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Bart Simpson

2009-12-10T15:08:51Z

Adolphus79: vandalism / test revert...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[File:Bart Simpson.svg|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], [[Jacqueline Bouvier (Simpsons)|Jacqueline Bouvier]] and [[Clancy Bouvier (Simpsons)|Clancy Bouvier]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}

'''Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is always assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him and other students with various gestures and rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2008) contradicted much of the backstory's time frame; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially ''The [[Krusty the Clown]] Show'' which includes the ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and has been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He works as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> as a doorman in Springfield's [[burlesque house]], the Maison Derrière in "[[Bart After Dark]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Richard; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-04 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> and briefly owns his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt=A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986, while waiting in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|date=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart", an anagram of the word ''brat'', for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|date=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=distributed by ''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart: Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessdate=October 7, 2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]'', Bart's full middle name is JoJo.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all of the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes have Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were vinyl Bart dolls in production and purchased one to use as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson.]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was resolved and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The dispute was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright's pay rose to $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of many ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor such as "The First Amendment does not cover burping",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lemon of Troy|episodelink=Lemon of Troy|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brent Forrester|Forrester, Brent]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-14|season=06|number=24}}</ref> [[popular culture|pop culture]] references such as "[[The Sixth Sense|I can't see dead people]]",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Take My Wife, Sleaze|episodelink=Take My Wife, Sleaze|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1999-11-28|season=11|number=08}}</ref> and [[meta-reference]]s such as "I am not a 32 year old woman" and "Nobody reads these anymore".<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref name="Martin">Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because a shorter opening title sequence, where the chalkboard gags are cut, is used to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's early [[hallmark]]s were his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but rapidly realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey (The Simpsons)|Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref name="Some"/><ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Bart Simpson - Skateboarding.png|left|thumb|200px|Bart's nude scene in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.]]
The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts manufactured during the production of the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' (2007), Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right|halign=left|quote=Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}

Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cantor, P |journal=Political Theory|title=The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family|url=http://www.unf.edu/~pharwood/3075/simpsons.pdf|format=PDF|page=738 |work=Political Theory|volume=27 |issue=6|year=1999|month=December}}</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can also be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of most male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel:<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of the school environment. Bart, however, missed having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will choke him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat as their characters were explored.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is a much more caring, understanding and nurturing parent than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and began acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart protested at her over-mothering but as her attitude changed, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to experience humiliation if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=left|halign=left |quote=Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, the two are often very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa: When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this behavior, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been close friends at times.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my whole life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and treats Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, which turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never directly explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> When Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plans in "Krusty Gets Busted", it sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob repeatedly return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob has appeared in ten episodes, generally plotting various evil schemes, but is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
===Bartmania===
While later seasons would focus on Homer, Bart was the lead character in most of the first three seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family — Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia, such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver — and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart announcing various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[Image:Michael Jackson 1984.jpg|left|thumb| [[Michael Jackson]], a fan of Bart, wrote the song "[[Do the Bartman]]".]]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared at every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History — The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in the United Kingdom. In 1991 it was the number one song in the UK for three weeks from February 16 to March 9 and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=5|title=All the Number 1 Singles–1990s|accessdate=2008-12-01|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote that "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When a backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=The 1992 Campaign: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN — TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 1992, Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Lisa would occasionally advertise it too. Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist — The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Bart and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
* <cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=[[My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy]]|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=[[Leaving Springfield|Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture]] | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Film characters]]
[[Category:Prank calling]]

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Shontelligence

2009-11-21T15:20:11Z

Adolphus79: remove colloquialism...

{{Infobox Album 
| Name = Shontelligence
| Cover = Shontelligence.jpg
| Type = [[Studio album]]
| Artist = [[Shontelle]]
| Released = {{Start date|2008|11|18}}<br />{{Start date|2009|3|10}} (re-release)
| Recorded = 2006 — 2008
| Length = 40:23
| Genre = [[contemporary R&B|R&B]], [[Pop music|Pop]]
| Label = [[SRC Records]]/[[Motown Records]]
| Producer = [[Supa Dups|Dwayne "Supa Dups" Chin-Quee]], Classic Soul Productions, Andrew Frapton, Fredo, The Heavyweights, The Jam, [[Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers]], [[Stargate (production team)|Stargate]], Wayne Wilkins
| Reviews = *''[[ARTISTdirect]]'' {{Rating|3|5}} [http://artistdirect.com/music/review/0,,4876558,00.html link]
*''[[The Guardian]]'' {{Rating|3|5}} [http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/mar/06/shontelle-shontelligence-album-review]
*''[[LiveDaily]]'' {{Rating|3.5|5}} [http://www.livedaily.com/news/15242.html link]
*''[[The New York Times]]'' (negative) [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02E2DC173DF934A25752C1A96E9C8B63 link]
| Last album =
| This album = '''''Shontelligence'''''<br />(2008)
| Next album = ''[[Licky]]''<br />(2010)
| Misc = {{Singles
| Name = Shontelligence
| Type = Studio
| single 1 = [[T-Shirt (song)|T-Shirt]]
| single 1 date = July 15, 2008
| single 2 = [[Stuck with Each Other]]
| single 2 date = February 10, 2009
| single 3 = [[Battle Cry (song)|Battle Cry]]
| single 3 date = June 9, 2009

}}
}}

'''''Shontelligence'''''<ref>[http://www.rap-up.com/2008/10/17/album-cover-shontelle-shontelligence/ Rap-Up.com// no one on the corner got swagga like us>> blog archive>> Album Cover - Shontellle]</ref> is the debut album of [[Barbados|Barbadian]] R&B singer [[Shontelle]]. It was released on [[November 18]], [[2008]].<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001H9N89I Amazon.com - Shontelligence: Shontelle: Music]</ref> The album was re-released due to low sales, on [[March 10]], [[2009]].

==Background==
Speaking to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning 'Blues & Soul' in February 2009, Shontelle described how the album title first came about: "We were actually hanging out in the studio, kinda waiting for things to bubble up - you know, the guys there tend to get a bit silly sometimes with their sense of humour. So one guy somehow comes up with this bright idea - 'Hey Shontelle! Let's play a word-game with your name today! Whoever can come up with the most words using your name gets free lunch!'! So they're like 'Shontel-evator', 'Shontel-evision', 'Shontel-icopter'... Then my engineer, Al, suddenly turns round and says 'Yeah, that's some real Shontelligence there!'... And straightaway everyone in the studio turned around at the same time, and were like 'That has to be your album title!'!"<ref>http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/388/shontelle_randbs_the_next_big_thing/ Pete Lewis Interviews Shontelle - 'Blues & Soul' February 2009</ref>

==Reception==
===Commercial===
The album was released on November 18, 2008 and reportedly sold 1,000 records in its first day of release. The album sold 4,850 records in its first week, and debuted at #115 on the [[Billboard 200]]. The album went on to sell 25,000 records by February, 2009. Due to low sales [[SRC]] chose to re-release the album only 4 months later on [[March 10]], [[2009]]. The re-release did not sell very well either. Incorporating sales original version and the re-issue of the album. As of July, 2009, the record has sold 50,000 copies in the US and 10,000 copies in the UK.

===Critical===
The album has received generally mixed reviews from music critics.

'''Ben Ratliffe of [[The New York Times]] gave the album a mixed review stating that:'''
:Any pop singer who's been through that mill, willingly or not, has something to tell, but it feels as if Shontelle's individuality is being squelched. The first two tracks, ''T-Shirt'' and ''Battle Cry,'' both produced by Wayne Wilkins, are the singles, and they stand apart from the rest of the album. They're rampagingly sweet R&B songs, one about the solidarity of lust, one about the solidarity of friendship. After that -- largely in songs produced by Mr. Sturken and Mr. Rogers -- things go sharply downhill. There are enough acoustic guitar and reggae grooves to distinguish ''Shontelligence'' from most R&B records, but it hardly matters; this is a record in which a song called ''Ghetto Lullabye,'' inevitably rhymes its title with the line ''hush now, shorty, don't you cry.'' A potential identity for Shontelle almost rises up in ''Plastic People,'' about political conformity, but it's for naught: redolent of Des'ree's ''You Gotta Be,'' the song is already drowning in sonic conformity.<ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02E2DC173DF934A25752C1A96E9C8B63</ref>

'''Alex Macpherson of [[The Guardian]] gave the album a mixed 3/5 stars stated that:'''
:The album's lead single was horrible and she preferred Rihanna to Shontelle, and labeled her a "wannabe hitmaker", citing "the bland lyrics" of "T-Shirt" being comparable to any R&B song.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/nov/20/new-band-shontelle</ref> . However, [[The Guardian]]'s review of the album was much more positive, citing the artist's "thoughtful songwriting and an understated vocal presence," and comparing her to Ne-Yo.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/mar/06/shontelle-shontelligence-album-review</ref>

'''David Balls of [[Digital Spy]] gave the album a mixed 3/5 stars:'''
:Crafted by a team of established hitmakers including Stargate and Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken, Shontelligence certainly has the potential to shift units in an age of disposable R&B. But considering Shontelle's high-achieving past, it's disappointing that the handful of shining moments are dimmed by a barrage of mediocrity. Still, with her strong ambition and clear determination to succeed, you wouldn't bet against her best being yet to come.

==Singles==
*"[[T-Shirt (song)|T-Shirt]]" was released as the first single from the album on July 15, 2008. It peaked at #36 on the [[Billboard Hot 100]] in the US, giving Shontelle her first Top 40 hit. The song was released in the UK on February 23, 2009. The song was most successful there because it went to #6 on the Uk chart. It was also A-listed on Radio 1's playlist and received strong rotation on music channels. The song peaked inside the Top 50 in Canada and Ireland as well.

*"[[Stuck with Each Other]]" (featuring [[Akon]]) was released as the second single from the album on February 10, 2009. The song was a bonus track from the re-release of the album and it was also featured in the ''Confessions of a Shopaholic'' and on the movie's soundtrack. It was also released as a single from the ''Confessions of a Shopaholic'' soundtrack. It was released only in the form of a digital download in the UK on May 25, 2009 and it still went to #23 there. The song also reached #50 in Ireland and #64 on the US [[Billboard Pop 100]] despite receiving no promotion and minimal airplay.

*"[[Battle Cry (song)|Battle Cry]]" was released as the third and final single from the album on June 9, 2009. It was released as a promo single on October 21, 2008 in support of the [[Barack Obama]] compilation album. The song failed to chart in the US. "Battle Cry" was also released in the UK as the third single on August 10, 2009<ref>[http://www.ilikemusic.com/urban/Shontelle_Battle_Cry-7468 Shontelle - Battle Cry Review - I Like Music]</ref> and has so far managed a peak of #61 without promotion there.

;Other Notable Songs
*"[[Roll It]]" was a song written by Sheldon Benjamin and Shontelle for Alison Hinds, it was titled "Roll It Gal" and become a big hit in Caribbean countries. The song was later re-released in certain areas of Europe under the new title "Roll It" and performed by "J-Status and Rihanna" with backing vocals from Shontelle it was most successful in Finland peaking at #8. Shontelle included the song on her debut album with vocals sang solely by her.

==Track listing==
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! #
! Title
! Composer(s)
! Time
|-
| 1.
| "[[T-Shirt (song)|T-Shirt]]"
| A Frampton/W Wilkins/S Kotecha
| 3:54
|-
| 2.
| "[[Battle Cry (Shontelle song)|Battle Cry]]"
| J Jones/J Kugell/W Wilkins/J Pennock/J Omley
| 3:33
|-
| 3.
| "Superwoman"
| A Ghost/T Hermansen/M Eriksen/I Dench
| 4:20
|-
| 4.
| "Cold Cold Summer"
| C Sturken/S Layne/E Rogers
| 3:44
|-
| 5.
| "[[Roll It]]"
| S Layne/S Benjamin
| 3:31
|-
| 6.
| "Life Is Not An Easy Road"
| D Chin-Quee/S Layne/M Chin
| 3:45
|-
| 7.
| "Focus Pon Me"
| S Layne/E Joseph
| 3:07
|-
| 8.
| "Plastic People"
| S Layne/E. Rogers/C. Sturken
| 4:00
|-
| 9.
| "I Crave You"
| S Layne/E. Rogers/C. Sturken
| 3:57
|-
| 10.
| "Ghetto Lullaby"
| F. Odesjo/S Layne/E. Rogers/C. Sturken
| 3:06
|-
| 11.
| "Flesh and Bone"
| S Layne/E. Rogers/C. Sturken
| 3:31
|}

;Bonus Tracks

{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Title
! Composer(s)
! Time
|-
| "Naughty" <small>(ft. [[Beenie Man]]) (UK Bonus Track)</small>
| Troyton Rami/Xavier Cordover
| 3:21
|-
| "[[Stuck with Each Other]]" <small>(Re-release Bonus Track)</small><sup>1</sup>
| Diane Warren
| 3:20
|-
| "Blaze It Up" <small>(ft. [[Collie Buddz]]) (U.S. [[iTunes]] Bonus Track)</small><sup>2</sup>
| S Layne/K. Holland/C. Harper
| 3:53
|}
*<sup>1</sup> <small>Featured on the [[Confessions of a Shopaholic]] Soundtrack</small>
*<sup>2</sup> <small>B-Side to "[[T-Shirt (song)|T-Shirt]]" in the UK</small>

==Charts==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Chart
! Peak<br>position
|-
|align="left"|[[UK Albums Chart]]
|align="center"|147
|-
|align="left"|U.S. [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref>http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=305&cfgn=Albums&cfn=The+Billboard+200&ci=3103045&cdi=10053859&cid=12/06/2008</ref>
|align="center"|115
|-
|align="left"|U.S. [[Billboard Charts|''Billboard'' Top R&B Hip/Hop Albums]]<ref>http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=333&cfgn=Albums&cfn=Top+R%26amp;B/Hip-Hop+Albums&ci=3105597&cdi=10114041&cid=01/24/2009</ref>
|align="center"|24
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://shontellemusic.com/ Official website]
* [http://shontelleonline.com/ Official #1 Fansite]

{{Shontelle}}

[[Category:2008 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Stargate]]
[[Category:Debut albums]]
[[Category:Shontelle albums]]

Bart Simpson

2009-11-16T19:36:16Z

Adolphus79: minor fix...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[File:Bart Simpson.svg|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], [[Jacqueline Bouvier (Simpsons)|Jacqueline Bouvier]] and [[Clancy Bouvier (Simpsons)|Clancy Bouvier]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew JoJo''' "'''Bart'''" '''Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is always assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him and other students with various gestures and rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2008) contradicted much of the backstory's time frame; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially ''The [[Krusty the Clown]] Show'' which includes the ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and has been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He works as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> as a doorman in Springfield's [[burlesque house]], the Maison Derrière in "[[Bart After Dark]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Richard; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-04 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> and briefly owns his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt=A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986, while waiting in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart", an anagram of the word ''brat'', for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=distributed by ''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart: Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessdate=October 7, 2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]'', Bart's full middle name is JoJo.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all of the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes have Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were vinyl Bart dolls in production and purchased one to use as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson.]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was resolved and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The dispute was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright's pay rose to $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of many ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor such as "The First Amendment does not cover burping",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lemon of Troy|episodelink=Lemon of Troy|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brent Forrester|Forrester, Brent]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-14|season=06|number=24}}</ref> [[popular culture|pop culture]] references such as "[[The Sixth Sense|I can't see dead people]]",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Take My Wife, Sleaze|episodelink=Take My Wife, Sleaze|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1999-11-28|season=11|number=08}}</ref> and [[meta-reference]]s such as "I am not a 32 year old woman" and "Nobody reads these anymore".<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref name="Martin">Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because a shorter opening title sequence, where the chalkboard gags are cut, is used to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's early [[hallmark]]s were his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but rapidly realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey (The Simpsons)|Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref name="Some"/><ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Bart Simpson - Skateboarding.png|left|thumb|200px|Bart's nude scene in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.]]
The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts manufactured during the production of the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right|halign=left|quote=Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}

Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cantor, P |journal=Political Theory|title=The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family|url=http://www.unf.edu/~pharwood/3075/simpsons.pdf|format=PDF|page=738 |work=Political Theory|volume=27 |issue=6|year=1999|month=December}}</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can also be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of most male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel:<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of the school environment. Bart, however, missed having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will choke him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat as their characters were explored.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is a much more caring, understanding and nurturing parent than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and began acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart protested at her over-mothering but as her attitude changed, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to experience humiliation if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=left|halign=left |quote=Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, the two are often very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa: When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this behavior, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been close friends at times.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my whole life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and treats Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, which turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never directly explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> When Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plans in "Krusty Gets Busted", it sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob repeatedly return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob has appeared in ten episodes, generally plotting various evil schemes, but is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
===Bartmania===
While later seasons would focus on Homer, Bart was the lead character in most of the first three seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family — Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia, such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver — and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart announcing various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[Image:Michael Jackson 1984.jpg|left|thumb| [[Michael Jackson]], a fan of Bart, wrote the song "[[Do the Bartman]]".]]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared at every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History — The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in the United Kingdom. In 1991 it was the number one song in the UK for three weeks from February 16 to March 9 and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=5|title=All the Number 1 Singles–1990s|accessdate=2008-12-01|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote that "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When a backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=The 1992 Campaign: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN — TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 1992, Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Lisa would occasionally advertise it too. Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist — The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Bart and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
* <cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=[[My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy]]|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=[[Leaving Springfield|Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture]] | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[category:Film characters]]

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Bart Simpson

2009-11-03T03:20:44Z

Adolphus79: vandalism / test revert...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[File:Bart Simpson.svg|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], [[Jacqueline Bouvier (Simpsons)|Jacqueline Bouvier]] and [[Clancy Bouvier (Simpsons)|Clancy Bouvier]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is always assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him and other students with various gestures and rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2008) contradicted much of the backstory's time frame; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially ''The [[Krusty the Clown]] Show'' which includes the ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and has been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He works as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> as a doorman in Springfield's [[burlesque house]], the Maison Derrière in "[[Bart After Dark]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Richard; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-04 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> and briefly owns his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt=A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986, while waiting in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart", an anagram of the word ''brat'', for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=distributed by ''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart: Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessdate=October 7, 2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]'', Bart's full middle name is JoJo.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all of the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes have Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were vinyl Bart dolls in production and purchased one to use as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson.]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was resolved and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The dispute was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright's pay rose to $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of many ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor such as "The First Amendment does not cover burping",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lemon of Troy|episodelink=Lemon of Troy|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brent Forrester|Forrester, Brent]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-14|season=06|number=24}}</ref> [[popular culture|pop culture]] references such as "[[The Sixth Sense|I can't see dead people]]",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Take My Wife, Sleaze|episodelink=Take My Wife, Sleaze|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1999-11-28|season=11|number=08}}</ref> and [[meta-reference]]s such as "I am not a 32 year old woman" and "Nobody reads these anymore".<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref name="Martin">Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because a shorter opening title sequence, where the chalkboard gags are cut, is used to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's early [[hallmark]]s were his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but rapidly realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey (The Simpsons)|Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref name="Some"/><ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Bart Simpson - Skateboarding.png|left|thumb|200px|Bart's nude scene in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.]]
The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts manufactured during the production of the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right|halign=left|quote=Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}

Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cantor, P |journal=Political Theory|title=The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family|url=http://www.unf.edu/~pharwood/3075/simpsons.pdf|format=PDF|page=738 |work=Political Theory|volume=27 |issue=6|year=1999|month=December}}</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can also be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of most male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel:<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of the school environment. Bart, however, missed having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will choke him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat as their characters were explored.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is a much more caring, understanding and nurturing parent than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and began acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart protested at her over-mothering but as her attitude changed, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to experience humiliation if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=left|halign=left |quote=Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, the two are often very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa: When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this behavior, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been close friends at times.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my whole life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and treats Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, which turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never directly explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> When Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plans in "Krusty Gets Busted", it sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob repeatedly return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob has appeared in ten episodes, generally plotting various evil schemes, but is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
===Bartmania===
While later seasons would focus on Homer, Bart was the lead character in most of the first three seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family — Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia, such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver — and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart announcing various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[Image:Michael Jackson 1984.jpg|left|thumb| [[Michael Jackson]], a fan of Bart, wrote the song "[[Do the Bartman]]".]]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared at every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History — The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in the United Kingdom. In 1991 it was the number one song in the UK for three weeks from February 16 to March 9 and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=5|title=All the Number 1 Singles–1990s|accessdate=2008-12-01|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote that "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When a backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=The 1992 Campaign: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN — TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 1992, Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Lisa would occasionally advertise it too. Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist — The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Bart and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
* <cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=[[My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy]]|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=[[Leaving Springfield|Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture]] | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[category:Film characters]]

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Bart Simpson

2009-10-31T18:34:30Z

Adolphus79: revert possible good faith edit... fix infobox...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[File:Bart Simpson.svg|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], [[Jacqueline Bouvier (Simpsons)|Jacqueline Bouvier]] and [[Clancy Bouvier (Simpsons)|Clancy Bouvier]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is always assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him and other students with various gestures and rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2008) contradicted much of the backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially ''The [[Krusty the Clown]] Show'' which includes the ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and has been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He works as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> as a doorman in Springfield's [[burlesque house]], the Maison Derrière in "[[Bart After Dark]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Richard; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-04 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> and briefly owns his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt=A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986, while waiting in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart", an anagram of the word ''brat'', for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=distributed by ''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart: Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessdate=October 7, 2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]'', Bart's full middle name is JoJo.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all of the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes have Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were vinyl Bart dolls in production and purchased one to use as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson.]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was resolved and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The dispute was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright's pay rose to $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of many ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor such as "The First Amendment does not cover burping",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lemon of Troy|episodelink=Lemon of Troy|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brent Forrester|Forrester, Brent]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-14|season=06|number=24}}</ref> [[popular culture|pop culture]] references such as "[[The Sixth Sense|I can't see dead people]]",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Take My Wife, Sleaze|episodelink=Take My Wife, Sleaze|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1999-11-28|season=11|number=08}}</ref> and [[meta-reference]]s such as "I am not a 32 year old woman" and "Nobody reads these anymore".<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref name="Martin">Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because a shorter opening title sequence, where the chalkboard gags are cut, is used to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's early [[hallmark]]s were his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but rapidly realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey (The Simpsons)|Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref name="Some"/><ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Bart Simpson - Skateboarding.png|left|thumb|200px|Bart's nude scene in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.]]
The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts manufactured during the production of the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right|halign=left|quote=Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}

Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cantor, P |journal=Political Theory|title=The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family|url=http://www.unf.edu/~pharwood/3075/simpsons.pdf|format=PDF|page=738 |work=Political Theory|volume=27 |issue=6|year=1999|month=December}}</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can also be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of most male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel:<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of the school environment. Bart, however, missed having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will choke him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat as their characters were explored.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is a much more caring, understanding and nurturing parent than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and began acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart protested at her over-mothering but as her attitude changed, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to experience humiliation if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=left|halign=left |quote=Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, the two are often very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa: When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this behavior, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been close friends at times.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my whole life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and treats Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, which turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never directly explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> When Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plans in "Krusty Gets Busted", it sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob repeatedly return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob has appeared in ten episodes, generally plotting various evil schemes, but is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
===Bartmania===
While later seasons would focus on Homer, Bart was the lead character in most of the first three seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family — Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia, such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver — and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart announcing various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[Image:Michael Jackson 1984.jpg|left|thumb| [[Michael Jackson]], a fan of Bart, wrote the song "[[Do the Bartman]]".]]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared at every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History — The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in the United Kingdom. In 1991 it was the number one song in the UK for three weeks from February 16 to March 9 and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=5|title=All the Number 1 Singles–1990s|accessdate=2008-12-01|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote that "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When a backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=The 1992 Campaign: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN — TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 1992, Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Lisa would occasionally advertise it too. Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist — The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Bart and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
* <cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=[[My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy]]|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=[[Leaving Springfield|Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture]] | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[category:Film characters]]

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Bart Simpson

2009-10-31T14:25:07Z

Adolphus79: vandalism / test revert...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[File:Bart Simpson.svg|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], [[Jacqueline Bouvier (Simpsons)|Jacqueline Bouvier]] and [[Clancy Bouvier (Simpsons)|Clancy Bouvier]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is always assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him and other students with various gestures and rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2008) contradicted much of the backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially ''The [[Krusty the Clown]] Show'' which includes the ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and has been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He works as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> as a doorman in Springfield's [[burlesque house]], the Maison Derrière in "[[Bart After Dark]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Richard; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-04 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> and briefly owns his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt=A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986, while waiting in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart", an anagram of the word ''brat'', for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=distributed by ''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart: Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessdate=October 7, 2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]'', Bart's full middle name is JoJo.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all of the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes have Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were vinyl Bart dolls in production and purchased one to use as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson.]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was resolved and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The dispute was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright's pay rose to $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of many ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor such as "The First Amendment does not cover burping",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lemon of Troy|episodelink=Lemon of Troy|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brent Forrester|Forrester, Brent]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-14|season=06|number=24}}</ref> [[popular culture|pop culture]] references such as "[[The Sixth Sense|I can't see dead people]]",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Take My Wife, Sleaze|episodelink=Take My Wife, Sleaze|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1999-11-28|season=11|number=08}}</ref> and [[meta-reference]]s such as "I am not a 32 year old woman" and "Nobody reads these anymore".<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref name="Martin">Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because a shorter opening title sequence, where the chalkboard gags are cut, is used to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's early [[hallmark]]s were his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but rapidly realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey (The Simpsons)|Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref name="Some"/><ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Bart Simpson - Skateboarding.png|left|thumb|200px|Bart's nude scene in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.]]
The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts manufactured during the production of the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right|halign=left|quote=Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}

Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cantor, P |journal=Political Theory|title=The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family|url=http://www.unf.edu/~pharwood/3075/simpsons.pdf|format=PDF|page=738 |work=Political Theory|volume=27 |issue=6|year=1999|month=December}}</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can also be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of most male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel:<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of the school environment. Bart, however, missed having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will choke him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat as their characters were explored.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is a much more caring, understanding and nurturing parent than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and began acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart protested at her over-mothering but as her attitude changed, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to experience humiliation if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=left|halign=left |quote=Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, the two are often very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa: When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this behavior, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been close friends at times.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my whole life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and treats Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, which turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never directly explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> When Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plans in "Krusty Gets Busted", it sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob repeatedly return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob has appeared in ten episodes, generally plotting various evil schemes, but is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
===Bartmania===
While later seasons would focus on Homer, Bart was the lead character in most of the first three seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family — Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia, such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver — and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart announcing various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[Image:Michael Jackson 1984.jpg|left|thumb| [[Michael Jackson]], a fan of Bart, wrote the song "[[Do the Bartman]]".]]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared at every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History — The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in the United Kingdom. In 1991 it was the number one song in the UK for three weeks from February 16 to March 9 and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=5|title=All the Number 1 Singles–1990s|accessdate=2008-12-01|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote that "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When a backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=The 1992 Campaign: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN — TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 1992, Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Lisa would occasionally advertise it too. Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist — The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Bart and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
* <cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=[[My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy]]|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=[[Leaving Springfield|Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture]] | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[category:Film characters]]

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Marge Simpson

2009-10-30T20:39:31Z

Adolphus79: Reverted edits by 70.252.138.170 (talk) to last version by Theleftorium

{{Simpsons character
| name=Marge Simpson
| image = [[Image:Marge Simpson.png|200px]]|
| gender=Female
| job=Housewife
| relatives= '''Husband:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] <br> '''Children:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] <br> '''Parents:''' [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy]] and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]] <br> '''Sisters:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]]
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| voiceactor= [[Julie Kavner]]
}}
'''Marjorie "Marge" Simpson''' (née '''Bouvier''') is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. She is voiced by actress [[Julie Kavner]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his mother Margaret Groening. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

Marge is the well-meaning and extremely patient mother of the Simpson family. With her husband [[Homer Simpson|Homer]], she has three children: [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Marge is the moralistic force in her family and often provides a grounding voice in the midst of her family's antics by trying to maintain order in the Simpson household. She is often portrayed as a stereotypical television mother and is often included on lists of top "TV moms". She has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

Marge's distinctive blue [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by a combination of ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore in the 1960s. Julie Kavner, who was a member of the original cast of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', was asked to voice Marge so that more voice actors would not be needed. Kavner has won several awards for voicing Marge, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] in 1992. She was also nominated for an [[Annie Award]] for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature for her performance in ''The Simpsons Movie''. In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters [[Ageless|do not physically age]], and as such the show is generally assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific time periods, although this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes.<ref name=p78>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 78-79</ref> Marge Simpson is the wife of Homer and mother of Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson.<ref name="p239"/> She was raised by her parents, [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline]] and [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy Bouvier]].<ref name=WayWeWas>{{cite episode |title=The Way We Was|episodelink=The Way We Was |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Mike Reiss|Reiss, Mike]]; [[Sam Simon|Simon, Sam]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-01-31 |season=02 |number=12}}</ref> She has a pair of sisters, the joyless [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]], both of whom vocally disapprove of Homer. In "[[The Way We Was]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1991), it is revealed via [[flashback]] that Marge attended Springfield High School, and in her final year met [[Homer Simpson]]. She was at first wary of Homer, but agreed to go to the [[prom]] with him, although she ended up going with [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Artie Ziff|Artie Ziff]]. However, she regrets going with Artie and ends up with Homer.<ref name=WayWeWas/> After the two started dating for several years, Marge discovered she was pregnant with Bart, and she and Homer were married in a small wedding chapel across the state line.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> Bart was born soon after, and the couple bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2008) contradicted much of the established back-story; for example, it was revealed that Marge and Homer were childless in the early 1990s although past episodes had suggested Bart and Lisa were born in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

As with many ''Simpsons'' characters, Marge's age changes to serve the story. In [[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]] (1990) episodes "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" and "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", Marge is said to be 34.<ref name="Enchanted">{{cite episode |title=Some Enchanted Evening|episodelink=Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Groening, Matt; Simon, Sam; Silverman, David; Butterworth, Kent|network=Fox |airdate=1990-05-13 |season=01|number=13}}</ref><ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18 |season=01|number=09}}</ref> In "[[Regarding Margie]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 17)|season 17]], 2006), Homer mentions that Marge is his age, meaning she could be anywhere between 36 and 40.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Regarding Margie|episodelink=Regarding Margie|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Marc Wilmore|Wilmore, Marc]]; [[Michael Polcino|Polcino, Michael]]|network=Fox |airdate=2006-05-07 |season=17|number=20}}</ref>

Marge has been unemployed for most of the series, choosing to be a [[homemaker]] and take care of her family.<ref name="Job"/> However, she has held several one-episode jobs in the course of the series. These include working as a nuclear technician alongside Homer at [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]] in "[[Marge Gets a Job]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992),<ref name="Job">{{cite episode |title=Marge Gets a Job|episodelink=Marge Gets a Job|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-11-05 |season=04|number=07}}</ref> owning her own [[pretzel]] business in "[[The Twisted World of Marge Simpson]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997),<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|episodelink=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jennifer Crittenden|Crittenden, Jennifer]]; [[Chuck Sheetz|Sheetz, Chuck]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-01-19 |season=08|number=11}}</ref> and working at an erotic bakery in "[[Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]], 2008).<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|episodelink=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Kevin Curran|Curran, Kevin]]; [[Lance Kramer|Kramer, Lance]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-09-28 |season=20|number=01}}</ref> While Marge has never expressed discontent with her role as a homemaker, she has become bored with it. In "[[The Springfield Connection]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995), Marge decides that she needs more excitement in her life and becomes a police officer. However, by the end of the episode, she becomes upset with the corruption in the force and quits.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Springfield Connection|episodelink=The Springfield Connection|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jonathan Collier|Collier, Jonathan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-05 |season=06|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Marge while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt= A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived Marge and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986 in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Marge was named after Groening's mother Margaret "Marge" Groening, who has said she bears little similarity to the character, stating, "It's really weird to have people think you're a cartoon."<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Groening's Mom: I'm no Marge Simpson|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=1997-05-12|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]}}</ref><ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: [[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref> Marge's [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore during the 1960s, although her hair was never blue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22wwln-Q4-t.html?fta=y|title=Questions for Matt Groening–Screen Dreams |accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Soloman, Deborah|date=2007-07-22|work=[[The New York Times Magazine]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html|title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Rose, Joseph|date=2007-08-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''}}</ref>

Marge debuted with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987, in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]]. Marge and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

Matt Groening believes that episodes featuring Marge are among the most difficult episodes to write. [[Bill Oakley]] believes that the "junior" writers are usually given Marge episodes because he and writing partner [[Josh Weinstein]] were given several to write during their first season.<ref>Groening, Matt; Oakley, Bill. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge in Chains]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> During the third season of the show, most of the writers focused on Bart and Homer, so [[David M. Stern]] decided to write a Marge episode, which became "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992). He felt that they could achieve a "deeper vein" of comedy in an episode where Marge has a nervous breakdown, and James L. Brooks quickly approved.<ref>[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]] in a letter that is read on the commentary by [[Dan Castellaneta]]. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Marge - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Marge in her first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> To draw Marge, the animators generally start off with a sphere, similar to the way Lisa and Maggie are drawn. The eyes are then drawn, with one roughly in the middle of the sphere, and the other to the front side of the head. Then, the nose and lip are drawn. Her hair is then drawn on top as a long tube coming out of the sphere. An original idea the animators had for when Marge walked through doorways was that her hair would be forced down as she walked through, then once clear of the door, it would spring back and forth. This was never used.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to Matt Groening, the original idea behind Marge's hair was that it would conceal large rabbit ears. The gag was intended to be revealed in the final episode of the series, but was scrapped early on due to inconsistencies, and also to the fact that rabbit ears would be too fictitious even for ''The Simpsons''.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Selma's Choice]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
Marge's voice is performed by [[Julie Kavner]], who also does the voices of Marge's mother Jacqueline and sisters Patty and Selma. Kavner had been part of the regular cast of ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner and fellow cast member [[Dan Castellaneta]] to voice Marge and Homer rather than hire more actors.<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voices|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref name="FN">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129665,00.html|title=D'oh!: The Voice of Homer Is Deceivingly Deadpan|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2008-08-18|author=Elber, Lynn|publisher=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Part of Kavner's contract says that she will never have to promote ''The Simpsons'' on video and she rarely performs Marge's voice in public because she believes it "destroys the illusion. People feel these are real people."<ref name="Sheridan">{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref><ref name="Hamilton"/> Kavner takes recording sessions seriously and feels that voice acting is "a little more limiting than live acting. And I have nothing to do with my character's movement."<ref>{{cite news|title=Treading 'Water' Julie Kavner takes break from Marge Simpson to star in Woody Allen's TV Movie |date=1994-09-18|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|author=Weiskind, Ron}}</ref>

Marge's raspy voice is only slightly different from Kavner's, who has a "honeyed gravel voice"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDF1F38F935A15752C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|title='Darling! Listen to Me'|accessdate=2008-11-23|date=1992-01-26|author=De Vries, Hilary|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> which she says is due to "a bump on [her] vocal cords."<ref>{{cite news|title=The actress with the one-of-a-kind voice stars in Nora Ephron's comedy 'This is my Life.'|date=1992-03-13|accessdate=2008-11-23|work=[[The Orlando Sentinel]]|author=Haun, Harry}}</ref> While Marge is her most famous character, Kavner's favorite characters to voice are Patty and Selma because "they're really funny and sad at the same time."<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite news|title=Ay caramba!: Only TV could call this work|date=1996-12-31|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[The Hamilton Spectator]]|author=Duffy, Mike}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', some scenes, such as Marge's video message to Homer, were recorded over one hundred times, leaving Kavner exhausted.<ref name=moviesonline>{{cite news|url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12524.html|title=The Simpsons Movie Interviews|author=Roberts, Sheila|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=Movies Online}}</ref>

