(theme music playing)
CHORUS: ♪ The Simpsons ♪
(bell ringing)
(whistle blows)
(beeping)
(playing the blues)
(jazzy solo)
(chimes)
(tires screeching)
(honking horn)
D'oh!
(screams)
(tires screeching)
(rattling)
CHORUS: ♪ The Simpsons ♪
NARRATOR: They were the first family of American laughter...
surfing a tidal wave of hilarity...
-MAN: Look at her vacuum. -(laughing)
...onto the sands of Superstar Bay.
(dramatic cue)
But behind the chortles,
this funny fivesome was trapped
in a private hell.
Everybody wanted a piece of us.
They told us what to wear, how to dress,
which clothes we should put on.
The cops found me driving on the sidewalk.
I had no business hosting the Oscars.
After the show, Meryl Streep spit on me.
NARRATOR: Tonight, the Simpsons as you've never seen them before
on Behind The Laughter.
NARRATOR: The Simpsons' amazing journey began here
in the bustling heartland town of Springfield.
On this unassuming street, two nobodies
named Homer and Marge Simpson settled down to raise a family.
First came baby Bart...
then Lisa Simpson...
(babbling)
(chuckles, yells)
(Marge grunting)
And finally, Maggie.
(gasps) Eh!
Nobody told us how tough it is to raise kids.
They almost drove me to fortified wine.
Then we figured out we could park them in front of the TV.
That's how I was raised, and I turned out TV.
I'd see them sitting on that couch all day long,
just staring at that Hollywood Hogwash.
Our favorite show was Hollywood Hogwash.
But we also loved The Dreck Squad.
The Malarkeys, Dumbin' it Down.
Sheriff Lowbrow.
Home Improvement.
But we never saw people like us on TV.
TV families were always hugging and tackling issues.
Homer kept saying he could do a more realistic family show.
Finally, I said, "So, do it."
Either (bleep) or get off the pot.
NARRATOR: And (bleep) he did.
Using his home as the studio
and his family as the cast,
this penniless peckinpah
shot a crude five-minute video.
My Funny Family, take one.
And... action!
Honey, I'm home.
The boss is coming to dinner
and I need a clean shirt.
I haven't done the laundry yet.
Mama Mia! Now I'll have to do it.
(humming)
Dad, that's too much detergent--
Not now.
I'm busy turning on
this washing machine.
(deep voice) Simpson!
Where's my dinner?
Mama Mia!
It was amazing how fast
Dad betrayed his vision
of a realistic show.
OK, the material was a little corny
but Homer and I had real chemistry onscreen.
Every day, I thought about firing Marge--
You know, just to shake things up.
NARRATOR: Homer didn't fire Marge,
but he did shake things up...
show business things.
D'oh!
(horn honks)
NARRATOR: He tried to show his demo tape to the major networks...
But couldn't get past the guards.
(clang)
(clang, clang, clang)
Fortunately, I had a network connection.
The man who cut my hair was also President of Fox.
(studio fanfare)
NARRATOR: The Simpsons had their foot in the door.
Fox ordered 13 episodes.
But would the public respond?
HOMER: M, E, R.
-OK. -RUPERT: R, U, P...
-HOMER: You're almost there. Good! -...E, R, T.
-("Twist and Shout" plays) -(screaming)
♪ Shake it up, baby ♪
-♪ Twist and shout ♪ -♪ Twist and shout ♪
(laughing)
(gurgling)
I first knew the show was a hit when I walked
into school and a kid was wearing
a Bart Simpson t-shirt.
Fox had an endless supply of clever slogans, man.
Suddenly, I was invited to every birthday party.
Sometimes, I'd have to read the cake
just to know who I was singing to.
NARRATOR: The Simpsons was a smash.
Viewers couldn't get enough of the show's fractured take
on the modern family.
The funniest stuff came right out of real life.
Son, let's go out for frosty chocolate milkshakes.
Cowabunga, dude.
And... Cut.
Dad, I've never said "cowabunga" in my life.
Your script sucks.
Why, you little...
(gagging)
Hey, that's funny.
(crew laughing)
-(sputtering) -(Choking)
(laughing continues)
And that horrible act of child abuse
became one of our most beloved running gags.
NARRATOR: With Simpson merchandise selling like crazy
and Simpson Gin wetting whistles worldwide,
the money was pouring in.
