Matt Groening: Difference between revisions

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'''Matt Groening''' (1954) started off in 1977 as a underground cartoonist, best known for his comic strip [[Life in Hell]]. Influenced by [[Peanuts]], [[Underground Comics]] and cult artists like [[Frank Zappa]], [[Captain Beefheart]] and [[The Fugs]] the comic is perhaps Groening's most personal work. Its central characters are two gay little men called Akbar and Jeff and a white rabbit family. The cartoons already poked fun at topics that Groening would later attack in his animated shows: politics, religion, school, family, work, relationships and modern society in general. The comic became a cult success and by the mid 1980s Groening was approached by [[James L. Brooks]] to make an animated TV adaptation of "Life In Hell". Initially Groening agreed, until he learned that he would lose the rights to the comic strip. So instead, he came up with a totally new concept, which became [[The Simpsons]].

''[[The Simpsons]]'' started off in 1987 as extremely short cartoons used as bumpers before and after commercials during ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. Despite being crudely animated and a lot of [[Early Installment Weirdness]] the segments caught on with the American public. By 1989 Groening got the chance to turn the series into a full length prime time animated series, something that hadn't been done since ''[[The Flintstones]]'' in the 1960s. The show quickly became a critically lauded mainstream success, especially thanks to [[Breakout Character]] Bart Simpson. It became the first prime time cartoon series since ''[[The Flintstones]]'' to become popular both with children and adults. Its clever satire, edgy subversiveness, hilarious gags and beyond all that recognizable emotional depth were praised. Its cult success paved the way for other adult cartoon series such as ''[[Beavis and Butthead]], [[South Park]]'' and ''[[Family Guy]]''. Yet, the show wasn't without its critics. Especially in the early years many parents and educators complained about certain scenes they deemed to be offensive or unsuitable for children. Even president [[George H. W. Bush]] attacked the series during the 1992 Republican National Convention by claiming that "the American family should be a lot more like ''[[The Waltons]]'' and a lot less like ''[[The Simpsons]]''." Only a week later ''[[The Simpsons]]'' reacted by letting Bart say: "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're all praying for an end to the depression too." Coincidence or not, but Bush lot the elections later that year.

''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' started off in 1987 as extremely short cartoons used as bumpers before and after commercials during ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. Despite being crudely animated and a lot of [[Early Installment Weirdness]] the segments caught on with the American public. By 1989 Groening got the chance to turn the series into a full length prime time animated series, something that hadn't been done since ''[[The Flintstones]]'' in the 1960s. The show quickly became a critically lauded mainstream success, especially thanks to [[Breakout Character]] Bart Simpson. It became the first prime time cartoon series since ''[[The Flintstones]]'' to become popular both with children and adults. Its clever satire, edgy subversiveness, hilarious gags and beyond all that recognizable emotional depth were praised. Its cult success paved the way for other adult cartoon series such as ''[[Beavis and Butthead]], [[South Park]]'' and ''[[Family Guy]]''. Yet, the show wasn't without its critics. Especially in the early years many parents and educators complained about certain scenes they deemed to be offensive or unsuitable for children. Even president [[George H. W. Bush]] attacked the series during the 1992 Republican National Convention by claiming that "the American family should be a lot more like ''[[The Waltons]]'' and a lot less like ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]''." Only a week later ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' reacted by letting Bart say: "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're all praying for an end to the depression too." Coincidence or not, but Bush lot the elections later that year.

''[[The Simpsons]]'' continued its successful run and is still on television to this day, despite claims that the show isn't as good as it used to be. In 1999 Groening launched another animated series, ''[[Futurama]]'', around a totally different concept. Set in the far future, ''Futurama'', mostly spoofs every science fiction or future dystopia concept in a similar satirical way like [[The Simpsons]]. The program never reached the same amount of immediate popularity that ''[[The Simpsons]]'' did and was thus cancelled by FOX until [[Comedy Central]] revived the series a few years later. Still, its audience keeps growing and will probably be [[Vindicated by History]] later.

