The Simpsons is known for making all sorts of jokes, with some especially being dedicated to the show's biggest fans. These are the references to the show's production, history, and even fandom culture. These little "Easter eggs" are ways to give a little special surprise to the fans, as well as occasionally honor the people involved with the making of the series, or poke fun at the world at large.
These Easter eggs can be easy to miss for a variety of reasons. Some might be a hidden joke that only appears in the background of one scene.
Other times, viewers who are not familiar with the show's history or production wouldn't notice anything. Some jokes are designed to specifically reference something about the series' fandom, especially its place in online culture, meaning viewers familiar with such things would likely be the ones to recognize it. Some jokes even pay homage to other shows The Simpsons are connected to.
15 The Hidden McBain Movie
While many fans are already aware of The Simpsons' own movie, they might be surprised to learn that there's a movie hidden within the series. In the series, Rainier Wolfcastle is a famous actor known for playing the McBain character and clips from his career have appeared in episodes throughout the series.
Over the years, fans have noted that the clips can be used to make a whole story. Clocking in around four minutes, the piece reads like a typical "loose cannon cop" movie before settling into a James Bond parody.
Get... Mendoza...
For example, in “The Way We Was,” a clip features McBain get into a confrontation with his boss after learning about Senator Mendoza's drug cartel. “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” sees McBain's friend and partner Scoey get killed, causing McBain to swear revenge on Mendoza. “The War of the Simpsons” has McBain obtain a gun as part of his plan to avenge Scoey.
By “Saturdays of Thunder,” McBain has taken down most of the cartel, with only Mendoza getting away. Ultimately, McBain and Mendoza have their final showdown in “Last Exit to Springfield.”
14 Rival Shows Appearing On Tombstones
The Simpsons likes to have fun when it comes to their Halloween specials. In addition to breaking up the usual format by offering three tales of the macabre, the episodes are often filled with spooky jokes. This includes rewriting the credits to give the people involved more Halloween-themed names, like series creator Matt Groening becoming "Matt Groaning" or "Bat Groening."
Be Careful in the Pet Cemetery
However, in the Halloween story, "Dial Z for Zombies," a few noticeable tombstones can be seen when Bart and Lisa are at the pet cemetery, hoping to use black magic to revive Lisa's deceased cat, the original Snowball. These include graves for Capitol Critters, Fish Police, and Family Dog. All three were the names of rival adult animated shows that proved to be short-lived. Fittingly, each of the shows shared a common bond in that they focused on animals.
13 God Having Five Fingers
In the world of Western animation, it's a common practice to only draw characters with four fingers, meaning three fingers and a thumb, on each hand. This is done to make things easier for the animators. There have been variations of this over the years, such as cartoons where people simply have "flipper hands" without any visible fingers at all.
The Whole World in His Hands...
Not only is the "four-finger" hand design used on The Simpsons, it's occasionally acknowledged, such as Homer being grateful that baby Bart was born with "eight fingers and eight toes." However, there is one exception to this rule. Whenever God makes an appearance, he is usually drawn with more realistic five-fingered hands. In a sense, this helps to signify him as a powerful being, as the "rules of animation" do not apply to him.
12 Richie Sakai
Occasionally, some of the show's staff have made animated cameos in the series. One early example of this was "Richie Sakai," a character who performs at The Happy Sumo's karaoke bar in "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish," singing "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves." The character, described as an anesthesiologist, was based on series producer Richard Sakai.
"Born in the Wagon of a Traveling Show..."
The real Sakai did not voice the character, who was instead voiced by Homer's regular voice actor, Dan Castellaneta. In later episodes, "Richie Sakai" has appeared as a background character in various episodes. Notably, he is mentioned among a list of jazz musicians in "Jazzy and the Pussycats," suggesting the character has retained his interest in music over the years.
11 "Frink Rules!"
In the "Treehouse of Horror" segment, "Homer Cubed," Homer finds himself trapped in new dimension where everything is in 3D. The family turns to local scientist Professor Frink for help. However, in the end, Homer ends up trapped in an even scarier location, the real world, although Homer finds solace in an erotic cake shop.
One Joke Was Aimed At a Simpsons Newsgroup
The story makes use of its sci-fi trappings to share a few math jokes. For example, Homer briefly passes by a row a hexadecimal values. This is an ASCII formula, which translates to "Frink Rules!," reflecting his prominent role in the story.
