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ELEVEN sensitive to Springfield disasters

An episode of The Simpsons which included a tsunami was dropped by ELEVEN earlier this month following the Japan disaster.

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They say in comedy, timing is everything.

An episode of The Simpsons which included a tsunami was dropped by ELEVEN earlier this month following the Japan disaster.

But the network won’t be going to the extremes of dropping episodes that have references to nuclear power stations, or nuclear meltdowns. That could be a lot of episodes given Homer Simpson is of course, employed at the plant owned by Mr. Burns.

An Austrian network pulled two eps which include jokes about radiation poisoning and nuclear meltdowns: 1992’s “Marge Gets a Job” and 2005’s “On a Clear Day I Can’t See My Sister.”

Executive producer Al Jean has said he appreciates the sensitivity and will make sure no upcoming episodes “even approach” the subject of nuclear accidents.

A TEN spokeswoman has said all new and repeat Simpsons episodes are, as a matter of course, reviewed before going to air in case sensitive issues are detected, particularly during natural disasters.

An episode that involved fire bugs was also removed during the Victorian Black Saturday bushfires.

Source: Courier Mail

17 Responses

  1. It’s a common occurence for the producers to notify stations of potential problems with episodes. I think TEN might have received a list from FOX.
    insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/27/simpsons-al-jean-nuclear-japan/

  2. Its times like these that i feel sad for society and where it is heading. Its interesting things which are harmless fun are heavily sensored and things which should be sensored are not. What happened in Japan is horrifiing and is further reason why australia should not be using or exporting uranium, and the old “well if we dont someone else will” arguement is just stupid and childlish. Whenever nuclear energy is mentioned that is a time to pull out the old Helen Lovejoy saying “Will somebody please think of the children?”

  3. I can’t be the only one thinking Ten/Eleven pulled the episodes because of damage done to the nuclear industry, and nothing to do with the damage done to Japan.

  4. Correction: It’s not earlier this month that the affected episode would be aired, it was happened last Thursday. They supposed to air the 18th Treehouse of Horror which originally aired in November 2007 but a later episode of season 19 was replaced instead. That episode there was plots about aliens, a parody of Mr and Mrs Smith then they talk about the 7 Deadly Sins. Confusing on why they removed it! Victoria did not get an Simpsons episode about bushfires during the Black Saturday fires due to extended Ten News but other states scheduled to have it removed it.

  6. It’s the season 19 halloween episode!
    I deducted this by the adveanced guide for Eleven. It had Season 19 ep 04 followed by ep 17 ‘Appoclipse Cow’, where Bart befriends a cow in danger of growth hormones and stuff ‘Coles’ claims it doesn;t have in it’s beef. I knew this last Thursday, when it aired, as I recalled the advanced guide telling me halloween ep and what do I get a mad cow ep! I My EPG had ep 17 ‘Appoclipse Cow’ listed! I had to check at leat 3 times just to see if I was on the right page! btw I just looked at the wikipedia list as well to check and also looked into the ep synopsis according to wikipedia and it clearly states, little or no Tsunami! I’m sorry that’s the only one and as to why they’d cut it, I have no idea!

  9. @ Ruddeger: That episode was still on regular rotation on Channel Ten. However, all references (and visuals) of the twin towers were removed from subsequent U.S. airings of the episode. The episode was released in its entirety on DVD though.

    Fun fact… in 2004, there was an episode of Pokemon that wasn’t aired at all due to earthquakes that had occurred in Japan.

  10. Maybe it’s the ep where Sideshow Bob and his brother build a dam, and when it collapses a wave of water goes over Springfield, leaving Ralph Wiggum to think he wet the bed.

  11. @Adam, there was one where a dam broke and Ralph Wiggum was washed down evergreen terrace still in bed and was mortified he “wet the bed”… that’s the only one I can think of.

  14. This is just silly. I think people need to take a deep breath and realize its just a cartoon with no reference to the current situation in Japan.

  17. I know the situation in Japan is sensitive but seriously pulling re-runs that are almost 20 years old, what next are they going to edit the DVDs we can buy?

    This reminds be of 9-11 when they started removing the twin towers from any show shot in New York City.

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