The Simpsons Turns 20 Years Old
Twenty years ago today on April 19, 1987 the Tracey Ullman Show aired a two-minute animated short by Matt Groening that introduced the world to the Simpsons, a family from Springfield, USA. Here’s a well done interview with Al Jean on the subject that’s worth a read for any true Simpsons fanboy:
“As Homer and his family were being fleshed out in the first season, the show’s creators also began building the menagerie of side characters who inhabit Springfield. Despite the many smaller players he has helped create, Jean identifies his favorite without hesitation: “Comic Book Guy.”
“When we first came up with that character, I could not believe we were doing it,” he said. “A comic book guy as a featured character was unheard of. But everyone knew a guy just like him growing up.”
Obnoxious and condescending, “Comic Book Guy” mocks everyone—and everything—that crosses his path. Simpsons veteran Hank Azaria reached into his own past and found the perfect voice for one of the show’s most mimicked characters.”