded as well!

2. Fox owns the rights to The Simpsons through to 2082.

FOX / Via giphy.com

Meaning we're unlikely to see the Simpsons anywhere else. Ever.

3. There is a clause in the creator's contract that the network can't give notes - meaning the producers are free to make fun of FOX itself.

FOX / Via eurweb.com

A clause that has been made regular use of.

4. If Bart aged normally, he'd now be 34, the age given to Marge in the first season.

Fox / Via deadhomersociety.com

5. The staff of The Simpsons and South Park both REALLY hate Family Guy.

Via giantbomb.com

So much so, that when South Park aired its anti-Family Guy episode, the crew of The Simpsons sent them flowers.

6. Over the course of multiple seasons, the brief clips of McBain actually form a coherent mini-movie.

Via threadless.com

It's not very good, but still.

7. The episode where Bart wins an elephant on a gameshow was based on a real incident.

Via userdata.acd.net

Intended to be a joke prize to be turned down in favour of money, the winner decided he wanted the elephant anyway. Eventually, one was flown in from Africa.

8. Staff Writer John Swartzwelder was a well-known recluse - which the writers referenced in a running joke.

Fox / Via simpsons.wikia.com

He got dispensation not to attend meetings, instead writing in a diner booth he'd had installed in his house - and the rest of the staff responded by including cameos for him in numerous episodes.

9. Paul McCartney agreed to appear on the show only if the writers agreed to maintain Lisa's vegetarianism for the rest of series.

FOX / Via vovat.tumblr.com

Which they did. McCartney also agreed to let them use 'Maybe I'm Amazed' over the closing credits. Mad Men would later pay a quarter of a million dollars to use a track from the band.

10. Homer was intended to be revealed as Krusty The Clown.

Hence their remarkably similar appearances.

11. God (and Jesus) are the only characters to be given five fingers.

Via villains.wikia.com

Still yellow, though.

12. The Alburquerque Isotopes baseball team was named for the Springfield Isotopes.

Via smilesbydesign.biz

As of yet, Darryl Strawberry hasn't turned out for them.

13. A competition winner was given a full-scale replica of the Simpsons house. He took the money instead.

Via gizmodo.com

It cost $120,000 to build, and yet the $70,000 prize seemed preferable. No word on if it actually has the ever-changing interior layout.

14. Someone also made a working replica of Homer's prototype car.

Facebook: TheHomerCar / Via thehomercar.com

And raced it!

15. Homer's theory of a doughnut shaped universe was later announced as a valid theory.

Fox / Via scilogs.com

Though not by Stephen Hawking. Honorable.

16. Bart's prank calls to Moe's Tavern use the number 764-84377. It spells out 'Smithers.'

17. The 'Who Shot Mr. Burns?' episode ran a contest for fans to guess. No-one guessed the correct answer.

Via barnabyisright.com

In fairness, they did make a baby guilty. Spoiler Alert? What's the Statute of Limitations on spoilers?

18. In his appearance Justin Timberlake really didn't want to say "Word," so once he did, that take was looped and used repeatedly through the episode.

Fox

He allegedly felt it was so unlike something he would actually say. The staff also brought all their kids along to meet them. As did Tom Hanks, who was filming nearby.