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SIMPSONS To Shoot Apatow’s Decades-Old Spec Script!!
Before Judd Apatow landed jobs writing “The Larry Sanders Show” and “The Ben Stiller Show,” before he masterminded “Freaks and Geeks” and “Undeclared,” before he produced “Anchorman” and “Girls” and before he wrote and directed comedy blockbusters “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up” – Judd Apatow wrote a spec script for “The Simpsons.”
Apatow mentioned the "Simpsons" spec he wrote during an interview to promote “This Is 40.”
“Simpsons” showrunner Al Jean saw the interview, contacted Apatow and bought the script sight unseen. And now it’s going into production.
The episode deals with what happens after Homer is hypnotized into thinking he’s 10 years old.
Jean still hasn’t seen the script, which will apparently be rewritten to bring it to “Simpsons” standards.
The Apatow script was written 22 years ago, when Sam Simon was running the show and “The Simpsons” was hilarious.
Find Entertainment Weekly’s story on the matter here.
Readers Talkback
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Nov. 21, 2012, 4:50 p.m. CST
Didn't they already do an episode where he was hypnotized into a 10 year old?
by Silv
That's why he started screaming constantly cause he remembered seeing a dead body.
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Nov. 21, 2012, 4:52 p.m. CST
...be rewritten to bring it to “Simpsons” standards
by PlayerHater_of_the_year
So celebrity cameo mixed with PC pandering. 22 yr old script+an Obama or Taylor Swift+ illegal immigration love= comedy gold!
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Nov. 21, 2012, 5:15 p.m. CST
@playerhater_of_the_year - your butthurt Repub/GOP bullshit belongs at the Drudge Report's talkback.
by TheKiller7
Seriously.
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Nov. 21, 2012, 5:16 p.m. CST
@playerhater_of_the_year - Seriously, you sound like a fugitive from rushlimbaughforum(.)com
by TheKiller7
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Nov. 21, 2012, 5:17 p.m. CST
Anyway... I guess they have to dig up stuff these days. Running out of ideas was bound to happen.
by TheKiller7
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That has to be a misquote. everyone knows the Simpsons hasn't had standards since about the 11th season.
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Nov. 21, 2012, 5:44 p.m. CST
John Schwartzwelder wrote most of the funny episodes anyways.
by JudasPriestly
But that was almost 10 years ago. If they want the Simpsons funny again, they need to bring him back!
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Nov. 21, 2012, 5:47 p.m. CST
Well, that's if John Schwartzwelder actually exists and isn't just a name the writers used as a room.
by ROBRAM89
Not saying that's true but the evidence is there.
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Nov. 21, 2012, 5:50 p.m. CST
The Simpsons died right around when Clinton left office, now its a living nightmare
by Saen
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He appears (very briefly) in one of the DVD audio commentaries. He's also the author of several (not Simpsons related) books.
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Nov. 21, 2012, 6:36 p.m. CST
Seasons 3 to 8... Mostly all masterpieces course I was high all day in the mid 90's
by Mr Soze
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SIMPSONS DID IT!
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Nov. 21, 2012, 9:42 p.m. CST
I'd rather see a Dan Harmon Simpson's script than Apatow.
by Joey Stars
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I'm tired of people bagging the simpsons. It is still one of the finest shows on TV, the simpsons on a bad day is still better than most other stuff, especially family guy, on their best day. Yes, there were a few iffy seasons, but those seasons were still pretty damn fine, and even the iffy episodes still had funny moments. More importantly, from about season 18, so for the last six years, the simpsons seems to have found its way back to its sentimental roots. Consider the following episodes: Santas little helper becomes a police dog Homer does his memory bubble thing to find out what happened Homer wins the lottery and secretly does things for Marge Homer and Wiggum become good friends Ned and Edna becoming a couple The recent one with Marge wanting another kid The one where Moe works with Lisa at the writing festival All the ones with Kiefer Sutherland The one where the dog eats the pigeon Just off the top of my head! There are many great episodes, and I want to see the show reach 30 seasons, at least. The rest of you shut up, just shut up!
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I'm sure despite being rewritten to a point where it will barely resemble the original script, it will be heavily promo'd *Tune in for next week, written by the writer producer director of 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, This is 40... Judd Apatow!*
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There's a ton of SLEDGEHAMMER! and SIMPSONS connections....just sayin.