(laughing)
(both growling)
We were using $50 bills as toilet paper
and toilet paper as dog toilet paper.
(laughing)
NARRATOR: Convinced that the good times
would never stop rolling,
the Simpsons moved out
of their trademark house
and into M.C. Hammer's.
(thud)
(grunting)
We found a secret room that was filled to the ceiling
with parachute pants.
I'm wearing some now.
(humming)
NARRATOR: But pants or no pants, the Simpsons were flying high.
Yeah, I've seen all the overnight sensations--
Brad Hall, Rich Hall, Rich Little, Little Richard--
But the Simpsons blew them all away.
They even had a hit record.
Meanwhile, "Krustophenia" sits on the shelf.
None of us had ever sung before
but Mr. Geffen believed in us.
♪ We're gonna groove tonight ♪
♪ We'll make you feel all right ♪
♪ Simpsons Boogie ♪
NARRATOR: "Simpsons Boogie,"
"Lovely to love your lovin',"
and "Simpsons Christmas Boogie" went mega-platinum
and swept the Grammys.
Right,
and the award for
"Best Hardcore Thrash Metal" goes to...
"Simpsons Christmas Boogie"?
♪ Simpsons Christmas Boogie ♪
(growls)
NARRATOR: For America's favorite family,
everything was coming up roses
but those roses contained ready-to-sting bees.
When we come back...
I want to set the record straight.
I thought the cop was a prostitute.
NARRATOR: When Behind The Laughter continues.
(rock music)
NARRATOR: By the end of their first season,
the Simpsons were burning up
Nielsen Boxes in the U.S.
and creating a sensation overseas.
HOMER: Hello, Mr. Lobster.
D'oh!
(goofy, British-accented laughter)
Oh, dear...
Bathtubs of money,
wheelbarrows of awards,
fire hoses of respect--
The Simpsons had it all.
(whooping and cheering)
(bored, halfhearted quasi-cheers)
(groans)
But behind the streamers and confetti,
storm clouds were gathering.
(thunder crashing)
Figurative storm clouds.
Oh, Homer was spending money like a teenage Arab, heh.
He bought me a Rolex and Cashmere jeans.
I felt kind of guilty
'cause I was always trying
to score with his wife.
So, when do we start filming?
Oh.
Even Bart was throwing dough around.
He paid me and Carl a 1000 bucks
to kiss each other.
Hey, did we ever get that money?
NARRATOR: But reckless spending and interracial homoeroticism
were just volume one
of The Encyclopedia Self-Destructica.
Even more harrowing were the events
of one April afternoon.
(spring squeaking)
The script originally called for me to jump the gorge,
but I'd been up all night paying people to kiss,
so Dad volunteered to do the stunt.
Everything was going great at first.
I felt like I was king of the world.
I'm king of the world! Whoo-hoo! Whoo-hoo!
Right about here I realize something's wrong.
-(screaming)
Yup, there I go.
Then came the rocks...
Jagged rocks...
-Hitting me with their jags. -(groaning)
NARRATOR: The sequence became an instant comedy classic
but what the audience didn't see
was the unfunny aftermath.
(agonized screaming)
Mmm.
NARRATOR: Somehow, Homer became
addicted to painkillers.
It was the only way he could perform
-the bone-cracking physical comedy... -Ow! My leg!
NARRATOR: ...that made him a star.
This is the worst pain ever.
Stop pummeling me!
(screaming)
It's really painful!
Why did I take such punishment?
Let's just say that fame was like a drug.
But, what was even more like a drug was the drugs.
NARRATOR: But despite their mounting problems,
the Simpsons' star continued to rise
like a plastic bag caught in an updraft.
LISA: It was such an honor
to be on the Walk of Fame.
I mean, there we were
with Hollywood royalty
like Milton Berle
and Nelson Mandela...
And just a few stars down from the Cheerios Honey Bee.
Awards and honors are great,
but they don't pay the pickle man.
We were earning millions,
but we were always strapped for cash.
One time, Lisa bought a first edition
of Susan B. Anthony Man.
Her check bounced higher than Rubber Girl.
NARRATOR: Where did the money go?
Marge lost much of the family fortune
investing in birth control products.
I learned something.
When people reach for their diaphragm,
they don't want to see my picture.