Until 1998, Kavner was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing to cast new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> However, the dispute was soon resolved and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Kavner earned $250,000 per episode.<ref name="Sheridan"/> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = [[BBC News]] | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
Marge is generally a stereotypical sitcom mother, and she also plays the "long-suffering wife" who puts up with the antics of her children and her oafish husband.<ref name="p239">[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 239–240</ref> While she usually takes her family's problems with good humor, in "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992), her workload and resultant stress caused her to have a mental breakdown. After spending time at "Rancho Relaxo", during which her family barely coped with her absence, she returned refreshed and everyone promised to help out more often.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer Alone|episodelink=Homer Alone|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-06|season=03|number=15}}</ref> Marge often provides a grounding opinion for Homer and their marriage has often been shaky. Marge admits that she "put[s] up with a lot in [their] marriage," and has left Homer or thrown him out of the house on several occasions.<ref name="Secrets">{{cite episode |title=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|episodelink=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Greg Daniels|Daniels, Greg]]; [[Carlos Baeza|Baeza, Carlos]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-05-19|season=05|number=22}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=The Cartridge Family|episodelink=The Cartridge Family|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-02|season=09|number=05}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=Bonfire of the Manatees|episodelink=Bonfire of the Manatees|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2005-09-11|season=17|number=01}}</ref> One of the first such episodes to depict this is "[[Secrets of a Successful Marriage]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), where Homer starts teaching an adult education class on how to build a successful marriage. He is at first unsuccessful, but gains the interest of the class when he starts giving away family secrets, many of which concern Marge. Upon finding this out, Marge is incensed and throws him out of the house. The next day, Homer is dirty and disheveled, and begs Marge to take him back, saying the one thing he can offer her that nobody else can is "complete and utter dependence." At first, Marge does not see that as a benefit, but eventually admits that he "really [does] make a gal feel needed."<ref name="Secrets"/> Episodes that depict marital problems have become more frequent in recent seasons of the show. Through it all, Marge has remained faithful to Homer, despite temptations to the contrary such as the one in "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), where she resists the charming Frenchman Jacques and instead chooses to remain with Homer.<ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18|season=01|number=09}}</ref>

Marge is a caring, understanding, and nurturing parent to Bart, but she refers to him as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995), she felt she was mothering Bart too much and started acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. In the beginning of the episode, Bart protested her "over-mothering", but as she started acting more distant towards him, he felt guilty about it and made up with her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Marge has expressed understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> Marge has a good relationship with Lisa and the two are shown to get along quite well. Marge over-mothers Maggie, which causes her to become too clingy and dependent on Marge. In "[[Midnight Towboy]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2007), Marge hires an expert to help make Maggie more independent. However, Maggie becomes so independent that she rarely needs Marge. Marge begins to miss Maggie, but at the end of the episode, Maggie starts to need her again.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Midnight Towboy|episodelink=Midnight Towboy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Gillis, Stephanie; [[Matthew Nastuk|Nastuk, Matthew]]|network=Fox |airdate=2007-10-07|season=19|number=03}}</ref> Marge maintains a good relationship with her mother Jacqueline and her sisters Patty and Selma. Patty and Selma disapprove of Homer and are not afraid to be vocal. Marge has tolerated their criticism, but has occasionally lost patience with them, once referring to them as "ghouls."<ref name=MotherSimpson>{{cite episode|title=Mother Simpson|episodelink=Mother Simpson|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Rich Appel|Appel, Rich]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox|airdate=1995-11-19|season=07|number=08}}</ref> Marge's father Clancy is rarely referred to in the series and has had speaking parts in only two episodes.<ref name=WayWeWas/> It was revealed in "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1994) that Clancy told Marge that he was a pilot, but in reality he was a [[flight attendant]]. Marge discovered this one day and developed [[Fear of flying|aerophobia]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Fear of Flying|episodelink=Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David Sacks|Sacks, David]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1994-12-18 |season=06|number=11}}</ref> Clancy has not had a speaking appearance since. In "[[Jazzy and the Pussycats]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 18)|season 18]], 2006), Homer casually mentions that they once attended his funeral.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Jazzy and the Pussycats|episodelink=Jazzy and the Pussycats |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Moore, Steven Dean|network=Fox |airdate=2006-09-17 |season=18|number=02}}</ref>

Marge has higher morals than most other characters, once leading a [[family values]] crusade against the violent ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''<ref>{{cite episode |title=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|episodelink=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1990-12-20 |season=02|number=09}}</ref> and being a prominent member of the "Citizens' Committee on Moral Hygiene."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Rich; Polcino, Dominic|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-24 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> She often provides a voice of reason for the town itself, but many of the townspeople are frustrated or contemptuous of her frequent failure to recognize or react correctly to breaches of social norms.<ref name="$pringfield">{{cite episode |title=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|episodelink=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1993-12-16 |season=05|number=10}}</ref> Marge is the only member of the family who encourages [[Church (building)|church]] attendance. In "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992), Homer starts skipping church and Marge tells him "don't make me choose between my man and my God, because you just can't win."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer the Heretic|episodelink=Homer the Heretic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1992-10-08|season=04|number=03}}</ref> In "[[Lisa the Skeptic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 9)|season nine]], 1997), an "[[angel]] skeleton" is discovered, much to the skepticism of Lisa. As Lisa rants about the people who believe it is an angel, Marge informs her that she also believes it is an angel. She tells Lisa, "There has to be more life than just what we see, everyone needs something to believe in."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Skeptic|episodelink=Lisa the Skeptic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David X. Cohen|Cohen, David S.]]; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-23|season=09|number=08}}</ref> In spite of her morals, Marge struggles with vices such as a [[Problem gambling|gambling addiction]].<ref name="$pringfield"/> While Marge has learned to cope with her addiction, it has never completely disappeared and remains an underlying problem that is referenced occasionally on the show.<ref>Reiss, Mike. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

[[Politics in The Simpsons|Politically]], Marge generally aligns with the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], having supported the candidacy of her state's progressive [[Governor (United States)|governor]] [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Mary Bailey|Mary Bailey]],<ref>{{cite episode |title=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|episodelink=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|series=The Simpsons |credits=Simon, Sam; Swartzwelder, John; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-01 |season=02|number=04}}</ref> and voting for [[Jimmy Carter]] in both of his presidential elections.<ref name="Job"/>

==Reception==
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]], Kavner received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Marge in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[I Married Marge]]".<ref name="Emmys">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-02-09}}</ref> In 2004, Kavner and [[Dan Castellaneta]] (the voice of Homer) won a [[Young Artist Award]] for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".<ref name="YAA">{{cite news|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm|title=25th Annual Winners and Nominees|accessdate=2008-01-18|publisher=Youngartistawards.org}}</ref> For her performance in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Kavner was nominated for "Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature" at the 2007 [[Annie Awards]], but lost to [[Ian Holm]] from ''[[Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille]]''.<ref name="A35">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html|title=For Your Consideration|accessdate=2007-12-03|date=[[December 3]], [[2007]]|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117980588.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1|title='Ratatouille' nearly sweeps Annies|accessdate=2008-02-09|date=2008-02-08|publisher=Variety|author=Debruge, Peter}}</ref> Kavner's emotional performance in the movie got positive reviews and one critic said she "gave what must be the most heartfelt performance ever."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/film.php?ak=2879|title=Homer's Odyssey|publisher=Metro Weekly|accessdate=2007-07-26|date=2007-07-26|author=Shulman, Randy}}</ref> Various episodes in which Marge is prominently featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[The Way We Weren't]]" in 2004 and "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]", which won the award in 1990.<ref name="Emmys"/> In 2000, Marge and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

Marge has been ranked highly in lists of the top television mothers of all time. She was ranked first on ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list in 1994;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302270,00.html |title=Yea, Mamas–The best and worst of TV Moms|publisher=''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=1994-05-13|author=Tucker, Ken}}</ref> first on [[Fox News]]' list in 2005;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155758,00.html |title=Marge Simpson Named Best TV Mom |publisher=[[Fox News]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=2005-05-07}}</ref> eighth on [[CityNews]]' list in 2008;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_22488.aspx |title=June Cleaver Chosen As All Time Top TV Mom|publisher=CityNews|accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> and was included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list of the "10 Best Moms Ever".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1738178_1737704_1737693,00.html |title=10 Best Moms Ever–Marge Simpson |publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|author=Brooks, Caryn}}</ref> In a 2004 poll in the United Kingdom, Marge was named the "most respected mother" by respondents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3518984.stm |title=Marge Simpson leads top mum poll|publisher=[[BBC|BBC News]]|date=2004-03-17|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

Religious writer Kenneth Briggs wrote that "Marge is my candidate for sainthood [...] She lives in the real world, she lives with crises, with flawed people. She forgives and she makes her own mistakes. She is a forgiving, loving person [...] absolutely saintly."<ref>{{Citation |last=Bates |first=Stephen |title=Homer's odyssey takes Simpsons into the theological textbooks |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/oct/03/broadcasting.internationaleducationnews |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' |date=2001-10-03 |accessdate=2008-09-21}}</ref>
{{-}}

==Cultural influence==
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=Dear First Lady, I recently read your criticism of my family. I was deeply hurt. Heaven knows we're far from perfect and, if truth be known, maybe just a wee bit short from normal; but as [[Dr. Seuss]] says, "a person is a person". I try to teach my children [...] always to give somebody the benefit of the doubt and not talk badly about them, even if they're rich. It's hard to get them to understand this advice when the very First Lady in the country calls us not only dumb, but "the dumbest thing" she ever saw. [...] I hope there is some way out of this controversy. I thought, perhaps, it would be a good start to just speak my mind. |salign=right|source=—Marge Simpson in her letter to Barbara Bush<ref name="BushvSimpson"/>}}

The October 1, 1990 edition of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' included an interview with then-[[First Lady]] of the United States [[Barbara Bush]]. The article included the following passage: "She loves ''[[America's Funniest Home Videos]]'' but remains baffled after sampling ''The Simpsons''. "It was the dumbest thing I had ever seen," she says, "but it's a family thing, and I guess it's clean."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118869,00.html|title=In the Eye of the Storm|author=Chin, Paula|accessdate=2008-08-27|date=1990-10-01|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''}}</ref> The writers decided to respond by privately sending a polite letter on September 28 to Bush where they posed as Marge Simpson. On October 9, Bush sent a reply: "Dear Marge, How kind of you to write. I'm glad you spoke your mind ... I foolishly didn't know you had one. I am looking at a picture of you... depicted on a plastic cup... with your blue hair filled with pink birds peeking out all over. Evidently, you and your charming family — Lisa, Homer, Bart and Maggie — are camping out. It's a nice family scene. Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country. Please forgive a loose tongue."<ref name="BushvSimpson">Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpson", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Will the real Marge Simpson please stand up?|author=Hall, Virginia|accessdate=2008-10-31|date=1990-11-13|work=[[Rocky Mountain News]]}}</ref>

In 2002, opponents of the [[Seattle Monorail Project]] planned on showing the episode "[[Marge vs. the Monorail]]" at a protest event. Following complaints, 20th Century Fox sent a letter to the event organizers ordering that the episode not be shown due to copyright laws.<ref>{{cite news|title=Backers of new monorail call foul when foes bring in Marge Simpson |work=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=2002-10-19|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> In 2004, Marge appeared on [[Channel 4]] in the United Kingdom for the [[Royal Christmas Message#Alternative Christmas message|alternative Christmas message]], which is annually broadcast at the same time that [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] gives her Christmas message.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/132/132244_marge_simpson_versus_the_queen.html|title=Marge Simpson versus the Queen|author=Singh, Anita|work=[[Manchester Evening News]]|date=2004-01-10|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Marge and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Marge is depicted in much ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[T-shirt]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s, cardboard stand-ups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, posters and figurines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Marge|title=Search Results for Marge|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> She has appeared in each of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Besides the television series, Marge regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993, and are issued monthly.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Marge also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Marge appeared in a 2005 advertisement for [[Dove (brand)|Dove Styling]], where her normal beehive hair was exchanged for a more stylish look for a series of ads featuring several popular cartoon women.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=101835&format=html|title=Marge Simpson getting new hairdo|work=[[The Herald-Mail]]|date=2005-01-15|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

In October 2009,<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8300463.stm|title=Marge gracing Playboy mag cover |date=October 10, 2009|work=[[BBC|BBC News Online]]|accessdate=2009-10-10}}</ref> it was announced that Marge would be featured on the front cover of the November issue of ''[[Playboy]]''. The edition is to be published in the US on October 16 2009. The cover and a three-page picture spread, as well as a story inside entitled ''The Devil in Marge Simpson'', is a celebration of the 20th anniversary of ''[[The Simpsons]]'',<ref name=BBC/> but is also part of a plan to appeal to younger readers. Chief executive of ''[[Playboy Enterprises]]'', Scott Flanders, has said that the cover and centerfold were "somewhat tongue-in-cheek".<ref>{{cite web|title=Marge Simpson strips off for Playboy (yes, really)|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1219399/Marge-Simpson-strips-Playboy-yes-really.html |date = 2009-10-10|accessdate = 2009-10-10|publisher=''[[Daily Mail]]''}}</ref> [[Darine Stern]]'s picture on the October 1971 cover served as the inspiration for Playboy's November 2009 cover.<ref name="cnn">{{cite newspaper|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/12/marge.simpson.playboy/index.html|title=Marge Simpson graces Playboy cover - CNN.com|publisher=CNN|date=2009-10-13}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_marge.htm Marge Simpson] at TheSimpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003031}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Marge}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Fictional artists]]
[[Category:Fictional gamblers]]
[[Category:Fictional United States Democrats]]
[[Category:Film characters]]

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Bart Simpson

2009-10-30T03:28:22Z

Adolphus79: revert blanking...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[File:Bart Simpson.svg|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], [[Jacqueline Bouvier (Simpsons)|Jacqueline Bouvier]] and [[Clancy Bouvier (Simpsons)|Clancy Bouvier]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is always assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him and other students with various gestures and rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2008) contradicted much of the backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially ''The [[Krusty the Clown]] Show'' which includes the ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and has been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He works as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> as a doorman in Springfield's [[burlesque house]], the Maison Derrière in "[[Bart After Dark]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Richard; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-04 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> and briefly owns his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt=A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986, while waiting in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart", an anagram of the word ''brat'', for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=distributed by ''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart: Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessdate=October 7, 2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]'', Bart's full middle name is JoJo.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all of the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes have Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were vinyl Bart dolls in production and purchased one to use as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson.]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was resolved and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The dispute was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright's pay rose to $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of many ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor such as "The First Amendment does not cover burping",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lemon of Troy|episodelink=Lemon of Troy|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brent Forrester|Forrester, Brent]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-14|season=06|number=24}}</ref> [[popular culture|pop culture]] references such as "[[The Sixth Sense|I can't see dead people]]",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Take My Wife, Sleaze|episodelink=Take My Wife, Sleaze|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1999-11-28|season=11|number=08}}</ref> and [[meta-reference]]s such as "I am not a 32 year old woman" and "Nobody reads these anymore".<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref name="Martin">Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because a shorter opening title sequence, where the chalkboard gags are cut, is used to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's early [[hallmark]]s were his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but rapidly realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey (The Simpsons)|Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref name="Some"/><ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Bart Simpson - Skateboarding.png|left|thumb|200px|Bart's nude scene in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.]]
The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts manufactured during the production of the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right|halign=left|quote=Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}

Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cantor, P |journal=Political Theory|title=The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family|url=http://www.unf.edu/~pharwood/3075/simpsons.pdf|format=PDF|page=738 |work=Political Theory|volume=27 |issue=6|year=1999|month=December}}</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can also be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of most male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel:<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of the school environment. Bart, however, missed having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will choke him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat as their characters were explored.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is a much more caring, understanding and nurturing parent than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and began acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart protested at her over-mothering but as her attitude changed, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to experience humiliation if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=left|halign=left |quote=Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, the two are often very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa: When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this behavior, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been close friends at times.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and treats Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, which turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never directly explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> When Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plans in "Krusty Gets Busted", it sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob repeatedly return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob has appeared in ten episodes, generally plotting various evil schemes, but is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
===Bartmania===
While later seasons would focus on Homer, Bart was the lead character in most of the first three seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family — Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia, such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver — and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart announcing various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[Image:Michael Jackson 1984.jpg|left|thumb| [[Michael Jackson]], a fan of Bart, wrote the song "[[Do the Bartman]]".]]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared at every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History — The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in the United Kingdom. In 1991 it was the number one song in the UK for three weeks from February 16 to March 9 and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=5|title=All the Number 1 Singles–1990s|accessdate=2008-12-01|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote that "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When a backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=The 1992 Campaign: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN — TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 1992, Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Lisa would occasionally advertise it too. Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist — The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Bart and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
* <cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=[[My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy]]|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=[[Leaving Springfield|Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture]] | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[category:Film characters]]

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Marge Simpson

2009-10-14T19:42:42Z

Adolphus79: according to the sources, she is... please cite when Jessica Rabbit was on the cover?

{{Simpsons character
| name=Marge Simpson
| image = [[Image:Marge Simpson.png|200px]]|
| gender=Female
| job=Housewife
| relatives= '''Husband:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] <br> '''Children:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] <br> '''Parents:''' [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy]] and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]] <br> '''Sisters:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]]
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| voiceactor= [[Julie Kavner]]
}}
'''Marjorie "Marge" Simpson''' (née '''Bouvier''') is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. She is voiced by actress [[Julie Kavner]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his mother Margaret Groening. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

Marge is the well-meaning and extremely patient mother of the Simpson family. With her husband [[Homer Simpson|Homer]], she has three children: [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Marge is the moralistic force in her family and often provides a grounding voice in the midst of her family's antics by trying to maintain order in the Simpson household. She is often portrayed as a stereotypical television mother and is often included on lists of top "TV moms". She has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

Marge's distinctive blue [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by a combination of ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore in the 1960s. Julie Kavner, who was a member of the original cast of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', was asked to voice Marge so that more voice actors would not be needed. Kavner has won several awards for voicing Marge, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] in 1992. She was also nominated for an [[Annie Award]] for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature for her performance in ''The Simpsons Movie''. In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters [[Ageless|do not physically age]], and as such the show is generally assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific time periods, although this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes.<ref name=p78>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 78-79</ref> Marge Simpson is the wife of Homer and mother of Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson.<ref name="p239"/> She was raised by her parents, [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline]] and [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy Bouvier]].<ref name=WayWeWas>{{cite episode |title=The Way We Was|episodelink=The Way We Was |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Mike Reiss|Reiss, Mike]]; [[Sam Simon|Simon, Sam]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-01-31 |season=02 |number=12}}</ref> She has a pair of sisters, the joyless [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]], both of whom vocally disapprove of Homer. In "[[The Way We Was]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1991), it is revealed via [[flashback]] that Marge attended Springfield High School, and in her final year met [[Homer Simpson]]. She was at first wary of Homer, but agreed to go to the [[prom]] with him, although she ended up going with [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Artie Ziff|Artie Ziff]]. However, she regrets going with Artie and ends up with Homer.<ref name=WayWeWas/> After the two started dating for several years, Marge discovered she was pregnant with Bart, and she and Homer were married in a small wedding chapel across the state line.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> Bart was born soon after, and the couple bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2008) contradicted much of the established back-story; for example, it was revealed that Marge and Homer were childless in the early 1990s although past episodes had suggested Bart and Lisa were born in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

As with many ''Simpsons'' characters, Marge's age changes to serve the story. In [[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]] (1990) episodes "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" and "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", Marge is said to be 34.<ref name="Enchanted">{{cite episode |title=Some Enchanted Evening|episodelink=Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Groening, Matt; Simon, Sam; Silverman, David; Butterworth, Kent|network=Fox |airdate=1990-05-13 |season=01|number=13}}</ref><ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18 |season=01|number=09}}</ref> In "[[Regarding Margie]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 17)|season 17]], 2006), Homer mentions that Marge is his age, meaning she could be anywhere between 36 and 40.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Regarding Margie|episodelink=Regarding Margie|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Marc Wilmore|Wilmore, Marc]]; [[Michael Polcino|Polcino, Michael]]|network=Fox |airdate=2006-05-07 |season=17|number=20}}</ref>

Marge has been unemployed for most of the series, choosing to be a [[homemaker]] and take care of her family.<ref name="Job"/> However, she has held several one-episode jobs in the course of the series. These include working as a nuclear technician alongside Homer at [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]] in "[[Marge Gets a Job]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992),<ref name="Job">{{cite episode |title=Marge Gets a Job|episodelink=Marge Gets a Job|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-11-05 |season=04|number=07}}</ref> owning her own [[pretzel]] business in "[[The Twisted World of Marge Simpson]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997),<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|episodelink=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jennifer Crittenden|Crittenden, Jennifer]]; [[Chuck Sheetz|Sheetz, Chuck]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-01-19 |season=08|number=11}}</ref> and working at an erotic bakery in "[[Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]], 2008).<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|episodelink=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Kevin Curran|Curran, Kevin]]; [[Lance Kramer|Kramer, Lance]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-09-28 |season=20|number=01}}</ref> While Marge has never expressed discontent with her role as a homemaker, she has become bored with it. In "[[The Springfield Connection]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995), Marge decides that she needs more excitement in her life and becomes a police officer. However, by the end of the episode, she becomes upset with the corruption in the force and quits.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Springfield Connection|episodelink=The Springfield Connection|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jonathan Collier|Collier, Jonathan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-05 |season=06|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Marge while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt= A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived Marge and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986 in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Marge was named after Groening's mother Margaret "Marge" Groening, who has said she bears little similarity to the character, stating, "It's really weird to have people think you're a cartoon."<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Groening's Mom: I'm no Marge Simpson|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=1997-05-12|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]}}</ref><ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: [[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref> Marge's [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore during the 1960s, although her hair was never blue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22wwln-Q4-t.html?fta=y|title=Questions for Matt Groening–Screen Dreams |accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Soloman, Deborah|date=2007-07-22|work=[[The New York Times Magazine]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html|title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Rose, Joseph|date=2007-08-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''}}</ref>

Marge debuted with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987, in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]]. Marge and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

Matt Groening believes that episodes featuring Marge are among the most difficult episodes to write. [[Bill Oakley]] believes that the "junior" writers are usually given Marge episodes because he and writing partner [[Josh Weinstein]] were given several to write during their first season.<ref>Groening, Matt; Oakley, Bill. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge in Chains]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> During the third season of the show, most of the writers focused on Bart and Homer, so [[David M. Stern]] decided to write a Marge episode, which became "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992). He felt that they could achieve a "deeper vein" of comedy in an episode where Marge has a nervous breakdown, and James L. Brooks quickly approved.<ref>[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]] in a letter that is read on the commentary by [[Dan Castellaneta]]. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Marge - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Marge in her first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> To draw Marge, the animators generally start off with a sphere, similar to the way Lisa and Maggie are drawn. The eyes are then drawn, with one roughly in the middle of the sphere, and the other to the front side of the head. Then, the nose and lip are drawn. Her hair is then drawn on top as a long tube coming out of the sphere. An original idea the animators had for when Marge walked through doorways was that her hair would be forced down as she walked through, then once clear of the door, it would spring back and forth. This was never used.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to Matt Groening, the original idea behind Marge's hair was that it would conceal large rabbit ears. The gag was intended to be revealed in the final episode of the series, but was scrapped early on due to inconsistencies, and also to the fact that rabbit ears would be too fictitious even for ''The Simpsons''.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Selma's Choice]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
Marge's voice is performed by [[Julie Kavner]], who also does the voices of Marge's mother Jacqueline and sisters Patty and Selma. Kavner had been part of the regular cast of ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner and fellow cast member [[Dan Castellaneta]] to voice Marge and Homer rather than hire more actors.<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voices|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref name="FN">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129665,00.html|title=D'oh!: The Voice of Homer Is Deceivingly Deadpan|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2008-08-18|author=Elber, Lynn|publisher=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Part of Kavner's contract says that she will never have to promote ''The Simpsons'' on video and she rarely performs Marge's voice in public because she believes it "destroys the illusion. People feel these are real people."<ref name="Sheridan">{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref><ref name="Hamilton"/> Kavner takes recording sessions seriously and feels that voice acting is "a little more limiting than live acting. And I have nothing to do with my character's movement."<ref>{{cite news|title=Treading 'Water' Julie Kavner takes break from Marge Simpson to star in Woody Allen's TV Movie |date=1994-09-18|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|author=Weiskind, Ron}}</ref>

Marge's raspy voice is only slightly different from Kavner's, who has a "honeyed gravel voice"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDF1F38F935A15752C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|title='Darling! Listen to Me'|accessdate=2008-11-23|date=1992-01-26|author=De Vries, Hilary|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> which she says is due to "a bump on [her] vocal cords."<ref>{{cite news|title=The actress with the one-of-a-kind voice stars in Nora Ephron's comedy 'This is my Life.'|date=1992-03-13|accessdate=2008-11-23|work=[[The Orlando Sentinel]]|author=Haun, Harry}}</ref> While Marge is her most famous character, Kavner's favorite characters to voice are Patty and Selma because "they're really funny and sad at the same time."<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite news|title=Ay caramba!: Only TV could call this work|date=1996-12-31|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[The Hamilton Spectator]]|author=Duffy, Mike}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', some scenes, such as Marge's video message to Homer, were recorded over one hundred times, leaving Kavner exhausted.<ref name=moviesonline>{{cite news|url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12524.html|title=The Simpsons Movie Interviews|author=Roberts, Sheila|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=Movies Online}}</ref>

Until 1998, Kavner was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing to cast new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> However, the dispute was soon resolved and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Kavner earned $250,000 per episode.<ref name="Sheridan"/> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = [[BBC News]] | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
Marge is generally a stereotypical sitcom mother, and she also plays the "long-suffering wife" who puts up with the antics of her children and her oafish husband.<ref name="p239">[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 239–240</ref> While she usually takes her family's problems with good humor, in "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992), her workload and resultant stress caused her to have a mental breakdown. After spending time at "Rancho Relaxo", during which her family barely coped with her absence, she returned refreshed and everyone promised to help out more often.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer Alone|episodelink=Homer Alone|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-06|season=03|number=15}}</ref> Marge often provides a grounding opinion for Homer and their marriage has often been shaky. Marge admits that she "put[s] up with a lot in [their] marriage," and has left Homer or thrown him out of the house on several occasions.<ref name="Secrets">{{cite episode |title=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|episodelink=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Greg Daniels|Daniels, Greg]]; [[Carlos Baeza|Baeza, Carlos]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-05-19|season=05|number=22}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=The Cartridge Family|episodelink=The Cartridge Family|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-02|season=09|number=05}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=Bonfire of the Manatees|episodelink=Bonfire of the Manatees|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2005-09-11|season=17|number=01}}</ref> One of the first such episodes to depict this is "[[Secrets of a Successful Marriage]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), where Homer starts teaching an adult education class on how to build a successful marriage. He is at first unsuccessful, but gains the interest of the class when he starts giving away family secrets, many of which concern Marge. Upon finding this out, Marge is incensed and throws him out of the house. The next day, Homer is dirty and disheveled, and begs Marge to take him back, saying the one thing he can offer her that nobody else can is "complete and utter dependence." At first, Marge does not see that as a benefit, but eventually admits that he "really [does] make a gal feel needed."<ref name="Secrets"/> Episodes that depict marital problems have become more frequent in recent seasons of the show. Through it all, Marge has remained faithful to Homer, despite temptations to the contrary such as the one in "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), where she resists the charming Frenchman Jacques and instead chooses to remain with Homer.<ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18|season=01|number=09}}</ref>

Marge is a caring, understanding, and nurturing parent to Bart, but she refers to him as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995), she felt she was mothering Bart too much and started acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. In the beginning of the episode, Bart protested her "over-mothering", but as she started acting more distant towards him, he felt guilty about it and made up with her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Marge has expressed understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> Marge has a good relationship with Lisa and the two are shown to get along quite well. Marge over-mothers Maggie, which causes her to become too clingy and dependent on Marge. In "[[Midnight Towboy]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2007), Marge hires an expert to help make Maggie more independent. However, Maggie becomes so independent that she rarely needs Marge. Marge begins to miss Maggie, but at the end of the episode, Maggie starts to need her again.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Midnight Towboy|episodelink=Midnight Towboy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Gillis, Stephanie; [[Matthew Nastuk|Nastuk, Matthew]]|network=Fox |airdate=2007-10-07|season=19|number=03}}</ref> Marge maintains a good relationship with her mother Jacqueline and her sisters Patty and Selma. Patty and Selma disapprove of Homer and are not afraid to be vocal. Marge has tolerated their criticism, but has occasionally lost patience with them, once referring to them as "ghouls."<ref name=MotherSimpson>{{cite episode|title=Mother Simpson|episodelink=Mother Simpson|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Rich Appel|Appel, Rich]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox|airdate=1995-11-19|season=07|number=08}}</ref> Marge's father Clancy is rarely referred to in the series and has had speaking parts in only two episodes.<ref name=WayWeWas/> It was revealed in "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1994) that Clancy told Marge that he was a pilot, but in reality he was a [[flight attendant]]. Marge discovered this one day and developed [[Fear of flying|aerophobia]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Fear of Flying|episodelink=Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David Sacks|Sacks, David]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1994-12-18 |season=06|number=11}}</ref> Clancy has not had a speaking appearance since. In "[[Jazzy and the Pussycats]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 18)|season 18]], 2006), Homer casually mentions that they once attended his funeral.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Jazzy and the Pussycats|episodelink=Jazzy and the Pussycats |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Moore, Steven Dean|network=Fox |airdate=2006-09-17 |season=18|number=02}}</ref>

Marge has higher morals than most other characters, once leading a [[family values]] crusade against the violent ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''<ref>{{cite episode |title=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|episodelink=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1990-12-20 |season=02|number=09}}</ref> and being a prominent member of the "Citizens' Committee on Moral Hygiene."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Rich; Polcino, Dominic|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-24 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> She often provides a voice of reason for the town itself, but many of the townspeople are frustrated or contemptuous of her frequent failure to recognize or react correctly to breaches of social norms.<ref name="$pringfield">{{cite episode |title=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|episodelink=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1993-12-16 |season=05|number=10}}</ref> Marge is the only member of the family who encourages [[Church (building)|church]] attendance. In "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992), Homer starts skipping church and Marge tells him "don't make me choose between my man and my God, because you just can't win."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer the Heretic|episodelink=Homer the Heretic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1992-10-08|season=04|number=03}}</ref> In "[[Lisa the Skeptic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 9)|season nine]], 1997), an "[[angel]] skeleton" is discovered, much to the skepticism of Lisa. As Lisa rants about the people who believe it is an angel, Marge informs her that she also believes it is an angel. She tells Lisa, "There has to be more life than just what we see, everyone needs something to believe in."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Skeptic|episodelink=Lisa the Skeptic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David X. Cohen|Cohen, David S.]]; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-23|season=09|number=08}}</ref> In spite of her morals, Marge struggles with vices such as a [[Problem gambling|gambling addiction]].<ref name="$pringfield"/> While Marge has learned to cope with her addiction, it has never completely disappeared and remains an underlying problem that is referenced occasionally on the show.<ref>Reiss, Mike. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

[[Politics in The Simpsons|Politically]], Marge generally aligns with the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], having supported the candidacy of her state's progressive [[Governor (United States)|governor]] [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Mary Bailey|Mary Bailey]],<ref>{{cite episode |title=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|episodelink=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|series=The Simpsons |credits=Simon, Sam; Swartzwelder, John; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-01 |season=02|number=04}}</ref> and voting for [[Jimmy Carter]] in both of his presidential elections.<ref name="Job"/>

==Reception==
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]], Kavner received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Marge in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[I Married Marge]]".<ref name="Emmys">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-02-09}}</ref> In 2004, Kavner and [[Dan Castellaneta]] (the voice of Homer) won a [[Young Artist Award]] for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".<ref name="YAA">{{cite news|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm|title=25th Annual Winners and Nominees|accessdate=2008-01-18|publisher=Youngartistawards.org}}</ref> For her performance in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Kavner was nominated for "Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature" at the 2007 [[Annie Awards]], but lost to [[Ian Holm]] from ''[[Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille]]''.<ref name="A35">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html|title=For Your Consideration|accessdate=2007-12-03|date=[[December 3]], [[2007]]|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117980588.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1|title='Ratatouille' nearly sweeps Annies|accessdate=2008-02-09|date=2008-02-08|publisher=Variety|author=Debruge, Peter}}</ref> Kavner's emotional performance in the movie got positive reviews and one critic said she "gave what must be the most heartfelt performance ever."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/film.php?ak=2879|title=Homer's Odyssey|publisher=Metro Weekly|accessdate=2007-07-26|date=2007-07-26|author=Shulman, Randy}}</ref> Various episodes in which Marge is prominently featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[The Way We Weren't]]" in 2004 and "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]", which won the award in 1990.<ref name="Emmys"/> In 2000, Marge and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

Marge has been ranked highly in lists of the top television mothers of all time. She was ranked first on ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list in 1994;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302270,00.html |title=Yea, Mamas–The best and worst of TV Moms|publisher=''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=1994-05-13|author=Tucker, Ken}}</ref> first on [[Fox News]]' list in 2005;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155758,00.html |title=Marge Simpson Named Best TV Mom |publisher=[[Fox News]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=2005-05-07}}</ref> eighth on [[CityNews]]' list in 2008;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_22488.aspx |title=June Cleaver Chosen As All Time Top TV Mom|publisher=CityNews|accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> and was included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list of the "10 Best Moms Ever".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1738178_1737704_1737693,00.html |title=10 Best Moms Ever–Marge Simpson |publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|author=Brooks, Caryn}}</ref> In a 2004 poll in the United Kingdom, Marge was named the "most respected mother" by respondents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3518984.stm |title=Marge Simpson leads top mum poll|publisher=[[BBC|BBC News]]|date=2004-03-17|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

Religious writer Kenneth Briggs wrote that "Marge is my candidate for sainthood [...] She lives in the real world, she lives with crises, with flawed people. She forgives and she makes her own mistakes. She is a forgiving, loving person [...] absolutely saintly."<ref>{{Citation |last=Bates |first=Stephen |title=Homer's odyssey takes Simpsons into the theological textbooks |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/oct/03/broadcasting.internationaleducationnews |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' |date=2001-10-03 |accessdate=2008-09-21}}</ref>
{{-}}

==Cultural influence==
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=Dear First Lady, I recently read your criticism of my family. I was deeply hurt. Heaven knows we're far from perfect and, if truth be known, maybe just a wee bit short from normal; but as [[Dr. Seuss]] says, "a person is a person". I try to teach my children [...] always to give somebody the benefit of the doubt and not talk badly about them, even if they're rich. It's hard to get them to understand this advice when the very First Lady in the country calls us not only dumb, but "the dumbest thing" she ever saw. [...] I hope there is some way out of this controversy. I thought, perhaps, it would be a good start to just speak my mind. |salign=right|source=—Marge Simpson in her letter to Barbara Bush<ref name="BushvSimpson"/>}}

The October 1, 1990 edition of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' included an interview with then-[[First Lady]] of the United States [[Barbara Bush]]. The article included the following passage: "She loves ''[[America's Funniest Home Videos]]'' but remains baffled after sampling ''The Simpsons''. "It was the dumbest thing I had ever seen," she says, "but it's a family thing, and I guess it's clean."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118869,00.html|title=In the Eye of the Storm|author=Chin, Paula|accessdate=2008-08-27|date=1990-10-01|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''}}</ref> The writers decided to respond by privately sending a polite letter on September 28 to Bush where they posed as Marge Simpson. On October 9, Bush sent a reply: "Dear Marge, How kind of you to write. I'm glad you spoke your mind ... I foolishly didn't know you had one. I am looking at a picture of you... depicted on a plastic cup... with your blue hair filled with pink birds peeking out all over. Evidently, you and your charming family — Lisa, Homer, Bart and Maggie — are camping out. It's a nice family scene. Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country. Please forgive a loose tongue."<ref name="BushvSimpson">Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpson", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Will the real Marge Simpson please stand up?|author=Hall, Virginia|accessdate=2008-10-31|date=1990-11-13|work=[[Rocky Mountain News]]}}</ref>

In 2002, opponents of the [[Seattle Monorail Project]] planned on showing the episode "[[Marge vs. the Monorail]]" at a protest event. Following complaints, 20th Century Fox sent a letter to the event organizers ordering that the episode not be shown due to copyright laws.<ref>{{cite news|title=Backers of new monorail call foul when foes bring in Marge Simpson |work=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=2002-10-19|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> In 2004, Marge appeared on [[Channel 4]] in the United Kingdom for the [[Royal Christmas Message#Alternative Christmas message|alternative Christmas message]], which is annually broadcast at the same time that [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] gives her Christmas message.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/132/132244_marge_simpson_versus_the_queen.html|title=Marge Simpson versus the Queen|author=Singh, Anita|work=[[Manchester Evening News]]|date=2004-01-10|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Marge and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Marge is depicted in much ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[T-shirt]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s, cardboard stand-ups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, posters and figurines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Marge|title=Search Results for Marge|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> She has appeared in each of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Besides the television series, Marge regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993, and are issued monthly.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Marge also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Marge appeared in a 2005 advertisement for [[Dove (brand)|Dove Styling]], where her normal beehive hair was exchanged for a more stylish look for a series of ads featuring several popular cartoon women.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=101835&format=html|title=Marge Simpson getting new hairdo|work=[[The Herald-Mail]]|date=2005-01-15|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

In October 2009,<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8300463.stm|title=Marge gracing Playboy mag cover |date=October 10, 2009|work=[[BBC|BBC News Online]]|accessdate=2009-10-10}}</ref> it was announced that Marge would be featured on the front cover of the November issue of ''[[Playboy]]'',<ref> The edition is to be published in the [[United States of America|US]] on October 16 2009</ref> becoming the first cartoon character ever to do so. The cover and a three-page picture spread, as well as a story inside entitled ''The Devil in Marge Simpson'', is a celebration of the 20th anniversary of ''[[The Simpsons]]'',<ref name=BBC/> but is also part of a plan to appeal to younger readers. Chief executive of ''[[Playboy Enterprises]]'', Scott Flanders, has said that the cover and centerfold were 'somewhat tongue-in-cheek'.<ref>{{cite web|title=Marge Simpson strips off for Playboy (yes, really)|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1219399/Marge-Simpson-strips-Playboy-yes-really.html |date = 2009-10-10|accessdate = 2009-10-10|publisher=''[[Daily Mail]]''}}</ref> [[Darine Stern]]'s picture on the October 1971 cover served as the inspiration for Playboy's November 2009 cover.<ref name="cnn">{{cite newspaper|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/12/marge.simpson.playboy/index.html|title=Marge Simpson graces Playboy cover - CNN.com|publisher=CNN|date=2009-10-13}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_marge.htm Marge Simpson] at TheSimpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003031}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Marge}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Fictional artists]]
[[Category:Fictional gamblers]]
[[Category:Fictional United States Democrats]]
[[Category:Film characters]]

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Marge Simpson

2009-10-14T03:38:29Z

Adolphus79: /* Merchandising */ what other Marge would we be talking about here?