In addition to this, the false equation, "1782^12 + 1841^12 = 1922^12," can be seen. While false, it appears true when checked on a calculator, due to how the numbers round up. Allegedly, this was added to see how a Simpsons usernet newsgroup, "alt.tv.simpsons," would react to the joke.
10 Paul McCartney's Hidden Lentil Soup Recipe
"Lisa the Vegetarian" deals with Lisa dealing with the guilt of eating animals when the family sits down to a lamb chop dinner after playing with a lamb at a petting zoo. Paul and Linda McCartney appear towards the end of the episode when Lisa feels like an outsider thanks to her interest in a vegetarian lifestyle. Allegedly, the guest appearance came with the stipulation that Lisa would remain a vegetarian in later episodes, as well.
Salt & Pepper, To Taste
In the episode, Paul mentions that a secret recipe for lentil soup is hidden in “Maybe I’m Amazed” when it is played backwards. This was likely a joke on conspiracy theories about hidden messages in songs when played backwards, something Paul McCartney would be familiar with, as he was the subject of the infamous "Paul is dead" rumor, which claimed various songs had hidden messages about his alleged passing.
However, the credits for the episode include both the backwards song and a real lentil soup recipe. Poking fun at the "Paul is dead" rumor, Paul also assures listeners that he is still alive.
9 There's Something Familiar About Yeardley Smith's Podcast
In the episode "Podcast News," Kent Brockman takes an interest in the growing trend of podcasts, even starting his own, "Guilty Grampa," after Homer's father, Abe, gets caught up in a murder investigation. Brockman's podcast becomes so popular that he even gets to meet Yeardley Smith, who serves as a co-host for the true crime podcast, "Small Town Dicks."
Even the Podcast Was Real
Smith tries to share some professional advice with Brockman, warning him to be cautious when it comes to stories where there isn't much solid proof, as they can end up hurting the reputation of real people. Brockman notes something familiar about Smith's voice, but she suggests he probably recognizes her voice from the podcast, quickly denying any other possibilities.
However, the joke is that Yeardley Smith is already a mainstay of The Simpsons family, being the voice of Lisa Simpson herself. Added to this, "Small Town Dicks" is indeed a real podcast Smith co-hosts and produces.
8 Maggie Being Priced $847.63
One of the most famous aspects of The Simpsons is the series' intro. Occasionally, the opening animation is remade after a few years. A few jokes even keep the intro fresh from one episode to another, from whatever Bart writes on the chalkboard to the couch gag finale. However, the intro is still consistently familiar.
The Price Has Changed Over The Years
One joke seen while Marge is briefly going grocery shopping is that Maggie is accidentally checked and bagged. The price originally given for Maggie, $847.63, is not a random number. It actually reflected the monthly cost of raising a child in 1989. In some later episodes, the new price is given as $486.52. The show has also occasionally changed the number for a joke. One Halloween special had Maggie's price read as "666."
7 Dan Castellaneta Exists in the Show's Universe
Homer's voice actor, Dan Castellaneta, apparently exists in The Simpsons' universe, having appeared in a few stories. "I Am Furious (Yellow)" features a voice actor based on Dan Castellaneta who is hired to voice the title character in Bart's Angry Dad web cartoons, which revolve around a parody of Homer. The actor even shares Homer's famous catchphrase, "D'oh!"
From Second City to The Tracey Ullman Show
"Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife" has the family properly encounter Castellaneta on a tour, where he is referred to as a star from The Tracey Ullman Show. Homer asks him to say something funny while leaning out of a tour vehicle. Castellaneta warns Homer not to do this, but Homer just ignores it before getting hit by a statue of Mischa Barton.
In "He Loves to Fly and He D'ohs," Homer and Mr. Burns watch Castellaneta at Second City Theater, a reference to how the real-life actor started his career.
6 Bart Denying He's an Adult Woman
In animation, young boys have occasionally been voiced by adult women instead of actual children. After all, in animation, characters can stay as young as they were when the show first started, meaning child actors would eventually grow out of the role. Bart Simpson is no exception to this, as he's famously voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright.
But He Plays One On TV
In the opening chalkboard gag for "Dead Putting Society," Bart writes that "I am not a 32 year old woman." At the time, this was a joke on Cartwright's upcoming birthday as well as animation's top "bad boy" being played by an adult woman.
