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The Simpsons: 24 Facts

One of these facts is false. Guess which?

1. A feature-length film, The Simpsons Movie, had worldwide release on July 27, 2007. Watch the trailer

2. Since first airing The Simpsons sitcom TV series has aired 400 episodes over 18 seasons, with a new season planned for 2007-2008. 2007 marks the 20th anniversary of The Simpsons franchise.

3. The Simpson family first appeared as "shorts" (nothing to do with eating my shorts) in The Tracey Ullman Show in April 1987. Cartoonist/animator Matt Groening submitted only basic sketches, assuming they'd be cleaned up by the producers. Not so - check out the initial picture.

4. The Fox Network likes to balance their notoriously conservative approach to politics with one or two amusing series intelligent and lightly left-of-centre viewpoints - so long as it doesn't harm the ratings. The Simpsons is one example; The Daily Show another more recent one.

5. The Simpsons' production team protected their rights to free speech with a clause that prevents Fox from interfering in the show's content.

6. The Simpsons is loved by all generations, and many different political persuasions. Time magazine awarded it the prize "20th century's best television series" and it was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

7. Collections of original music featured in the TV series have been released on the albums Songs in the Key of Springfield and Go Simpsonic with The Simpsons.

8. The Simpsons has generated single hits, such as "Do the Bartman", which Michael Jackson co-wrote (a spin-off which never featured in the show.)

9. Some of Bart's catchphrases include "¡Ay, caramba!," "Don't have a cow, man!" "Eat my shorts!" and of course, "I didn't do it".

10. Homer's annoyed grunt "D'oh!" is part of our language now, although almost nobody can spell it.

11. Simpsons episodes are often themed around holidays or cultural events, like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and other occasions.

12. The opening credits sequence changes slightly with every episode of the sitcom.

13. When an episode is running short, the opening sequence is altered to make up the extra time.

14. Coldplay's "It's All Yellow" is a tongue-in-cheek love song to Lisa Simpson.

15. Dubya's dad, former President George H. W. Bush said: "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like The Waltons and less like The Simpsons." This was a move designed to suck up to voters who thought the loveable but naughty Bart should be punished more often.

16. Simpsons T-Shirt Underachiever (and proud if it!) was banned from many schools - but it sold over two billion US dollars in the first 14 months of sales.

17. The Simpsons' writing team consists of 16 top sitcom writers and guest writers.

18. Springfield is not a real town - it represents a stereotypical American small town (there are Springfields in over half the US states) in the same way the South Park does in that series. However Springfield, Vermont recently won the right to call themselves THE Springfield. News story.

19. Springfield, Vermont will host the premiere of The Simpsons Movie.

20. Musician Danny Elfman composed the series' much loved, retro-styled theme song in 1989 at Matt Groening's request.

21. Visual jokes are hidden in the animations, and designed to be noticed only by serious fans who watch a show more than once, or pause on a particular frame.

22. Simpsons is credited with influencing and making a space for other mainstream yet daring adult-oriented cartoons like South Park, Family Guy, King of the Hill, Futurama (D'oh!) and The Critic.

23. The Simpsons Movie has become a marketing monolith. In one promotion twelve 7-Eleven stores were transformed into Kwik-E-Marts selling Simpsons-related products such as "Buzz Cola", "Krusty-O" cereal, "Pink Movie" doughnuts with sprinkles and "Squishees".

24. The movie's script was re-written one hundred times, continuing even after animation had begun. This meant that "two films' worth" of finished material was cut, including cameos from Isla Fisher, Minnie Driver and Erin Brockovich.

Sources: Wikipedia, Outfoxed, and general knowledge (and one outright lie)

Which is the false fact? Tell us what you guess on the message board below.

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