{{Simpsons character
| name=Marge Simpson
| image = [[Image:Marge Simpson.png|200px]]|
| gender=Female
| job=[[Housewife]] <br /> [[Model|Playboy Model]] <ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1219399/Marge-Simpson-strips-Playboy-yes-really.html</ref>
| relatives= '''Husband:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] <br> '''Children:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] <br> '''Parents:''' [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy]] and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]] <br> '''Sisters:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]]
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| voiceactor= [[Julie Kavner]]
}}
'''Marjorie "Marge" Simpson''' (née '''Bouvier''') is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. She is voiced by actress [[Julie Kavner]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his mother Margaret Groening. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

Marge is the well-meaning and extremely patient mother of the Simpson family. With her husband [[Homer Simpson|Homer]], she has three children: [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Marge is the moralistic force in her family and often provides a grounding voice in the midst of her family's antics by trying to maintain order in the Simpson household. She is often portrayed as a stereotypical television mother and is often included on lists of top "TV moms". She has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

Marge's distinctive blue [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by a combination of ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore in the 1960s. Julie Kavner, who was a member of the original cast of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', was asked to voice Marge so that more voice actors would not be needed. Kavner has won several awards for voicing Marge, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] in 1992. She was also nominated for an [[Annie Award]] for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature for her performance in ''The Simpsons Movie''. In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters [[Ageless|do not physically age]], and as such the show is generally assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific time periods, although this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes.<ref name=p78>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 78-79</ref> Marge Simpson is the wife of Homer and mother of Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson.<ref name="p239"/> She was raised by her parents, [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline]] and [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy Bouvier]].<ref name=WayWeWas>{{cite episode |title=The Way We Was|episodelink=The Way We Was |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Mike Reiss|Reiss, Mike]]; [[Sam Simon|Simon, Sam]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-01-31 |season=02 |number=12}}</ref> She has a pair of sisters, the joyless [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]], both of whom vocally disapprove of Homer. In "[[The Way We Was]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1991), it is revealed via [[flashback]] that Marge attended Springfield High School, and in her final year met [[Homer Simpson]]. She was at first wary of Homer, but agreed to go to the [[prom]] with him, although she ended up going with [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Artie Ziff|Artie Ziff]]. However, she regrets going with Artie and ends up with Homer.<ref name=WayWeWas/> After the two started dating for several years, Marge discovered she was pregnant with Bart, and she and Homer were married in a small wedding chapel across the state line.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> Bart was born soon after, and the couple bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2008) contradicted much of the established back-story; for example, it was revealed that Marge and Homer were childless in the early 1990s although past episodes had suggested Bart and Lisa were born in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

As with many ''Simpsons'' characters, Marge's age changes to serve the story. In [[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]] (1990) episodes "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" and "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", Marge is said to be 34.<ref name="Enchanted">{{cite episode |title=Some Enchanted Evening|episodelink=Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Groening, Matt; Simon, Sam; Silverman, David; Butterworth, Kent|network=Fox |airdate=1990-05-13 |season=01|number=13}}</ref><ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18 |season=01|number=09}}</ref> In "[[Regarding Margie]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 17)|season 17]], 2006), Homer mentions that Marge is his age, meaning she could be anywhere between 36 and 40.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Regarding Margie|episodelink=Regarding Margie|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Marc Wilmore|Wilmore, Marc]]; [[Michael Polcino|Polcino, Michael]]|network=Fox |airdate=2006-05-07 |season=17|number=20}}</ref>

Marge has been unemployed for most of the series, choosing to be a [[homemaker]] and take care of her family.<ref name="Job"/> However, she has held several one-episode jobs in the course of the series. These include working as a nuclear technician alongside Homer at [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]] in "[[Marge Gets a Job]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992),<ref name="Job">{{cite episode |title=Marge Gets a Job|episodelink=Marge Gets a Job|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-11-05 |season=04|number=07}}</ref> owning her own [[pretzel]] business in "[[The Twisted World of Marge Simpson]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997),<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|episodelink=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jennifer Crittenden|Crittenden, Jennifer]]; [[Chuck Sheetz|Sheetz, Chuck]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-01-19 |season=08|number=11}}</ref> and working at an erotic bakery in "[[Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]], 2008).<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|episodelink=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Kevin Curran|Curran, Kevin]]; [[Lance Kramer|Kramer, Lance]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-09-28 |season=20|number=01}}</ref> While Marge has never expressed discontent with her role as a homemaker, she has become bored with it. In "[[The Springfield Connection]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995), Marge decides that she needs more excitement in her life and becomes a police officer. However, by the end of the episode, she becomes upset with the corruption in the force and quits.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Springfield Connection|episodelink=The Springfield Connection|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jonathan Collier|Collier, Jonathan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-05 |season=06|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Marge while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt= A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived Marge and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986 in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Marge was named after Groening's mother Margaret "Marge" Groening, who has said she bears little similarity to the character, stating, "It's really weird to have people think you're a cartoon."<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Groening's Mom: I'm no Marge Simpson|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=1997-05-12|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]}}</ref><ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: [[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref> Marge's [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore during the 1960s, although her hair was never blue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22wwln-Q4-t.html?fta=y|title=Questions for Matt Groening–Screen Dreams |accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Soloman, Deborah|date=2007-07-22|work=[[The New York Times Magazine]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html|title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Rose, Joseph|date=2007-08-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''}}</ref>

Marge debuted with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987, in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]]. Marge and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

Matt Groening believes that episodes featuring Marge are among the most difficult episodes to write. [[Bill Oakley]] believes that the "junior" writers are usually given Marge episodes because he and writing partner [[Josh Weinstein]] were given several to write during their first season.<ref>Groening, Matt; Oakley, Bill. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge in Chains]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> During the third season of the show, most of the writers focused on Bart and Homer, so [[David M. Stern]] decided to write a Marge episode, which became "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992). He felt that they could achieve a "deeper vein" of comedy in an episode where Marge has a nervous breakdown, and James L. Brooks quickly approved.<ref>[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]] in a letter that is read on the commentary by [[Dan Castellaneta]]. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Marge - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Marge in her first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> To draw Marge, the animators generally start off with a sphere, similar to the way Lisa and Maggie are drawn. The eyes are then drawn, with one roughly in the middle of the sphere, and the other to the front side of the head. Then, the nose and lip are drawn. Her hair is then drawn on top as a long tube coming out of the sphere. An original idea the animators had for when Marge walked through doorways was that her hair would be forced down as she walked through, then once clear of the door, it would spring back and forth. This was never used.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to Matt Groening, the original idea behind Marge's hair was that it would conceal large rabbit ears. The gag was intended to be revealed in the final episode of the series, but was scrapped early on due to inconsistencies, and also to the fact that rabbit ears would be too fictitious even for ''The Simpsons''.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Selma's Choice]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
Marge's voice is performed by [[Julie Kavner]], who also does the voices of Marge's mother Jacqueline and sisters Patty and Selma. Kavner had been part of the regular cast of ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner and fellow cast member [[Dan Castellaneta]] to voice Marge and Homer rather than hire more actors.<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voices|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref name="FN">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129665,00.html|title=D'oh!: The Voice of Homer Is Deceivingly Deadpan|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2008-08-18|author=Elber, Lynn|publisher=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Part of Kavner's contract says that she will never have to promote ''The Simpsons'' on video and she rarely performs Marge's voice in public because she believes it "destroys the illusion. People feel these are real people."<ref name="Sheridan">{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref><ref name="Hamilton"/> Kavner takes recording sessions seriously and feels that voice acting is "a little more limiting than live acting. And I have nothing to do with my character's movement."<ref>{{cite news|title=Treading 'Water' Julie Kavner takes break from Marge Simpson to star in Woody Allen's TV Movie |date=1994-09-18|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|author=Weiskind, Ron}}</ref>

Marge's raspy voice is only slightly different from Kavner's, who has a "honeyed gravel voice"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDF1F38F935A15752C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|title='Darling! Listen to Me'|accessdate=2008-11-23|date=1992-01-26|author=De Vries, Hilary|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> which she says is due to "a bump on [her] vocal cords."<ref>{{cite news|title=The actress with the one-of-a-kind voice stars in Nora Ephron's comedy 'This is my Life.'|date=1992-03-13|accessdate=2008-11-23|work=[[The Orlando Sentinel]]|author=Haun, Harry}}</ref> While Marge is her most famous character, Kavner's favorite characters to voice are Patty and Selma because "they're really funny and sad at the same time."<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite news|title=Ay caramba!: Only TV could call this work|date=1996-12-31|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[The Hamilton Spectator]]|author=Duffy, Mike}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', some scenes, such as Marge's video message to Homer, were recorded over one hundred times, leaving Kavner exhausted.<ref name=moviesonline>{{cite news|url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12524.html|title=The Simpsons Movie Interviews|author=Roberts, Sheila|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=Movies Online}}</ref>

Until 1998, Kavner was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing to cast new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> However, the dispute was soon resolved and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Kavner earned $250,000 per episode.<ref name="Sheridan"/> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = [[BBC News]] | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
Marge is generally a stereotypical sitcom mother, and she also plays the "long-suffering wife" who puts up with the antics of her children and her oafish husband.<ref name="p239">[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 239–240</ref> While she usually takes her family's problems with good humor, in "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992), her workload and resultant stress caused her to have a mental breakdown. After spending time at "Rancho Relaxo", during which her family barely coped with her absence, she returned refreshed and everyone promised to help out more often.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer Alone|episodelink=Homer Alone|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-06|season=03|number=15}}</ref> Marge often provides a grounding opinion for Homer and their marriage has often been shaky. Marge admits that she "put[s] up with a lot in [their] marriage," and has left Homer or thrown him out of the house on several occasions.<ref name="Secrets">{{cite episode |title=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|episodelink=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Greg Daniels|Daniels, Greg]]; [[Carlos Baeza|Baeza, Carlos]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-05-19|season=05|number=22}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=The Cartridge Family|episodelink=The Cartridge Family|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-02|season=09|number=05}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=Bonfire of the Manatees|episodelink=Bonfire of the Manatees|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2005-09-11|season=17|number=01}}</ref> One of the first such episodes to depict this is "[[Secrets of a Successful Marriage]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), where Homer starts teaching an adult education class on how to build a successful marriage. He is at first unsuccessful, but gains the interest of the class when he starts giving away family secrets, many of which concern Marge. Upon finding this out, Marge is incensed and throws him out of the house. The next day, Homer is dirty and disheveled, and begs Marge to take him back, saying the one thing he can offer her that nobody else can is "complete and utter dependence." At first, Marge does not see that as a benefit, but eventually admits that he "really [does] make a gal feel needed."<ref name="Secrets"/> Episodes that depict marital problems have become more frequent in recent seasons of the show. Through it all, Marge has remained faithful to Homer, despite temptations to the contrary such as the one in "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), where she resists the charming Frenchman Jacques and instead chooses to remain with Homer.<ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18|season=01|number=09}}</ref>

Marge is a caring, understanding, and nurturing parent to Bart, but she refers to him as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995), she felt she was mothering Bart too much and started acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. In the beginning of the episode, Bart protested her "over-mothering", but as she started acting more distant towards him, he felt guilty about it and made up with her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Marge has expressed understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> Marge has a good relationship with Lisa and the two are shown to get along quite well. Marge over-mothers Maggie, which causes her to become too clingy and dependent on Marge. In "[[Midnight Towboy]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2007), Marge hires an expert to help make Maggie more independent. However, Maggie becomes so independent that she rarely needs Marge. Marge begins to miss Maggie, but at the end of the episode, Maggie starts to need her again.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Midnight Towboy|episodelink=Midnight Towboy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Gillis, Stephanie; [[Matthew Nastuk|Nastuk, Matthew]]|network=Fox |airdate=2007-10-07|season=19|number=03}}</ref> Marge maintains a good relationship with her mother Jacqueline and her sisters Patty and Selma. Patty and Selma disapprove of Homer and are not afraid to be vocal. Marge has tolerated their criticism, but has occasionally lost patience with them, once referring to them as "ghouls."<ref name=MotherSimpson>{{cite episode|title=Mother Simpson|episodelink=Mother Simpson|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Rich Appel|Appel, Rich]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox|airdate=1995-11-19|season=07|number=08}}</ref> Marge's father Clancy is rarely referred to in the series and has had speaking parts in only two episodes.<ref name=WayWeWas/> It was revealed in "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1994) that Clancy told Marge that he was a pilot, but in reality he was a [[flight attendant]]. Marge discovered this one day and developed [[Fear of flying|aerophobia]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Fear of Flying|episodelink=Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David Sacks|Sacks, David]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1994-12-18 |season=06|number=11}}</ref> Clancy has not had a speaking appearance since. In "[[Jazzy and the Pussycats]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 18)|season 18]], 2006), Homer casually mentions that they once attended his funeral.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Jazzy and the Pussycats|episodelink=Jazzy and the Pussycats |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Moore, Steven Dean|network=Fox |airdate=2006-09-17 |season=18|number=02}}</ref>

Marge has higher morals than most other characters, once leading a [[family values]] crusade against the violent ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''<ref>{{cite episode |title=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|episodelink=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1990-12-20 |season=02|number=09}}</ref> and being a prominent member of the "Citizens' Committee on Moral Hygiene."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Rich; Polcino, Dominic|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-24 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> She often provides a voice of reason for the town itself, but many of the townspeople are frustrated or contemptuous of her frequent failure to recognize or react correctly to breaches of social norms.<ref name="$pringfield">{{cite episode |title=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|episodelink=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1993-12-16 |season=05|number=10}}</ref> Marge is the only member of the family who encourages [[Church (building)|church]] attendance. In "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992), Homer starts skipping church and Marge tells him "don't make me choose between my man and my God, because you just can't win."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer the Heretic|episodelink=Homer the Heretic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1992-10-08|season=04|number=03}}</ref> In "[[Lisa the Skeptic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 9)|season nine]], 1997), an "[[angel]] skeleton" is discovered, much to the skepticism of Lisa. As Lisa rants about the people who believe it is an angel, Marge informs her that she also believes it is an angel. She tells Lisa, "There has to be more life than just what we see, everyone needs something to believe in."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Skeptic|episodelink=Lisa the Skeptic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David X. Cohen|Cohen, David S.]]; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-23|season=09|number=08}}</ref> In spite of her morals, Marge struggles with vices such as a [[Problem gambling|gambling addiction]].<ref name="$pringfield"/> While Marge has learned to cope with her addiction, it has never completely disappeared and remains an underlying problem that is referenced occasionally on the show.<ref>Reiss, Mike. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

[[Politics in The Simpsons|Politically]], Marge generally aligns with the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], having supported the candidacy of her state's progressive [[Governor (United States)|governor]] [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Mary Bailey|Mary Bailey]],<ref>{{cite episode |title=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|episodelink=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|series=The Simpsons |credits=Simon, Sam; Swartzwelder, John; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-01 |season=02|number=04}}</ref> and voting for [[Jimmy Carter]] in both of his presidential elections.<ref name="Job"/>

==Reception==
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]], Kavner received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Marge in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[I Married Marge]]".<ref name="Emmys">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-02-09}}</ref> In 2004, Kavner and [[Dan Castellaneta]] (the voice of Homer) won a [[Young Artist Award]] for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".<ref name="YAA">{{cite news|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm|title=25th Annual Winners and Nominees|accessdate=2008-01-18|publisher=Youngartistawards.org}}</ref> For her performance in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Kavner was nominated for "Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature" at the 2007 [[Annie Awards]], but lost to [[Ian Holm]] from ''[[Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille]]''.<ref name="A35">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html|title=For Your Consideration|accessdate=2007-12-03|date=[[December 3]], [[2007]]|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117980588.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1|title='Ratatouille' nearly sweeps Annies|accessdate=2008-02-09|date=2008-02-08|publisher=Variety|author=Debruge, Peter}}</ref> Kavner's emotional performance in the movie got positive reviews and one critic said she "gave what must be the most heartfelt performance ever."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/film.php?ak=2879|title=Homer's Odyssey|publisher=Metro Weekly|accessdate=2007-07-26|date=2007-07-26|author=Shulman, Randy}}</ref> Various episodes in which Marge is prominently featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[The Way We Weren't]]" in 2004 and "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]", which won the award in 1990.<ref name="Emmys"/> In 2000, Marge and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

Marge has been ranked highly in lists of the top television mothers of all time. She was ranked first on ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list in 1994;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302270,00.html |title=Yea, Mamas–The best and worst of TV Moms|publisher=''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=1994-05-13|author=Tucker, Ken}}</ref> first on [[Fox News]]' list in 2005;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155758,00.html |title=Marge Simpson Named Best TV Mom |publisher=[[Fox News]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=2005-05-07}}</ref> eighth on [[CityNews]]' list in 2008;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_22488.aspx |title=June Cleaver Chosen As All Time Top TV Mom|publisher=CityNews|accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> and was included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list of the "10 Best Moms Ever".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1738178_1737704_1737693,00.html |title=10 Best Moms Ever–Marge Simpson |publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|author=Brooks, Caryn}}</ref> In a 2004 poll in the United Kingdom, Marge was named the "most respected mother" by respondents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3518984.stm |title=Marge Simpson leads top mum poll|publisher=[[BBC|BBC News]]|date=2004-03-17|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

Religious writer Kenneth Briggs wrote that "Marge is my candidate for sainthood [...] She lives in the real world, she lives with crises, with flawed people. She forgives and she makes her own mistakes. She is a forgiving, loving person [...] absolutely saintly."<ref>{{Citation |last=Bates |first=Stephen |title=Homer's odyssey takes Simpsons into the theological textbooks |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/oct/03/broadcasting.internationaleducationnews |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' |date=2001-10-03 |accessdate=2008-09-21}}</ref>
{{-}}

==Cultural influence==
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=Dear First Lady, I recently read your criticism of my family. I was deeply hurt. Heaven knows we're far from perfect and, if truth be known, maybe just a wee bit short from normal; but as [[Dr. Seuss]] says, "a person is a person". I try to teach my children [...] always to give somebody the benefit of the doubt and not talk badly about them, even if they're rich. It's hard to get them to understand this advice when the very First Lady in the country calls us not only dumb, but "the dumbest thing" she ever saw. [...] I hope there is some way out of this controversy. I thought, perhaps, it would be a good start to just speak my mind. |salign=right|source=—Marge Simpson in her letter to Barbara Bush<ref name="BushvSimpson"/>}}

The October 1, 1990 edition of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' included an interview with then-[[First Lady]] of the United States [[Barbara Bush]]. The article included the following passage: "She loves ''[[America's Funniest Home Videos]]'' but remains baffled after sampling ''The Simpsons''. "It was the dumbest thing I had ever seen," she says, "but it's a family thing, and I guess it's clean."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118869,00.html|title=In the Eye of the Storm|author=Chin, Paula|accessdate=2008-08-27|date=1990-10-01|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''}}</ref> The writers decided to respond by privately sending a polite letter on September 28 to Bush where they posed as Marge Simpson. On October 9, Bush sent a reply: "Dear Marge, How kind of you to write. I'm glad you spoke your mind ... I foolishly didn't know you had one. I am looking at a picture of you... depicted on a plastic cup... with your blue hair filled with pink birds peeking out all over. Evidently, you and your charming family — Lisa, Homer, Bart and Maggie — are camping out. It's a nice family scene. Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country. Please forgive a loose tongue."<ref name="BushvSimpson">Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpson", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Will the real Marge Simpson please stand up?|author=Hall, Virginia|accessdate=2008-10-31|date=1990-11-13|work=[[Rocky Mountain News]]}}</ref>

In 2002, opponents of the [[Seattle Monorail Project]] planned on showing the episode "[[Marge vs. the Monorail]]" at a protest event. Following complaints, 20th Century Fox sent a letter to the event organizers ordering that the episode not be shown due to copyright laws.<ref>{{cite news|title=Backers of new monorail call foul when foes bring in Marge Simpson |work=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=2002-10-19|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> In 2004, Marge appeared on [[Channel 4]] in the United Kingdom for the [[Royal Christmas Message#Alternative Christmas message|alternative Christmas message]], which is annually broadcast at the same time that [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] gives her Christmas message.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/132/132244_marge_simpson_versus_the_queen.html|title=Marge Simpson versus the Queen|author=Singh, Anita|work=[[Manchester Evening News]]|date=2004-01-10|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Marge and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

===Merchandising===
[[File:Marge_simpson_playboy.jpg|right|thumb|140px|Marge as the cover girl for Playboy Magazine (November 2009)]]
Marge is depicted in much ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[T-shirt]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s, cardboard stand-ups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, posters and figurines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Marge|title=Search Results for Marge|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> She has appeared in each of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Besides the television series, Marge regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993, and are issued monthly.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Marge also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Marge appeared in a 2005 advertisement for [[Dove (brand)|Dove Styling]], where her normal beehive hair was exchanged for a more stylish look for a series of ads featuring several popular cartoon women.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=101835&format=html|title=Marge Simpson getting new hairdo|work=[[The Herald-Mail]]|date=2005-01-15|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

In October 2009,<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8300463.stm|title=Marge gracing Playboy mag cover |date=October 10, 2009|work=[[BBC|BBC News Online]]|accessdate=2009-10-10}}</ref> it was announced that Marge would be featured on the front cover of the November issue of ''[[Playboy]]'',<ref> The edition is to be published in the [[United States of America|US]] on October 16 2009</ref> becoming the first cartoon character ever to do so. The cover and a three-page picture spread, as well as a story inside entitled ''The Devil in Marge Simpson'', is a celebration of the 20th anniversary of ''[[The Simpsons]]'',<ref name=BBC/> but is also part of a plan to appeal to younger readers. Chief executive of ''[[Playboy Enterprises]]'', Scott Flanders, has said that the cover and centerfold were 'somewhat tongue-in-cheek'.<ref>{{cite web|title=Marge Simpson strips off for Playboy (yes, really)|url= http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1219399/Marge-Simpson-strips-Playboy-yes-really.html |date = 2009-10-10|accessdate = 2009-10-10|publisher=''[[Daily Mail]]''}}</ref>. [[Darine Stern]]'s picture on the [[October 1971]] cover served as the inspiration for Playboy's November 2009 cover.<ref name="cnn">{{cite newspaper|url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/12/marge.simpson.playboy/index.html|title=Marge Simpson graces Playboy cover - CNN.com|publisher=CNN|date=2009-10-13}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_marge.htm Marge Simpson] at TheSimpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003031}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Marge}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Fictional artists]]
[[Category:Fictional gamblers]]
[[Category:Fictional United States Democrats]]
[[Category:Film characters]]

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Marge Simpson

2009-10-10T16:21:24Z

Adolphus79: /* Merchandising */ minor fix...

{{Simpsons character
| name=Marge Simpson
| image = [[Image:Marge Simpson.png|200px]]|
| gender=Female
| job=Housewife/Home Maker
| relatives= '''Husband:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] <br> '''Children:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] <br> '''Parents:''' [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy]] and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]] <br> '''Sisters:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]]
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| voiceactor= [[Julie Kavner]]
}}
'''Marjorie "Marge" Simpson''' (née '''Bouvier''') is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. She is voiced by actress [[Julie Kavner]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his mother Margaret Groening. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

Marge is the well-meaning and extremely patient mother of the Simpson family. With her husband [[Homer Simpson|Homer]], she has three children: [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Marge is the moralistic force in her family and often provides a grounding voice in the midst of her family's antics by trying to maintain order in the Simpson household. She is often portrayed as a stereotypical television mother and is often included on lists of top "TV moms". She has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

Marge's distinctive blue [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by a combination of ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore in the 1960s. Julie Kavner, who was a member of the original cast of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', was asked to voice Marge so that more voice actors would not be needed. Kavner has won several awards for voicing Marge, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] in 1992. She was also nominated for an [[Annie Award]] for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature for her performance in ''The Simpsons Movie''. In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters [[Ageless|do not physically age]], and as such the show is generally assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific time periods, although this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes.<ref name=p78>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 78-79</ref> Marge Simpson is the wife of Homer and mother of Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson.<ref name="p239"/> She was raised by her parents, [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline]] and [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy Bouvier]].<ref name=WayWeWas>{{cite episode |title=The Way We Was|episodelink=The Way We Was |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Mike Reiss|Reiss, Mike]]; [[Sam Simon|Simon, Sam]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-01-31 |season=02 |number=12}}</ref> She has a pair of sisters, the joyless [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]], both of whom vocally disapprove of Homer. In "[[The Way We Was]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1991), it is revealed via [[flashback]] that Marge attended Springfield High School, and in her final year met [[Homer Simpson]]. She was at first wary of Homer, but agreed to go to the [[prom]] with him, although she ended up going with [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Artie Ziff|Artie Ziff]]. However, she regrets going with Artie and ends up with Homer.<ref name=WayWeWas/> After the two started dating for several years, Marge discovered she was pregnant with Bart, and she and Homer were married in a small wedding chapel across the state line.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> Bart was born soon after, and the couple bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2008) contradicted much of the established back-story; for example, it was revealed that Marge and Homer were childless in the early 1990s although past episodes had suggested Bart and Lisa were born in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

As with many ''Simpsons'' characters, Marge's age changes to serve the story. In [[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]] (1990) episodes "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" and "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", Marge is said to be 34.<ref name="Enchanted">{{cite episode |title=Some Enchanted Evening|episodelink=Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Groening, Matt; Simon, Sam; Silverman, David; Butterworth, Kent|network=Fox |airdate=1990-05-13 |season=01|number=13}}</ref><ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18 |season=01|number=09}}</ref> In "[[Regarding Margie]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 17)|season 17]], 2006), Homer mentions that Marge is his age, meaning she could be anywhere between 36 and 40.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Regarding Margie|episodelink=Regarding Margie|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Marc Wilmore|Wilmore, Marc]]; [[Michael Polcino|Polcino, Michael]]|network=Fox |airdate=2006-05-07 |season=17|number=20}}</ref>

Marge has been unemployed for most of the series, choosing to be a [[homemaker]] and take care of her family.<ref name="Job"/> However, she has held several one-episode jobs in the course of the series. These include working as a nuclear technician alongside Homer at [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]] in "[[Marge Gets a Job]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992),<ref name="Job">{{cite episode |title=Marge Gets a Job|episodelink=Marge Gets a Job|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-11-05 |season=04|number=07}}</ref> owning her own [[pretzel]] business in "[[The Twisted World of Marge Simpson]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997),<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|episodelink=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jennifer Crittenden|Crittenden, Jennifer]]; [[Chuck Sheetz|Sheetz, Chuck]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-01-19 |season=08|number=11}}</ref> and working at an erotic bakery in "[[Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]], 2008).<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|episodelink=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Kevin Curran|Curran, Kevin]]; [[Lance Kramer|Kramer, Lance]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-09-28 |season=20|number=01}}</ref> While Marge has never expressed discontent with her role as a homemaker, she has become bored with it. In "[[The Springfield Connection]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995), Marge decides that she needs more excitement in her life and becomes a police officer. However, by the end of the episode, she becomes upset with the corruption in the force and quits.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Springfield Connection|episodelink=The Springfield Connection|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jonathan Collier|Collier, Jonathan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-05 |season=06|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Marge while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.|alt= A man in glasses and a plaid shirt sits in front of a microphone.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived Marge and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986 in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Marge was named after Groening's mother Margaret "Marge" Groening, who has said she bears little similarity to the character, stating, "It's really weird to have people think you're a cartoon."<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Groening's Mom: I'm no Marge Simpson|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=1997-05-12|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]}}</ref><ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: [[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref> Marge's [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore during the 1960s, although her hair was never blue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22wwln-Q4-t.html?fta=y|title=Questions for Matt Groening–Screen Dreams |accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Soloman, Deborah|date=2007-07-22|work=[[The New York Times Magazine]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html|title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Rose, Joseph|date=2007-08-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''}}</ref>

Marge debuted with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987, in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]]. Marge and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

Matt Groening believes that episodes featuring Marge are among the most difficult episodes to write. [[Bill Oakley]] believes that the "junior" writers are usually given Marge episodes because he and writing partner [[Josh Weinstein]] were given several to write during their first season.<ref>Groening, Matt; Oakley, Bill. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge in Chains]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> During the third season of the show, most of the writers focused on Bart and Homer, so [[David M. Stern]] decided to write a Marge episode, which became "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992). He felt that they could achieve a "deeper vein" of comedy in an episode where Marge has a nervous breakdown, and James L. Brooks quickly approved.<ref>[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]] in a letter that is read on the commentary by [[Dan Castellaneta]]. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Marge - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Marge in her first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> To draw Marge, the animators generally start off with a sphere, similar to the way Lisa and Maggie are drawn. The eyes are then drawn, with one roughly in the middle of the sphere, and the other to the front side of the head. Then, the nose and lip are drawn. Her hair is then drawn on top as a long tube coming out of the sphere. An original idea the animators had for when Marge walked through doorways was that her hair would be forced down as she walked through, then once clear of the door, it would spring back and forth. This was never used.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to Matt Groening, the original idea behind Marge's hair was that it would conceal large rabbit ears. The gag was intended to be revealed in the final episode of the series, but was scrapped early on due to inconsistencies, and also to the fact that rabbit ears would be too fictitious even for ''The Simpsons''.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Selma's Choice]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
Marge's voice is performed by [[Julie Kavner]], who also does the voices of Marge's mother Jacqueline and sisters Patty and Selma. Kavner had been part of the regular cast of ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner and fellow cast member [[Dan Castellaneta]] to voice Marge and Homer rather than hire more actors.<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voices|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref name="FN">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129665,00.html|title=D'oh!: The Voice of Homer Is Deceivingly Deadpan|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2008-08-18|author=Elber, Lynn|publisher=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Part of Kavner's contract says that she will never have to promote ''The Simpsons'' on video and she rarely performs Marge's voice in public because she believes it "destroys the illusion. People feel these are real people."<ref name="Sheridan">{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref><ref name="Hamilton"/> Kavner takes recording sessions seriously and feels that voice acting is "a little more limiting than live acting. And I have nothing to do with my character's movement."<ref>{{cite news|title=Treading 'Water' Julie Kavner takes break from Marge Simpson to star in Woody Allen's TV Movie |date=1994-09-18|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|author=Weiskind, Ron}}</ref>

Marge's raspy voice is only slightly different from Kavner's, who has a "honeyed gravel voice"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDF1F38F935A15752C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|title='Darling! Listen to Me'|accessdate=2008-11-23|date=1992-01-26|author=De Vries, Hilary|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> which she says is due to "a bump on [her] vocal cords."<ref>{{cite news|title=The actress with the one-of-a-kind voice stars in Nora Ephron's comedy 'This is my Life.'|date=1992-03-13|accessdate=2008-11-23|work=[[The Orlando Sentinel]]|author=Haun, Harry}}</ref> While Marge is her most famous character, Kavner's favorite characters to voice are Patty and Selma because "they're really funny and sad at the same time."<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite news|title=Ay caramba!: Only TV could call this work|date=1996-12-31|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[The Hamilton Spectator]]|author=Duffy, Mike}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', some scenes, such as Marge's video message to Homer, were recorded over one hundred times, leaving Kavner exhausted.<ref name=moviesonline>{{cite news|url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12524.html|title=The Simpsons Movie Interviews|author=Roberts, Sheila|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=Movies Online}}</ref>

Until 1998, Kavner was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing to cast new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> However, the dispute was soon resolved and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Kavner earned $250,000 per episode.<ref name="Sheridan"/> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = [[BBC News]] | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
Marge is generally a stereotypical sitcom mother, and she also plays the "long-suffering wife" who puts up with the antics of her children and her oafish husband.<ref name="p239">[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 239–240</ref> While she usually takes her family's problems with good humor, in "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992), her workload and resultant stress caused her to have a mental breakdown. After spending time at "Rancho Relaxo", during which her family barely coped with her absence, she returned refreshed and everyone promised to help out more often.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer Alone|episodelink=Homer Alone|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-06|season=03|number=15}}</ref> Marge often provides a grounding opinion for Homer and their marriage has often been shaky. Marge admits that she "put[s] up with a lot in [their] marriage," and has left Homer or thrown him out of the house on several occasions.<ref name="Secrets">{{cite episode |title=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|episodelink=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Greg Daniels|Daniels, Greg]]; [[Carlos Baeza|Baeza, Carlos]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-05-19|season=05|number=22}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=The Cartridge Family|episodelink=The Cartridge Family|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-02|season=09|number=05}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=Bonfire of the Manatees|episodelink=Bonfire of the Manatees|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2005-09-11|season=17|number=01}}</ref> One of the first such episodes to depict this is "[[Secrets of a Successful Marriage]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), where Homer starts teaching an adult education class on how to build a successful marriage. He is at first unsuccessful, but gains the interest of the class when he starts giving away family secrets, many of which concern Marge. Upon finding this out, Marge is incensed and throws him out of the house. The next day, Homer is dirty and disheveled, and begs Marge to take him back, saying the one thing he can offer her that nobody else can is "complete and utter dependence." At first, Marge does not see that as a benefit, but eventually admits that he "really [does] make a gal feel needed."<ref name="Secrets"/> Episodes that depict marital problems have become more frequent in recent seasons of the show. Through it all, Marge has remained faithful to Homer, despite temptations to the contrary such as the one in "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), where she resists the charming Frenchman Jacques and instead chooses to remain with Homer.<ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18|season=01|number=09}}</ref>

