Rumors Were Swirling That Homer Would No Longer Strangle Bart On The Simpsons, So The Show's Writers Released An Official Statement

So this clip caused quite a commotion on the internet this week. Not because the episode was controversial but because the most reliable news sources on Elon's Twitter reported that the long-running gag of Homer choking Bart got the Poochie treatment.

This inevitably led to people losing their fucking minds online about a show they haven't watched in years. I understand that dad choking his son can be viewed as problematic in the year 2023 as doing pretty much anything can be viewed as problematic. However, as someone that regularly bathes in nostalgia to remember when life was significantly better or at the very least didn't suck as much, there is no denying that Homer's "Why you little" is his most recognizable phrase this side of "D'oh" as well as the most relatable phrase now that I am a parent to a real life Bart.

After DAYS of silence, The Simpsons finally responded to the internet running wild with the quote from Homer J. Simpson's mouth (the J stands for Jay).

I'll be honest with you guys, I didn't know The Simpsons had the balls to say that, especially with The Mouse as their boss. Matt Groening having a pile of money that can go from here to the moon a thousand times over probably helps with that. Nonetheless, I am thrilled that we are still able to watch a 10-year-old get strangled by his dad. Wait, that doesn't sound right and not just because I stopped watching The Simpsons roughly two decades ago when it's quality fell off a cliff. 

This is all an important lesson in life that not everything on the internet is what it seems in this clickbait world we live in, even if they have a super duper official gold checkmark. Wait…tricking people for clicks is wrong?

P.S. I mentioned this in a blog earlier this week, but the people that made the extremely awesome and bingeable Netflix shows The Movies That Made Us and The Toys That Made Us have another series out called Icons Unearthed on Prime Video covering legendary franchises like Star Wars, the MCU, and our favorite family my from Springfield. They did a great job recapping all the behind the scenes of The Simpsons from their early days on the Tracey Ullman Show to the Golden Age and sprinkled in what's going on today in 5 Must Watch episodes for Simpsons fans.