From USA Today:
“'I'm proud
of Apu': 'The Simpsons' creator Matt Groening reflects on 700 episodes, casting
controversy”
Fans of
"The Simpsons" can expect a late holiday gift (and probably not the
only tardy arrival in this "D'oh!" of a year): the animated comedy's
700th episode. The iconic Fox series, now in its 32nd season and renewed for
two more, hits that milestone Sunday (8 EDT/PDT) with "Manger
Things," a Christmas flashback episode premiering in March and a nod to
"The Simpsons" long tradition of holiday-themed stories. At least
it's not airing in Smarch. More than
three decades after its 1989 premiere, TV's longest-running primetime scripted
series proves it still has a trick up its sleeve or (in this case) a secret
room above the garage, further evidence of Frank Grimes' astonishment at the
family's "dream house." (See Homer navigate the tight space in the
exclusive video clip below.) "One of the writers noticed that above the
garage, there's a little window," creator Matt Groening tells USA TODAY
(or US of A TODAY, in "Simpsons" parlance) in an exclusive interview.
"Maybe Homer's got a secret hideout. I think that's part of our canon now.
We'll find Homer hiding out there on his little roller board. That was just
zany." Groening discussed the iconic cartoon's past, present and future,
including the Apu controversy and the decision to have white actors stop
voicing non-white characters, in a wide-ranging conversation that touched on
ownership of the program by Disney, a frequent target, and his Netflix animated
fantasy satire, "Disenchantment." (Edited and condensed for clarity)
Question: What
does hitting 700 episodes mean to you?
Matt Groening: It is a staggering number. And it's another episode.
It's the same amount of work. So, we're just 30 years older. (But by producing
just 30 more episodes, every year) you can watch the show twice a day, one
episode at breakfast and then again when you get home from work.
Q: When
"The Simpsons" started, it was the youthful rebel, just like Bart.
What stage of life is it at now? Groening: The show is such a part of
the pop culture landscape that whole different generations have discovered it.
The way things are streamed these days you can access the entire history of the
show anytime you want and see how it has changed over the years. I give a piece
of advice to people who grew up with "The Simpsons" and maybe think
it's not for them anymore. Check it out again: The satire and the quality of
animation is fantastic. I'm really proud of the group's efforts.
Q: I'm
sure you've heard some people say, "The first 10 or so seasons were great,
and then it wasn't as good." I assume you don't buy into that. Groening:
No. I love some of the wild stuff we've done (lately). We're now surrounded by
animated shows featuring dumb, fat dads and their unruly families. So "The
Simpsons" may not be the only zany bunch on the block, but the stories we
are telling these days are pretty smart and pretty crazy.
Q: Does
it bother you that "The Simpsons" doesn't attract nearly as large of
an audience as it used to? Groening: I don't think about that stuff at
all. I think about the intensity of our fans' reactions and trying to make them
really happy. If big numbers come with it, that's great. If they don't, well,
let's keep that a secret.
Q: After
criticism, Hank Azaria, a white actor who plays many "Simpsons"
characters, isn't voicing Indian Kwik-E Mart operator Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
anymore. What happens to the character? Groening: We've got plans for
Apu, but we have to see if we can make the stories work.
Q: Do
you have an actor to voice him? Groening: No. We're working on something
kind of ambitious. That's all I can say.
Q:
There's also been criticism that Apu is a stereotype. Would you change the
nature of Apu's character or stories? Groening: I think the Apu stories
are fantastic, and he's one of the most nuanced characters on a silly
two-dimensional cartoon show. So, yeah, I'm proud of Apu. (Pause.) I'm trying
not to open up another chasm of criticism, but it doesn't matter what I say.
I'll get it anyway.
Q: Last
year, "The Simpsons" announced it would no longer have any white
actors voice non-white characters. Were you part of that decision, and did you
agree with it?Groening: It was not my idea, but I'm fine with it. Who
can be against diversity? So it's great. However, I will just say that the
actors were not hired to play specific characters. They were hired to do
whatever characters we thought of. To me, the amazing thing is seeing all our
brilliant actors who can do multiple voices, do multiple voices. That's part of
the fun of animation, However, to be more inclusive and hire more people, I'm
completely in favor of that.
Q: Would
it have been better to hire a more diverse cast years ago? Groening:
Yeah. And I hear they want to take the guns away from Yosemite Sam. He’s a
little hot-headed.
Q: In
2018, you talked about a culture of people taking offense. Any more thoughts on
that? Groening: I have to word this carefully. I think audiences are
smarter than the posse gives them credit for, and people can handle nuance,
except for the ones who can't handle nuance. And then there's that phrase,
something them if they can't take a joke.
Q: After
years of skewering Disney on "The Simpsons," you've now been under
its corporate umbrella for two years. Were there any hard feelings? Groening:
Anybody that we have actually talked to has been delighted by the show. I think
people get the fun of it. We still write Disney jokes. Of course, Bart Simpsons
got a tattoo to celebrate the 700th episode of Fox's "The Simpsons."
Q: Do
you have any other projects planned with Disney? Groening: We had a lot
of fun doing this Maggie short (2020's "Playdate with Destiny," which
premiered theatrically before streaming on Disney+). So, we're doing more. I
don't know what form it's going to take, but we're doing little extra things
for Disney+.
Q:
You've released 30 episodes of your Netflix animated series,
"Disenchantment." Where does that stand? Groening: We've got
10 (more) episodes that we're almost finished with, and then we're waiting for
marching orders (about renewal). There will be more. We have a story we want to
tell. We have an ending we're really happy with. There's a million plot threads
and character and story arcs. We know where we're going and we want to get
there.
Q:
"Disenchantment" has received praise for its overall inclusivity. Is
it easier to address such matters on a newer show than on a long-running show? Groening:
Yeah. Every time you start a new show you have the opportunity to start from
scratch. It's definitely very thoughtfully conceived. But I like to let the
show be its own message rather than me talking about it. I'm very proud of the
show and very happy with the response it's gotten.
Q: What
cartoons did you like as a kid? Groening:
My biggest inspiration was the Jay Ward cartoons: "Rocky and
Bullwinkle," "Dudley
Do-Right" and "George of the Jungle." I loved that. The
animation was pretty shoddy, but the writing, the music and the acting were all
great. As I was growing up, I watched the quality of animation in television
get worse and worse. And I thought I'll never be able to do good animation, but
I'll be able to control the writing, the music and acting. And that's what
"The Simpsons" started out as. The animation was pretty flimsy,
although it did have a lot of heart. It just didn't have a big budget. I'm astonished
that the quality of animation across the board has gotten so good.
Q: Have
you thought about having "The Simpsons" come to an end? Groening: My standard answer is there's
no end in sight, because anytime I speculate on the show ending, the people who
work on it and diehard fans get very upset. So, I always say there's no end in
sight.
^ It’s hard to
believe “The Simpsons” are going on their 32th Season and their 700th
Episode. ^
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