Marge is a caring, understanding, and nurturing parent to Bart, but she refers to him as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995), she felt she was mothering Bart too much and started acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. In the beginning of the episode, Bart protested her "over-mothering", but as she started acting more distant towards him, he felt guilty about it and made up with her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Marge has expressed understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> Marge has a good relationship with Lisa and the two are shown to get along quite well. Marge over-mothers Maggie, which causes her to become too clingy and dependent on Marge. In "[[Midnight Towboy]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2007), Marge hires an expert to help make Maggie more independent. However, Maggie becomes so independent that she rarely needs Marge. Marge begins to miss Maggie, but at the end of the episode, Maggie starts to need her again.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Midnight Towboy|episodelink=Midnight Towboy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Gillis, Stephanie; [[Matthew Nastuk|Nastuk, Matthew]]|network=Fox |airdate=2007-10-07|season=19|number=03}}</ref> Marge maintains a good relationship with her mother Jacqueline and her sisters Patty and Selma. Patty and Selma disapprove of Homer and are not afraid to be vocal. Marge has tolerated their criticism, but has occasionally lost patience with them, once referring to them as "ghouls."<ref name=MotherSimpson>{{cite episode|title=Mother Simpson|episodelink=Mother Simpson|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Rich Appel|Appel, Rich]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox|airdate=1995-11-19|season=07|number=08}}</ref> Marge's father Clancy is rarely referred to in the series and has had speaking parts in only two episodes.<ref name=WayWeWas/> It was revealed in "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1994) that Clancy told Marge that he was a pilot, but in reality he was a [[flight attendant]]. Marge discovered this one day and developed [[Fear of flying|aerophobia]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Fear of Flying|episodelink=Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David Sacks|Sacks, David]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1994-12-18 |season=06|number=11}}</ref> Clancy has not had a speaking appearance since. In "[[Jazzy and the Pussycats]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 18)|season 18]], 2006), Homer casually mentions that they once attended his funeral.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Jazzy and the Pussycats|episodelink=Jazzy and the Pussycats |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Moore, Steven Dean|network=Fox |airdate=2006-09-17 |season=18|number=02}}</ref>

Marge has higher morals than most other characters, once leading a [[family values]] crusade against the violent ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''<ref>{{cite episode |title=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|episodelink=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1990-12-20 |season=02|number=09}}</ref> and being a prominent member of the "Citizens' Committee on Moral Hygiene."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Rich; Polcino, Dominic|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-24 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> She often provides a voice of reason for the town itself, but many of the townspeople are frustrated or contemptuous of her frequent failure to recognize or react correctly to breaches of social norms.<ref name="$pringfield">{{cite episode |title=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|episodelink=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1993-12-16 |season=05|number=10}}</ref> Marge is the only member of the family who encourages [[Church (building)|church]] attendance. In "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992), Homer starts skipping church and Marge tells him "don't make me choose between my man and my God, because you just can't win."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer the Heretic|episodelink=Homer the Heretic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1992-10-08|season=04|number=03}}</ref> In "[[Lisa the Skeptic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 9)|season nine]], 1997), an "[[angel]] skeleton" is discovered, much to the skepticism of Lisa. As Lisa rants about the people who believe it is an angel, Marge informs her that she also believes it is an angel. She tells Lisa, "There has to be more life than just what we see, everyone needs something to believe in."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Skeptic|episodelink=Lisa the Skeptic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David X. Cohen|Cohen, David S.]]; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-23|season=09|number=08}}</ref> In spite of her morals, Marge struggles with vices such as a [[Problem gambling|gambling addiction]].<ref name="$pringfield"/> While Marge has learned to cope with her addiction, it has never completely disappeared and remains an underlying problem that is referenced occasionally on the show.<ref>Reiss, Mike. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

[[Politics in The Simpsons|Politically]], Marge generally aligns with the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], having supported the candidacy of her state's progressive [[Governor (United States)|governor]] [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Mary Bailey|Mary Bailey]],<ref>{{cite episode |title=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|episodelink=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|series=The Simpsons |credits=Simon, Sam; Swartzwelder, John; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-01 |season=02|number=04}}</ref> and voting for [[Jimmy Carter]] in both of his presidential elections.<ref name="Job"/>

==Reception==
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]], Kavner received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Marge in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[I Married Marge]]".<ref name="Emmys">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-02-09}}</ref> In 2004, Kavner and [[Dan Castellaneta]] (the voice of Homer) won a [[Young Artist Award]] for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".<ref name="YAA">{{cite news|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm|title=25th Annual Winners and Nominees|accessdate=2008-01-18|publisher=Youngartistawards.org}}</ref> For her performance in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Kavner was nominated for "Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature" at the 2007 [[Annie Awards]], but lost to [[Ian Holm]] from ''[[Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille]]''.<ref name="A35">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html|title=For Your Consideration|accessdate=2007-12-03|date=[[December 3]], [[2007]]|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117980588.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1|title='Ratatouille' nearly sweeps Annies|accessdate=2008-02-09|date=2008-02-08|publisher=Variety|author=Debruge, Peter}}</ref> Kavner's emotional performance in the movie got positive reviews and one critic said she "gave what must be the most heartfelt performance ever."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/film.php?ak=2879|title=Homer's Odyssey|publisher=Metro Weekly|accessdate=2007-07-26|date=2007-07-26|author=Shulman, Randy}}</ref> Various episodes in which Marge is prominently featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[The Way We Weren't]]" in 2004 and "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]", which won the award in 1990.<ref name="Emmys"/> In 2000, Marge and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

Marge has been ranked highly in lists of the top television mothers of all time. She was ranked first on ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list in 1994;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302270,00.html |title=Yea, Mamas–The best and worst of TV Moms|publisher=''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=1994-05-13|author=Tucker, Ken}}</ref> first on [[FOX News]]' list in 2005;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155758,00.html |title=Marge Simpson Named Best TV Mom |publisher=[[FOX News]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=2005-05-07}}</ref> eighth on [[CityNews]]' list in 2008;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_22488.aspx |title=June Cleaver Chosen As All Time Top TV Mom|publisher=CityNews|accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> and was included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list of the "10 Best Moms Ever".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1738178_1737704_1737693,00.html |title=10 Best Moms Ever–Marge Simpson |publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|author=Brooks, Caryn}}</ref> In a 2004 poll in the United Kingdom, Marge was named the "most respected mother" by respondents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3518984.stm |title=Marge Simpson leads top mum poll|publisher=[[BBC|BBC News]]|date=2004-03-17|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

Religious writer Kenneth Briggs wrote that "Marge is my candidate for sainthood [...] She lives in the real world, she lives with crises, with flawed people. She forgives and she makes her own mistakes. She is a forgiving, loving person [...] absolutely saintly."<ref>{{Citation |last=Bates |first=Stephen |title=Homer's odyssey takes Simpsons into the theological textbooks |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/oct/03/broadcasting.internationaleducationnews |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' |date=2001-10-03 |accessdate=2008-09-21}}</ref>
{{-}}

==Cultural influence==
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=Dear First Lady, I recently read your criticism of my family. I was deeply hurt. Heaven knows we're far from perfect and, if truth be known, maybe just a wee bit short from normal; but as [[Dr. Seuss]] says, "a person is a person". I try to teach my children [...] always to give somebody the benefit of the doubt and not talk badly about them, even if they're rich. It's hard to get them to understand this advice when the very First Lady in the country calls us not only dumb, but "the dumbest thing" she ever saw. [...] I hope there is some way out of this controversy. I thought, perhaps, it would be a good start to just speak my mind. |salign=right|source=—Marge Simpson in her letter to Barbara Bush<ref name="BushvSimpson"/>}}

The October 1, 1990 edition of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' included an interview with then-[[First Lady]] of the United States [[Barbara Bush]]. The article included the following passage: "She loves ''[[America's Funniest Home Videos]]'' but remains baffled after sampling ''The Simpsons''. "It was the dumbest thing I had ever seen," she says, "but it's a family thing, and I guess it's clean."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118869,00.html|title=In the Eye of the Storm|author=Chin, Paula|accessdate=2008-08-27|date=1990-10-01|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''}}</ref> The writers decided to respond by privately sending a polite letter on September 28 to Bush where they posed as Marge Simpson. On October 9, Bush sent a reply: "Dear Marge, How kind of you to write. I'm glad you spoke your mind ... I foolishly didn't know you had one. I am looking at a picture of you... depicted on a plastic cup... with your blue hair filled with pink birds peeking out all over. Evidently, you and your charming family — Lisa, Homer, Bart and Maggie — are camping out. It's a nice family scene. Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country. Please forgive a loose tongue."<ref name="BushvSimpson">Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpson", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Will the real Marge Simpson please stand up?|author=Hall, Virginia|accessdate=2008-10-31|date=1990-11-13|work=[[Rocky Mountain News]]}}</ref>

In 2002, opponents of the [[Seattle Monorail Project]] planned on showing the episode "[[Marge vs. the Monorail]]" at a protest event. Following complaints, 20th Century Fox sent a letter to the event organizers ordering that the episode not be shown due to copyright laws.<ref>{{cite news|title=Backers of new monorail call foul when foes bring in Marge Simpson |work=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=2002-10-19|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> In 2004, Marge appeared on [[Channel 4]] in the United Kingdom for the [[Royal Christmas Message#Alternative Christmas message|alternative Christmas message]], which is annually broadcast at the same time that [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] gives her Christmas message.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/132/132244_marge_simpson_versus_the_queen.html|title=Marge Simpson versus the Queen|author=Singh, Anita|work=[[Manchester Evening News]]|date=2004-01-10|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Marge and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Marge is depicted in much ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[T-shirt]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s, cardboard stand-ups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, posters and figurines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Marge|title=Search Results for Marge|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> She has appeared in each of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Besides the television series, Marge regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993, and are issued monthly.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Marge also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Marge appeared in a 2005 advertisement for [[Dove (brand)|Dove Styling]], where her normal beehive hair was exchanged for a more stylish look for a series of ads featuring several popular cartoon women.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=101835&format=html|title=Marge Simpson getting new hairdo|work=[[The Herald-Mail]]|date=2005-01-15|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

In October 2009, Marge became the first cartoon character to appear on the cover of ''[[Playboy magazine]]'', celebrating the 20th anniversary of ''The Simpsons''. A Playboy spokeswoman stated that the cover would appeal to readers in their 20s, and that Marge was "a stunning example of the cartoon form." The edition is to be published on October 16.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8300463.stm|title=Marge gracing Playboy mag cover |date=October 10, 2009|work=BBC News Online|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2009-10-10}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_marge.htm Marge Simpson] at TheSimpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003031}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Marge}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Fictional artists]]
[[Category:Fictional gamblers]]
[[Category:Fictional United States Democrats]]
[[Category:Film characters]]

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Bart Simpson

2009-09-22T13:55:15Z

Adolphus79: vandalism / test revert...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[File:Bart Simpson.svg|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]].<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is always assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him and other students with various gestures and rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2008) contradicted much of the backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially ''The [[Krusty the Clown]] Show'' which includes the ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and has been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He works as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> as a doorman in Springfield's [[burlesque house]], the Maison Derrière in "[[Bart After Dark]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Richard; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-04 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> and briefly owns his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Matt Groening by Gage Skidmore.jpg|right|thumb|upright|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986, while waiting in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart", an anagram of the word ''brat'', for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=distributed by ''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart: Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessdate=October 7, 2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]'', Bart's full middle name is JoJo.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all of the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes have Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were vinyl Bart dolls in production and purchased one to use as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson.]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was resolved and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The dispute was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright's pay rose to $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of many ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor such as "The First Amendment does not cover burping",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lemon of Troy|episodelink=Lemon of Troy|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brent Forrester|Forrester, Brent]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-14|season=06|number=24}}</ref> [[popular culture|pop culture]] references such as "[[The Sixth Sense|I can't see dead people]]",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Take My Wife, Sleaze|episodelink=Take My Wife, Sleaze|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1999-11-28|season=11|number=08}}</ref> and [[meta-reference]]s such as "I am not a 32 year old woman" and "Nobody reads these anymore".<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref name="Martin">Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because a shorter opening title sequence, where the chalkboard gags are cut, is used to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's early [[hallmark]]s were his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but rapidly realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey (The Simpsons)|Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref name="Some"/><ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Bart Simpson - Skateboarding.png|left|thumb|200px|Bart's nude scene in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.]]
The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts in the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right|halign=left|quote=Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}

Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cantor, P |journal=Political Theory|title=The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family|url=http://www.unf.edu/~pharwood/3075/simpsons.pdf|format=PDF|page=738 |work=Political Theory|volume=27 |issue=6|year=1999|month=December}}</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can also be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of most male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel:<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of the school environment. Bart, however, missed having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will choke him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat as their characters were explored.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is a much more caring, understanding and nurturing parent than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and began acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart protested at her over-mothering but as her attitude changed, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to experience humiliation if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=left|halign=left |quote=Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, the two are often very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa: When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this behavior, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been close friends at times.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and treats Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, which turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never directly explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> When Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plans in "Krusty Gets Busted", it sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob repeatedly return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob has appeared in ten episodes, generally plotting various evil schemes, but is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
===Bartmania===
While later seasons would focus on Homer, Bart was the lead character in most of the first three seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family — Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia, such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver — and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart announcing various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[Image:Michael Jackson 1984.jpg|left|thumb| [[Michael Jackson]], a fan of Bart, wrote the song "[[Do the Bartman]]".]]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared at every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History — The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in the United Kingdom. In 1991 it was the number one song in the UK for three weeks from February 16 to March 9 and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=5|title=All the Number 1 Singles–1990s|accessdate=2008-12-01|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparent |align=right |halign=left |quote=I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.</div>|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote that "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When a backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=The 1992 Campaign: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN — TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 1992, Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Lisa would occasionally advertise it too. Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist — The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

On April 9, 2009, the [[United States Postal Service]] unveiled a series of five 44 cent stamps featuring Bart and the four other members of the Simpson family. They are the first characters from a television series to receive this recognition while the show is still in production.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcc0b6f995bc3974307adf134bb3a5a5|title=Postal Service launching 'Simpsons' stamps|date=2009-04-01|accessdate=2009-05-08|work=The Hollywood Reporter|author=Szalai, George}}</ref> The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, were made available for purchase on May 7, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Simpsons stamps launched in US|url=http://newslite.tv/2009/05/08/the-simpsons-stamps-launched-i.html|publisher=Newslite|date=2009-05-08|accessdate=2009-05-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2009/pr09_048.htm?from=home_newsandannounce&page=SimpsonsStandingOvation|title=The Simpsons Get ‘Stamping Ovation’ To Tune of 1 Billion Stamps|date=2009-05-07|publisher=[[United States Postal Service]]|accessdate=2009-05-24}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
* <cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=[[My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy]]|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=[[Leaving Springfield|Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture]] | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

== External links ==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[category:Film characters]]

[[af:Bart Simpson]]
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[[bg:Барт Симпсън]]
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[[ko:바트 심슨]]
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[[he:בארט סימפסון]]
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[[war:Bart Simpson]]
[[zh:巴特·辛普森]]

Federal Correctional Complex, Butner

2009-09-22T03:53:11Z

Adolphus79: NN revert...

'''Federal Correctional Complex, Butner''' is a [[List of U.S. federal prisons|U.S. federal prison]] complex located in [[Butner, North Carolina|Butner]], [[North Carolina]], [[United States]], about {{convert|45|mi|km|0}} northwest of [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], [[North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090714/ap_on_re_us/us_madoff_behind_bars | title = Madoff starts 150-year sentence at NC prison | publisher = Yahoo News | accessdate = 2009-07-14}}</ref>

==Facilities==
The complex consists of several facilities:<ref name="bopgov" />

*'''FMC Butner''', a Federal Medical Center housing male inmates of all security levels
*'''FCI Butner Medium''', a medium-security Federal Correctional Institution
*'''FCI Butner Medium II''', a medium-security Federal Correctional Institution
*'''FCI Butner Low''', a low-security Federal Correctional Institution

Butner has the largest medical/psychological complex in the entire system. Butner is the home to one of the top two Drug Abuse Programs; the other is in Lexington, Kentucky.<ref name="bopgov">{{cite web | url = http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/bux/index.jsp | title = Federal Bureau of Prisons data | publisher = www.bop.gov | accessdate = 2008-06-11}}</ref>

Inmates are fed at a cost of about $2.70 a day for three meals. They have access to "a handful" of cable channels such as the [[Discovery Channel]] in common areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124787545319460821.html |title=Little Sympathy for Madoff in New Hometown |date=July 18, 2009|work=Wall Street Journal|accessdate=2009-08-07}}</ref>

==Inmates==
Notable inmates include:

*[[Bernard Madoff]], 61727-054, former financier sentenced to 150 years for perpetrating a $65 billion [[Ponzi scheme]].<ref name="wsj_madoff">{{cite web|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124752771713635527.html?mod=googlenews_wsj|title=Madoff Is Moved to A Prison in Butner, N.C.|last=Bray|first=Chad|date=2009-07-14|work=Wall Street Journal|accessdate=2009-07-14}}</ref><ref name="NYTmadoff">{{cite web | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/business/15madoff.html | title = Madoff Arrives at Federal Prison in North Carolina | publisher = ''New York Times'' | accessdate = 2009-07-16}}</ref>
*[[Duke Cunningham]], former California [[United States House of Representatives|Congressman]] convicted of taking bribes while in office.<ref name="NYTmadoff"/>
*[[Carmine Persico]], 74666-158, Boss of the [[Colombo crime family]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.nysun.com/new-york/gorgeous-is-sitting-pretty/13706/ | title = 'Gorgeous' Is Sitting Pretty| publisher = ''The New York Sun'' | accessdate = 2009-07-16}}</ref>
*[[Jonathan Pollard]], 09185-016, civilian [[United States Navy]] [[intelligence analyst]] convicted of [[Espionage|spying]] for [[Israel]].<ref name="BIpollard">{{cite web | url = http://www.businessinsider.com/madoffs-butner-prison-is-the-crown-jewel-of-federal-prison-system-2009-7 | title = Madoff's Butner Prison Is The "Crown Jewel" Of Federal Prison System | publisher = ''Business Insider'' | accessdate = 2009-07-16}}</ref>
*[[Omar Abdel-Rahman]], 34892-054, [[Islamic terrorism|Islamic terrorist]] nicknamed "The Blind Sheik"; masterminded [[1993 World Trade Center bombing]].<ref name="NYTmadoff"/>
*[[John Rigas]], 53983-054, former CEO of [[Adelphia Communications Corporation]] convicted of bank, wire, and securities fraud. Rigas was accused of looting the corporation by concealing $2.3 billion in liabilities from corporate investors and of using corporation funds as personal funds.<ref name="NYTmadoff"/>
*[[United States Capitol shooting incident (1998)|Russell Eugene Weston, Jr]], 22372-016, murdered Detective [[John Gibson (police officer)|John Gibson]] and Officer [[Jacob Chestnut]] after entering the [[United States Capitol]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9F07E5DE153BF930A3575BC0A9649C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fC%2fChestnut%2c%20Jacob%20J%2e | title = Judge Rules Capitol Gunman Can Be Forced to Take Medicine | publisher = Newyorktimes.com | accessdate = 2008-06-11}}</ref>

Past notable inmates have included:
* [[Jim Bakker]], [[televangelist]] imprisoned for [[accounting fraud]].<ref name="BIpollard"/>
* [[John Hinckley, Jr.]], attempted assassin of President [[Ronald Reagan]].<ref name="BIpollard"/>
* [[Richard J. Schneiderhan]], former [[Massachusetts State Police]] [[Lieutenant]] convicted of [[obstruction of justice]] stemming from his relationship with the [[Winter Hill Gang]].<ref>[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/869709151.html?dids=869709151:869709151&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+20%2C+2005&author=HOWIE+CARR&pub=Boston+Herald&desc=Murderous+thug+Flemmi%27s+friends+worth+Zip&pqatl=google Murderous thug Flemmi's friends worth Zip], ''Boston Herald'', July 20, 2005</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.bop.gov/locations/institutions/bux/index.jsp Official profile] from the [[Federal Bureau of Prisons]]

{{coord|36.13944|N|78.80442|W|display=title}}

[[Category:Federal Correctional Institutions in the United States]]
[[Category:Granville County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Prisons in North Carolina]]

{{prison-stub}}

Islands in the Stream

2009-09-09T02:41:19Z

Adolphus79: /* Comic Relief version */ fix redirect...

{{about|the song}}
{{Infobox Single
| Name = Islands in the Stream
| Cover = krdpislands.jpg
| Artist = [[Kenny Rogers]] and [[Dolly Parton]]
| from Album = [[Eyes That See in the Dark]]
| Released = August 1983 <small>([[United States|U.S.]])</small>
| Genre = [[Country music|Country]]
| Writer = [[Bee Gees]]
| Producer = [[Barry Gibb]]
| Certification = 2× Platinum <small>([[RIAA certification|US]])</small>
| Last single =
| This single = "'''Islands in the Stream'''" <br />(1983)
| Next single = "[[Real Love (1985 song)|Real Love]]" <br />(1985)
}}

"'''Islands in the Stream'''" is a 1983 hit [[country music|country]] and pop single, written by the [[Bee Gees]] and sung by [[Kenny Rogers]] and [[Dolly Parton]]. It was the first single from Rogers' [[album]] ''[[Eyes That See in the Dark]]'' and the second pop number-one for both Rogers and Parton (Rogers having been there with 1980's "[[Lady (Kenny Rogers song)|Lady]]" and Parton with 1981's "[[9 to 5 (Dolly Parton song)|9 to 5]]"). They went on to record a Christmas album together, and had an additional hit with their 1985 duet "[[Real Love (Dolly Parton album)|Real Love]]". The Gibbs originally wrote the song for Diana Ross in an R&B style, only later to change it for the Kenny Rogers album. The title came from an [[Ernest Hemingway]] novel, which was published in 1970. <ref name="songfacts">{{cite web
| url = http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=10587
| title = "Islands in the Stream"
| work = Songfacts.com
| accessdate = 2009-03-16
}}</ref>

It also spent two weeks as the number one country song and in the year's final countdown was the number one song of the year of 1983. In Australia, the song was number one for one week in December 1983 and becoming one of the highest selling singles of 1984. In 2005, the song topped [[CMT]]'s poll of the best country duets of all time; Parton and Rogers reunited to perform the song on the CMT special.

In April 2008, [[South Bend]], [[Indiana]] radio station [[WZOW]] played the song continuously for several days on end.<ref>[http://www.indianaairwaves.net/ :Indiana Aiwaves:]</ref> This was a [[stunting (broadcasting)|stunt]] used to draw attention to the station's format change from [[alternative rock]] to [[adult contemporary]].

==Chart performance==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1983)
!align="center"|Peak<br />position
|-
|align="left"|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles
|align="center"|1
|-
|align="left"|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100
|align="center"|1
|-
|align="left"|U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
|align="center"|1
|-
|align="left"|Canadian ''RPM'' Country Tracks
|align="center"|1
|-
|align="left"|Canadian ''RPM'' Top Singles
|align="center"|2
|-
|align="left"|Canadian ''RPM'' Adult Contemporary Tracks
|align="center"|1
|-
|align="left"|UK Singles Chart
|align="center"|7
|}

{{start box}}
{{s-bef | before= "[[Total Eclipse of the Heart]]"<br />[[Bonnie Tyler]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]]<br />[[Hot 100 number-one hits of 1983 (United States)|number-one single]]
| years=October 29-November 5, 1983}}
{{s-aft | after= "[[All Night Long (All Night)]]"<br />by [[Lionel Richie]]}}
{{s-bef | rows=2 | before= "[[Lady Down on Love]]"<br />[[Alabama (band)|Alabama]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Country Songs|Hot Country Singles]]<br />number-one single
| years=October 29-November 5, 1983}}
{{s-aft | after= "Somebody's Gonna Love You"<br />by [[Lee Greenwood]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' Country Tracks<br />number-one single
| years=November 12-November 19, 1983}}
{{s-aft | after= "One of a Kind, Pair of Fools"<br />by [[Barbara Mandrell]]}}
{{end box}}

==Cover versions==
* The [[Bee Gees]], who wrote the song, performed the song on their concert album ''[[One Night Only (Bee Gees album)|One Night Only]]''. Years later in 2001, the Bee Gees released their own version of the song on a greatest hits compilation. [[Robin Gibb]] performed lead vocals on the track, which included (part of) the chorus from "Ghetto Supastar".
* [[Sweden|Swedish]] [[pop music|pop]] and [[country music|country]] singer [[Kikki Danielsson]] covered the song on her 1983 album ''[[Singles Bar]]'', with lyrics in [[Swedish language|Swedish]] by [[Ingela Forsman|Ingela "Pling" Forsman]] as "Öar i ett hav" ("Islands in a sea").
* In 1999 Catalan singer Tomeu Penya included it on his ''Antalogia'' album. He sang it in Mallorquin, a dialect of the [[Catalan language]]. The title of the song is "Illes dins un riu".
* The song has been covered by [[Bertine Zetlitz]] (featuring [[Thom Hell]]) on an "open disc" to her 2006 album ''My Italian Greyhound''.
* The song was covered in 2006 by British [[glamour model]] [[Katie Price]] and her now estranged husband, pop singer [[Peter Andre]]. The track is included on their 2006 album of duets ''[[A Whole New World (album)|A Whole New World]]''.
* [[The Constantines]] released a version of the song, featuring [[Feist (singer)|Feist]].
* In 2008, [[Barry Manilow]] released his ''[[The Greatest Songs of the Eighties]]'' album, including a duet of the song with [[Reba McEntire]].

==Comic Relief version==
{{start box}}
{{succession box
| before = "[[Right Round]]" by [[Flo Rida]] featuring [[Kesha Sebert|Ke$ha]]
| title = [[UK Singles Chart]] number-one single<br>([[Ruth Jones|Vanessa Jenkins]] and [[Rob Brydon|Bryn West]] [[Comic Relief]] version)
| years = [[March 15]], [[2009]]
| after = "[[Poker Face (Lady Gaga song)|Poker Face]]" by [[Lady GaGa]]
}}
{{end box}}
{{Infobox Single
| Name = Barry Islands in the Stream
| Cover = ByrnNessaGibb.jpg
| Artist = [[Ruth Jones|Vanessa Jenkins]] and [[Rob Brydon|Bryn West]] featuring [[Tom Jones (singer)|Sir Tom Jones]] and [[Robin Gibb]]
| from Album =
| Released = 8 March 2009 <small>([[Music download|Download]])</small><br />9 March 2009 <small>([[Compact Disc|CD]])</small>
| Format = [[Digital download|Download]], [[Compact Disc|CD]], [[DVD]]
| Genre = [[Pop music|Pop]], [[Charity single|Charity]], [[Comedy]], [[Country music|Country]]
| Writer = [[Bee Gees]]
| Producer = [[Barry Gibb]]
| Certification =
| Last single =
| This single = "'''Islands in the Stream'''" <br />(2009)
| Next single =
}}
In March 2009, actors [[Ruth Jones]] and [[Rob Brydon]], in character as Vanessa Jenkins and Bryn West from the hit BBC show ''[[Gavin & Stacey]]'', released a version of the song as a single for [[Comic Relief]]. [[Robin Gibb]] and Sir [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]] appear on the single as backing singers. Titled "(Barry) Islands in the Stream" in reference to the [[Barry Island]] setting of ''Gavin & Stacey'', <ref>[http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/drama/tv-news/news/stars-out-in-force-for-red-nose-day-2009/4920]</ref>it entered the [[UK Singles Chart]] at number 1 on 15 March 2009. This song has the dubious honour of being the only UK number one to spend just 3 weeks inside the top 40 and 4 weeks inside the top 75.
The chart trajectory so far has been 1-3-23-51-81 <ref>[http://www.chartstats.com/]</ref>

==Live cover performances==
* The song was covered in 2006 on Australian TV show ''[[Rockwiz]]'', performed by [[Ella Hooper]] of [[Killing Heidi]] and [[Troy Cassar-Daley]].
* Kenny Rogers performed the song as a duet with [[Carrie Underwood]] at Dolly Parton's Kennedy Centre Honours Ceremony.
* On February 26, 2009, Barry Gibb joined Olivia Newton-John on stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN, to sing the song as part of Newton-John's tour.
* Performed once again by Barry Gibb and Olivia Newton-John on stage at Sound Relief @ SCG for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.

==Sampling==
The song was [[Sampling (music)|sampled]] on [[Pras Michel]]'s 1998 hit song "[[Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)]]". This version of the song featured [[Old Dirty Bastard|ODB (Old Dirty Bastard)]] and [[Mýa]], and appeared on the [[Bulworth (soundtrack)|Bulworth soundtrack]].<br>
The original song itself "samples", or better said, features elements from the melody of the hit single "[[SOS (ABBA song)|SOS]]" by [[ABBA]], with slight exceptions. The original melody was cut by few notes, and instead of the initial synth instruments, [[horns]] are used to play it.

==In popular culture==
* Parton appeared on an episode of ''Bette'', [[Bette Midler]]'s series where they sang a repeatedly interrupted duet of the song.
* In the US television series ''[[The Office (U.S. TV series)|The Office]]'', the Michael Scott character performs a karaoke version of the song in the "[[E-mail Surveillance]]" episode. While waiting for someone to join him for the duet, Michael awkwardly finds himself singing the "girl part" in falsetto until he is finally joined by the Jim Halpert character.
* There is an episode of the popular [[Canadian]] teen drama ''[[Degrassi: The Next Generation]]'' named after this song. The show is known for naming most of their episodes after hit songs of the 1980s.
* British comedy show ''[[Gavin & Stacey]]'' featured the song in episode five of the second series, with characters Bryn and Nessa singing it as a [[Duet (music)|duet]] at a [[barn dance]]-themed birthday party.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

* ''The [[Billboard magazine|Billboard]] Book of Number 1 Hits''

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://www.dollyon-line.com/archives/lyrics/islands.shtml Islands In The Stream lyrics at Dolly Parton On-Line]
*{{YouTube|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiwcOaaRo1Y|1983 live performance by Rogers and Parton}}
*{{YouTube|a-vpJc6SJcA|Performance by the Bee Gees}} – in [[One Night Only (Bee Gees album)|One Night Only]] tour
*{{Youtube|http://youtube.com/watch?v=piAJKYfaTwE | Adriana and Tomeu Penya Illes dins un riu}}

{{-}}

{{Dolly Parton}}

[[Category:1983 singles]]
[[Category:ARC Weekly Top 40 number-one singles]]
[[Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles]]
[[Category:Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks number-one singles]]
[[Category:Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles]]
[[Category:Number-one singles in Australia]]
[[Category:Pop ballads]]
[[Category:Country ballads]]
[[Category:The Bee Gees songs]]
[[Category:Kikki Danielsson songs]]
[[Category:Dolly Parton songs]]
[[Category:Kenny Rogers songs]]
[[Category:Vocal duets]]
[[Category:RPM Country Tracks number-one singles]]
[[Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles]]
[[Category:Reba McEntire songs]]
[[Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles]]
[[Category:Songs written by Bee Gees members]]

[[sv:Islands in the Stream]]

Lisa Simpson

2009-03-19T15:16:31Z

Adolphus79: revert good faith edit... no such category exists...

{{Simpsons character
|image=[[Image:Lisa Simpson.png|200px]]
|name=Lisa Simpson
|gender=[[Female]]
|hair= [[Yellow]]
|job=[[Student]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Siblings:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]] and [[Jacqueline Bouvier (Simpsons)|Jacqueline Bouvier]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor= [[Yeardley Smith]]
}}
'''Lisa Marie Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. She is the middle child, and eldest daughter, of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. She is voiced by [[Yeardley Smith]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Lisa was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]'s office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his younger sister Lisa Groening. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family got their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At eight years of age, Lisa is the middle child of the Simpson family and eldest daughter of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], younger sister of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and elder sister of [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. She is highly intelligent, plays the [[saxophone]], has been a [[vegetarian]] since the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|seventh season]], has been a [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] since [[The Simpsons (season 13)|season thirteen]] and supports a number of different causes. She has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons'' – including video games, ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials and comic books – and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

Yeardley Smith originally tried out for the role of Bart, while Bart's voice actor [[Nancy Cartwright]] tried out for Lisa. Cartwright found that the character was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, and Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Because of her unusual pointed hair style, many animators consider Lisa the most difficult character to draw. In ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' shorts, Lisa was more of a "female Bart" and was equally mischievous, but as the series progressed, she became a more emotional and intellectual character.