NARRATOR: As the Simpsons' money dwindled,
their expenses soared.
From the original group of five,
the cast ballooned to dozens...
then hundreds.
I'd never acted before in my life
but, uh, if the sea captain could be in the show,
why not me?
I've even got a catch phrase.
(imitating Edward G. Robinson) Nyah...
(quacking)
No. I lost it.
NARRATOR: Then another bombshell.
An anonymous tipster alerted Uncle Sam
that the Simpsons were evading their income taxes.
(Apu's voice) Yes, I finked on Homer, but, you know, he deserved it.
Never have I seen such abuse
of the "take a penny, leave a penny" tray.
NARRATOR: The tax men were merciless.
Hey! What the...
(screams)
Hey, they can't take our house.
My potbellied pig is in there.
(sobbing)
Oh, Mr. Porky.
(weeping)
NARRATOR: Inevitably, the behind-the-scenes turmoil
took its toll on their TV series.
DIRECTOR: And... action!
Hold on. Cut.
-(groans) For crying out loud. -Oh, man.
DIRECTOR: Bart, if it's not too much trouble...
Fine. I'll do Teen Wolf III.
I've got fair-weather friends to feed.
Dad, I want to go to bed.
Aren't there child labor laws?
Who told you about those laws?
Was it Marge?
Hey, you've been riding me all day.
Why don't you poop in your hat?
Are you going to need us tonight?
I have ballet tickets.
Not that they'll do much good now.
NARRATOR: With the family in disarray,
episodes increasingly resorted
to gimmicky premises
and nonsensical plots.
I'm... An impostor.
That man is the real Seymour Skinner.
(all gasping)
NARRATOR: Trendy guest stars
were shamelessly trotted out
to grab ratings...
(electronic voice) If you are looking for trouble,
you found it.
Just try me, you... Oh!
(karate yells)
NARRATOR: But there were bigger problems offscreen.
After judging a Miss Hawaiian Tropic Beauty Contest
at The Sheraton Haleakalualea,
Bart created a ruckus on a Hawaiian airline jet,
attacking several flight attendants.
While he was in rehab, the part of Bart Simpson was played
by his good friend, Richie Rich.
Bart, what do you mean you have jury duty?
Don't have a cow, Mother.
NARRATOR: Fans reacted to these slapdash episodes
-with yawns... -(man yawns)
-Angry yawns. -(angry yawns)
Desperate to polish their tarnished image,
the family agreed to a live appearance
at the Iowa State Fair.
Right from the start, I had a bad feeling about that gig.
NARRATOR: It was an evening none of them would ever forget.
-Or would they? -(country music playing)
No.
(cheering)
Hello, Iowa!
Does anyone have a donut?
(laughing)
Now, Homer, this is no time
to be thinking about food.
Yeah, forget the donuts.
We're here to go nuts...
Musically, that is.
What kind of songs should we play?
Something that swings with the beat of New Orleans.
No. Something that rocks.
That's the sound of today.
-Swings. -Rocks.
NARRATOR: Sadly, this argument
was not part of the act.
I'll kill you!
(groans) You don't have the guts, little man.
Folks, we're just having a little family tiff.
If you'll just bear with us...
Oh, shut up.
Always trying to act so mature.
I'm glad you make the least money.
Oh, that's it.
-Hey! Hey, stop it! -Stop it!
You-- Ah, let go of me!
NARRATOR: Before a riot could break out,
Jimmy Carter came to the rescue
with his comedy break dancing.
♪ Got a brother named Billy ♪
♪ And my teeth look silly ♪
♪ Break it down, now ♪
(cheering)
(clamoring)
Oh, why you, I'll get ya... Oh!
NARRATOR: The dream was over.
(busy signal)
Coming up...
Was the dream really over?
Yes, it was.
Or was it?
And Homer finds a new passion...
Dusting and polishing mixing boards.
When Behind The Laughter continues.
(rock music)
NARRATOR: The Simpsons' TV show started out
on a wing and a prayer,
but now the wing was on fire
and the prayer had been answered
by Satan.
(laughs)
After the state fair fiasco,
none of the family were speaking to each other.
Fox put the show on hiatus
and replaced it with hidden camera footage
from the dressing room at Ann Taylor.
That slugfest at the state fair was really a blessing.
It gave us a chance to pursue solo projects.
I returned to my first love, the legitimate theater.