''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' continued its successful run and is still on television to this day, despite claims that the show isn't as good as it used to be. In 1999 Groening launched another animated series, ''[[Futurama]]'', around a totally different concept. Set in the far future, ''Futurama'', mostly spoofs every science fiction or future dystopia concept in a similar satirical way like [[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]. The program never reached the same amount of immediate popularity that ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' did and was thus cancelled by FOX until [[Comedy Central]] revived the series a few years later. Still, its audience keeps growing and will probably be [[Vindicated by History]] later.

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* ''[[Life in Hell]]''

* ''[[The Simpsons]]''

* ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]''

* ''[[Futurama]]'''

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* [[Ambiguously Gay]]: Akbar and Jeff in ''[[Life in Hell]]'', Smithers, Lenny and Carl in ''[[The Simpsons]]''.

* [[Ambiguously Gay]]: Akbar and Jeff in ''[[Life in Hell]]'', Smithers, Lenny and Carl in ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]''.

* [[Amusing Injuries]]

* [[And Knowing Is Half the Battle]]: Always parodied.

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* [[Bad Present]]

* [[Bilingual Bonus]]:

** Happens regularly in ''[[The Simpsons]]''

** Happens regularly in ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]''

** In ''Futurama'' a fictional alien language is used in backgrounds so that fans can decipher it.

* [[Biting the Hand Humor]]: Especially the FOX Company.

* [[Black Comedy]]

* [[Boarding School of Horrors]]: ''Life in Hell'' even has a volume called "School is Hell".

** Also a prominent theme in ''[[The Simpsons]]''.

** Also a prominent theme in ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]''.

* [[Breaking the Fourth Wall]]: Happens occasionally.

* [[Brick Joke]]

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** The early "Simpsons" are hardly recognizable at all. Their physical designs were very ugly, the animation was amateurish and many jokes were still very cartoonish and generic. It did have an edginess and subversions, but only in the second season did the satirical component finally start to blossom.

* [[Eccentric Townsfolk]]

* [[Executive Meddling]]: Groening's artistic vision often clashes with the executives of Fox. Still, there aren't that many scenes in both ''[[The Simpsons]]'' or ''[[Life in Hell]]'' that have been censored. Most of Fox's complaints are ignored. Groening has always been lucky that ''[[The Simpsons]]'' was so successful, so the show was never [[Screwed by the Network]], a fate that the less-popular ''[[Futurama]]'' did have to cope with.

* [[Executive Meddling]]: Groening's artistic vision often clashes with the executives of Fox. Still, there aren't that many scenes in both ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' or ''[[Life in Hell]]'' that have been censored. Most of Fox's complaints are ignored. Groening has always been lucky that ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' was so successful, so the show was never [[Screwed by the Network]], a fate that the less-popular ''[[Futurama]]'' did have to cope with.

* [[Four-Fingered Hands]]

* [[Free-Range Children]]: Both in ''Life in Hell'' and ''The Simpsons'' the children are far more mature than their respectable ages;

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* [[Take That, Audience!]]

* [[Write Who You Know]]:

** Several names of characters in ''[[The Simpsons]]'' were derived from street names in Groening's hometown of Portland, Oregon: Terwilliger, Lovejoy, Flanders, Kearney, Van Houten, Quimby, Burnside,... There is even an Evergreen Terrace!

** Several names of characters in ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'' were derived from street names in Groening's hometown of Portland, Oregon: Terwilliger, Lovejoy, Flanders, Kearney, Van Houten, Quimby, Burnside,... There is even an Evergreen Terrace!

** Other names were burrowed from family members (Homer, Marge, Lisa, Maggie, Patty), friends (Dolph) or characters from TV shows he used to watch (Krusty was based on TV clown Rusty Nails, for instance)