Lisa is one of the most enduring characters on the series. ''[[TV Guide]]'' ranked her eleventh (tied with Bart) on their list of the "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time". Yeardley Smith won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] in 1992. Lisa's environmentalism has been well received; several episodes featuring her have won [[Genesis Awards|Genesis]] and [[Environmental Media Awards]], including a special "Board of Directors Ongoing Commitment Award" in 2001, and [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]] included her on their list of the "Most Animal-Friendly TV Characters of All Time". In 2000, Lisa, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters [[Ageless|do not physically age]], and as such the show is generally assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific time periods, although this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes.<ref name=p78>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 78-79</ref> Lisa's year of birth was stated in "[[Lisa's First Word]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) as being in 1984 during the [[1984 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]].<ref name="FirstWord">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2007), however, contradicted much of the established backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref> Lisa has been eight years old since "[[Stark Raving Dad]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Stark Raving Dad|episodelink=Stark Raving Dad|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-09-19 |season=03|number=01}}</ref>

Lisa is a great music fan, best evidenced by her proficiency with the saxophone and her relationship with musician [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Bleeding Gums Murphy|Bleeding Gums Murphy]], whom she regards as both a friend and an idol. Murphy was the only one able to pull Lisa out of her depression in "[[Moaning Lisa]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Moaning Lisa|episodelink=Moaning Lisa|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-11 |season=01|number=06}}</ref> and she was deeply saddened by his death in "[['Round Springfield]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995)<ref>{{cite episode |title='Round Springfield|episodelink='Round Springfield|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Joshua Sternin|Sternin, Joshua]]; [[Jeffrey Ventimilia|Ventimilia, Jeffrey]]; Moore, Steven Dean |network=Fox |airdate=1995-04-30 |season=06|number=22}}</ref> Lisa has had relationships with several boys, including [[Ralph Wiggum]] in "[[I Love Lisa]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1993)<ref>{{cite episode |title=I Love Lisa|episodelink=I Love Lisa|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Frank Mula|Mula, Frank]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-11 |season=04|number=15}}</ref> [[Nelson Muntz]] in "[[Lisa's Date with Density]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996)<ref name="Density">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Date with Density|episodelink=Lisa's Date with Density|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-12-15 |season=08|number=07}}</ref> and [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Colin|Colin]] in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''. (2007)<ref>{{cite video | people = | title = [[The Simpsons Movie]] | medium = Film| publisher = [[20th Century Fox]] | location = | year2 = 2007 }}</ref> [[Milhouse Van Houten]] also has a crush on her, and on many occasions has dropped none-too-subtle hints about his feelings, but has been unsuccessful at developing a relationship with her.<ref name="Density"/>

Lisa is the most intellectual member of the Simpson family, and many episodes of the series focus on her fighting for various causes. Lisa is generally used as the main character in episodes with "a real moral or philosophical point," which according to former writer [[David X. Cohen|David S. Cohen]] is because "you really buy her as caring about it."<ref name=Skepticcom>Cohen, David S.; Groening, Matt; Meyer, George; Michels, Pete; Scully, Mike; Smith; Yeardley. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Skeptic]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived Lisa and the rest of the Simpson family in [[1986 in film|1986]] in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]'s office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction,<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and he hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Lisa was named after Groening's younger sister.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html|title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family|accessdate=2008-01-19|author=Rose, Joseph|date=2007-08-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''}}</ref>

Lisa made her debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Lisa and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Lisasmall2.gif|right|170px|thumb|This image illustrates how to draw Lisa's head and hairline using the "three-three-two arrangement".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Lisa's physical features are generally not used in other characters; for example, in the later seasons, no character other than Maggie shares her hairline.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> While designing Lisa, Groening "couldn't be bothered to even think about girls' hair styles".<ref name=THOHV/> At the time, Groening was primarily drawing in black and white and when designing Lisa and Maggie, he "just gave them this kind of spiky starfish hair style, not thinking that they would eventually be drawn in color".<ref>Groening, Matt. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", illustrated commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> To draw Lisa's head and hair, most of the animators use what they refer to as the "three-three-two arrangement". They draw a sphere, with intersecting curving lines (one vertical, one horizontal) in the middle to indicate her eyeline. They take the middle line running vertically and continue the line outside of the sphere to draw one hair point, then two more going towards the back of her head. Afterward, they add three more points in front (in the direction Lisa is facing), then three more behind it.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", illustrated commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Several animators that have worked on the show, including [[Pete Michels]] and [[David Silverman]], consider Lisa the most difficult character to draw.<ref>Michels, Pete. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", illustrated commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Silverman explains that it is because "her head is so abstract" due to her hair style.<ref name=THOHV>Silverman, David; Reardon, Jim; Groening, Matt. (2005). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror V]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of the ''Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Nancy Cartwright]] originally auditioned for the role of Lisa. Upon arriving at the audition, however, she discovered that the character was simply described as the "middle child" and did not have much personality.<ref name=Carty>Cartwright, pp. 35–40</ref> Cartwright instead auditioned for the role of Bart believing that the role was better for her.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright recalls "with the brilliant wit of the writers and the wry, in-your-eye, honest-to-a-fault interpretation, Yeardley Smith has made Lisa a bright light of leadership, full of compassion and competence beyond her years. Lisa Simpson is the kind of child we not only want our children to be, but also the kind of child we want ''all'' children to be. But, at the time, on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she was just an animated eight-year-old kid who had no personality."<ref name=Carty/>
[[Image:Yeardleysmithcomiccon.jpg|thumb|left|Voice actress [[Yeardley Smith]]]]
[[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled "I always sounded too much like a girl, I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2008-10-26|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Charles Miranda}}</ref> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead, although she almost turned it down.<ref name="Happy">{{cite news|title=She’s happy as Lisa Simpson, although she’d like more d’oh |date=2004-04-04|accessdate=2008-10-26|work=[[The Spokesman-Review]]|publisher=Associated Press|author=Heidi Vogt}}</ref> In order to perform the voice, Smith lifts her voice up a little.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Charles Miranda}}</ref> Lisa is the only regular character voiced by Smith, although in some earlier episodes she provided some of Maggie's squeaks and occasional speaking parts.<ref name=com>{{cite video | people=Smith, Yeardley|year=2007|title=Audio commentary for [[The Simpsons Movie]]| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Smith has only voiced characters other than Lisa on very rare occasions, with those characters usually being some derivative of Lisa, such as Lisa Bella in "[[Last Tap Dance in Springfield]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season 11]], 2000) and Lisa, Jr. in "[[Missionary: Impossible]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season 11]], 2000)<ref>Smith, Yeardley. (2005). Commentary for "[[Missionary: Impossible]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite the fame of her character, Smith is rarely recognized in public, which she does not mind, describing it as "wonderful."<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Peter Sheridan}}</ref> Smith received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 but felt it was not worth anything, saying "there’s part of me that feels it wasn’t even a real Emmy." This is because the Emmy for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] is a [[Creative Arts Emmy Award|Creative Arts]] award and is not voted on by the regular Emmy voters and not handed out during the primetime telecast.<ref name="Happy"/> Smith, however, says "if I had to be associated with one character in fiction, I will always be thrilled that it was Lisa Simpson."<ref name="Happy"/>

Until 1998, Smith was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute was soon resolved, and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Smith earned $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = [[BBC News]] | date = [[2008-06-03]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Development===
[[Image:Lisa - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Lisa in her first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
In ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' shorts, Lisa was more of a "female Bart" and was equally mischievous.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Boy-Scoutz N the Hood]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, Lisa began to develop into a more intelligent and more emotional character with "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) being one of the first episodes where her true intelligence is fully shown.<ref name="Reiss">Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Many episodes focusing on Lisa have an emotional nature, the first one being "[[Moaning Lisa]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season 1]], 1990) The idea for the episode was pitched by [[James L. Brooks]], who had wanted to do an emotional episode where Lisa is sad because the show had done a lot of "jokey episodes".<ref name="Reiss1">Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The episode "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season seven]], 1995) saw Lisa permanently become a [[vegetarian]], making her one of the first primetime television characters to become one.<ref name="PETA"/> The episode was written by David S. Cohen (in his first solo writing credit) who jotted down the idea one day while eating lunch. Then-executive producer [[David Mirkin]], who at that point had recently become a vegetarian, quickly approved the idea. Several of Lisa's experiences in the episode are based on what Mirkin went through when he became a vegetarian. The episode guest stars musician [[Paul McCartney]], who is a vegetarian and [[animal rights]] activist. McCartney's condition for appearing was that Lisa would remain a vegetarian for the rest of the series and would not revert back the next week. The trait stayed and is one of the few permanent character changes made in the show.<ref>Cohen, David S.; Groening, Matt; Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right |halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">[Lisa is] a good soul. I love that she is so compassionate. She is wise beyond her years. She has remarkable optimism, despite the fact that she's disappointed so often.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Yeardley Smith]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Local actress finds a voice in `Simpsons'|date=1994-11-20|accessdate=2008-10-26|work=[[The Washington Times]]|author=Paul Freeman}}</ref>}}

Lisa is highly intelligent and sees herself as a misfit within the Simpson family due to her intelligence and liberal beliefs. Lisa's knowledge covers a wide range of subjects, from astronomy to medicine, and is notably more concerned with world affairs than her life in Springfield.<ref>{{cite episode |title='Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky|episodelink='Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Grazier, Allen; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-09-19 |season=03|number=01}}</ref> Although her rebellion against social normalities is usually depicted as constructive and heroic, Lisa can be self-righteous at times. In "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", her increasing sense of moral righteousness regarding her [[vegetarianism]] leads her to disrupt a "meat-based" [[barbecue]] prepared by Homer, an act she comes to rue.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Vegetarian|episodelink=Lisa the Vegetarian|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Cohen, David X.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1995-10-15 |season=07|number=05}}</ref> In "[[Bart Star]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 9)|season nine]], 1997) she triumphantly declares that she, a girl, would like to join the football team. When it is revealed that there are already girls on the team, she expresses distaste for a sport that uses balls made of pig's skin, but is informed that footballs are synthetic and that proceeds of the balls are donated to [[Amnesty International]]. At a loss for words, Lisa runs off visibly upset.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Star|episodelink=Bart Star|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Cohen, David X.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-09 |season=09|number=06}}</ref>

She is often embarrassed and disapproving of her eccentric family: of her father's poor parenting skills and buffoonish personality; her mother's stereotyped image and inability to recognize social abnormalities; and her brother's delinquent and low-brow nature. She is also concerned that Maggie may grow up to be like the rest of the family and is seen trying to teach her complex ideas. In the end, however, she is very loyal to her family, most clearly seen in the [[flashforward]] "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", which deals with her concerns with introducing them to her cultured future fiancé.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Wedding|episodelink=Lisa's Wedding|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Greg Daniels|Daniels, Greg]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-03-19 |season=06|number=19}}</ref> In the episode "[[Mother Simpson]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she meets her paternal grandmother [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]] for the first time.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Mother Simpson|episodelink=Mother Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rich Appel|Appel, Rich]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1995-11-19 |season=07|number=08}}</ref> Mona is also well-read and articulate, and the writers had used the character as a way to explain some of the show's puzzles, such as where Lisa's intelligence came from.<ref>Appel, Rich. (2005). Commentary for "[[Mother Simpson]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In "[[Homer's Enemy]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997) it is mentioned that Lisa has an IQ of 156<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref> and in "[[They Saved Lisa's Brain]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 10)|season ten]], 1999) she becomes a member of [[Mensa International|Mensa]] [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=They Saved Lisa's Brain|episodelink=They Saved Lisa's Brain|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Michels, Pete|network=Fox |airdate=1999-05-09 |season=10|number=22}}</ref> When unable to attend school due to a [[teacher]]s' [[strike action|strike]] in "[[The PTA Disbands]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) she suffered a sort of "school withdrawal", going as far as desperately asking Marge to give her a grade.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The PTA Disbands|episodelink=The PTA Disbands|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jennifer Crittenden|Crittenden, Jennifer]]; [[Swinton O. Scott III|Scott III, Swinton O.]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-04-16 |season=06|number=21}}</ref> Lisa occasionally worries that her family's dull habits will rub off on her, and in "[[Lisa the Simpson]]" she believes that her family's "Simpson gene" will start to make her less intelligent. It is later revealed that the gene is on the [[Y chromosome]] and thus only men are affected.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Lisa also deeply values her [[integrity]], as demonstrated when she cheats on a test about the novel ''[[The Wind in the Willows]]'' to attain her highest grade of A+++, but she later admits her dishonesty to an unreceptive [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] and self-grades her test as an F.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa Gets an "A"|episodelink=Lisa Gets an "A"|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ian Maxtone-Graham|Maxtone-Graham, Ian]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1998-11-22 |season=10|number=07}}</ref> Despite her high intelligence, Lisa does have typical childhood issues, sometimes requiring adult intervention. For example, in "[[Lost Our Lisa]]", she tricks Homer into allowing her to ride the bus alone, only to become hopelessly lost.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lost Our Lisa|episodelink=Lost Our Lisa|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brian Scully|Scully, Briann]]; Michels, Pete|network=Fox |airdate=1998-05-10 |season=09|number=24}}</ref>

Lisa's political convictions are generally socially liberal. She is a [[vegetarianism|vegetarian]], [[feminism|feminist]], environmentalist and a supporter of the [[Free Tibet movement]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can|episodelink=I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Kevin Curran|Curran, Kevin]]; [[Nancy Kruse|Kruse, Nancy]]|network=Fox |airdate=2003-02-16 |season=1|number=12}}</ref> While still supportive of the [[Christianity|Christian]] church in which she was raised, Lisa became a practicing [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] following her decision to follow the [[Noble Eightfold Path]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=She of Little Faith|episodelink=She of Little Faith|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Freiberger, Bill; Moore, Steven Dean|network=Fox |airdate=2001-12-16 |season=13|number=06}}</ref> She also supports the theory of [[Darwinism]] and [[evolution]], calling Darwin "one of the greatest minds" of all time, as seen in the episode, "[[The Monkey Suit]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 17)|season 17]], 2006)<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Monkey Suit|episodelink=The Monkey Suit|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[J. Stewart Burns|Burns, J. Stewart]]; [[Raymond S. Persi|Persi, Raymond S.]]|network=Fox |airdate=2006-05-14 |season=17|number=21}}</ref> There have been several instances where Lisa has used extreme measures to get her point across, such as throwing paint on [[Krusty the Clown]] for wearing a fur coat.<ref>{{cite episode |title=G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)|episodelink=G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Kruse, Nancy|network=Fox |airdate=2006-11-12 |season=18|number=05}}</ref>

==Reception==
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Lisa, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
Lisa's environmentalism has been well received. In 2001 Lisa received a special "Board of Directors Ongoing Commitment Award" at the [[Environmental Media Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-11-15-simpsons.htm|title= Lisa Simpson animates environmental awards|author=W. Reed Moran|date=2001-11-15|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]" won both an Environmental Media Award for "Best Television Episodic Comedy"<ref name="EMAIMDB">{{cite news|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096697/awards|title=Awards for "The Simpsons"|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]}}</ref> and a [[Genesis Awards|Genesis Award]] for "Best Television Comedy Series, Ongoing Commitment".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1996_genesis_awards.html|title=1995 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2007-10-21|publisher=[[Humane Society of the United States]]}}</ref> Several other episodes that feature Lisa speaking out in favor of animal rights have won Genesis Awards, including "[[Whacking Day]]" in 1994,<ref>{{cite news|title='Free Willy', 'Simpsons' win Genesis Awards|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=[[Rocky Mountain News]]|page=56A|date=[[1994-01-30]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1994_genesis_awards.html|title=1994 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=Humane Society of the United States}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an Elephant]]" in 1995,<ref>{{cite news|title=Films, TV Programs praised for treatment of Animal issues|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]|page=L9|author=Yardena Arar|date=[[1991-01-19]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1995_genesis_awards.html|title=1995 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=Humane Society of the United States}}</ref><ref>Cohen, David X.; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark; Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> and "[[Million Dollar Abie]]", which won the "Sid Caesar Comedy Award" in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/21st-genesis-awards/the_21st_annual_genesis.html|title=2007 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2007-10-21|publisher=Humane Society of the United States}}</ref> In 2004, animal rights organization [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]] included Lisa on their list of the "Most Animal-Friendly TV Characters of All Time".<ref name="PETA">{{cite news|url=http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=4375|title=Friends' Phoebe tops PETA's list of most animal-friendly TV characters of all time|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2004-05-04|publisher=[[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]]}}</ref>

Lisa was also listed at number 11 (in the same entry as Bart) in ''[[TV Guide|TV Guide's]]'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters/|title=Bugs Bunny tops greatest cartoon characters list|accessdate=2007-08-25|date=2002-07-30|publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> Yeardley Smith has won several awards for voicing Lisa, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for "[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]]" in 1992 for "[[Lisa the Greek]]".<ref name="Emmys">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-01-18}}</ref> Various episodes in which Lisa is strongly featured have won Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment]]" in 1991, "[[Lisa's Wedding]]" in 1995 and "[[HOMR]]" in 2001.<ref name="Emmys"/> In 2000, Lisa and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

In Japan, the broadcasters of the series found they were able to turn the apparent viewer dislike of the series around by focusing marketing attention on Lisa. Lisa's well-intended but ill-fated struggles to be a voice of reason and a force of good in her family and city struck a chord with the Japanese.<ref>Turner, p. 327</ref>

==Merchandising==
Lisa has been included in many ''The Simpsons'' publications, toys, and other merchandise. ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Lisa Book|The Lisa Book]]'', about Lisa's personality and attributes, was released in 2006 and is commercially available.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Lisa Book|The Lisa Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2006 | isbn =0060748230}}</ref> Other merchandise includes dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[bobblehead|bobblehead dolls]], [[mug]]s, and clothing such as [[slipper]]s, [[T-shirt]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=048852c33e126efae65e0a2e9f957e7d&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Lisa|title=Search Results for Lisa |accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> Lisa has appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[Butterfinger]], [[C.C. Lemon]] and [[Ramada Inn]].

Lisa has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. She has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| publisher =''Entertainment Weekly''| date =[[2007-11-05]]| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-09-07}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Lisa regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|accssdate=2008-09-07}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-09-07|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=MSNBC}}</ref> Lisa also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-09-07|date=2008-04-09|publisher=''Los Angeles Times''|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
*{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}
*<cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
*<cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris | title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=Leaving Springfield: 'The Simpsons' and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Lisa Book|The Lisa Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2006 | isbn =0060748230}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_lisa.htm Lisa Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003029}}

{{Simpsons characters}}



{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Lisa}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:Fictional jazz musicians]]
[[Category:Vegetarianism]]

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[[zh:莉萨·辛普森]]

Colo (Gorilla)

2009-03-05T23:06:06Z

Adolphus79: add a couple images...

[[Image:ColoAtZoo.JPG|thumb|Colo, photographed March 5, 2009.]]
'''Colo''' (born December 22, 1956) is a [[Western Gorilla]] famous for being the first [[gorilla]] to be born in captivity anywhere in the world. She is also the oldest gorilla in captivity in the world. She was born at the [[Columbus Zoo]] to Millie Christina (mother) and Baron Macombo (father). She was briefly called "Cuddles" before a contest was held to officially name her. Colo's name is derived from the place of her birth '''Col'''umbus, '''O'''hio.

==Life==
Her mother rejected her at birth, and was hand-raised by the zookeepers like a human child, dressed in clothing and fed from a bottle. When she was two she was introduced to Bongo, a 19 month old male from Africa, and on February 1, 1968, their first of three offspring was born, a female named Emmy, named by the zoo after the mayor of Columbus, M. E. Sensenbrenner. The following two offspring were similarly named after [[award]]s; Oscar, born July 18 1969, and Toni, on December 28, 1971.

On April 25, 1979, Columbus Zoo had its first third generation birth. The infant was named Cora, short for Central Ohio Rare Ape. On January 27, 1997 Colo's Great Grandson Jontu was born and a birth at the [[Henry Doorly Zoo]] made Colo a Great Great Grandmother in 2003.

Although Colo didn't raise any of her own offspring, she reared twins, Macombo II and Mosuba from birth. Colo also acted as a guardian for her grandson, named J.J. after [[Jack Hanna|Jungle Jack]] with whom he shares a birthday. Since that time, there have been 12 gorilla offspring in the Columbus Zoo surrogacy program.

Colo has resided at the Columbus Zoo longer than any other animal in the zoo's collection. Colo and her progeny, four of which still reside at the Columbus Zoo, comprise almost one-third of Columbus Zoo's current gorilla collection (as of 2007). Colo celebrated her 50th birthday in 2006.

Colo is currently the oldest living gorilla in captivity following the death of 55 year old [[Jenny (gorilla)|Jenny]] in September 2008.<ref name=fwst> {{cite news |first=|last=|title=55-year-old gorilla dies at Dallas Zoo |url=http://www.star-telegram.com/dallas_news/story/888756.html|work=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[Fort Worth Star Telegram]]|date=2008-09-06 |accessdate=2008-09-28}}</ref>

==Genealogy==
[[Image:ColoStatue.JPG|thumb|A statue of Colo at the [[Columbus Zoo and Aquarium]].]]
Listed in order of birth (within generation)
Children (2nd generation):
* [[Emmy (gorilla)|Emmy]] (1968-1982)
* [[Oscar (gorilla)|Oscar]] (1969-1993)
* [[Toni (gorilla)|Toni]] (1971- )
Grandchildren (3rd generation):
* [[Cora (gorilla)|Cora]] (1979- )
* Kahn (1980-1980)
* Roscoe (1980-1981)
* [[O.J. (gorilla)|O.J.]] (1981- )
* [[Zura (gorilla)|Zura]] (1981- )
* Lang (1982-1983)
* [[Macombo II (gorilla)|Macombo II (Mac*)]] (1983- )
* [[Mosuba (gorilla)|Mosuba]] (1983- )
* [[Motuba (gorilla)|Motuba]] (1985- )
* [[Mwelu (gorilla)|Mwelu]] (1986- )
* [[Colbridge (gorilla)|Colebridge]] (1987-1994)
* [[Jungle Jack (gorilla)|Jungle Jack]] (1987- )
* Norman (1988-1988)
* [[Jumoke (gorilla)|Jumoke*]] (1989-2008 )
* [[Nkosi (Nick)*|Nkosi (gorilla)]] (1991- )
* [[Cassie (gorilla)|Cassie*]] (1993- )
Great-grandchildren (4rd generation):
* [[Timu (gorilla)|Timu]] (1995- )
* [[Jontu (gorilla)|Jontu]] (1997- )
* [[Muchana (gorilla)|Muchana]] (2000- )
* [[Dotty (gorilla)|Dotty*]] (2004- )
Great-great-grandchildren (5th generation):
* [[Bambio (gorilla)|Bambio]] (2003- )
* [[Baina (gorilla)|Baina]] (2005- )

{{start box}}
{{succession box| before = [[Jenny (gorilla)|Jenny]]
| title = World's oldest living Gorilla
| years= [[September 4]], [[2008]] – present
| after = ''Incumbent''}}
{{end box}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colo (gorilla)}}

[[Category:Famous gorillas]]

Bart Simpson

2009-03-03T18:31:40Z

Adolphus79: vandalism / test revert...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]].<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" JoJo Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is always assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him and other students with various gestures and rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2007) contradicted much of the backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially ''The [[Krusty the Clown]] Show'' which includes the ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and has been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He works as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> and briefly owns his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Groening at comiccon.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986, while waiting in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart", an anagram of the word ''brat'', for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=distributed by ''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart: Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessmonthday=October 7 | accessyear=2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]'', Bart's full middle name is JoJo.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all of the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes have Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were vinyl Bart dolls in production and purchased one to use as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson.]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was resolved and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The dispute was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright's pay rose to $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of most ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor such as "The First Amendment does not cover burping",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lemon of Troy|episodelink=Lemon of Troy|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brent Forrester|Forrester, Brent]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-14|season=06|number=24}}</ref> [[popular culture|pop culture]] references such as "[[The Sixth Sense|I can't see dead people]]",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Take My Wife, Sleaze|episodelink=Take My Wife, Sleaze|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1999-11-28|season=11|number=08}}</ref> and [[meta-reference]]s such as "I am not a 32 year old woman" and "Nobody reads these anymore".<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref name="Martin">Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because they are cut to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's early [[hallmarks]] were his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but rapidly realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Some"/> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Bart Simpson - Skateboarding.png|left|thumb|200px|Bart's nude scene in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.]]
The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts in the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right|halign=left|quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}
Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cantor, P |journal=Political Theory|title=The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family|url=http://www.unf.edu/~pharwood/3075/simpsons.pdf|format=PDF|page=738 |work=Political Theory|volume=27 |issue=6|year=1999|month=December}}</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can also be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of all male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel:<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of the school environment. Bart, however, missed having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will strangle him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat as their characters were explored.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is a much more caring, understanding and nurturing parent than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and began acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart protested at her over-mothering but as her attitude changed, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to experience humiliation if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=left|halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, the two are often very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa: When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this behavior, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been close friends at times.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and has treats Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, which turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never directly explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> When Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plans in "Krusty Gets Busted", it sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob repeatedly return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob has appeared in ten episodes, generally plotting various evil schemes, but is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
===Bartmania===
While later seasons would focus on Homer, Bart was the lead character in most of the first three seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family — Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia, such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver — and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart announcing various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[Image:Michael Jackson 1984.jpg|left|thumb| [[Michael Jackson]], a huge fan of Bart, wrote the song "[[Do the Bartman]]".]]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jrean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared at every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History — The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in the United Kingdom. In 1991 it was the number one song in the UK for three weeks from February 16 to March 9 and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=5|title=All the Number 1 Singles–1990s|accessdate=2008-12-01|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right |halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote that "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When a backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=The 1992 Campaign: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do. "<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN — TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 1992, Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Lisa would occasionally advertise it too. Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist — The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
* <cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=[[My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy]]|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=[[Leaving Springfield|Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture]] | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

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Bart Simpson

2009-02-28T16:25:47Z

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Bart Simpson

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Bart Simpson

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Bart Simpson

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Marge Simpson

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Adolphus79: revert good faith edit... information about her hair is listed later on in the article, and does not need to be in the lead...

{{Simpsons character
| name=Marge Simpson
| image = [[Image:Marge Simpson.png|200px]]|
| gender=Female
| job=Housewife/Home Maker
| relatives= '''Husband:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] <br> '''Children:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] <br> '''Parents:''' [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy]] and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]] <br> '''Sisters:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]]
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| voiceactor= [[Julie Kavner]]
}}

'''Marjorie "Marge" Simpson''' (née '''Bouvier''') is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. She is voiced by actress [[Julie Kavner]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his mother Margaret Groening. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

Marge is the well-meaning and extremely patient mother of the Simpson family. With her husband [[Homer Simpson|Homer]], she has three children: [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Marge is the moralistic force in her family and often provides a grounding voice in the midst of her family's antics by trying to maintain order in the Simpson household. She is often portrayed as a stereotypical television mother and is often included on lists of top "TV moms". She has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

Marge's distinctive blue [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by a combination of ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore in the 1960s. Julie Kavner, who was a member of the original cast of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', was asked to voice Marge so that more voice actors would not be needed. Kavner has won several awards for voicing Marge, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] in 1992. She was also nominated for an [[Annie Award]] for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature for her performance in ''The Simpsons Movie''. In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters [[Ageless|do not physically age]], and as such the show is generally assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific time periods, although this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes.<ref name=p78>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 78-79</ref> Marge Simpson is the wife of Homer and mother of Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson.<ref name="p239"/> She was raised by her parents, [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline]] and [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy Bouvier]].<ref name=WayWeWas>{{cite episode |title=The Way We Was|episodelink=The Way We Was |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Mike Reiss|Reiss, Mike]]; [[Sam Simon|Simon, Sam]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-01-31 |season=02 |number=12}}</ref> She has a pair of sisters, the joyless [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]], both of whom vocally disapprove of Homer. In "[[The Way We Was]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1991), it is revealed via [[flashback]] that Marge attended Springfield High School, and in her final year met [[Homer Simpson]]. She was at first wary of Homer, but agreed to go to the [[prom]] with him, although she ended up going with [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Artie Ziff|Artie Ziff]]. However, she regrets going with Artie and ends up with Homer.<ref name=WayWeWas/> After the two started dating for several years, Marge discovered she was pregnant with Bart, and she and Homer were married in a small wedding chapel across the state line.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> Lisa was born soon after, and the couple bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2007) contradicted much of the established back-story; for example, it was revealed that Marge and Homer were childless in the early 1990s although past episodes had suggested Bart and Lisa were born in the 1980s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

As with many ''Simpsons'' characters, Marge's age changes to serve the story. In [[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]] (1990) episodes "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" and "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", Marge is said to be 34.<ref name="Enchanted">{{cite episode |title=Some Enchanted Evening|episodelink=Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Groening, Matt; Simon, Sam; Silverman, David; Butterworth, Kent|network=Fox |airdate=1990-05-13 |season=01|number=13}}</ref><ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18 |season=01|number=09}}</ref> In "[[Regarding Margie]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 17)|season 17]], 2006), Homer mentions that Marge is his age, meaning she could be anywhere between 36 and 40.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Regarding Margie|episodelink=Regarding Margie|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Marc Wilmore|Wilmore, Marc]]; [[Michael Polcino|Polcino, Michael]]|network=Fox |airdate=2006-05-07 |season=17|number=20}}</ref>

Marge has been unemployed for most of the series, choosing to be a [[homemaker]] and take care of her family.<ref name="Job"/> However, she has held several one-episode jobs in the course of the series. These include working as a nuclear technician alongside Homer at [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]] in "[[Marge Gets a Job]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992),<ref name="Job">{{cite episode |title=Marge Gets a Job|episodelink=Marge Gets a Job|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-11-05 |season=04|number=07}}</ref> owning her own [[pretzel]] business in "[[The Twisted World of Marge Simpson]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997),<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|episodelink=The Twisted World of Marge Simpson|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jennifer Crittenden|Crittenden, Jennifer]]; [[Chuck Sheetz|Sheetz, Chuck]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-01-19 |season=08|number=11}}</ref> and working at an erotic bakery in "[[Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]], 2008).<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|episodelink=Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Kevin Curran|Curran, Kevin]]; [[Lance Kramer|Kramer, Lance]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-09-28 |season=20|number=01}}</ref> While Marge has never expressed discontent with her role as a homemaker, she has become bored with it. In "[[The Springfield Connection]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995), Marge decides that she needs more excitement in her life and becomes a police officer. However, by the end of the episode, she becomes upset with the corruption in the force and quits.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Springfield Connection|episodelink=The Springfield Connection|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jonathan Collier|Collier, Jonathan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-05 |season=06|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Groening at comiccon.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Matt Groening created Marge while waiting in James L. Brooks' office]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived Marge and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986 in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Marge was named after Groening's mother Margaret "Marge" Groening, who has said she bears little similarity to the character, stating, "It's really weird to have people think you're a cartoon."<ref>{{cite news|title=Groening's Mom: I'm no Marge Simpson|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=1997-05-12|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]}}</ref><ref name="americasfirstfamily"/><ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: [[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref> Marge's [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore during the 1960s, although her hair was never blue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22wwln-Q4-t.html?fta=y|title=Questions for Matt Groening–Screen Dreams |accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Soloman, Deborah|date=2007-07-22|work=[[The New York Times Magazine]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html|title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Rose, Joseph|date=2007-08-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''}}</ref>

Marge debuted with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987, in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]]. Marge and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

Matt Groening believes that episodes featuring Marge are among the most difficult episodes to write. [[Bill Oakley]] believes that the "junior" writers are usually given Marge episodes because he and writing partner [[Josh Weinstein]] were given several to write during their first season.<ref>Groening, Matt; Oakley, Bill. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge in Chains]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> During the third season of the show, most of the writers focused on Bart and Homer, so [[David M. Stern]] decided to write a Marge episode, which became "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992). He felt that they could achieve a "deeper vein" of comedy in an episode where Marge has a nervous breakdown, and James L. Brooks quickly approved.<ref>[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]] in a letter that is read on the commentary by [[Dan Castellaneta]]. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Marge - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Marge in her first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> To draw Marge, the animators generally start off with a sphere, similar to the way Lisa and Maggie are drawn. The eyes are then drawn, with one roughly in the middle of the sphere, and the other to the front side of the head. Then, the nose and lip are drawn. Her hair is then drawn on top as a long tube coming out of the sphere. An original idea the animators had for when Marge walked through doorways was that her hair would be forced down as she walked through, then once clear of the door, it would spring back and forth. This was never used.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to Matt Groening, the original idea behind Marge's hair was that it would conceal large rabbit ears. The gag was intended to be revealed in the final episode of the series, but was scrapped early on due to inconsistencies, and also to the fact that rabbit ears would be too fictitious even for ''The Simpsons''.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Selma's Choice]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
Marge's voice is performed by [[Julie Kavner]], who also does the voices of Marge's mother Jacqueline and sisters Patty and Selma. Kavner had been part of the regular cast of ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner and fellow cast member [[Dan Castellaneta]] to voice Marge and Homer rather than hire more actors.<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voices|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref name="FN">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129665,00.html|title=D'oh!: The Voice of Homer Is Deceivingly Deadpan|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2008-08-18|author=Elber, Lynn|publisher=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Part of Kavner's contract says that she will never have to promote ''The Simpsons'' on video and she rarely performs Marge's voice in public because she believes it "destroys the illusion. People feel these are real people."<ref name="Sheridan">{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref><ref name="Hamilton"/> Kavner takes recording sessions seriously and feels that voice acting is "a little more limiting than live acting. And I have nothing to do with my character's movement."<ref>{{cite news|title=Treading 'Water' Julie Kavner takes break from Marge Simpson to star in Woody Allen's TV Movie |date=1994-09-18|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|author=Weiskind, Ron}}</ref>

Marge's raspy voice is only slightly different from Kavner's, who has a "honeyed gravel voice"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDF1F38F935A15752C0A964958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|title='Darling! Listen to Me'|accessdate=2008-11-23|date=1992-01-26|author=De Vries, Hilary|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> which she says is due to "a bump on [her] vocal cords."<ref>{{cite news|title=The actress with the one-of-a-kind voice stars in Nora Ephron's comedy 'This is my Life.'|date=1992-03-13|accessdate=2008-11-23|work=[[The Orlando Sentinel]]|author=Haun, Harry}}</ref> While Marge is her most famous character, Kavner's favorite characters to voice are Patty and Selma because "they're really funny and sad at the same time."<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite news|title=Ay caramba!: Only TV could call this work|date=1996-12-31|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[The Hamilton Spectator]]|author=Duffy, Mike}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', some scenes, such as Marge's video message to Homer, were recorded over one hundred times, leaving Kavner exhausted.<ref name=moviesonline>{{cite news|url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12524.html|title=The Simpsons Movie Interviews|author=Roberts, Sheila|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=Movies Online}}</ref>

Until 1998, Kavner was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing to cast new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> However, the dispute was soon resolved and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Kavner earned $250,000 per episode.<ref name="Sheridan"/> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = [[BBC News]] | date = [[2008-06-03]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
Marge's is generally a stereotypical sitcom mother, and she also plays the "long-suffering wife" who puts up with the antics of her children and her oafish husband.<ref name="p239">[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 239–240</ref> While she usually takes her family's problems with good humor, in "[[Homer Alone]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992), her workload and resultant stress caused her to have a mental breakdown. After spending time at "Rancho Relaxo", during which her family barely coped with her absence, she returned refreshed and everyone promised to help out more often.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer Alone|episodelink=Homer Alone|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-06|season=03|number=15}}</ref> Marge often provides a grounding opinion for Homer and their marriage has often been shaky. Marge admits that she "put[s] up with a lot in [their] marriage," and has left Homer or thrown him out of the house on several occasions.<ref name="Secrets">{{cite episode |title=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|episodelink=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Greg Daniels|Daniels, Greg]]; [[Carlos Baeza|Baeza, Carlos]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-05-19|season=05|number=22}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=The Cartridge Family|episodelink=The Cartridge Family|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-02|season=09|number=05}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |title=Bonfire of the Manatees|episodelink=Bonfire of the Manatees|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2005-09-11|season=17|number=01}}</ref> One of the first such episodes to depict this is "[[Secrets of a Successful Marriage]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), where Homer starts teaching an adult education class on how to build a successful marriage. He is at first unsuccessful, but gains the interest of the class when he starts giving away family secrets, many of which concern Marge. Upon finding this out, Marge is incensed and throws him out of the house. The next day, Homer is dirty and disheveled, and begs Marge to take him back, saying the one thing he can offer her that nobody else can is "complete and utter dependence." At first, Marge does not see that as a benefit, but eventually admits that he "really [does] make a gal feel needed."<ref name="Secrets"/> Episodes that depict marital problems have become more frequent in recent seasons of the show. Through it all, Marge has remained faithful to Homer, despite temptations to the contrary such as the one in "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), where she resists the charming Frenchman Jacques and instead chooses to remain with Homer.<ref name="Fast Lane">{{cite episode |title=Life on the Fast Lane|episodelink=Life on the Fast Lane|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-03-18|season=01|number=09}}</ref>

Marge is a caring, understanding, and nurturing parent to Bart, but she refers to him as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995), she felt she was mothering Bart too much and started acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. In the beginning of the episode, Bart protested her "over-mothering", but as she started acting more distant towards him, he felt guilty about it and made up with her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Marge has expressed understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> Marge has a good relationship with Lisa and the two are shown to get along quite well. Marge over-mothers Maggie, which causes her to become too clingy and dependent on Marge. In "[[Midnight Towboy]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2007), Marge hires an expert to help make Maggie more independent. However, Maggie becomes so independent that she rarely needs Marge. Marge begins to miss Maggie, but at the end of the episode, Maggie starts to need her again.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Midnight Towboy|episodelink=Midnight Towboy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Gillis, Stephanie; [[Matthew Nastuk|Nastuk, Matthew]]|network=Fox |airdate=2007-10-07|season=19|number=03}}</ref> Marge maintains a good relationship with her mother Jacqueline and her sisters Patty and Selma. Patty and Selma disapprove of Homer and are not afraid to be vocal. Marge has tolerated their criticism, but has occasionally lost patience with them, once referring to them as "ghouls."<ref name=MotherSimpson>{{cite episode|title=Mother Simpson|episodelink=Mother Simpson|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Rich Appel|Appel, Rich]]; [[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]|network=Fox|airdate=1995-11-19|season=07|number=08}}</ref> Marge's father Clancy is rarely referred to in the series and has had speaking parts in only two episodes.<ref name=WayWeWas/> It was revealed in "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1994) that Clancy told Marge that he was a pilot, but in reality he was a [[flight attendant]]. Marge discovered this one day and developed [[Fear of flying|aerophobia]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Fear of Flying|episodelink=Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David Sacks|Sacks, David]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1994-12-18 |season=06|number=11}}</ref> Clancy has not had a speaking appearance since. In "[[Jazzy and the Pussycats]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 18)|season 18]], 2006), Homer casually mentions that they once attended his funeral.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Jazzy and the Pussycats|episodelink=Jazzy and the Pussycats |series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Moore, Steven Dean|network=Fox |airdate=2006-09-17 |season=18|number=02}}</ref>

Marge has higher morals than most other characters, once leading a [[family values]] crusade against the violent ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''<ref>{{cite episode |title=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|episodelink=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1990-12-20 |season=02|number=09}}</ref> and being a prominent member of the "Citizens' Committee on Moral Hygiene."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart After Dark|episodelink=Bart After Dark|series=The Simpsons |credits=Appel, Rich; Polcino, Dominic|network=Fox |airdate=1996-11-24 |season=08|number=05}}</ref> She often provides a voice of reason for the town itself, but many of the townspeople are frustrated or contemptuous of her frequent failure to recognize or react correctly to breaches of social norms.<ref name="$pringfield">{{cite episode |title=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|episodelink=$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|series=The Simpsons |credits=Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1993-12-16 |season=05|number=10}}</ref> Marge is the only member of the family who encourages [[Church (building)|church]] attendance. In "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992), Homer starts skipping church and Marge tells him "don't make me choose between my man and my God, because you just can't win."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer the Heretic|episodelink=Homer the Heretic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1992-10-08|season=04|number=03}}</ref> In "[[Lisa the Skeptic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 9)|season nine]], 1997), an "[[angel]] skeleton" is discovered, much to the skepticism of Lisa. As Lisa rants about the people who believe it is an angel, Marge informs her that she also believes it is an angel. She tells Lisa, "There has to be more life than just what we see, everyone needs something to believe in."<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Skeptic|episodelink=Lisa the Skeptic|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David X. Cohen|Cohen, David S.]]; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-23|season=09|number=08}}</ref> In spite of her morals, Marge struggles with vices such as a [[Problem gambling|gambling addiction]].<ref name="$pringfield"/> While Marge has learned to cope with her addiction, it has never completely disappeared and remains an underlying problem that is referenced occasionally on the show.<ref>Reiss, Mike. (2003). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Greek]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

