The Simpsons is one of the most popular cartoon series of all time and is currently streaming on Disney+. The series began on December 17, 1989, and has since become a widely recognizable cultural phenomenon.
Since their screen debut, The Simpsons has become synonymous with success. After nearly three decades, there are avid references to the popular show around every corner. Yet, certain Easter eggs, like Slash’s popular World on Fire album art, are more interesting than others.
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Terraria’s Tavernkeep shares a name with the popular Simpsons’ bartender
Credit: Image via Re-Logic
Terraria is one of the most popular 2D sandbox games on the market. It is similar to Minecraft in many ways, but with the addition of helpful and often beloved NPCs. On November 15, 2016, a new NPC was added, called The Tavernkeep, in collaboration with the game Dungeon Defenders 2. Like the other Terraria NPCs, the Tavernkeep can spawn with several names, one of which is a reference to The Simpsons.
The Tavernkeep will often spawn with the name of Moe. Moe is also the name of one of the most popular characters in The Simpsons. The beloved bartender is one of Homer’s most consistent allies and also the victim of many of Bart Simpson’s iconic pranks. This creative reference has caused many Terraria players to recreate Moe’s Tavern within the game.
Unfortunately, that is where The Simpsons reference seems to end. The Tavernkeep is one of the most interesting characters in the game and only accepts Defender Medals instead of the normal in-game currency. However, that has more to do with the Tavernkeep’s relationship with Dungeon Defenders 2 than with The Simpsons.
Terraria
Released
May 16, 2011
ESRB
T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
Developer(s)
Re-Logic
Publisher(s)
505 Games
Slash’s World on Fire album features several distorted Simpsons’ characters
Credit: Image via Gibson Records
Saul “Slash” Hudson is one of the most well-known musicians of all time. He is the lead guitarist for the band Guns N’ Roses but has also had a prominent solo career. In 2019, Slash released the World on Fire album, which has some of the most recognizable cover art of any relatively recent album. Featured prominently on the cover are distorted images of popular Simpsons characters Bart Simpson and Nelson Muntz.
The characters are instantly recognizable despite being severely disfigured. Bart features bulging eyes and a twisted, unfathomably large grin, while Nelson is missing a majority of his lower half. There are other popular characters on the album cover, but The Simpsons’ stars are easily the most iconic.
It remains unknown if the characters’ haunting visages are a commentary on the show itself, but that hasn’t stopped fans from making several theories. Some assume that Bart’s twisted mouth is meant to symbolize his consistent prank calls and how that influenced a generation. Yet, it’s more than likely the characters were simply included due to their highly recognizable nature.
Turning Red references Disney’s buyout
Credit: Image via Disney+
Turning Red came out in 2022 and was released around the time of one of Disney‘s most significant relatively recent purchases. On March 20, 2019, Disney would buy The Simpsons from 21st Century Fox, acquiring yet another media giant. Obviously, Turning Red took the opportunity to capitalize on this fact and is one of the first Disney films with a reference to the beloved adult cartoon shows.
The film’s reference might be small, but it is incredibly significant given the context. When Mei-Mei is giving a tour of her family’s temple, she comments on the lion statues at the front. Not only are the figures meant to guard the temple, but they are also named after Bart and Lisa, the cherished Simpsons’ children.
Since Turning Red is targeted towards children, the reference had to be relatively obscure. Yet, longtime Simpsons fans would immediately recognize the names, especially when used in tandem. Ultimately, this is one small step for Disney but one huge leap for all adult cartoons, at least those that are owned by Disney.
Turning Red
Release Date
March 11, 2022
Runtime
100 minutes
Director
Domee Shi
Writers
Julia Cho, Domee Shi
The Harvest Moon manga features a plethora of Simpsons’ cameos
Credit: Image via Natsume Inc.
Harvest Moon is one of the most popular video game franchises of all time. Behind the video game is a lesser-known but equally well-made manga. The manga’s creator, Yasuhiro Wado, is an avid fan of a lot of pop culture icons and would actively add them to the manga’s pages.
Based on references alone, Wado is clearly a huge fan of The Simpsons. Throughout the manga, there are several direct and indirect references to the series. Characters like Moe and Flanders sometimes appear directly in the background, while other characters like Krusty are referenced on shirts or in the form of dolls.
There are many references to the popular show within the manga. Any fan of the adult-centered cartoon show could easily pick out the iconic characters littered throughout the manga’s pages. Ultimately, the amount of consistent and overt references turns the Harvest Moon manga into a pseudo “Where’s Waldo” with The Simpsons character.
The Band Fallout Boy is actually named after a minor Simpson’s character
Credit: Image via Disney+
One of the most interesting references to The Simpsons in popular media is also one of the most obscure. Fall Out Boy is easily one of the most popular bands of the last several decades, yet some of their most avid fans might not know how the band got its name. Ironically, the 2000s emo-pop band would get its name from a lesser-known Simpsons character.
Fall Out Boy is the less-beloved sidekick to the in-universe superhero Radioactive Man. The character is most significant because Millhouse was cast as the superhero in an apparent film project that would eventually fall through. However, the pop punk icons clearly enjoyed the sidekick a lot.
It’s hard to think of Fall Out Boy with a different name, but without The Simpsons’ character, they might’ve been called something dramatically different. Since the name was suggested by a fan, it has become slightly less significant. Still, it’s a cool anecdote nonetheless. Sadly, The Simpsons has never referenced this interesting connection, which is somewhat out of character for the show.
Ultimately, since The Simpsons is such a popular show, the amount of references isn’t surprising. However, the unique nature of The Simpsons’ various Easter eggs in other media confirms the cartoon’s iconic nature. Hopefully, these clever references continue for as long as the show continues airing.
The Simpsons
Release Date
December 17, 1989
Network
FOX
Showrunner
Al Jean
Directors
Steven Dean Moore, Mark Kirkland, Rob Oliver, Michael Polcino, Mike B. Anderson, Chris Clements, Wes Archer, Timothy Bailey, Lance Kramer, Nancy Kruse, Matthew Faughnan, Chuck Sheetz, Rich Moore, Jeffrey Lynch, Pete Michels, Susie Dietter, Raymond S. Persi, Carlos Baeza, Dominic Polcino, Lauren MacMullan, Michael Marcantel, Neil Affleck, Swinton O. Scott III, Jennifer Moeller
Dan Castellaneta
Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)
Julie Kavner
Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)
Nancy Cartwright
Bart Simpson / Nelson Muntz / Ralph Wiggum (voice)
Yeardley Smith
Lisa Simpson (voice)
