Fox sues itself

deh · 05-Nov-2003, 11:21 AM #1

I saw the Simpsons episode this was on last night, it is an older one but they reran it.

Fox nearly sued itself over 'Simpsons' parody: Matt Groening
NEW YORK (AFP) - Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Channel threatened to sue the makers of "The Simpsons" over a parody of the channel's right-wing political stance, the creator of the hit US television show has claimed.

In an interview this week with National Public Radio, Matt Groening recalled how the news channel had considered legal action, despite the fact that "The Simpsons" is broadcast on sister network, Fox Entertainment.

According to Groening, Fox took exception to a Simpsons' version of the Fox News rolling news ticker which parodied the channel's anti-Democrat stance, with headlines like "Do Democrats Cause Cancer?"

"Fox fought against it and said they would sue the show," Groening said.

"We called their bluff because we didn't think Rupert Murdoch would pay for Fox to sue itself. So, we got away with it."

Other satirical Fox news bulletins featured in the show included: "Study: 92 per cent of Democrats are gay... JFK posthumously joins Republican Party... Oil slicks found to keep seals young, supple..."

While the lawsuit never materialized, Groening said some action was taken.

"Now Fox has a new rule that we can't do those little fake news crawls on the bottom of the screen in a cartoon because it might confuse the viewers into thinking it's real news," he said.

"The Simpsons," featuring the dysfunctional family of patriarch Homer Simpson and his rowdy brood, is now in its 14th year and is expected to become the longest-running situation comedy in US history in 2005.

columbo · 05-Nov-2003, 11:24 AM #2

Good for them for not backing down...Although that would be hilarious.

You just know that Murdoch would probably love to cancel the Simpson's, if only it wasn't a consistent ratings grabber.

deh · 05-Nov-2003, 11:34 AM #3

Yeah I'd have to say it appears the Simpsons have kept Fox afloat many times.

Did ya notice this:

"Now Fox has a new rule that we can't do those little fake news crawls on the bottom of the screen in a cartoon because it might confuse the viewers into thinking it's real news, " he said.

Wow what kind of demographics do they think the Simpsons pull in? I was always under the conception that the typical Simpsons viewer was rather smart but if they can't differentiate between a cartoon and reality......WOW.

columbo · 05-Nov-2003, 11:52 AM #4

Quote:

Wow what kind of demographics do they think the Simpsons pull in? I was always under the conception that the typical Simpsons viewer was rather smart but if they can't differentiate between a cartoon and reality......

That's the weird part....If you're intelligent enough to appreciate the humour of the Simpsons, you should be (by default) too smart to be watching Fox News.

marcus77 · 05-Nov-2003, 12:32 PM #5

It would be funny if the Simpsons "jumped ship" to another network after this incident.

**bassetman** · 05-Nov-2003, 12:52 PM #6

Quote:

"Now Fox has a new rule that we can't do those little fake news crawls on the bottom of the screen in a cartoon because it might confuse the viewers into thinking it's real news," he said.

I agree, people who think "Fox News" is real, won't get the Simpsons!

deh · 05-Nov-2003, 12:58 PM #7

Yeah you got your fox news which is far right and your left Communist Network News. BTW-Simpson's have poked fun at CNN as well and I don't think they squawed about it (suprisingly).

People just need to take a joke, Simpsons poke fun at alot of things.

DNeurococo · 05-Nov-2003, 01:36 PM #8

I am a faithful Simpsons watcher, but I have never seen that news crawl. Could it have been edited out in certain broadcast areas? Which episode was it on? Or, is it just something that can be "over-layed" on any episode?

I'm surprised about the lawsuit. The Simpsons have made fun of Murdock personally many times. There was the "Behind the Laughs" episode that was a satire documentary on the show itself. It had a scene where Homer agrees to do the show for Fox and slowly scrawls "Homer" on a contract - - followed by Murdock slowly scrawling "Rupert" in a childish hand. There was another episode in which Rupert is shown being in jail: "I suppose you don't like tabloid newspapers either!" he says in an Aussie accent.

#$DN

columbo · 05-Nov-2003, 01:40 PM #9

Quote:

I'm surprised about the lawsuit. The Simpsons have made fun of Murdock personally many times. There was the "Behind the Laughs" episode that was a satire documentary on the show itself. It had a scene where Homer agrees to do the show for Fox and slowly scrawls "Homer" on a contract - - followed by Murdock slowly scrawling "Rupert" in a childish hand. There was another episode in which Rupert is shown being in jail: "I suppose you don't like tabloid newspapers either!" he says in an Aussie accent.

You forgot the "Superbowl" episode, where Homer and friends break into Murdoch's personal skybox to watch the game, and he catches them.

deh · 05-Nov-2003, 01:51 PM **#10**

Quote:

Originally posted by DNeurococo:
I am a faithful Simpsons watcher, but I have never seen that news crawl. Could it have been edited out in certain broadcast areas? Which episode was it on? Or, is it just something that can be "over-layed" on any episode?

Remember the episode when Krusty ran for Senate because the Simpsons had the airplanes flying over thier house? Krusty had a debate with a democratic candidate on Fox news, that's when they showed the crawl. Incidentally also Fox news also superimposed devil horns over the dem candidates head and a communist flag next to him.

Walter Modale showed them how to pass a law, Homer had to outdrink the greatest opposition, Bart had a tape on one of the others and they merely Paperclipped the proposal to another proposal to make it a law. "Well it is paperclipped." HA I love the Simpsons.

Yeah the episode aired yesterday and it indeed had the crawl (Simpsons air everyday at 7pm and 11pm here).

DNeurococo · 05-Nov-2003, 02:53 PM **#11**

Hmmm! I must have missed that one somehow!

Too bad! It sounds like a classic.

P.S. My all-time favorite classic Simpsons is when Sideshow Bob runs for Mayor (with "Birch Barlow").

#$DN

deh · 05-Nov-2003, 03:06 PM **#12**

"The dead have risen and they're voting Republican."-Bart
LOL

Yeah that's a good one.

I still think the Halloween ones (Treehouse of Horrors) are thier gems.

twotugs · 06-Nov-2003, 12:03 AM **#13**

Here's the interview.

DNeurococo · 06-Nov-2003, 11:18 AM **#14**

Deh - Yeah, I love the Halloween ones too. My favorite line from the "Sideshow Bob for Mayor" episode is:

Barlow: " . . . I'm talking about that pot-smoking, wife-swapping, illiterate draft-dodger: Mayor Quimby!"

Quimby: "Hey! I am no longer illiterate!"

#$DN

CyBerAliEn · 07-Nov-2003, 12:03 AM **#15**

It's good to see some others here who also greatly enjoy The Simpsons! It's just about favorite TV show (it's tied in 1st place with the series 24

).

When was that episode originally aired?

I've never seen that one.

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