[[Politics in The Simpsons|Politically]], Marge generally aligns with the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]], having supported the candidacy of her state's progressive [[governor]] [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Mary Bailey|Mary Bailey]],<ref>{{cite episode |title=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|episodelink=Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish|series=The Simpsons |credits=Simon, Sam; Swartzwelder, John; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-01 |season=02|number=04}}</ref> and voting for [[Jimmy Carter]] in both of his presidential elections.<ref name="Job"/>

==Reception==
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]], Kavner received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Marge in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[I Married Marge]]".<ref name="Emmys">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-02-09}}</ref> In 2004, Kavner and [[Dan Castellaneta]] (the voice of Homer) won a [[Young Artist Award]] for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".<ref name="YAA">{{cite news|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm|title=25th Annual Winners and Nominees|accessdate=2008-01-18|publisher=Youngartistawards.org}}</ref> For her performance in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Kavner was nominated for "Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature" at the 2007 [[Annie Awards]], but lost to [[Ian Holm]] from ''[[Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille]]''.<ref name="A35">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html|title=For Your Consideration|accessdate=2007-12-03|date=[[December 3]], [[2007]]|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117980588.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1|title='Ratatouille' nearly sweeps Annies|accessdate=2008-02-09|date=2008-02-08|publisher=Variety|author=Debruge, Peter}}</ref> Kavner's emotional performance in the movie got positive reviews and one critic said she "gave what must be the most heartfelt performance ever."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/film.php?ak=2879|title=Homer's Odyssey|publisher=Metro Weekly|accessdate=2007-07-26|date=2007-07-26|author=Shulman, Randy}}</ref> Various episodes in which Marge is prominently featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[The Way We Weren't]]" in 2004 and "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]", which won the award in 1990.<ref name="Emmys"/> In 2000, Marge and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

Marge has been ranked highly in lists of the top television mothers of all time. She was ranked first on ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list in 1994;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302270,00.html |title=Yea, Mamas–The best and worst of TV Moms|publisher=''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=1994-05-13|author=Tucker, Ken}}</ref> first on [[FOX News]]' list in 2005;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155758,00.html |title=Marge Simpson Named Best TV Mom |publisher=[[FOX News]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=2005-05-07}}</ref> eighth on [[CityNews]]' list in 2008;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_22488.aspx |title=June Cleaver Chosen As All Time Top TV Mom|publisher=CityNews|accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> and was included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list of the "10 Best Moms Ever".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1738178_1737704_1737693,00.html |title=10 Best Moms Ever–Marge Simpson |publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|author=Brooks, Caryn}}</ref> In a 2004 poll in the United Kingdom, Marge was named the "most respected mother" by respondents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3518984.stm |title=Marge Simpson leads top mum poll|publisher=[[BBC|BBC News]]|date=[[2004-03-17]]|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

Religious writer Kenneth Briggs wrote that "Marge is my candidate for sainthood [...] She lives in the real world, she lives with crises, with flawed people. She forgives and she makes her own mistakes. She is a forgiving, loving person [...] absolutely saintly."<ref>{{Citation |last=Bates |first=Stephen |title=Homer's odyssey takes Simpsons into the theological textbooks |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/oct/03/broadcasting.internationaleducationnews |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' |date=2001-10-03 |accessdate=2008-09-21}}</ref>
{{-}}

==Cultural influence==
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right |halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Dear First Lady, I recently read your criticism of my family. I was deeply hurt. Heaven knows we're far from perfect and, if truth be known, maybe just a wee bit short from normal; but as [[Dr. Seuss]] says, "a person is a person". I try to teach my children [...] always to give somebody the benefit of the doubt and not talk badly about them, even if they're rich. It's hard to get them to understand this advice when the very First Lady in the country calls us not only dumb, but "the dumbest thing" she ever saw. [...] I hope there is some way out of this controversy. I thought, perhaps, it would be a good start to just speak my mind. |source=<div style="text-align:right;">—Marge Simpson in her letter to Barbara Bush<ref name="BushvSimpson"/>}}

The October 1, 1990 edition of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' included an interview with then-[[First Lady]] of the United States [[Barbara Bush]]. The article included the following passage: "She loves ''[[America's Funniest Home Videos]]'' but remains baffled after sampling ''The Simpsons''. "It was the dumbest thing I had ever seen," she says, "but it's a family thing, and I guess it's clean."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118869,00.html|title=In the Eye of the Storm|author=Chin, Paula|accessdate=2008-08-27|date=1990-10-01|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''}}</ref> The writers decided to respond by privately sending a polite letter on September 28 to Bush where they posed as Marge Simpson. On October 9, Bush sent a reply: "Dear Marge, How kind of you to write. I'm glad you spoke your mind ... I foolishly didn't know you had one. I am looking at a picture of you... depicted on a plastic cup... with your blue hair filled with pink birds peeking out all over. Evidently, you and your charming family — Lisa, Homer, Bart and Maggie — are camping out. It's a nice family scene. Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country. Please forgive a loose tongue."<ref name="BushvSimpson">Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpson", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Will the real Marge Simpson please stand up?|author=Hall, Virginia|accessdate=2008-10-31|date=1990-11-13|work=[[Rocky Mountain News]]}}</ref>

In 2002, opponents of the [[Seattle Monorail Project]] planned on showing the episode "[[Marge vs. the Monorail]]" at a protest event. Following complaints, 20th Century Fox sent a letter to the event organizers ordering that the episode not be shown due to copyright laws.<ref>{{cite news|title=Backers of new monorail call foul when foes bring in Marge Simpson |work=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=[[2002-10-19]]|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> In 2004, Marge appeared on [[Channel 4]] in the United Kingdom for the [[Royal Christmas Message#Alternative Christmas message|alternative Christmas message]], which is annually broadcast at the same time that [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] gives her Christmas message.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/film_and_tv/s/132/132244_marge_simpson_versus_the_queen.html|title=Marge Simpson versus the Queen|author=Singh, Anita|work=[[Manchester Evening News]]|date=[[2004-01-10]]|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Marge is depicted in much ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[T-shirt]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s, cardboard stand-ups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, posters and figurines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Marge|title=Search Results for Marge|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> She has appeared in every [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Besides the television series, Marge regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993, and are issued monthly.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Marge also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Marge appeared in a 2005 advertisement for [[Dove (brand)|Dove Styling]], where her normal beehive hair was exchanged for a more stylish look for a series of ads featuring several popular cartoon women.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=101835&format=html|title=Marge Simpson getting new hairdo|work=[[The Herald-Mail]]|date=[[2005-01-15]]|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_marge.htm Marge Simpson] at TheSimpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003031}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Marge}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Fictional artists]]
[[Category:Fictional gamblers]]
[[Category:Fictional United States Democrats]]

[[af:Marge Simpson]]
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[[ko:마지 심슨]]
[[hr:Marge Simpson]]
[[id:Marge Simpson]]
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[[it:Marge Simpson]]
[[he:מארג' סימפסון]]
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[[ru:Мардж Симпсон]]
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[[zh:玛琦·辛普森]]

Odious Mortem

2009-02-19T12:45:15Z

Adolphus79: Removing image with no copyright information. Such images that are older than seven days may be deleted at any time.

{{AfDM|page=Odious Mortem|logdate=2009 February 12|substed=yes }}


{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}}
{{Notability|music|date=February 2009}}
{{underconstruction}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| Name = Odious Mortem
| Background = group_or_band
| Origin = [[San Diego, California]], [[USA]]
| Genre = [[Brutal death metal]] <br/> [[Technical death metal]] <br/>
| Years_active = 2001 - Present
| Label = [[Willowtip Records]] (''prev'' [[Unique Leader Records]])
| Associated_acts = [[Decrepit Birth]], Severed Savior
| URL = [http://www.odiousmortem.com/ Official Site]
| Current_members = Anthony Trapani - Vocals<br />KC Howard - Drums<br />Dan Eggers - Guitars<br />Joel Horner - Bass<br />
| Past_members = David Siskin - Guitars<br />Ivan Munguia - Bass<br />
}}

'''Odious Mortem''' are a [[brutal death metal]] band from [[San Diego, California]], [[USA]], currently signed to [[Willowtip Records]].
They have released two studio albums, through [[Unique Leader Records]] and Willowtip Records respectively, as well as an independently released demo in 2003.

==Style==

Odious Mortem's musical style features technically complex, down-tuned guitars and relentless pummelling drum work. Lyrical themes include atheism, greed, fear, suffering, possibility, social situations, annihilation, human consciousness, and the collapse of civilisation<ref>http://www.brutalism.com/odiousmortem.html</ref>.

==Biography==

Odious Mortem was formed in 2000 in San Diego, CA by Dan Eggers (guitar, vocals), David Siskin (guitar) and KC Howard (drums). In 2003, they recorded and independently released a demo, ''Gestation of Worms'' which led to a deal with [[Unique Leader Records]]. The band recorded their debut album, ''[[Devouring The Prophecy]]'' in March 2004 at Legion Studios in Santa Cruz, CA and released it on February 8, 2005<ref>http://www.metal-archives.com/release.php?id=54359</ref>.

In 2004, KC Howard joined [[death metal]] band [[Decrepit Birth]] as a full-time member. By 2006, the band had completed work on their second album and headed into Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland, CA that November to record the material. The resulting album, ''[[Cryptic Implosion]]'' was released on April 24, 2007<ref>http://www.odiousmortem.com/index2.php?mortem=biography</ref>. In 2007, David Siskin left the band. As of early 2009, the band are engaged in other projects and are planning a number of live performances<ref>http://www.odiousmortem.com/index2.php?mortem=live</ref>.

==Other projects==

Dan Eggers, Joel Horner and KC Howard are also members of, and currently touring with Decrepit Birth, and Anthony Trapani recently joined renowned death metal outfit Severed Savior<ref>http://www.odiousmortem.com/index2.php?mortem=live</ref>.

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
*''[[Devouring The Prophecy]]'' (2004)
*''[[Cryptic Implosion]]'' (2007)
===Miscellaneous===
*''Gestation of Worms (Demo)'' (2003)

==External Links==
*http://www.last.fm/music/Odious+Mortem
*http://www.willowtip.com/releases/details/odious-mortem-cryptic-implosion.aspx
*http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/fr/odiouscryptic.htm
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_u6maFN_CA
*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdx1oLZurkc

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:American death metal musical groups]]

{{band-stub}}

Bart Simpson

2009-02-15T04:35:09Z

Adolphus79: vandalism / test revert...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]].<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" JoJo Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the family as a group, although Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most important people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is always assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him and other students with various gestures and rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2007) contradicted much of the backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially ''The [[Krusty the Clown]] Show'' which includes the ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and has been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He works as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> and briefly owns his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Groening at comiccon.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office.]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986, while waiting in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart", an anagram of the word ''brat'', for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD|publisher=distributed by ''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart: Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessmonthday=October 7 | accessyear=2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (1959 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]'', Bart's full middle name is JoJo.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all of the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes have Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were vinyl Bart dolls in production and purchased one to use as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson.]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to working on the show.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was resolved and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The dispute was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright's pay rose to $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of most ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor such as "The First Amendment does not cover burping",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lemon of Troy|episodelink=Lemon of Troy|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brent Forrester|Forrester, Brent]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-05-14|season=06|number=24}}</ref> [[popular culture|pop culture]] references such as "[[The Sixth Sense|I can't see dead people]]",<ref>{{cite episode |title=Take My Wife, Sleaze|episodelink=Take My Wife, Sleaze|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Neil Affleck|Affleck, Neil]]|network=Fox |airdate=1999-11-28|season=11|number=08}}</ref> and [[meta-reference]]s such as "I am not a 32 year old woman" and "Nobody reads these anymore".<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref name="Martin">Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because they are cut to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's early [[hallmarks]] were his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but rapidly realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Some"/> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>
[[Image:Bart Simpson - Skateboarding.png|left|thumb|200px|Bart's nude scene in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.]]
The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts in the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right|halign=left|quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}
Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Cantor, P |journal=Political Theory|title=The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family|url=http://www.unf.edu/~pharwood/3075/simpsons.pdf|format=PDF|page=738 |work=Political Theory|volume=27 |issue=6|year=1999|month=December}}</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can also be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of all male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel:<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of the school environment. Bart, however, missed having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will strangle him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat as their characters were explored.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is a much more caring, understanding and nurturing parent than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and began acting more distant towards him after he was caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart protested at her over-mothering but as her attitude changed, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to experience humiliation if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=left|halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, the two are often very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa: When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this behavior, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been close friends at times.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and has treats Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, which turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never directly explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> When Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plans in "Krusty Gets Busted", it sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob repeatedly return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob has appeared in ten episodes, generally plotting various evil schemes, but is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
===Bartmania===
While later seasons would focus on Homer, Bart was the lead character in most of the first three seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family — Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia, such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver — and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart announcing various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>
[[Image:Michael Jackson 1984.jpg|left|thumb| [[Michael Jackson]], a huge fan of Bart, wrote the song "[[Do the Bartman]]".]]
Due to the show's success, over the summer of 1990 the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through the summer, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jrean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared at every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History — The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |year=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in the United Kingdom. In 1991 it was the number one song in the UK for three weeks from February 16 to March 9 and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/all_the_no1_songs.php?show=5|title=All the Number 1 Singles–1990s|accessdate=2008-12-01|publisher=Official Charts Company}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right |halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote that "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When a backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=The 1992 Campaign: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do. "<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN — TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 1992, Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=[[MSNBC]]}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Lisa would occasionally advertise it too. Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist — The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
* <cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=[[My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy]]|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=[[Leaving Springfield|Leaving Springfield: The Simpsons and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture]] | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |isbn=0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | isbn=5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{featured article}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

[[af:Bart Simpson]]
[[ast:Bart Simpson]]
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[[bg:Барт Симпсън]]
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[[et:Bart Simpson]]
[[es:Bart Simpson]]
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[[ko:바트 심슨]]
[[hr:Bart Simpson]]
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[[hu:Bart Simpson]]
[[nah:Bart Simpson]]
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[[zh:巴特·辛普森]]

Odious Mortem

2009-02-12T17:27:54Z

Adolphus79: AFD, see discussion at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Odious Mortem...

{{AfDM|page=Odious Mortem|logdate=2009 February 12|substed=yes }}


{{Refimprove|date=February 2009}}
{{Uncategorized|date=February 2009}}
{{notability|music}}
{{underconstruction}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| Name = Odious Mortem
| Background = group_or_band
| Origin = [[San Diego, California]], [[USA]]
| Genre = [[Brutal death metal]] <br/> [[Technical death metal]] <br/>
| Years_active = 2001 - Present
| Label = [[Willowtip Records]] (''prev'' [[Unique Leader Records]])
| Associated_acts = [[Decrepit Birth]], Severed Savior
| URL = [http://www.odiousmortem.com/ Official Site]
| Current_members = Anthony Trapani - Vocals<br />KC Howard - Drums<br />Dan Eggers - Guitars<br />Joel Horner - Bass<br />
| Past_members = David Siskin - Guitars<br />Ivan Munguia - Bass<br />
}}

'''Odious Mortem''' are a [[brutal death metal]] band from [[San Diego, California]], [[USA]], currently signed to [[Willowtip Records]].
They have released two studio albums, through [[Unique Leader Records]] and Willowtip Records respectively, as well as an independently released demo in 2003.

==Biography==

Odious Mortem was formed in 2000 in San Diego, CA by Dan Eggers (guitar, vocals), David Siskin (guitar) and KC Howard (drums). In 2003, they recorded and independently released a demo, ''Gestation of Worms'' which led to a deal with [[Unique Leader Records]]. The band recorded their debut album, ''[[Devouring The Prophecy]]'' in March 2004 at Legion Studios in Santa Cruz, CA and released it on February 8th, 2005<ref>http://www.metal-archives.com/release.php?id=54359</ref>.

In 2004, KC Howard joined [[death metal]] band [[Decrepit Birth]] as a full-time member. By 2006, the band had completed work on their second album and headed into Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland, CA that November to record the material. The resulting album, ''[[Cryptic Implosion]]'' was released on April 24th, 2007<ref>http://www.odiousmortem.com/index2.php?mortem=biography</ref>. In 2007, David Siskin left the band. As of early 2009, the band are engaged in other projects and are planning a number of live performances<ref>http://www.odiousmortem.com/index2.php?mortem=live</ref>.

==Other projects==

Dan Eggers, Joel Horner and KC Howard are also members of, and currently touring with Decrepit Birth, and Anthony Trapani recently joined renowned death metal outfit Severed Savior.

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
*''[[Devouring The Prophecy]]'' (2004)
*''[[Cryptic Implosion]]'' (2007)
===Miscellaneous===
*''Gestation of Worms (Demo)'' (2003)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{band-stub}}

Odious Mortem

2009-02-12T17:05:29Z

Adolphus79: new article tags & stubbed...

{{refimprove}}
{{uncategorized}}
{{notability|music}}
{{underconstruction}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| Name = Odious Mortem
| Background = group_or_band
| Origin = [[San Diego, California]], [[USA]]
| Genre = [[Brutal death metal]] <br/> [[Technical death metal]] <br/>
| Years_active = 2001 - Present
| Label = [[Willowtip Records]] (''prev'' [[Unique Leader Records]])
| Associated_acts = [[Decrepit Birth]], Severed Savior
| URL = [http://www.odiousmortem.com/ Official Site]
| Current_members = Anthony Trapani - Vocals<br />KC Howard - Drums<br />Dan Eggers - Guitars<br />Joel Horner - Bass<br />
| Past_members = David Siskin - Guitars<br />Ivan Munguia - Bass<br />
}}

'''Odious Mortem''' are a [[brutal death metal]] band from [[San Diego, California]], [[USA]], currently signed to [[Willowtip Records]].
They have released two studio albums, through [[Unique Leader Records]] and Willowtip Records respectively, as well as an independently released demo in 2003.

==Biography==

Odious Mortem was formed in 2000 in San Diego, CA by Dan Eggers (guitar, vocals), David Siskin (guitar) and KC Howard (drums). In 2003, they recorded and independently released a demo, ''Gestation of Worms'' which led to a deal with [[Unique Leader Records]]. The band recorded their debut album, ''[[Devouring The Prophecy]]'' in March 2004 at Legion Studios in Santa Cruz, CA and released it on February 8th, 2005<ref>http://www.metal-archives.com/release.php?id=54359</ref>.

In 2004, KC Howard joined [[death metal]] band [[Decrepit Birth]] as a full-time member. By 2006, the band had completed work on their second album and headed into Castle Ultimate Studios in Oakland, CA that November to record the material. The resulting album, ''[[Cryptic Implosion]]'' was released on April 24th, 2007<ref>http://www.odiousmortem.com/index2.php?mortem=biography</ref>. In 2007, David Siskin left the band. As of early 2009, the band are engaged in other projects and are planning a number of live performances<ref>http://www.odiousmortem.com/index2.php?mortem=live</ref>.

==Other projects==

Dan Eggers, Joel Horner and KC Howard are also members of, and currently touring with Decrepit Birth, and Anthony Trapani recently joined renowned death metal outfit Severed Savior.

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
*''[[Devouring The Prophecy]]'' (2004)
*''[[Cryptic Implosion]]'' (2007)
===Miscellaneous===
*''Gestation of Worms (Demo)'' (2003)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{band-stub}}

Lisa Simpson

2009-02-03T01:45:06Z

Adolphus79: vandalism / NPOV revert...

{{Simpsons character
|image=[[Image:Lisa Simpson.png|200px]]
|name=Lisa Simpson
|gender=[[Female]]
|hair= [[Yellow]]
|job=[[Student]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Siblings:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]] and [[Jacqueline Bouvier (Simpsons)|Jacqueline Bouvier]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor= [[Yeardley Smith]]
}}
'''Lisa Marie Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. She is the middle child, and eldest daughter, of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. She is voiced by [[Yeardley Smith]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Lisa was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]'s office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his younger sister Lisa Groening. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family got their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At eight years of age, Lisa is the middle child of the Simpson family and eldest daughter of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], younger sister of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and elder sister of [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. She is highly intelligent, plays the [[saxophone]], has been a [[vegetarian]] since the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|seventh season]], has been a [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] since [[The Simpsons (season 13)|season thirteen]] and supports a number of different causes. She has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons'' – including video games, ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials and comic books – and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

Yeardley Smith originally tried out for the role of Bart, while Bart's voice actor [[Nancy Cartwright]] tried out for Lisa. Cartwright found that the character was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, and Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Because of her unusual pointed hair style, many animators consider Lisa the most difficult character to draw. In ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' shorts, Lisa was more of a "female Bart" and was equally mischievous, but as the series progressed, she became a more emotional and intellectual character.

Lisa is one of the most enduring characters on the series. ''[[TV Guide]]'' ranked her eleventh (tied with Bart) on their list of the "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time". Yeardley Smith won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] in 1992. Lisa's environmentalism has been well received; several episodes featuring her have won [[Genesis Awards|Genesis]] and [[Environmental Media Awards]], including a special "Board of Directors Ongoing Commitment Award" in 2001, and [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]] included her on their list of the "Most Animal-Friendly TV Characters of All Time". In 2000, Lisa, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters [[Ageless|do not physically age]], and as such the show is generally assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific time periods, although this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes.<ref name=p78>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 78-79</ref> Lisa's year of birth was stated in "[[Lisa's First Word]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) as being in 1984 during the [[1984 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]].<ref name="FirstWord">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2007), however, contradicted much of the established backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref> Lisa has been eight years old since "[[Stark Raving Dad]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Stark Raving Dad|episodelink=Stark Raving Dad|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-09-19 |season=03|number=01}}</ref>

Lisa is a great music fan, best evidenced by her proficiency with the saxophone and her relationship with musician [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Bleeding Gums Murphy|Bleeding Gums Murphy]], whom she regards as both a friend and an idol. Murphy was the only one able to pull Lisa out of her depression in "[[Moaning Lisa]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Moaning Lisa|episodelink=Moaning Lisa|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-11 |season=01|number=06}}</ref> and she was deeply saddened by his death in "[['Round Springfield]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995)<ref>{{cite episode |title='Round Springfield|episodelink='Round Springfield|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Joshua Sternin|Sternin, Joshua]]; [[Jeffrey Ventimilia|Ventimilia, Jeffrey]]; Moore, Steven Dean |network=Fox |airdate=1995-04-30 |season=06|number=22}}</ref> Lisa has had relationships with several boys, including [[Ralph Wiggum]] in "[[I Love Lisa]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1993)<ref>{{cite episode |title=I Love Lisa|episodelink=I Love Lisa|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Frank Mula|Mula, Frank]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-11 |season=04|number=15}}</ref> [[Nelson Muntz]] in "[[Lisa's Date with Density]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996)<ref name="Density">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Date with Density|episodelink=Lisa's Date with Density|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-12-15 |season=08|number=07}}</ref> and [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Colin|Colin]] in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''. (2007)<ref>{{cite video | people = | title = [[The Simpsons Movie]] | medium = Film| publisher = [[20th Century Fox]] | location = | year2 = 2007 }}</ref> [[Milhouse Van Houten]] also has a crush on her, and on many occasions has dropped none-too-subtle hints about his feelings, but has been unsuccessful at developing a relationship with her.<ref name="Density"/>

Lisa is the intelligent member of the Simpson family, and many episodes of the series focus on her fighting for various causes. Lisa is generally used as the main character in episodes with "a real moral or philosophical point," which according to former writer [[David X. Cohen|David S. Cohen]] is because "you really buy her as caring about it."<ref name=Skepticcom>Cohen, David S.; Groening, Matt; Meyer, George; Michels, Pete; Scully, Mike; Smith; Yeardley. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Skeptic]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived Lisa and the rest of the Simpson family in [[1986 in film|1986]] in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]'s office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction,<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and he hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Lisa was named after Groening's younger sister.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html|title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family|accessdate=2008-01-19|author=Rose, Joseph|date=2007-08-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''}}</ref>

Lisa made her debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Lisa and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Lisasmall2.gif|right|170px|thumb|This image illustrates how to draw Lisa's head and hairline using the "three-three-two arrangement".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Lisa's physical features are generally not used in other characters; for example, in the later seasons, no character other than Maggie shares her hairline.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> While designing Lisa, Groening "couldn't be bothered to even think about girls' hair styles".<ref name=THOHV/> At the time, Groening was primarily drawing in black and white and when designing Lisa and Maggie, he "just gave them this kind of spiky starfish hair style, not thinking that they would eventually be drawn in color".<ref>Groening, Matt. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", illustrated commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> To draw Lisa's head and hair, most of the animators use what they refer to as the "three-three-two arrangement". They draw a sphere, with intersecting curving lines (one vertical, one horizontal) in the middle to indicate her eyeline. They take the middle line running vertically and continue the line outside of the sphere to draw one hair point, then two more going towards the back of her head. Afterward, they add three more points in front (in the direction Lisa is facing), then three more behind it.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", illustrated commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Several animators that have worked on the show, including [[Pete Michels]] and [[David Silverman]], consider Lisa the most difficult character to draw.<ref>Michels, Pete. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", illustrated commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Silverman explains that it is because "her head is so abstract" due to her hair style.<ref name=THOHV>Silverman, David; Reardon, Jim; Groening, Matt. (2005). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror V]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of the ''Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Nancy Cartwright]] originally auditioned for the role of Lisa. Upon arriving at the audition, however, she discovered that the character was simply described as the "middle child" and did not have much personality.<ref name=Carty>Cartwright, pp. 35–40</ref> Cartwright instead auditioned for the role of Bart believing that the role was better for her.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright recalls "with the brilliant wit of the writers and the wry, in-your-eye, honest-to-a-fault interpretation, Yeardley Smith has made Lisa a bright light of leadership, full of compassion and competence beyond her years. Lisa Simpson is the kind of child we not only want our children to be, but also the kind of child we want ''all'' children to be. But, at the time, on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she was just an animated eight-year-old kid who had no personality."<ref name=Carty/>
[[Image:Yeardleysmithcomiccon.jpg|thumb|left|Voice actress [[Yeardley Smith]]]]
[[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled "I always sounded too much like a girl, I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2008-10-26|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Charles Miranda}}</ref> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead, although she almost turned it down.<ref name="Happy">{{cite news|title=She’s happy as Lisa Simpson, although she’d like more d’oh |date=2004-04-04|accessdate=2008-10-26|work=[[The Spokesman-Review]]|publisher=Associated Press|author=Heidi Vogt}}</ref> In order to perform the voice, Smith lifts her voice up a little.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Charles Miranda}}</ref> Lisa is the only regular character voiced by Smith, although in some earlier episodes she provided some of Maggie's squeaks and occasional speaking parts.<ref name=com>{{cite video | people=Smith, Yeardley|year=2007|title=Audio commentary for [[The Simpsons Movie]]| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Smith has only voiced characters other than Lisa on very rare occasions, with those characters usually being some derivative of Lisa, such as Lisa Bella in "[[Last Tap Dance in Springfield]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season 11]], 2000) and Lisa, Jr. in "[[Missionary: Impossible]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season 11]], 2000)<ref>Smith, Yeardley. (2005). Commentary for "[[Missionary: Impossible]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite the fame of her character, Smith is rarely recognized in public, which she does not mind, describing it as "wonderful."<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Peter Sheridan}}</ref> Smith received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 but felt it was not worth anything, saying "there’s part of me that feels it wasn’t even a real Emmy." This is because the Emmy for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] is a [[Creative Arts Emmy Award|Creative Arts]] award and is not voted on by the regular Emmy voters and not handed out during the primetime telecast.<ref name="Happy"/> Smith, however, says "if I had to be associated with one character in fiction, I will always be thrilled that it was Lisa Simpson."<ref name="Happy"/>

Until 1998, Smith was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute was soon resolved, and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Smith earned $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = [[BBC News]] | date = [[2008-06-03]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Development===
[[Image:Lisa - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Lisa in her first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
In ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' shorts, Lisa was more of a "female Bart" and was equally mischievous.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Boy-Scoutz N the Hood]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, Lisa began to develop into a more intelligent and more emotional character with "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) being one of the first episodes where her true intelligence is fully shown.<ref name="Reiss">Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Many episodes focusing on Lisa have an emotional nature, the first one being "[[Moaning Lisa]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season 1]], 1990) The idea for the episode was pitched by [[James L. Brooks]], who had wanted to do an emotional episode where Lisa is sad because the show had done a lot of "jokey episodes".<ref name="Reiss1">Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The episode "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season seven]], 1995) saw Lisa permanently become a [[vegetarian]], making her one of the first primetime television characters to become one.<ref name="PETA"/> The episode was written by David S. Cohen (in his first solo writing credit) who jotted down the idea one day while eating lunch. Then-executive producer [[David Mirkin]], who at that point had recently become a vegetarian, quickly approved the idea. Several of Lisa's experiences in the episode are based on what Mirkin went through when he became a vegetarian. The episode guest stars musician [[Paul McCartney]], who is a vegetarian and [[animal rights]] activist. McCartney's condition for appearing was that Lisa would remain a vegetarian for the rest of the series and would not revert back the next week. The trait stayed and is one of the few permanent character changes made in the show.<ref>Cohen, David S.; Groening, Matt; Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right |halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">[Lisa is] a good soul. I love that she is so compassionate. She is wise beyond her years. She has remarkable optimism, despite the fact that she's disappointed so often.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Yeardley Smith]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Local actress finds a voice in `Simpsons'|date=1994-11-20|accessdate=2008-10-26|work=[[The Washington Times]]|author=Paul Freeman}}</ref>}}

Lisa is highly intelligent and sees herself as a misfit within the Simpson family due to her intelligence and liberal beliefs. Lisa's knowledge covers a wide range of subjects, from astronomy to medicine, and is notably more concerned with world affairs than her life in Springfield.<ref>{{cite episode |title='Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky|episodelink='Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Grazier, Allen; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-09-19 |season=03|number=01}}</ref> Although her rebellion against social normalities is usually depicted as constructive and heroic, Lisa can be self-righteous at times. In "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", her increasing sense of moral righteousness regarding her [[vegetarianism]] leads her to disrupt a "meat-based" [[barbecue]] prepared by Homer, an act she comes to rue.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Vegetarian|episodelink=Lisa the Vegetarian|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Cohen, David X.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1995-10-15 |season=07|number=05}}</ref> In "[[Bart Star]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 9)|season nine]], 1997) she triumphantly declares that she, a girl, would like to join the football team. When it is revealed that there are already girls on the team, she expresses distaste for a sport that uses balls made of pig's skin, but is informed that footballs are synthetic and that proceeds of the balls are donated to [[Amnesty International]]. At a loss for words, Lisa runs off visibly upset.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Star|episodelink=Bart Star|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Cohen, David X.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-09 |season=09|number=06}}</ref>

She is often embarrassed and disapproving of her eccentric family: of her father's poor parenting skills and buffoonish personality; her mother's stereotyped image and inability to recognize social abnormalities; and her brother's delinquent and low-brow nature. She is also concerned that Maggie may grow up to be like the rest of the family and is seen trying to teach her complex ideas. In the end, however, she is very loyal to her family, most clearly seen in the [[flashforward]] "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", which deals with her concerns with introducing them to her cultured future fiancé.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Wedding|episodelink=Lisa's Wedding|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Greg Daniels|Daniels, Greg]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-03-19 |season=06|number=19}}</ref> In the episode "[[Mother Simpson]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she meets her paternal grandmother [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]] for the first time.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Mother Simpson|episodelink=Mother Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rich Appel|Appel, Rich]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1995-11-19 |season=07|number=08}}</ref> Mona is also well-read and articulate, and the writers had used the character as a way to explain some of the show's puzzles, such as where Lisa's intelligence came from.<ref>Appel, Rich. (2005). Commentary for "[[Mother Simpson]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In "[[Homer's Enemy]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997) it is mentioned that Lisa has an IQ of 156<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref> and is a member of [[Mensa International|Mensa]] [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=They Saved Lisa's Brain|episodelink=They Saved Lisa's Brain|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Michels, Pete|network=Fox |airdate=1999-05-09 |season=10|number=22}}</ref> When unable to attend school due to a [[teacher]]s' [[strike action|strike]] in "[[The PTA Disbands]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) she suffered a sort of "school withdrawal", going as far as desperately asking Marge to give her a grade.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The PTA Disbands|episodelink=The PTA Disbands|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jennifer Crittenden|Crittenden, Jennifer]]; [[Swinton O. Scott III|Scott III, Swinton O.]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-04-16 |season=06|number=21}}</ref> Lisa occasionally worries that her family's dull habits will rub off on her, and in "[[Lisa the Simpson]]" she believes that her family's "Simpson gene" will start to make her less intelligent. It is later revealed that the gene is on the [[Y chromosome]] and thus only men are affected.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Lisa also deeply values her [[integrity]], as demonstrated when she cheats on a test about the novel ''[[The Wind in the Willows]]'' to attain her highest grade of A+++, but she later admits her dishonesty to an unreceptive [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] and self-grades her test as an F.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa Gets an "A"|episodelink=Lisa Gets an "A"|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ian Maxtone-Graham|Maxtone-Graham, Ian]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1998-11-22 |season=10|number=07}}</ref> Despite her high intelligence, Lisa does have typical childhood issues, sometimes requiring adult intervention. For example, in "[[Lost Our Lisa]]", she tricks Homer into allowing her to ride the bus alone, only to become hopelessly lost.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lost Our Lisa|episodelink=Lost Our Lisa|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brian Scully|Scully, Briann]]; Michels, Pete|network=Fox |airdate=1998-05-10 |season=09|number=24}}</ref>

Lisa's political convictions are generally socially liberal. She is a [[vegetarianism|vegetarian]], environmentalist and a supporter of the [[Free Tibet movement]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can|episodelink=I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Kevin Curran|Curran, Kevin]]; [[Nancy Kruse|Kruse, Nancy]]|network=Fox |airdate=2003-02-16 |season=1|number=12}}</ref> While still supportive of the [[Christianity|Christian]] church in which she was raised, Lisa became a practicing [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] following her decision to follow the [[Noble Eightfold Path]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=She of Little Faith|episodelink=She of Little Faith|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Freiberger, Bill; Moore, Steven Dean|network=Fox |airdate=2001-12-16 |season=13|number=06}}</ref> She also supports the theory of [[Darwinism]] and [[evolution]], calling Darwin "one of the greatest minds" of all time, as seen in the episode, "[[The Monkey Suit]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 17)|season 17]], 2006)<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Monkey Suit|episodelink=The Monkey Suit|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[J. Stewart Burns|Burns, J. Stewart]]; [[Raymond S. Persi|Persi, Raymond S.]]|network=Fox |airdate=2006-05-14 |season=17|number=21}}</ref> There have been several instances where Lisa has used extreme measures to get her point across, such as throwing paint on [[Krusty the Clown]] for wearing a fur coat.<ref>{{cite episode |title=G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)|episodelink=G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Kruse, Nancy|network=Fox |airdate=2006-11-12 |season=18|number=05}}</ref>

==Reception==
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Lisa, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
Lisa's environmentalism has been well received. In 2001 Lisa received a special "Board of Directors Ongoing Commitment Award" at the [[Environmental Media Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-11-15-simpsons.htm|title= Lisa Simpson animates environmental awards|author=W. Reed Moran|date=2001-11-15|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]" won both an Environmental Media Award for "Best Television Episodic Comedy"<ref name="EMAIMDB">{{cite news|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096697/awards|title=Awards for "The Simpsons"|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]}}</ref> and a [[Genesis Awards|Genesis Award]] for "Best Television Comedy Series, Ongoing Commitment".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1996_genesis_awards.html|title=1995 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2007-10-21|publisher=[[Humane Society of the United States]]}}</ref> Several other episodes that feature Lisa speaking out in favor of animal rights have won Genesis Awards, including "[[Whacking Day]]" in 1994,<ref>{{cite news|title='Free Willy', 'Simpsons' win Genesis Awards|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=[[Rocky Mountain News]]|page=56A|date=[[1994-01-30]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1994_genesis_awards.html|title=1994 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=Humane Society of the United States}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an Elephant]]" in 1995,<ref>{{cite news|title=Films, TV Programs praised for treatment of Animal issues|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]|page=L9|author=Yardena Arar|date=[[1991-01-19]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1995_genesis_awards.html|title=1995 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=Humane Society of the United States}}</ref><ref>Cohen, David X.; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark; Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> and "[[Million Dollar Abie]]", which won the "Sid Caesar Comedy Award" in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/21st-genesis-awards/the_21st_annual_genesis.html|title=2007 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2007-10-21|publisher=Humane Society of the United States}}</ref> In 2004, animal rights organization [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]] included Lisa on their list of the "Most Animal-Friendly TV Characters of All Time".<ref name="PETA">{{cite news|url=http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=4375|title=Friends' Phoebe tops PETA's list of most animal-friendly TV characters of all time|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2004-05-04|publisher=[[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]]}}</ref>

Lisa was also listed at number 11 (in the same entry as Bart) in ''[[TV Guide|TV Guide's]]'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters/|title=Bugs Bunny tops greatest cartoon characters list|accessdate=2007-08-25|date=2002-07-30|publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> Yeardley Smith has won several awards for voicing Lisa, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for "[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]]" in 1992 for "[[Lisa the Greek]]".<ref name="Emmys">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-01-18}}</ref> Various episodes in which Lisa is strongly featured have won Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment]]" in 1991, "[[Lisa's Wedding]]" in 1995 and "[[HOMR]]" in 2001.<ref name="Emmys"/> In 2000, Lisa and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

In Japan, the broadcasters of the series found they were able to turn the apparent viewer dislike of the series around by focusing marketing attention on Lisa. Lisa's well-intended but ill-fated struggles to be a voice of reason and a force of good in her family and city struck a chord with the Japanese.<ref>Turner, p. 327</ref>

==Merchandising==
Lisa has been included in many ''The Simpsons'' publications, toys, and other merchandise. ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Lisa Book|The Lisa Book]]'', about Lisa's personality and attributes, was released in 2006 and is commercially available.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Lisa Book|The Lisa Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2006 | isbn =0060748230}}</ref> Other merchandise includes dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[bobblehead|bobblehead dolls]], [[mug]]s, and clothing such as [[slipper]]s, [[T-shirt]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=048852c33e126efae65e0a2e9f957e7d&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Lisa|title=Search Results for Lisa |accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> Lisa has appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[Butterfinger]], [[C.C. Lemon]] and [[Ramada Inn]].

