This bad dad needs to kick back with a few Duff beers

I have a terrible feeling that there are times when the teenager secretly compares me to Homer Simpson on the Dad-O-Meter and I don't score much higher than Homer.

D'oh!

I'm sure I've mentioned this.  I don't like The Simpsons.  This isn't a case of the show being like pesto to me.  It's a case of the show being like ragweed, cat hair, and my high school girlfriend's perfume.  I'm allergic to it.  I'm sure The Simpsons is pure genius, just as I'm sure cats can be loving and loyal and my girlfriend's perfume was sexy and alluring, but I'll never get to enjoy it because as soon as I see it or hear it or even think about it I break out in hives and start sneezing.

I don't know what it is, the color scheme, the voices, the drawing style, the combination, or what.  I just can't stand it.  Which is a problem around here because every other Mannion in the house loves The Simpsons, especially the teenager.

This morning he wanted to show me a story in one of his Simpson comic books.  Of course as soon as he asked me to take a look I had one of my allergic reactions.  I tried to hide it but he's sensitive and picked up on it right away.  Possibly the red watery eyes and the sudden furious scratching gave me away.  His feelings were hurt.

"I'll look at it in a minute, son," I said in my phoniest Ward Cleever voice.

"Nevermind," he said, obviously crestfallen.  "It's not important."  And he began to walk away, idly flipping the pages of the comic book, pretending he was already forgetting the crushing blow to his heart I'd just delivered.

"Come back, my boy," I called.  "Let me see."

He let me.  I saw.

Homer was attempting hang wallpaper in Bart's room.

He made a mess of it of course.

As I read, the teenager laughed.

And laughed.  And laughed.  And laughed.

I'm not certain there was anything behind that laugh.

But there's another reason I don't like The Simpsons.

Comments

[zozie]

Good to hear. I can empathize though my reaction isn't so much allergic as it is like eating the truffled, pumpkin pie cheesecake with gorgonzola frosting - a mouthful and I'm done for the month - or ever.

[Michael Bartley]

Funniest show ever...Of course, to each his own...but, seriously you just joined my father's generation...guess it's Little Orphan Annie for you Lance. Well, good, we don't agree on everything as I can't stand ditto heads...but, really, you don't think Homer is funny? And, Maggie is zen hilarious...and, oh well, I could go on but even though we are of the same generation, I guess we'll just disagree on this one. Do you like the Monk? Blondie? Sorry, never mind.

[actor212]

I dunno, Lance, while the animation is, well, let's just say that it makes early Betty Boop cartoons look sophisticated, the storylines and dialogue are pretty funny.

Perhaps if you just read the scripts...

[wasa]

The YouTube vid where Homer attempts to vote on an electronic voting machine for Obama but his vote gets changed to McCain is hilarious. Homer gets frustrated and tries touching the screen for Obama again, but the voice on the computer screen calmly reminds him that there are now 2 votes for McCain. Homer being Homer needs to vote for Obama another 6 times giving 8 votes to McCain before the machine goes ahead and just sucks him up into it.

The vote changing is too close to reality for comfort, speaking from someone with local experience with e-voting.

Ah, but to each his own. I have several friends and aquaintances who do not share my taste in humor and I in theirs. But that is what makes this world interesting.

[Batocchio]

The first season isn't that great, certainly in terms of the animation. And I was slow to liking The Simpsons for several reasons. I really didn't like the Tracy Ullman clips, which seemed awfully tired. And I thought the show was watered-down Life is Hell, choking kids wasn't funny and I generally don't like stupid protagonists, nor watching them be humiliated. But it really is a great series, for many reasons. One is it almost always operates on several levels at once, with a basic story, obvious gags and sly cultural references. Another is that the Simpson family, for all the dysfunction, really do love one another. There's a depth behind the wit that helps it – at its best, anyway – perform some brilliant satire, versus spinning in the mean, wannabe ironic hipster realm.

[Lance]

Michael Bartley: seriously you just joined my father's generation...guess it's Little Orphan Annie for you Lance.

Leapin' Lizards, Michael! I don't think you understand. My reaction to the Simpsons really is physical. It has nothing to do with the content. Something sensory about the show makes me ill. You can't tell a person who's allergic to nuts that because he can't eat peanut butter he must therefore like tofu. I do admit to thinking Blondie's kind of hot, though.

[Michael Bartley]

Kinda like those Japanese cartoons and seizures? In that case, I sincerely apologize. It is wrong to make fun of toon illness. As for Blondie, the actress who played her in the movie serial versions was hot. Funny and sexy as I remember. Is there anything better than funny and sexy women? By the way, I'm not saying you have to agree, but Marge is kinda funny and sexy. Okay, now I've crossed the line and made myself a little ill.

[burritoboy]

"I don't know what it is, the color scheme, the voices, the drawing style, the combination, or what. I just can't stand it."

Or just the fact that the show thinks the most predictable inch-deep snarky cynicism is incredibly insightful (yes, admittedly, South Park has a far worse version of the same disease)?