As a young female artist,
I really love living in this East Village loft.
-(knocking) -Oh,
that must be our new landlord,
Mr. Stingeley.
(evil laughter)
♪ Where is the rent ♪
♪ I must have the rent ♪
♪ Dollars, dimes and nickels ♪
♪ I need them all right now ♪
I literally chewed the scenery.
NARRATOR: The other family members
were also spreading
their creative wings.
Bart replaced Lorenzo Lamas
in the syndicated action series, Renegade.
If Esposito thinks he's gonna muscle us, he's wrong!
I hear that, Renegade.
Let's do this thing.
NARRATOR: Marge put together a nightclub act.
("I Shot the Sheriff" plays)
♪ I shot the sheriff ♪
♪ But I did not shoot the deputy ♪
♪ She didn't do it ♪
So the next time you see a sheriff,
-shoot him... -(all gasping)
-...a smile! -(all sighing)
Good night, Laughlin!
♪ She didn't do it ♪
(audience cheering)
NARRATOR: Lisa "sang," too,
in a tell-all book blasting the family.
To prolong the run of the series,
I was secretly given anti-growth hormones.
(all gasping)
(shutters clicking)
That's ridiculous.
How could I even get all five necessary drops
into her cereal?
What?
In that family, nobody trusted nobody.
They even brought their lawyers to Thanksgiving dinner.
So, uh...
How's everybody doing?
You don't have to answer that.
Shut up, all of you, or I'll sue!
Oh, save it for your next book, you little snitch.
That's assault! That is assault!
It was the best Thanksgiving ever.
I mean, emotionally, it was terrible.
But the turkey was so moist.
NARRATOR: The carcass of The Simpsons' empire
had been picked clean.
But then came help from an unexpected source.
I knew there was only one person
who could reunite this troubled clan--
My old fraternity brother, Willie Nelson.
I'd do anything for Kegmeister Julius,
so I cooked up a phony awards show.
(warning buzzer)
Not again!
Time-saver, my ass!
When Willie asked me to be a presenter
at the New Awareness Awards,
I had to think about it...
for about a microsecond!
You just don't say "no" to the redheaded stranger.
And when I heard it was for awareness,
that sealed the deal.
NARRATOR: Would Willie's fence-mending eggs
bear fruit
or would his olive branch
be torn apart
by woodpeckers of mistrust?
(loud pecking)
That night, fate wore
a cumberbund of suspense...
(applause)
Thank you, Taco, for that loving tribute to Falco.
And now to present the award for "Most Violent Rap Group,"
Homer Simpson!
-Hi. -(applause)
And Marge Simpson!
What?
(applause)
What's she doing here?
And Bart and Lisa Simpson.
(gasps)
Hey, what's going on?
Well, I'll be honest.
The New Awareness Awards
are all an elaborate sham.
What? (sputters) I knew it was too good to be true.
So this whole thing was just a trick to get us back together.
I'm also trying to patch things up
between Van Halen and Sammy Hagar.
(both groan)
But the main thing is for you folks
to stop this silly feud.
Isn't that right, people?
(cheering)
Hug! Hug! Hug!
CROWD: Hug! Hug! Hug! Hug!
Hug! Hug! Hug! Hug!
Hug! Hug! Hug! (cheering)
NARRATOR: The Simpsons' bitter past was forgotten,
and now the future looks brighter than ever
for this Northern Kentucky family.
We put all the craziness behind us
and now it's time to get back to what matters,
the show and the Sunday comic strip.
Which Homer writes himself.
So you know it's great.
Why, you little...
NARRATOR: So whether choking their son or poking some fun,
the Simpsons will keep on gagging for years to come.
(tape rewinds)
I can't believe it.
We won another contest.
The Simpsons are going to Delaware.
I want to see Wilmington.
I want to visit a screen door factory.
This will be the last season.
Next week on Behind the Laughter.
Huckleberry Hound.
I was so gay, but I couldn't tell anyone.
(rock music playing)
(disco music playing)
SIMPSONS: ♪ We're gonna groove tonight, we'll make you feel all right ♪
♪ Simpsons Christmas Boogie ♪
♪ We're dancing to the beat, we'll make you move your feet ♪
♪ Simpsons Christmas Boogie ♪
-(murmuring) -Shh!
Captioned by Visual Data Media Services