Lisa has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. She has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| publisher =''Entertainment Weekly''| date =[[2007-11-05]]| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-09-07}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Lisa regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|accssdate=2008-09-07}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-09-07|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=MSNBC}}</ref> Lisa also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-09-07|date=2008-04-09|publisher=''Los Angeles Times''|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
*{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}
*<cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
*<cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris | title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=Leaving Springfield: 'The Simpsons' and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Lisa Book|The Lisa Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2006 | isbn =0060748230}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_lisa.htm Lisa Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003029}}

{{Simpsons characters}}



{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Lisa}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:Fictional jazz musicians]]
[[Category:Vegetarianism]]

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Lisa Simpson

2009-01-08T15:46:13Z

Adolphus79: trying to re-word the lead to make it flow a little better...

{{Simpsons character
|image=[[Image:Lisa Simpson.png|200px]]
|name=Lisa Simpson
|gender=[[Female]]
|hair= [[Yellow]]
|job=[[Student]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Siblings:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]] and [[Jacqueline Bouvier (Simpsons)|Jacqueline Bouvier]]<br>'''Aunts:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor= [[Yeardley Smith]]
}}
'''Lisa Marie Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. She is the middle child, and eldest daughter, of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. She is voiced by [[Yeardley Smith]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Lisa was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]'s office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his younger sister Lisa Groening. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family got their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At eight years of age, Lisa is the middle child of the Simpson family and eldest daughter of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], younger sister of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and elder sister of [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. She is highly intelligent, plays the [[saxophone]], has been a [[vegetarian]] since the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|seventh season]], has been a [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] since [[The Simpsons (season 13)|season thirteen]] and supports a number of different causes. She has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons'' – including video games, ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials and comic books – and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

Yeardley Smith originally tried out for the role of Bart, while Bart's voice actor [[Nancy Cartwright]] tried out for Lisa. Cartwright found that the character was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, and Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Because of her unusual pointed hair style, many animators consider Lisa the most difficult character to draw. In ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' shorts, Lisa was more of a "female Bart" and was equally mischievous, but as the series progressed, she became a more emotional and intellectual character.

Lisa is one of the most enduring characters on the series. ''[[TV Guide]]'' ranked her eleventh (tied with Bart) on their list of the "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time". Yeardley Smith won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] in 1992. Lisa's environmentalism has been well received; several episodes featuring her have won [[Genesis Awards|Genesis]] and [[Environmental Media Awards]], including a special "Board of Directors Ongoing Commitment Award" in 2001, and [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]] included her on their list of the "Most Animal-Friendly TV Characters of All Time". In 2000, Lisa, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters [[Ageless|do not physically age]], and as such the show is generally assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific time periods, although this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes.<ref name=p78>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 78-79</ref> Lisa's year of birth was stated in "[[Lisa's First Word]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) as being in 1984 during the [[1984 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympics]].<ref name="FirstWord">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season 19]], 2007), however, contradicted much of the established backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref> Lisa has been eight years old since "[[Stark Raving Dad]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Stark Raving Dad|episodelink=Stark Raving Dad|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-09-19 |season=03|number=01}}</ref>

Lisa is a great music fan, best evidenced by her proficiency with the saxophone and her relationship with musician [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Bleeding Gums Murphy|Bleeding Gums Murphy]], whom she regards as both a friend and an idol. Murphy was the only one able to pull Lisa out of her depression in "[[Moaning Lisa]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Moaning Lisa|episodelink=Moaning Lisa|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Jean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Archer, Wes|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-11 |season=01|number=06}}</ref> and she was deeply saddened by his death in "[['Round Springfield]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995)<ref>{{cite episode |title='Round Springfield|episodelink='Round Springfield|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Joshua Sternin|Sternin, Joshua]]; [[Jeffrey Ventimilia|Ventimilia, Jeffrey]]; Moore, Steven Dean |network=Fox |airdate=1995-04-30 |season=06|number=22}}</ref> Lisa has had relationships with several boys, including [[Ralph Wiggum]] in "[[I Love Lisa]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1993)<ref>{{cite episode |title=I Love Lisa|episodelink=I Love Lisa|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Frank Mula|Mula, Frank]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-11 |season=04|number=15}}</ref> [[Nelson Muntz]] in "[[Lisa's Date with Density]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1996)<ref name="Density">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Date with Density|episodelink=Lisa's Date with Density|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1996-12-15 |season=08|number=07}}</ref> and [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Colin|Colin]] in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''. (2007)<ref>{{cite video | people = | title = [[The Simpsons Movie]] | medium = Film| publisher = [[20th Century Fox]] | location = | year2 = 2007 }}</ref> [[Milhouse Van Houten]] also has a crush on her, and on many occasions has dropped none-too-subtle hints about his feelings, but has been unsuccessful at developing a relationship with her.<ref name="Density"/>

Lisa is the intelligent member of the Simpson family, and many episodes of the series focus on her fighting for various causes. Lisa is generally used as the main character in episodes with "a real moral or philosophical point," which according to former writer [[David X. Cohen|David S. Cohen]] is because "you really buy her as caring about it."<ref name=Skepticcom>Cohen, David S.; Groening, Matt; Meyer, George; Michels, Pete; Scully, Mike; Smith; Yeardley. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Skeptic]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived Lisa and the rest of the Simpson family in [[1986 in film|1986]] in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]'s office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction,<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and he hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Lisa was named after Groening's younger sister.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html|title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family|accessdate=2008-01-19|author=Rose, Joseph|date=2007-08-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''}}</ref>

Lisa made her debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Lisa and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Lisasmall2.gif|right|170px|thumb|This image illustrates how to draw Lisa's head and hairline using the "three-three-two arrangement".]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Lisa's physical features are generally not used in other characters; for example, in the later seasons, no character other than Maggie shares her hairline.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> While designing Lisa, Groening "couldn't be bothered to even think about girls' hair styles".<ref name=THOHV/> At the time, Groening was primarily drawing in black and white and when designing Lisa and Maggie, he "just gave them this kind of spiky starfish hair style, not thinking that they would eventually be drawn in color".<ref>Groening, Matt. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", illustrated commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> To draw Lisa's head and hair, most of the animators use what they refer to as the "three-three-two arrangement". They draw a sphere, with intersecting curving lines (one vertical, one horizontal) in the middle to indicate her eyeline. They take the middle line running vertically and continue the line outside of the sphere to draw one hair point, then two more going towards the back of her head. Afterward, they add three more points in front (in the direction Lisa is facing), then three more behind it.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", illustrated commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Several animators that have worked on the show, including [[Pete Michels]] and [[David Silverman]], consider Lisa the most difficult character to draw.<ref>Michels, Pete. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", illustrated commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Silverman explains that it is because "her head is so abstract" due to her hair style.<ref name=THOHV>Silverman, David; Reardon, Jim; Groening, Matt. (2005). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror V]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of the ''Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Nancy Cartwright]] originally auditioned for the role of Lisa. Upon arriving at the audition, however, she discovered that the character was simply described as the "middle child" and did not have much personality.<ref name=Carty>Cartwright, pp. 35–40</ref> Cartwright instead auditioned for the role of Bart believing that the role was better for her.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright recalls "with the brilliant wit of the writers and the wry, in-your-eye, honest-to-a-fault interpretation, Yeardley Smith has made Lisa a bright light of leadership, full of compassion and competence beyond her years. Lisa Simpson is the kind of child we not only want our children to be, but also the kind of child we want ''all'' children to be. But, at the time, on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she was just an animated eight-year-old kid who had no personality."<ref name=Carty/>
[[Image:Yeardleysmithcomiccon.jpg|thumb|left|Voice actress [[Yeardley Smith]]]]
[[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled "I always sounded too much like a girl, I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2008-10-26|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Charles Miranda}}</ref> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead, although she almost turned it down.<ref name="Happy">{{cite news|title=She’s happy as Lisa Simpson, although she’d like more d’oh |date=2004-04-04|accessdate=2008-10-26|work=[[The Spokesman-Review]]|publisher=Associated Press|author=Heidi Vogt}}</ref> In order to perform the voice, Smith lifts her voice up a little.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Charles Miranda}}</ref> Lisa is the only regular character voiced by Smith, although in some earlier episodes she provided some of Maggie's squeaks and occasional speaking parts.<ref name=com>{{cite video | people=Smith, Yeardley|year=2007|title=Audio commentary for [[The Simpsons Movie]]| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Smith has only voiced characters other than Lisa on very rare occasions, with those characters usually being some derivative of Lisa, such as Lisa Bella in "[[Last Tap Dance in Springfield]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season 11]], 2000) and Lisa, Jr. in "[[Missionary: Impossible]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season 11]], 2000)<ref>Smith, Yeardley. (2005). Commentary for "[[Missionary: Impossible]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite the fame of her character, Smith is rarely recognized in public, which she does not mind, describing it as "wonderful."<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Peter Sheridan}}</ref> Smith received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 but felt it was not worth anything, saying "there’s part of me that feels it wasn’t even a real Emmy." This is because the Emmy for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] is a [[Creative Arts Emmy Award|Creative Arts]] award and is not voted on by the regular Emmy voters and not handed out during the primetime telecast.<ref name="Happy"/> Smith, however, says "if I had to be associated with one character in fiction, I will always be thrilled that it was Lisa Simpson."<ref name="Happy"/>

Until 1998, Smith was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute was soon resolved, and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Smith earned $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = [[BBC News]] | date = [[2008-06-03]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Development===
[[Image:Lisa - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Lisa in her first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
In ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' shorts, Lisa was more of a "female Bart" and was equally mischievous.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Boy-Scoutz N the Hood]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, Lisa began to develop into a more intelligent and more emotional character with "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) being one of the first episodes where her true intelligence is fully shown.<ref name="Reiss">Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Many episodes focusing on Lisa have an emotional nature, the first one being "[[Moaning Lisa]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season 1]], 1990) The idea for the episode was pitched by [[James L. Brooks]], who had wanted to do an emotional episode where Lisa is sad because the show had done a lot of "jokey episodes".<ref name="Reiss1">Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The episode "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season seven]], 1995) saw Lisa permanently become a [[vegetarian]], making her one of the first primetime television characters to become one.<ref name="PETA"/> The episode was written by David S. Cohen (in his first solo writing credit) who jotted down the idea one day while eating lunch. Then-executive producer [[David Mirkin]], who at that point had recently become a vegetarian, quickly approved the idea. Several of Lisa's experiences in the episode are based on what Mirkin went through when he became a vegetarian. The episode guest stars musician [[Paul McCartney]], who is a vegetarian and [[animal rights]] activist. McCartney's condition for appearing was that Lisa would remain a vegetarian for the rest of the series and would not revert back the next week. The trait stayed and is one of the few permanent character changes made in the show.<ref>Cohen, David S.; Groening, Matt; Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right |halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">[Lisa is] a good soul. I love that she is so compassionate. She is wise beyond her years. She has remarkable optimism, despite the fact that she's disappointed so often.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Yeardley Smith]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Local actress finds a voice in `Simpsons'|date=1994-11-20|accessdate=2008-10-26|work=[[The Washington Times]]|author=Paul Freeman}}</ref>}}

Lisa is highly intelligent and sees herself as a misfit within the Simpson family due to her intelligence and liberal beliefs. Lisa's knowledge covers a wide range of subjects, from astronomy to medicine, and is notably more concerned with world affairs than her life in Springfield.<ref>{{cite episode |title='Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky|episodelink='Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Grazier, Allen; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-09-19 |season=03|number=01}}</ref> Although her rebellion against social normalities is usually depicted as constructive and heroic, Lisa can be self-righteous at times. In "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", her increasing sense of moral righteousness regarding her [[vegetarianism]] leads her to disrupt a "meat-based" [[barbecue]] prepared by Homer, an act she comes to rue.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Vegetarian|episodelink=Lisa the Vegetarian|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Cohen, David X.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1995-10-15 |season=07|number=05}}</ref> In "[[Bart Star]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 9)|season nine]], 1997) she triumphantly declares that she, a girl, would like to join the football team. When it is revealed that there are already girls on the team, she expresses distaste for a sport that uses balls made of pig's skin, but is informed that footballs are synthetic and that proceeds of the balls are donated to [[Amnesty International]]. At a loss for words, Lisa runs off visibly upset.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Star|episodelink=Bart Star|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Cohen, David X.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1997-11-09 |season=09|number=06}}</ref>

She is often embarrassed and disapproving of her eccentric family: of her father's poor parenting skills and buffoonish personality; her mother's stereotyped image and inability to recognize social abnormalities; and her brother's delinquent and low-brow nature. She is also concerned that Maggie may grow up to be like the rest of the family and is seen trying to teach her complex ideas. In the end, however, she is very loyal to her family, most clearly seen in the [[flashforward]] "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", which deals with her concerns with introducing them to her cultured future fiancé.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Wedding|episodelink=Lisa's Wedding|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Greg Daniels|Daniels, Greg]]; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1995-03-19 |season=06|number=19}}</ref> In the episode "[[Mother Simpson]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she meets her paternal grandmother [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]] for the first time.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Mother Simpson|episodelink=Mother Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rich Appel|Appel, Rich]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1995-11-19 |season=07|number=08}}</ref> Mona is also well-read and articulate, and the writers had used the character as a way to explain some of the show's puzzles, such as where Lisa's intelligence came from.<ref>Appel, Rich. (2005). Commentary for "[[Mother Simpson]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In "[[Homer's Enemy]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997) it is mentioned that Lisa has an IQ of 156<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref> and is a member of [[Mensa International|Mensa]] [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=They Saved Lisa's Brain|episodelink=They Saved Lisa's Brain|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Michels, Pete|network=Fox |airdate=1999-05-09 |season=10|number=22}}</ref> When unable to attend school due to a [[teacher]]s' [[strike action|strike]] in "[[The PTA Disbands]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) she suffered a sort of "school withdrawal", going as far as desperately asking Marge to give her a grade.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The PTA Disbands|episodelink=The PTA Disbands|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jennifer Crittenden|Crittenden, Jennifer]]; [[Swinton O. Scott III|Scott III, Swinton O.]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-04-16 |season=06|number=21}}</ref> Lisa occasionally worries that her family's dull habits will rub off on her, and in "[[Lisa the Simpson]]" she believes that her family's "Simpson gene" will start to make her less intelligent. It is later revealed that the gene is on the [[Y chromosome]] and thus only men are affected.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Lisa also deeply values her [[integrity]], as demonstrated when she cheats on a test about the novel ''[[The Wind in the Willows]]'' to attain her highest grade of A+++, but she later admits her dishonesty to an unreceptive [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] and self-grades her test as an F.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa Gets an "A"|episodelink=Lisa Gets an "A"|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ian Maxtone-Graham|Maxtone-Graham, Ian]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1998-11-22 |season=10|number=07}}</ref> Despite her high intelligence, Lisa does have typical childhood issues, sometimes requiring adult intervention. For example, in "[[Lost Our Lisa]]", she tricks Homer into allowing her to ride the bus alone, only to become hopelessly lost.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lost Our Lisa|episodelink=Lost Our Lisa|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Brian Scully|Scully, Briann]]; Michels, Pete|network=Fox |airdate=1998-05-10 |season=09|number=24}}</ref>

Lisa's political convictions are generally socially liberal. She is a [[vegetarianism|vegetarian]], environmentalist and a supporter of the [[Free Tibet movement]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can|episodelink=I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Kevin Curran|Curran, Kevin]]; [[Nancy Kruse|Kruse, Nancy]]|network=Fox |airdate=2003-02-16 |season=1|number=12}}</ref> While still supportive of the [[Christianity|Christian]] church in which she was raised, Lisa became a practicing [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] following her decision to follow the [[Noble Eightfold Path]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=She of Little Faith|episodelink=She of Little Faith|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Freiberger, Bill; Moore, Steven Dean|network=Fox |airdate=2001-12-16 |season=13|number=06}}</ref> She also supports the theory of [[Darwinism]] and [[evolution]], calling Darwin "one of the greatest minds" of all time, as seen in the episode, "[[The Monkey Suit]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 17)|season 17]], 2006)<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Monkey Suit|episodelink=The Monkey Suit|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[J. Stewart Burns|Burns, J. Stewart]]; [[Raymond S. Persi|Persi, Raymond S.]]|network=Fox |airdate=2006-05-14 |season=17|number=21}}</ref> There have been several instances where Lisa has used extreme measures to get her point across, such as throwing paint on [[Krusty the Clown]] for wearing a fur coat.<ref>{{cite episode |title=G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)|episodelink=G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Kruse, Nancy|network=Fox |airdate=2006-11-12 |season=18|number=05}}</ref>

==Reception==
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Lisa, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
Lisa's environmentalism has been well received. In 2001 Lisa received a special "Board of Directors Ongoing Commitment Award" at the [[Environmental Media Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-11-15-simpsons.htm|title= Lisa Simpson animates environmental awards|author=W. Reed Moran|date=2001-11-15|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]" won both an Environmental Media Award for "Best Television Episodic Comedy"<ref name="EMAIMDB">{{cite news|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096697/awards|title=Awards for "The Simpsons"|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]}}</ref> and a [[Genesis Awards|Genesis Award]] for "Best Television Comedy Series, Ongoing Commitment".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1996_genesis_awards.html|title=1995 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2007-10-21|publisher=[[Humane Society of the United States]]}}</ref> Several other episodes that feature Lisa speaking out in favor of animal rights have won Genesis Awards, including "[[Whacking Day]]" in 1994,<ref>{{cite news|title='Free Willy', 'Simpsons' win Genesis Awards|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=[[Rocky Mountain News]]|page=56A|date=[[1994-01-30]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1994_genesis_awards.html|title=1994 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=Humane Society of the United States}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an Elephant]]" in 1995,<ref>{{cite news|title=Films, TV Programs praised for treatment of Animal issues|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]|page=L9|author=Yardena Arar|date=[[1991-01-19]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1995_genesis_awards.html|title=1995 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=Humane Society of the United States}}</ref><ref>Cohen, David X.; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark; Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> and "[[Million Dollar Abie]]", which won the "Sid Caesar Comedy Award" in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/21st-genesis-awards/the_21st_annual_genesis.html|title=2007 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2007-10-21|publisher=Humane Society of the United States}}</ref> In 2004, animal rights organization [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]] included Lisa on their list of the "Most Animal-Friendly TV Characters of All Time".<ref name="PETA">{{cite news|url=http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=4375|title=Friends' Phoebe tops PETA's list of most animal-friendly TV characters of all time|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2004-05-04|publisher=[[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA]]}}</ref>

Lisa was also listed at number 11 (in the same entry as Bart) in ''[[TV Guide|TV Guide's]]'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters/|title=Bugs Bunny tops greatest cartoon characters list|accessdate=2007-08-25|date=2002-07-30|publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> Yeardley Smith has won several awards for voicing Lisa, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for "[[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]]" in 1992 for "[[Lisa the Greek]]".<ref name="Emmys">{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-01-18}}</ref> Various episodes in which Lisa is strongly featured have won Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment]]" in 1991, "[[Lisa's Wedding]]" in 1995 and "[[HOMR]]" in 2001.<ref name="Emmys"/> In 2000, Lisa and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

In Japan, the broadcasters of the series found they were able to turn the apparent viewer dislike of the series around by focusing marketing attention on Lisa. Lisa's well-intended but ill-fated struggles to be a voice of reason and a force of good in her family and city struck a chord with the Japanese.<ref>Turner, p. 327</ref>

==Merchandising==
Lisa has been included in many ''The Simpsons'' publications, toys, and other merchandise. ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Lisa Book|The Lisa Book]]'', about Lisa's personality and attributes, was released in 2006 and is commercially available.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Lisa Book|The Lisa Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2006 | isbn =0060748230}}</ref> Other merchandise includes dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[bobblehead|bobblehead dolls]], [[mug]]s, and clothing such as [[slipper]]s, [[T-shirt]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=048852c33e126efae65e0a2e9f957e7d&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Lisa|title=Search Results for Lisa |accessdate=2008-10-27|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> Lisa has appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[Butterfinger]], [[C.C. Lemon]] and [[Ramada Inn]].

Lisa has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. She has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| publisher =''Entertainment Weekly''| date =[[2007-11-05]]| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-09-07}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Lisa regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|accssdate=2008-09-07}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-09-07|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=MSNBC}}</ref> Lisa also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-09-07|date=2008-04-09|publisher=''Los Angeles Times''|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
*{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|isbn=0-7868-8600-5}}
*<cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
*<cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris | title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| isbn=0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=Leaving Springfield: 'The Simpsons' and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | isbn=0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|isbn=1-932100-70-9}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Lisa Book|The Lisa Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2006 | isbn =0060748230}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | isbn=0-664-22419-9}}

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_lisa.htm Lisa Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003029}}

{{Simpsons characters}}



{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Lisa}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:Fictional jazz musicians]]
[[Category:Vegetarianism]]

[[af:Lisa Simpson]]
[[bg:Лиса Симпсън]]
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[[ca:Lisa Simpson]]
[[cs:Líza Simpsonová]]
[[da:Lisa Simpson]]
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[[he:ליסה סימפסון]]
[[hu:Lisa Simpson]]
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[[no:Lisa Simpson]]
[[pl:Lisa Simpson]]
[[pt:Lisa Simpson]]
[[ru:Лиза Симпсон]]
[[sq:Lisa Simpson]]
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[[sk:Lisa Simpsonová]]
[[sr:Лиса Симпсон]]
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[[uk:Ліса Сімпсон]]
[[zh:莉萨·辛普森]]

Bart Simpson

2008-11-26T03:59:41Z

Adolphus79: Reverted edits by 68.239.195.220 (talk) to last version by Adolphus79

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]].<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" JoJo Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the entire family, but Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most influential people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed up to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him with various gestures. He began to entertain a group of children with rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2007) contradicted much of the backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially [[Krusty the Clown]] and ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He worked as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> worked as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> and briefly owned his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Groening at comiccon.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986 in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart. Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessmonthday=October 7 | accessyear=2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=''[[Orlando Sentinel]]''}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's full middle name is JoJo which, while never revealed in the series, was mentioned in the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | id=ISBN 5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes share Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were 3D vinyl Bart dolls, so they purchased one and used it as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to getting the job.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was soon resolved, and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright earned $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
[[Image:New Orleans Chalk Gag.png|right|200px|thumb|This chalkboard gag, aired before "[[Homer the Heretic]]" was written as an apology to the city of New Orleans for a controversial song.]]
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of most ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor, [[popular culture|pop culture]] references, and [[meta-reference]]s.<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref>Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because they are cut to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's [[hallmarks]] became his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but soon realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Some"/> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>

The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts in the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/news.php?id=6223 |title=Latest MPAA Ratings: #57|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2007-05-30|work=Rope of Silicon|author=Brevet, Brad}}</ref> and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> A BBFC spokeswoman said regarding the nude scene, "Natural nudity with no sexual content is acceptable in PG films."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article2034139.ece|title=Bart shows fans the unexpected as Simpsons film beats censor with a yellow streak|work=[[The Times]]|date=2007-07-06|author=Sherwin, Adam|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right|halign=left|quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}
Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], which is a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of all male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel.<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of a school atmosphere. Bart, however, started to miss having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will strangle him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is much more caring, understanding, and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and started acting more distant towards him after he is caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart was protesting her over-mothering, but as she started acting more distant towards him, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=left|halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, they are very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa. When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this mischief, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been established as close friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and has treated Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, largely because of the promise that he would get to spend his summer with Krusty. The camp turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> Bart foiling Sideshow Bob's plan in "Krusty Gets Busted" sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob is always inserting himself into Bart's life and has appeared in ten episodes with various evil schemes, but he is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
==="Bartmania"===
[[Image:I'm Bart Simpson, who the hell are you?.png|200px|right|thumb|This T-shirt design was banned in several public schools]]
While later seasons would focus more on Homer, Bart was the lead character in the first few seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family - Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver - and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart with various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>

Due to the show's success, over summer 1990, the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through summer 1990, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jrean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "Television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared in every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History - The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night, offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in 1991 in the United Kingdom where it was the number one song for three weeks from February 16 to March 9<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/number5.html|title=Number 1 Singles - 1990s|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=EveryHit.com}}</ref> and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/chart5.html|title=Chart Archive - 1990s Singles|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=EveryHit.com}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right |halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote, "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]], Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=MSNBC}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist - The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of The Simpsons comics#Bart Simpson]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
*<cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|id=ISBN 0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |id=ISBN 0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| id=ISBN 0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=Leaving Springfield: 'The Simpsons' and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | id=ISBN 0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|id=ISBN 1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |id=ISBN 0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | id=ISBN 5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|id=ISBN 0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | id=ISBN 0-664-22419-9}}

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Fictional troublemakers]]

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Bart Simpson

2008-11-25T23:06:28Z

Adolphus79: restore Nancy's image...

{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student at [[Springfield Elementary School]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson]], [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona Simpson]], and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]].<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" (1987)
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" JoJo Simpson''' is a fictional main character in the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and part of the [[Simpson family|eponymous family]]. He is voiced by actress [[Nancy Cartwright]] and first appeared on television in ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]" on April 19, 1987. Bart was created and designed by cartoonist [[Matt Groening]] while he was waiting in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on ''[[Life is Swell|Life in Hell]]'' but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name was an anagram of the word ''brat''. After appearing on ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' for three years, the Simpson family received their own series on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]], which debuted December 17, 1989.

At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], and the brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]. Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness and disrespect for authority. He has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''—including [[The Simpsons video games|video games]], ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', [[The Simpsons Ride]], commercials, and [[List of The Simpsons comics|comic books]]—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

In casting, Nancy Cartwright originally planned to audition for the role of Lisa, while [[Yeardley Smith]] tried out for Bart. Smith's voice was too high for a boy, so she was given the role of Lisa. Cartwright found that Lisa was not interesting at the time, so instead auditioned for Bart, which she thought was a better role. [[#Hallmarks|Hallmarks]] of the character include his [[The Simpsons opening sequence#Chalkboard gag|chalkboard gag]]s in the opening sequence; his prank calls to [[Moe Szyslak|Moe]] the bartender; and his catchphrases "Eat my shorts", "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]", and "Don't have a cow, man!"

During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'' (1989–1991), Bart was the show's [[List of breakout characters|breakout character]] and "Bartmania" ensued. Bart Simpson T-shirts sporting various slogans and catchphrases became popular, selling at a rate of a million per day at their peak. The song "[[Do the Bartman]]" became a number one charting single and the seventh best-selling song of 1991 in the United Kingdom. Bart's rebellious attitude and pride at underachieving caused many parents and educators to cast him as a bad role model for children. A T-shirt reading "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" was banned in several public schools. Around the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]], the series started to focus more on the entire family, but Bart remains one of the most prominent characters on the series. ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the [[Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century|100 most influential people of the 20th century]], and he was named "entertainer of the year" in 1990 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''. Nancy Cartwright has won several awards for voicing Bart, including a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 and an [[Annie Award]] in 1995. In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of his family, was awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]].

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
''The Simpsons'' uses a [[floating timeline]] in which the characters do not age, and as such the show is assumed to be set in the current year. In several episodes, events have been linked to specific times, though sometimes this timeline has been contradicted in subsequent episodes. Bart's year of birth was stated in "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) as being in the early 1980s.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge|episodelink=I Married Marge|series=The Simpsons|credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-12-26 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> He lived with his parents in the Lower East of Springfield until the Simpsons bought [[742 Evergreen Terrace|their first house]]. When Lisa was born, Bart was at first jealous of the attention she received, but he soon warmed up to her when he discovered that "Bart" was her first word.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]]|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Bart's first day of school was in the early 1990s. His initial enthusiasm was crushed by an uncaring teacher and Marge became worried that something was truly wrong with him. One day during recess, Bart met [[Milhouse Van Houten|Milhouse]] and started entertaining him with various gestures. He began to entertain a group of children with rude words. [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]] told him "you've just started school, and the path you choose now may be the one you follow for the rest of your life! Now, what do you say?" In his moment of truth, Bart responded, "eat my shorts".<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa's Sax|episodelink=Lisa's Sax|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Dominic Polcino|Polcino, Dominic]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-10-19 |season=09|number=03}}</ref> The episode "[[That 90's Show]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 19)|season nineteen]], 2007) contradicted much of the backstory; for example, it was revealed that Homer and Marge were childless in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That 90's Show|episodelink=That 90's Show |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=2008-01-27 |season=19|number=11}}</ref>

Bart's various hobbies include [[skateboard]]ing, watching television (especially [[Krusty the Clown]] and ''[[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]]''), reading comic books (especially [[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons)|Radioactive Man]]), playing video games and generally causing mischief.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 122</ref> For the duration of the series, Bart has attended [[Springfield Elementary School]] and been in [[Edna Krabappel]]'s fourth grade class. While he is too young to hold a full-time job, he has had occasional part time jobs. He worked as a [[bartender]] at [[Fat Tony]]'s social club in "[[Bart the Murderer]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart the Murderer|episodelink=Bart the Murderer|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; [[Rich Moore|Moore, Rich]]|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-10 |season=03|number=04}}</ref> worked as [[Krusty the Clown]]'s assistant in "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994);<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets Famous|episodelink=Bart Gets Famous|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-02-03 |season=05|number=12}}</ref> and briefly owned his own factory in "[[Homer's Enemy]]". ([[The Simpsons (season 8)|season eight]], 1997)<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episodelink=Homer's Enemy|series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-05-04 |season=08|number=23}}</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Groening at comiccon.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Matt Groening created Bart while waiting in James L. Brooks' office]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived of Bart and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986 in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''Life in Hell'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. For the rebellious son, he substituted "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref>

Bart had originally been envisioned as "a much milder, troubled youth given to existential angst who talks to himself", but the character was changed based on Cartwright's voice acting.<ref>{{cite news|title=Christmans is 'Life in Hell' for The Simpsons|date=1989-12-17|accessdate=2008-09-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''|author=Farrell, Peter}}</ref> Groening has credited several different figures with providing inspiration for Bart. Matt Groening's older brother Mark provided much of the motivation for Bart's attitude.<ref name=SitterDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=1995-09-30 | accessmonthday=October 7 | accessyear=2007}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>Groening, Matt. (2006). Commentary for "[[Bart Carny]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart was conceived as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening describes Bart as "what would happen if [[Eddie Haskell]] [from ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''] got his own show".<ref>{{cite news|title=With spirit of youthful rebellion, 'Simpsons' creator takes on success|accessdate=2008-11-09|author=Kolbert, Elizabeth|date=1993-03-11|work=''[[Orlando Sentinel]]''}}</ref> Groening has also said that he found the premise of ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's middle initial ''J'' is a "tribute" to animated characters such as [[Bullwinkle J. Moose]] and [[Rocky the Flying Squirrel|Rocket J. Squirrel]] from ''[[The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show]]'', who received their middle initial from [[Jay Ward]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/interviews/groening/page9.shtml|title=J is for Jay|accessdate=2008-09-21|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref><ref>Groening, Matt. (2007). Commentary for "[[D'oh-in in the Wind]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Tenth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bart's full middle name is JoJo which, while never revealed in the series, was mentioned in the book ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''.<ref>{{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=Bart Simpson's Guide to Life | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | id=ISBN 5558685514}}</ref>

Bart made his debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Bart and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-09-21|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
[[Image:Bart - Good Night.png|right|200px|thumb|Bart in his first televised appearance in "Good Night"]]
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in [[silhouette]].<ref>Groening, Matt. (2005). Commentary for "[[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Fear of Flying]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Bart's original design, which appeared in the first shorts, had spikier hair, and the spikes were of different lengths. The number was later limited to nine spikes, all the same size.<ref>[[David Silverman|Silverman, David]]; [[Wes Archer|Archer, Wes]]. (2004). Illustrated commentary for "[[Treehouse of Horror IV]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> At the time Groening was primarily drawing in black and "not thinking that [Bart] would eventually be drawn in color" gave him spikes which appear to be an extension of his head.<ref>[[Mike B. Anderson|Anderson, Mike B.]]; Groening, Matt; [[Pete Michels|Michels, Pete]]; [[Yeardley Smith|Smith, Yeardley]]. (2006). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[All Singing, All Dancing]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Ninth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The features of Bart's character design are generally not used in other characters; for example, no other characters in current episodes share Bart's spiky hairline, although several background characters in the first few seasons shared the trait.<ref>Groening, Matt; Reiss, Mike; Kirkland, Mark. (2002). Commentary for "[[Principal Charming]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

The basic rectangular shape of Bart's head is described by director [[Mark Kirkland]] as a coffee can. Homer's head is also rectangular (with a dome on top), while spheres are used for Marge, Lisa, and Maggie.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Different animators have different methods of drawing Bart. Former director [[Jeffrey Lynch]] starts off with a box, then adds the eyes, then the mouth, then the hair spikes, ear, and then the rest of the body. Matt Groening normally starts with the eyes, then the nose, and the rest of the outline of Bart's head. Many of the animators have trouble drawing Bart's spikes evenly; one trick they use is to draw one on the right, one on the left, one in the middle, then continue to add one in the middle of the blank space until there are nine. Originally, whenever Bart was to be drawn from an angle looking down so the top of his head was seen, Groening wanted there to be spikes along the outline of his head, and in the middle as well. Instead, [[Wes Archer]] and [[David Silverman]] drew him so that there was an outline of the spikes, then just a smooth patch in the middle because "it worked graphically."<ref>Groening, Matt; Lynch, Jeffrey; Reardon, Jim; Silverman, David. (2005). Illustrated Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?|Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

In the [[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]] (1995) episode "[[Treehouse of Horror VI]]", Bart (along with Homer) was computer animated into a [[3D computer graphics|three dimensional]] character for the first time for the "Homer<sup>3</sup>" segment of the episode. The computer animation directors was provided by [[Pacific Data Images]].<ref name=3D/> While designing the 3D model of the character, the animators did not know how they would show Bart's hair. However, they realized that there were 3D vinyl Bart dolls, so they purchased one and used it as a model.<ref name=3D>Oakley, Bill; Weinstein, Josh; Johnson, Tim; Silverman, David; Mirkin, David; Cohen, David X. "Homer in the Third Dimpension" (2005), in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
[[Image:Nancy Cartwright.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Nancy Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson]]
Bart's voice is provided by [[Nancy Cartwright]], who voices several other child characters on ''The Simpsons'', including [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Ralph Wiggum]], [[Flanders family#Todd|Todd Flanders]], and [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]].<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], pp. 178–179</ref> While the roles of Homer and Marge were given to [[Dan Castellaneta]] and [[Julie Kavner]] because they were already a part of ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' cast,<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voice|accessdate=2007-08-18|date=2003-02-27|author=Lee, Luaine|publisher=''[[The Age]]''}}</ref> the producers decided to hold casting for the roles of Bart and Lisa. [[Yeardley Smith]] had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart, but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high. Smith later recalled, "I always sounded too much like a girl. I read two lines as Bart and they said, 'Thanks for coming!'"<ref name=Smith/> Smith was given the role of Lisa instead.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=2007-12-08|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Miranda, Charles}}</ref> On March 13, 1987, Nancy Cartwright went in to audition for the role of Lisa. After arriving at the audition, she found that Lisa was simply described as the "middle child" and at the time did not have much personality. Cartwright became more interested in the role of Bart, who was described as "devious, underachieving, school-hating, irreverent, [and] clever".<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 35–40</ref> Matt Groening let her try out for the part instead, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref name="BBC News">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=2000-11-10|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Cartwright is the only one of the six main ''Simpsons'' cast members who had been professionally trained in voice acting prior to getting the job.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 21</ref>

Cartwright's normal speaking voice is said to have "no obvious traces of Bart".<ref name="My Boy">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/aug/02/broadcasting.edinburgh04|title=That's my boy|author=Brockes, Emma|accessdate=2008-10-22|date=2004-08-02|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The voice came naturally to Cartwright; prior to ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', she had used elements of it in shows such as ''[[My Little Pony (TV series)|My Little Pony]]'', ''[[Snorks]]'', and ''[[Pound Puppies]]''.<ref name="My Boy"/> Cartwright describes Bart's voice as easy to perform, saying, "Some characters take a little bit more effort, upper respiratory control, whatever it is technically. But Bart is easy to do. I can just slip into that without difficulty."<ref name="My Boy"/> She traditionally does five or six readings of every line in order to give the producers more to work with.<ref name="BBC News"/> In [[flashforward]] episodes, Cartwright still provides the voice of Bart. For "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 6)|season six]], 1995) Bart's voice was electronically lowered.<ref>Mirkin, David. (2005). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Despite Bart's fame, Cartwright is rarely recognized in public. On occasions when she is recognized on the street and asked to perform Bart's voice in front of children, Cartwright will refuse because it "freaks [them] out".<ref name="My Boy"/> During the first season of ''The Simpsons'', the Fox Network did not allow Cartwright to give interviews because they did not want to publicize that Bart was voiced by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson's secret: he's a woman|author=Bark, Ed|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-15|work=[[Ottawa Citizen]]}}</ref>

Until 1998, Cartwright was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> The dispute, however, was soon resolved, and Cartwright received $125,000 per episode until 2004, when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-26|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-09-21|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Cartwright earned $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-26|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = BBC News | date = 2008-06-03 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Hallmarks===
[[Image:New Orleans Chalk Gag.png|right|200px|thumb|This chalkboard gag, aired before "[[Homer the Heretic]]" was written as an apology to the city of New Orleans for a controversial song.]]
In the [[The Simpsons opening sequence|opening sequence]] of most ''Simpsons'' episodes, the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, where Bart can be seen writing a message on the chalkboard. This message, which changes from episode to episode, has become known as the "chalkboard gag".<ref name=p71>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 71</ref> Chalkboard messages may involve political humor, [[popular culture|pop culture]] references, and [[meta-reference]]s.<ref name=p71/> The animators are able to produce the chalkboard gags quickly and in some cases have changed them to fit current events. For example, the chalkboard gag for "[[Homer the Heretic]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 4)|season four]], 1992) read, "I will not defame New Orleans." The gag had been written as an apology to the city for a controversial song in [[A Streetcar Named Marge|the previous week's episode]], which called the city a "home of pirates, drunks and whores".<ref>Martin, Jeff (2004). "The Cajun Controversy", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bart chalks up apology for New Orleans song|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1992-10-08|page=A1|publisher=''[[The Times-Picayune]]''|author=Lorando, Mark}}</ref> Many episodes do not feature a chalkboard gag because they are cut to make more room for story and plot development.