This practice was also likely poked fun at in "Three Dreams Denied." which sees Bart get hired to do voice work for a fictious series, "Cookie Castle." Unbeknownst to Bart, his character is a princess. The bullies, many of whom were also young boys voiced by women, mock Bart over this, until the character ends up going on a murderous rampage, earning their respect.
5 Marge Using a Cell Phone In the Updated Intro
The Simpsons is a long-running show. Thanks to this, it can occasionally showcase the changes the world has undergone over time when comparing the older stories to the new ones, even if little time has passed within the stories themselves. One such example was the popularity of the cell phone in American culture. For example, when new student Alex is seen with a cell phone in "Lard Of The Dance," it's treated as something unusual that impresses Lisa's classmates.
Driving While Distracted
However, cell phones would become more commonplace in American culture. This has naturally been reflected on The Simpsons, with even members of the titular family having phones. Notably, in the updated version of the intro, Marge is seen on her phone when she accidentally drives into Homer. Of course, this little distraction also adds some context to why the normally cautious Marge is being so careless with her driving.
4 Homer's Face Having Hidden Letters
Homer Simpson has a seemingly simple appearance, but there is actually an Easter Egg hidden within the famous character. The line of hair above Homer's ear can make the form of the letter "M," while Homer's ear also vaguely resembles the letter "G." These are series creator Matt Groening's initials, effectively putting his autograph on each episode.
Homer's Also Been Noted to Resemble a Certain Robot
This is acknowledged in the episode, "Sleeping With The Enemy," where Homer explains that each of the Simpsons is made up of circles, alluding to how cartoon characters are often made up of simple shapes. While drawing himself, towards the end, Homer notes that his hair and an ear make an "M and a G."
A similar joke about Homer's design also appears in the Futurama crossover, "Simpsorama," in which Lisa and Bart note their father's resemblance to Bender, even changing a drawing of Homer to his new robot buddy, reflecting both shows' similar art styles.
3 Matt Groening Being a Character
The series' creator might not have named a main character after himself, but the man himself, or at least his animated alter-ego, has made a few appearances throughout the series. One of his most notable appearances was in "My Big Fat Geek Wedding," where he appeared at a convention.
He is still famous in the world of animation and fandom culture, albeit as the creator of Futurama. During the appearance, Groening appears quite indulgent of his fans, allowing them to pull his beard or pull his beard.
Comic Book Guy's Not a Fan
Other times, he doesn't always appear to have a good reputation, as he's on Comic Book Guy's banned list, alongside Bart and Milhouse, as seen in "Worst Episode Ever." Variations of the animated Groening have also appeared in the series. For example, a prehistoric Groening is seen working on a cave painting towards the end of “To Courier With Love." A version of Groening little resembling his real-life counterpart also appears in "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular."
2 Characters Being Named After Matt Groening's Family
When telling a story, it's only natural for someone to incorporate elements of their real life into the worlds they create. This is certainly the case with The Simpsons, as many members of Matt Groening's family were the namesakes of the famous family. Homer and Marge were named after Groening's parents while Lisa and Maggie were named after his sisters. Bart serves as exception to this, as his name was meant to serve as an anagram of "brat."
Though Grampa Was Apparently a Happy Accident
However, some characters are a little less clear-cut. Marge's sister Patty is actually named after Groening's older sister. Similarly, while Chief Wiggum and his family aren't related to the Simpsons on the show, "Wiggum" was actually Groening's mother's real-life maiden name.
Funnily enough, this wasn't always intentional. Allegedly, Groening originally intended for Grampa Simpson to be an exception to this trend and asked the staff to just make up a name for him. The writers ultimately gave Homer's father the name "Abraham," or "Abe," little realizing that actually was Groening's paternal grandfather's name in real life.
1 All the Shout-Outs To Futurama
The Simpsons and its sister series, Futurama, have paid tribute to each other quite a bit over the years. Granted, some are quite blatant, such as Bender making a few cameos throughout the series. In fact, the two series even had an animated crossover in "Simpsorama."
From Hypno-Toad to New New York
However, some jokes have been a bit more subtle. In "Helter Shelter," Comic Book Guy has models of Bender and the Planet Express Ship on display. "Holidays of Future Passed" makes reference to "New New York," the setting of Futurama. In "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot", Bender's name is listed among various fighting robots. Even the Hypno-Toad has made a few appearances on The Simpsons, such as in "The Kid is All Right" and "Treehouse of Horror XXIV."