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Nov. 22, 2012, 2:47 a.m. CST
Bringing things up to current Simpsons standards...so, taking out any of the jokes that might accidentally make someone laugh?
by Stegman84
I mean we live in an age now where it's considered a good Simpsons episode if it has a single funny moment in it, and we can't even get that on any kind of a consistent basis. Pretty depressing really.
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Will cartoon versions of his annoying-and-ugly-as-fuck kids appear in the episode?
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Lisa: "Dad, you can't take revenge on animals. That's the whole point of Moby Dick." Homer: "Lisa, the point of Moby Dick is, "Be yourself." RIP
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Nov. 22, 2012, 8:11 a.m. CST
You can mark the beginning of when the Simpsons started to suck with two words:
by MrEkoLetMeLive
Arman Tamzarian.
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...those were some of the most hackneyed episodes, not just of the Simpsons, but of any sitcom running during that time. Flanders and Krabapple and a poll to decide of they were a couple? That's the kind of lazy, market driven, writing that classic Simpsons would've parodied, not utilized.
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I think you meant 'leprechaun jockeys.' The Skinner ep was a bump in the road, the 'jockey' ep was where they said 'fuck it' for good.
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Although there were some blips around season 11 the season 12 episode new kids on the bleech contains almost all of the offensive shit that started to plague the simpsons. Random celebrity cameo for no reason what-so-ever including actually having a live action shot of them in the recording booth at the end, the episode itself is unfunny and again completely ridiculous. For me it was the moment i turned to my brother and went "so that's what a terrible episode of the simpsons is like"
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Nov. 22, 2012, 11:01 a.m. CST
Oooh..."funnier than Family Guy"...THAT's a sign of quality
by OutsideChance
Holy damning with faint praise, Batman!
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You don't know what you're talking about. Nedna was no more lazy or market driven than Who Shot Mr Burns. The episodes I listed were strong and very sentimental, like some of the best episodes of old. I don't think they are AS good, perhaps because of rose colored glassed, but they are still VERY VERY good.
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It used to be great, now it's tired...irrelevant.
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The difference is, The Simpsons actually has writers, while Family Guy has manatees nudging different idea balls around.
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You're actually funnier than zombie Simpsons at this point.
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It's clear you haven't been watching, and just like to hate. Which is fine, but do yourself a favor and actually check out some of the episodes I listed.
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lisa needs braces
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lisa needs braces
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lisa needs braces
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The Simpsons is a joke now, no one ever talks about it and the ones watching seem to be only out of notalgia or boredom... I just wish the Simpsons would leave or change things up. Grow the kids up- Lisa and Bart in junior high, make Maggie in grade school... Its so dumb to keep them frozen. With all of those experiences, they never seem to evolve. Homer has lost his job how many times? Marge has kicked him out how many times? Do something with the great supporting cast.... Ralph Wiggum needs more screen time as does Moe... Just stop being so damn bland and repeatitive.
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who has watched it from the begining, as I use to; been there actually since the Tracy Ulman days, will know what I mean... I used to love this show, but around season 9, 10 or so it lost it. Armin Tansmarian episode did not help matters... It became the very thing it made fun of; a sitcom. Cliched, contrived plots and out-of-character moments. Add, rinse and repeat is the formula now, only not funny... sad.
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I'm sorry but the Simpsons has been very good for at least a few years now.
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Since going HD The Simpsons have been back to being one of the better animated shows on TV. Consistently more entertaining than Family Guy who are in their own creative funk. I don't know what happened along with the format change - new writers, or just better motivation - but the show has been far better than seasons 12-19 or whatever it was. Those complaining about it now don't seem to be watching it either, it's just "It was better in Season XX" type responses blindly posted. The internet version of "in my day"
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Didn't like them. Until this season I kept my DVR set On season pass. I'd give every episode a chance before shutting it off. No more. At this point Simpsons is, sadly, the low point of the Fox Sunday lineup
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Nov. 23, 2012, 3:22 p.m. CST
Jesus, I was a senior in high school when Simpsons s1 started
by cromulent
FUCK I'M OLD
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http://tinyurl.com/catj7d3
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Oo ee oo ah ahh ting tang walla walla bing bang ...
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