One of Bart's [[hallmarks]] became his prank calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] owner [[Moe Szyslak]] in which Bart calls Moe and asks for a [[gag name]]. Moe tries to find that person in the bar, but soon realizes it is a prank call and angrily threatens Bart. These calls were based on a series of prank calls known as the [[Tube Bar prank calls|Tube Bar recordings]]. Moe was based partly on Tube Bar owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], whose often profane responses inspired Moe's violent side.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2005-08-10|publisher=''[[Hudson Reporter]]''|work=[[Jersey City Reporter]]|author=Kaulessar, Ricardo}}</ref> The prank calls debuted in "[[Homer's Odyssey]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990) the third episode to air, but were included in "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", the first episode of the series that was produced.<ref name="Some">[[James L. Brooks|Brooks, James L.]]; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al. (2001). Commentary for "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> As the series progressed, it became more difficult for the writers to come up with a fake name and to write Moe's angry response, so the pranks were dropped as a regular joke during the fourth season.<ref>Reiss, Mike. (2001). Commentary for "[[Moaning Lisa]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Some"/> They have occasionally resurfaced on the show, the most recent being the [[The Simpsons (season 20)|season 20]] episode "[[Lost Verizon]]" (2008), although in that case Bart called various bartenders around the world and not Moe.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://tv.ign.com/articles/916/916381p1.html|title=The Simpsons: "Lost Verizon" Review|accessdate=2008-11-03|date=2005-10-06|author=Canning, Robert|publisher=[[IGN]]}}</ref>

The catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was in high school. Cartwright was in the marching band at [[Fairmont High School (Ohio)|Fairmont High School]], and one day while performing, the band chanted "Eat my shorts" rather than the usual "Fairmont West! Fairmont West!"<ref name=Smith>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=2007-07-26|author=Carroll, Larry|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref> Bart's other catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]" and "Don't have a cow, man!", were featured on t-shirts in the early seasons of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 25</ref><ref name="Time"/> "Cowabunga" is also commonly associated with Bart, although it was only used in the show after it was used as a slogan on the T-shirts.<ref name="BGFCom"/> The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994) in which Bart lands a popular role on [[Krusty the Clown]]'s show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]] p. 61</ref> The writers chose the phrase "I didn't do it" because they wanted a "lousy" phrase "to point out how really crummy things can become really popular".<ref>Mirkin, David. (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets Famous]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart commonly appears nude in the show, although in every case only his buttocks are visible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Abroad/0,,2-1225-1243_2106665,00.html|title=Bart Simpson goes nude|publisher=[[News24]]|date=2007-04-30|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', (2007) Bart appears in a sequence where he is skateboarding while fully nude; several different items cover his [[sex organ|genitalia]], but for a brief moment his [[penis]] can be seen. The scene was one of the first worked on for the film, but the producers were very nervous about the segment because they thought it would earn the movie an [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|R rating]].<ref name=com>Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Scully|Scully, Mike]]; Silverman, David; [[Dan Castellaneta|Castellaneta, Dan]]; Smith, Yeardley. (2007). Commentary for ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The film, however, was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system#ratings|rated PG-13]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/news.php?id=6223 |title=Latest MPAA Ratings: #57|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2007-05-30|work=Rope of Silicon|author=Brevet, Brad}}</ref> and [[British Board of Film Classification#Current certificates|PG]] by the [[British Board of Film Classification]].<ref name="bbfc">{{cite web | title = The Simpsons Movie | publisher = [[British Board of Film Classification]] | url = http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/e8ea0df3a881175480256d58003cb570/ee1dcfc1c458f9738025730e003387f8?OpenDocument | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> A BBFC spokeswoman said regarding the nude scene, "Natural nudity with no sexual content is acceptable in PG films."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article2034139.ece|title=Bart shows fans the unexpected as Simpsons film beats censor with a yellow streak|work=[[The Times]]|date=2007-07-06|author=Sherwin, Adam|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref> The scene was later included by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in their list of "30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20229685_5,00.html|title=Bodies of Work: 30 Unforgettable Nude Scenes|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|author=Raphael, Lisa|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

===Personality===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right|halign=left|quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Like any good punk rocker, Bart had the nihilism thing down from the very beginning. Though not so much pissed off as extremely undisciplined, the Bart Simpson of the ''Ullman'' shorts is either fighting with his sister, inciting his father into murderous levels of rage, executing dangerous stunts that end in cartoonish levels of disaster, or simply spitting snarky one-liners at whatever authority figures cross his path. This appetite for destruction continued to be the defining feature of the smart-assed kid who dominated many episodes of the first few seasons of ''The Simpsons''–the version that spawned Bart-mania–though his methods and motivations show considerably more nuance than the white-trash Bart of the ''Ullman'' era.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]], ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]''<ref name=p124>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 124</ref>}}
Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority have been compared to that of America's founding fathers, and he has been described as an updated version of [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[List of characters in the Tom Sawyer series#Huckleberry Finn|Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one.<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref> In his book ''[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation|Planet Simpson]]'', [[Chris Turner (author)|Chris Turner]] describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]], which is a [[philosophy|philosophical]] position that argues that [[existence]] is without objective meaning, [[purpose]], or [[intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsic value]].<ref name=p124/>

Bart's rebellious attitude has made him a disruptive student at [[Springfield Elementary School]], where Bart is an underachiever and proud of it.<ref name="Gets an F">{{cite episode |title=Bart Gets an F|episodelink=Bart Gets an F|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[David M. Stern|Stern, David M.]]; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-10-11|season=02|number=01}}</ref> He is constantly at odds with his teacher [[Edna Krabappel|Ms. Krabappel]], [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and occasionally [[Groundskeeper Willie]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Girly Edition|episodelink=Girly Edition |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Larry Doyle (writer)|Doyle, Larry]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1998-04-19 |season=09|number=21}}</ref> Bart does poorly in school and is well aware of it, having once declared, "I am dumb, okay? Dumb as a post! Think I'm happy about it?"<ref name="Gets an F"/> On one occasion, Lisa successfully proves that Bart is dumber than a [[hamster]].<ref name="Duffless">{{cite episode |title=Duffless|episodelink=Duffless|series=The Simpsons |credits=Stern, David M.; Reardon, Jim|network=Fox |airdate=1993-02-18 |season=04|number=16}}</ref> In "[[Separate Vocations]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1992) Bart becomes hall monitor and his grades go up, suggesting that he struggles mainly because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid.<ref name="Vocations">{{cite episode |title=Separate Vocations|episodelink=Separate Vocations|series=The Simpsons |credits=[[George Meyer|Meyer, George]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1992-02-27 |season=03|number=18}}</ref> This idea is reinforced in "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 11)|season eleven]], 1999) in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder|Attention Deficit Disorder]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Brother's Little Helper|episodelink=Brother's Little Helper|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1999-10-03 |season=11|number=02}}</ref> His lack of smarts can be attributed to the hereditary "Simpson Gene", which affects the intelligence of all male members of the Simpson family.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Lisa the Simpson|episodelink=Lisa the Simpson|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ned Goldreyer|Goldreyer, Ned]]; Dietter, Susie|network=Fox |airdate=1998-03-08 |season=09|number=17}}</ref> Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel.<ref name="Confidential">{{cite episode |title=Grade School Confidential|episodelink=Grade School Confidential|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Rachel Pulido|Pulido, Rachel]]; [[Susie Dietter|Dietter, Susie]]|network=Fox |airdate=1997-04-06 |season=08|number=19}}</ref> In "[[Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 5)|season five]], 1994), Bart accidentally got Skinner fired and befriended him outside of a school atmosphere. Bart, however, started to miss having Skinner as an adversary and got him rehired, knowing that this would mean that the two could no longer be friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|episodelink=Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]]; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; [[Bob Anderson (director)|Anderson, Bob]]|network=Fox |airdate=1994-04-28 |season=05|number=19}}</ref>

Due to Bart's mischievousness and Homer's often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy".<ref name="First Word">{{cite episode |title=Lisa's First Word|episodelink=Lisa's First Word|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Martin, Jeff; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-12-03 |season=04|number=10}}</ref> Homer has a short temper and when enraged by Bart will strangle him on impulse in a cartoonish manner.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2002). Commentary for "[[Simpson and Delilah]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> One of the original ideas for the show was that Homer would be "very angry" and oppressive toward Bart, but these characteristics were toned down somewhat.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Marge on the Lam]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Marge is much more caring, understanding, and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics.<ref name="Defined"/> In "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 7)|season seven]], 1995) she felt she was mothering Bart too much and started acting more distant towards him after he is caught shoplifting. At the beginning of the episode, Bart was protesting her over-mothering, but as she started acting more distant towards him, he felt bad and made it up to her.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge Be Not Proud|episodelink=Marge Be Not Proud|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Scully, Mike; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=1995-12-17 |season=07|number=11}}</ref> Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Marge's Son Poisoning|episodelink=Marge's Son Poisoning|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Daniel Chun|Chun, Daniel]]; Anderson, Mike B.|network=Fox |airdate=2005-11-13 |season=17|number=05}}</ref> Marge has expressed an understanding for her "special little guy" and has defended him on many occasions. She once said "I know Bart can be a handful, but I also know what he's like inside. He's got a spark. It's not a bad thing... Of course, it makes him ''do'' bad things."<ref name="Defined"/>
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=left|halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Bart is a really good kid. He's just mischievous. He's not bad, like characters who followed him such as [[Eric Cartman|[Eric] Cartman]] (''[[South Park]]'') or [[Beavis]] and [[Butt-head|Butthead]]. Bart can do some nasty things, but they seem so tame, by today's standards. What was shocking 19 years ago, when the show started, isn't the least bit shocking today. Bart hasn't changed.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name=Sentinel>{{cite news|url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/movies/orl-ent-cartwright072507,0,318783.story|title=Nancy Cartwright, voice of Bart Simpson, has personal theme: 'Simpsons Forever'|accessdate=2008-09-13|date=2007-07-25|author=Moore, Roger|work=[[Orlando Sentinel]]}}</ref> }}

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa, and even fought her physically, they are very close.<ref name="Duffless"/><ref name="First Word"/> Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him and has always apologized for going too far.<ref name="Thanksgiving"/> He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems and frequently goes to her for advice.<ref name="Vocations"/> Bart is also highly protective of Lisa. When a bully destroys her box of cupcakes in "[[Bart the General]]", ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), Bart immediately stands up for her.<ref name="General"/>

Bart is best friends with [[Milhouse Van Houten]], although Bart has at times shown embarrassment about their friendship.<ref name="Summer">{{cite episode |title=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|episodelink=Summer of 4 Ft. 2|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Dan Greaney|Greaney, Dan]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1996-05-19|season=07|number=25}}</ref> Bart is a bad influence on Milhouse, and the two have been involved in a lot of mischief together. Because of this mischief, [[Van Houten family#Luann|Milhouse's mother]] forbids Milhouse from playing with Bart in "[[Homer Defined]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991). While at first he pretended that he did not care, Bart eventually realizes that he needs Milhouse, and Marge manages to convince Mrs. Van Houten to reconsider.<ref name="Defined">{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episodelink=Homer Defined|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=[[Howard Gewirtz|Gewirtz, Howard]]; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-17|season=03|number=05}}</ref> While Bart is portrayed as a popular cool kid,<ref name="Summer"/> he and Milhouse are frequent targets for bullies, including [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Dolph|Dolph]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Jimbo Jones|Jimbo]], [[List of recurring characters in The Simpsons#Kearney|Kearney]], and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse describes their social standing as "Three and a half. We get beat up, but we get an explanation."<ref name="Confidential"/> While Bart and Nelson have been adversaries in the past, with Bart once declaring war on him,<ref name="General">{{cite episode |title=Bart the General|episodelink=Bart the General|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=01|number=05}}</ref> they have also been established as close friends.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Haw-Hawed Couple|episodelink=The Haw-Hawed Couple|series=The Simpsons |serieslink=The Simpsons |credits=Selman, Matt; Clements, Chris|network=Fox |airdate=1990-02-04|season=18|number=08}}</ref>

Bart is one of the biggest fans of children's television host [[Krusty the Clown]]. He once declared, "I've based my life on Krusty's teachings," and sleeps in a room filled with Krusty merchandise. He has helped the clown on many occasions, for example, foiling [[Sideshow Bob]]'s attempt to frame Krusty for armed robbery in "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 1)|season one]], 1990), reuniting Krusty with his estranged father in "[[Like Father, Like Clown]]".<ref name="LFLC">{{cite episode |title=Like Father, Like Clown|episodelink=Like Father, Like Clown |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jay Kogen|Kogen, Jay]]; [[Wallace Wolodarsky|Wolodarsky, Wallace]]; [[Brad Bird|Bird, Brad]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=1991-10-04 |season=3 |number=6}}</ref> and helping Krusty return to the air with a comeback special and reignite his career in "[[Krusty Gets Kancelled]]".<ref name="KGK">{{cite episode |title=Krusty Gets Kancelled|episodelink=Krusty Gets Kancelled |series=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1993-05-13|season=04|number=22}}</ref> For his part, Krusty has remained largely ignorant of Bart's help and has treated Bart with disinterest.<ref name="LFLC"/> One summer, Bart enthusiastically attended Kamp Krusty, largely because of the promise that he would get to spend his summer with Krusty. The camp turned out to be a disaster, with Krusty nowhere to be seen. Bart keeps his hopes up by believing that Krusty would show up, but is soon pushed over the edge, and finally decides that he is sick of Krusty's shoddy merchandise and takes over the camp. Krusty immediately visits the camp in hopes of ending the conflict and manages to appease Bart.<ref name="KK">{{cite episode |title=Kamp Krusty|episodelink=Kamp Krusty |series=The Simpsons|credits=Stern, David M.; Kirkland, Mark|network=Fox |airdate=1992-09-24|season=04|number=01}}</ref><ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 128-129</ref> One of the original ideas for the series was that Bart worshiped a television clown but had no respect for his father, although this was never explored.<ref name="NPR">{{cite interview|last=Groening|first=Matt|subjectlink = Matt Groening| interviewer = [[Terry Gross]]| title = Fresh Air| program = [[National Public Radio]]| callsign = [[WHYY-FM]]| url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1476480| city = Philadelphia|date=2003-10-23| accessdate = 2008-10-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20047268,00.html|title=Talking about ''The Simpsons'' |accessdate= 2008-10-29|date=2007-07-20|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Because of this original plan, Krusty's design is basically Homer in clown make-up.<ref name=Smith/> Bart foiling Sideshow Bob's plan in "Krusty Gets Busted" sparked a long-standing feud between the two. The writers decided to have Bob return to get revenge on Bart. They took the idea of the [[Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner|Coyote chasing the Road Runner]] and depicted Bob an intelligent person obsessed with catching a bratty kid.<ref name="JeanBW">Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "[[Black Widower]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Bob is always inserting himself into Bart's life and has appeared in ten episodes with various evil schemes, but he is always foiled in the end.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/25/the-simpsons-funeral-for-a-friend/|title=The Simpsons: Funeral for a Fiend|publisher=[[Weblogs Inc.#TV Squad|TV Squad]]|author=Keller, Richard|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2007-11-25}}</ref>

==Reception and cultural influence==
==="Bartmania"===
[[Image:I'm Bart Simpson, who the hell are you?.png|200px|right|thumb|This T-shirt design was banned in several public schools]]
While later seasons would focus more on Homer, Bart was the lead character in the first few seasons. In 1990, Bart quickly became one of the most popular characters on television in what was termed "Bartmania".<ref name=p120>[[#Turner|Turner]], pp. 120–121</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cartoon leads a revolt against apple-pie family - Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-07-08|author=Cassidy, John|work=[[The Sunday Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22062437-5009160,00.html|title=Simpsons set for big screen|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=2007-07-15|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0D71F3AF93AA15757C0A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=4|title=Cashing in on a Hot New Brand Name |author=Kleinfield, N.R.|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-04-29|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He became the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s. In the early 1990s, millions of T-shirts featuring Bart were sold;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE103EF934A35753C1A966958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2|title=The T-Shirt Industry Sweats It Out |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-10-07|author=Barmash, Isador|work=The New York Times}}</ref> as many as one million were sold on some days.<ref name="Shirts">{{cite journal|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114134,00.html|title=Bart Simpson–Defiant, Saw-Topped and Cheeky—the Brat Terrible Gave Underachievers a Good Name |accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-31|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''|volume=34|issue=26}}</ref> Believing Bart to be a bad role model, several American public schools banned T-shirts featuring Bart next to captions such as "I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" and "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1DE1E3DF933A05751C1A966958260|title=Overacheiver - and Learning to Deal With It, Man|accessdate=2008-09-18|date=1990-12-30|author=Rohter, Larry|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>Burey, Chris. (1990). [[ABC News]] report about the Bart Simpson t-shirt controversy included as an Easter Egg in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' (2001) [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[United States dollar|$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/> The success of Bart Simpson merchandise inspired an entire line of [[black market]] [[counterfeit]] items, especially T-shirts. Some featured Bart with various slogans, others depicted redesigns of the character, including "Teenage Mutant Ninja Bart, Air Simpson Bart, [and] RastaBart".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,317834,00.html|title=But is it Bart?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-27|author=Svetkey, Benjamin|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Matt Groening generally did not object to bootleg merchandise, but took exception to a series of "[[Nazism|Nazi]] Bart" shirts which depicted Bart in Nazi uniform or as a [[white power skinhead]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.02/futurama_pr.html|title=One-Eyed Aliens! Suicide Booths! Mom's Old-Fashioned Robot Oil! |accessdate=2008-10-30|year=1999|author=Kelly, Kevin|publisher=''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''}}</ref> 20th Century Fox sued the creator of the shirts, who eventually agreed to stop making them.<ref>{{cite news|title=Metzger stops ` Nazi Bart' T-shirt sales |accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1991-06-04|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref>

Due to the show's success, over summer 1990, the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox Network]] decided to switch ''The Simpsons''<nowiki>'</nowiki> timeslot so that it would move from 8:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]] on Sunday night to the same time on Thursday, where it would compete with ''[[The Cosby Show]]'' on [[NBC]], the [[Nielsen Ratings#Annual top-rated shows|number one show]] at the time.<ref name="BGFCom"/><ref name="Steals">{{cite news|title='Simpsons' steals away Cosby viewers |date=1991-05-09|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=4|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|author=Cerone, Daniel}}</ref> Through summer 1990, several news outlets published stories about the supposed "Bill vs. Bart" rivalry.<ref name="BGFCom">Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jrean, Al; Reiss, Mike; Silverman, David. (2002). Commentary for "[[Bart Gets an F]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Eighth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref name="Shirts"/> The August 31, 1990 issue of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' featured a picture of [[Bill Cosby]] wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318085,00.html |title=Cosby's Brood vs. The Radical Dood|accessdate=2008-09-03 |work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=|date=1990-08-31}}</ref> "[[Bart Gets an F]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 2)|season two]], 1990) was the first episode to air against ''The Cosby Show'', and it received a lower [[Nielsen Rating]], tying for eighth behind ''The Cosby Show'', which had an 18.5 rating. The rating is based on the number of household televisions that were tuned into the show, but [[Nielsen Media Research]] estimated that 33.6 million viewers watched the episode, making it the number one show in terms of actual viewers that week. At the time, it was the most watched episode in the history of the Fox Network,<ref>{{cite news|title=Don't have a cow, man! More viewers watch 'The Simpsons' than 'Cosby'! |date=1990-10-18|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=C5|work=[[Deseret News]]|author=Scott D. Pierce}}</ref> and it is still the highest rated episode in the history of ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://television.aol.com/feature/the-simpsons/3 |title='The Simpsons' Best Episodes: No. 15 - 11 |accessdate=2008-09-03 |work= |publisher=[[AOL]]|author=Potts, Kimberly|year=2006 }}</ref> Because of his popularity, Bart was often the most promoted member of the Simpson family in advertisements for the show, even for episodes in which he was not involved in the main plot.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Reiss; Moore, Rich; Reiss, Mike; Vitti, Jon. (2002). Commentary for "[[Lisa's Substitute]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Second Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

Bart was described as "Television's king of 1990",<ref>{{cite news|title=Television in 1990 - Among bright spots: `Civil War,' CBS,`Simpsons' |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=McDaniel, Mike|work=The Sunday Times}}</ref> "television's brightest new star"<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson was ray of hope in a year of generally drab television |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-12-30|author=Boone, Mike|work=[[The Gazette (Montreal)|The Gazette]]}}</ref> and an "undiminished smash".<ref name="Shirts"/> ''Entertainment Weekly'' named Bart the "entertainer of the year" for 1990, writing that "Bart has proved to be a rebel who's also a good kid, a terror who's easily terrorized, and a flake who astonishes us, and himself, with serious displays of fortitude."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,318928,00.html|title=1. Bart Simpson|accessdate=2008-09-15|date=1990-12-28|work=Entertainment Weekly|author=Harris, Mark}}</ref> In the United States [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1990|congressional]], [[United States Senate elections, 1990|senatorial]] and [[United States gubernatorial elections, 1990|gubernatorial]] elections of 1990, Bart was one of the most popular write-in candidates, and in many areas was second only to [[Mickey Mouse]] amongst fictional characters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Write-ins Galore: Cast of Ballot Characters Widens |accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-12-30|author=Potter, Bruce|work=[[Richmond Times-Dispatch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Mickey, Bart fit write-in at ballot box|accessdate=2008-10-27|date=1990-11-09|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[South Florida Sun-Sentinel]]}}</ref> In the 1990 [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]], Bart made his debut as one of the giant helium-filled balloons for which the parade is known. The Bart Simpson balloon has appeared in every parade since.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson, 'Falloon' floats debut at Macy's N.Y. Thanksgiving Parade|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=1990-11-23|author=Stromberg, Amy|work=[[The Press of Atlantic City]]}}</ref> This was referenced in ''The Simpsons'' in the episode "[[Bart vs. Thanksgiving]]", which aired the same day as the parade, where Homer tells Bart, "If you start building a balloon for every flash-in-the-pan cartoon character, you turn the parade into a farce!" Meanwhile, behind and unbeknownst to him, the television briefly shows a Bart Simpson balloon.<ref name="Thanksgiving">{{cite episode |title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|episodelink=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|series=The Simpsons |credits=Meyer, George; Silverman, David|network=Fox |airdate=1990-11-22 |season=02|number=07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season2/page7.shtml|title=Bart vs. Thanksgiving|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

The album ''[[The Simpsons Sing the Blues]]'' was released in September 1990 and was a success, peaking at #3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]<ref name="Billboard">{{cite web| url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=22526&model.vnuAlbumId=378393 |title =Artist Chart History - The Simpsons|publisher=[[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> and becoming certified 2x platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="RIAA">{{cite web| url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Simpsons&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Searchable database – Gold and Platinum |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |accessdate=2008-11-05}}</ref> The first single from the album was the [[pop rap]] song "[[Do the Bartman]]", performed by Nancy Cartwright and released on November 20, 1990. The song was written by [[Michael Jackson]], although he did not receive any credit.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430454/19980223/jackson_michael.jhtml |title =Michael Jackson Update: News From Korea, Poland And Groening|publisher=MTV|date=1998-02-23 |accessdate=2008-10-28}}</ref> Jackson was a fan of ''The Simpsons'', especially Bart,<ref>[[#Cartwright|Cartwright]], pp. 115–117</ref> and had called the producers one night, offering to write Bart a number one single and do a guest spot on the show.<ref name="Brooks">Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Jackson eventually guest starred in the episode "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" ([[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]], 1991) under the pseudonym John Jay Smith.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-10-28|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> While the song was never officially released as a single in the United States, it was successful in 1991 in the United Kingdom where it was the number one song for three weeks from February 16 to March 9<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/number5.html|title=Number 1 Singles - 1990s|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=EveryHit.com}}</ref> and was the seventh best-selling song of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/chart5.html|title=Chart Archive - 1990s Singles|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=EveryHit.com}}</ref> It sold half a million copies and was certified gold by the [[British Phonographic Industry]] on February 1, 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=18135|title=Certified awards|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]}}</ref>

===Bart as a role model===
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right |halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">I now have a 7-year-old boy and a 9-year-old boy, so all I can say is, I apologize. Now I know what you guys were talking about. My standard comment is, If you don't want your kids to be like Bart Simpson, don't act like Homer Simpson.|source=<div style="text-align:right;">—[[Matt Groening]], in a 1998 interview when asked, "How do you respond to critics who consider Bart Simpson a dreadful role model for children?"<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02EFDB103CF934A15751C1A96E958260|title=Questions for Matt Groening|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1998-12-27|work=The New York Times}}</ref> }}
Bart's rebellious nature, which frequently resulted in no punishment for his misbehavior, led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=2007-06-29|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> Robert Bianco of the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' wrote, "[Bart] outwits his parents and outtalks his teachers; in short, he's the child we wish we'd been, and fear our children will become."<ref>{{cite news|title=Weekend TV: Beer'N' Bart giving parents prime-time hangover|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-28|author=Bianco, Robert|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref> In schools, educators claimed that Bart was a "threat to learning" because of his "underachiever and proud of it" attitude and negative attitude regarding his education.<ref name="BartaBrat">{{cite news|title=Is Bart a brat? Popular cartoon kid as annoying to some as he is funny to others| accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-02|author=Freedman, Donna|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]]}}</ref> Others described him as "egotistical, aggressive and mean-spirited".<ref name="CoolDude">{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson: Cool dude or smart-aleck menace?|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-06-01|author=Dunne, Mike|work=[[Sacramento Bee]]}}</ref> In response to the criticism, [[James L. Brooks]] said, "I'm very wary of television where everybody is supposed to be a role model, you don't run across that many role models in real life. Why should television be full of them?"<ref name="NoNeed">{{cite news|title=About Bart: No need to have a Cow, Man|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-10-15|author=Shales, Tom|work=[[The Roanoke Times]]}}</ref> Elizabeth Thoman, executive director of the Center for Media and Values in Los Angeles, commented, "If kids look up to Bart Simpson, we need to ask why we use television for all the role models in our society, a much larger issue. {{interp|...}} As long as we perpetuate the idea of television as a place where you get all your role models, we're allowing television to become a school system."<ref name="NoNeed"/>

In 1990 [[William Bennett]], who at the time was [[Office of National Drug Control Policy|drug czar]] of the United States, visited a drug treatment centre in [[Pittsburgh]] and upon noticing a poster of Bart remarked, "You guys aren’t watching The Simpsons, are you? That’s not going to help you any."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/01may00/goldbergprint050100.html|title=Homer Never Nods |accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2000-05-01|author=Goldberg, Jonah|publisher=''[[National Review]]''}}</ref> When backlash over the comment ensued, Bennett apologized, claiming he "was just kidding"<ref>{{cite news|title=Drug czar `just kidding'|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-05-26|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|publisher=Associated Press}}</ref> and saying "I'll sit down with the little spike head. We'll straighten this thing out."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE5DF143DF930A15756C0A964958260|title=THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Political Memo; In Capital and on Coast, Lines Drawn on Quayle|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1992-05-23|author=Berke, Richard L.|work=The New York Times}}</ref> In a 1991 interview, [[Bill Cosby]] described Bart as a bad role model for children, calling him "angry, confused, frustrated". In response, [[Matt Groening]] said, "That sums up Bart, all right. Most people are in a struggle to be normal he thinks normal is very boring, and does things that others just wished they dare do."<ref>{{cite news|title=A Badder Bart|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)|The Record]]}}</ref> On January 27, 1992, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like [[the Waltons]] and a lot less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|url=http://snpp.com/other/articles/firstfamily.html|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=2000-04-15}}</ref> The writers rushed out a tongue-in-cheek reply in the form of a short segment which aired three days later before a rerun of "[[Stark Raving Dad]]" in which Bart replied, "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."<ref name="waltons">[[#Turner|Turner]], p. 230–231</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=Ortved, John |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher=''[[Vanity Fair]]''}}</ref>

Although there were many critics of the character, favorable comments came from several quarters. [[Peggy Charren]], president of [[Action for Children's Television]], a [[grassroots]] organization dedicated to improving the quality of television programming offered to children, commented that "the Simpson family is one of the few thoughtful cartoons on commercial television. {{interp|...}} How can you teach the Constitution if you ban Tshirts?"<ref name="BartaBrat"/> Columnist [[Erma Bombeck]] wrote, "Kids need to know that somewhere in this world is a contemporary who can pull off all the things they can only fantasize about, someone who can stick it to their parents once in a while and still be permitted to live."<ref name="BartaBrat"/> In 2003, Bart placed first in a poll of parents in the United Kingdom who were asked "which made-up character had the most influence" on children under 12 years old.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/uk/newsid_2972000/2972291.stm|title=Bart Simpson is your top role model |date=2003-04-24|accessdate=2008-10-28|publisher=[[BBC|CBBC Newsround]]}}</ref>

===Commendations===
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' named Bart one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He was the only fictional character to make the list.<ref name="Time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover of the December 31, 1990 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|work=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]], Cartwright won a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Bart in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[Separate Vocations]]". She shared the award with five other voice-actors from ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys|date=1992-08-03|accessdate=2008-09-13|page=L20|publisher=''[[Daily News of Los Angeles]]''}}</ref> Various episodes in which Bart is strongly featured have been nominated for Emmy Awards for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program]], including "[[Radio Bart]]" in 1992, "[[Future-Drama]]" in 2005, "[[The Haw-Hawed Couple]]" in 2006 and "[[Homer's Phobia]]", which won the award in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-09-13}}</ref> In 1995, Cartwright won an [[Annie Award]] for "Voice Acting in the Field of Animation" for her portrayal of Bart in an episode.<ref name="A23">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/23rdwinners.html|title=Legacy: 23rd Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1995)|accessdate=2007-10-16|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref> In 2000, Bart and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Alongside t-shirts, Bart has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[Little Trees|air freshener]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s,<ref name="Shirts"/> cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s, figurines, [[clock]]s, [[soapstone]] carvings, [[Chia Pet]]s, [[bowling ball]]s and [[boxer shorts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bart Simpson items big sellers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=1990-07-07|work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?p=Q&srid=S1%2d2&lbc=thesimpsonsshop&ts=custom&w=Bart&uid=29813453&method=and&isort=score&SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&srt=0|title=Search Results for Bart|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> ''[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]]'', a book about Bart's personality and attributes, was released in 2004.<ref>{{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/041108/8whisplead.htm|title=Publishing war begins over Tenet's CIA book|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2004-10-31|author=Bedard, Paul|publisher=''[[U.S. News & World Report]]''}}</ref> Other books include ''[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]]''. ''[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]'', which is not an official publication, includes a chapter analyzing Bart's character and comparing him to the "[[Friedrich Nietzsche|Nietzschean]] ideal".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05EEDF1E39F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63|title=Word for Word/Deconstructing 'The Simpsons'; The Aristotelian Logic of Bart And Homer. Or Is It Platonic?|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2001-09-09|author=Blair, Jayson|publisher=''The New York Times''}}</ref>

Bart has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. He has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the World|Bart vs. the World]]'', ''[[Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants|Bart vs. the Space Mutants]]'', ''[[Bart's House of Weirdness]]'', ''[[Bart vs. The Juggernauts]]'', ''[[Bartman Meets Radioactive Man]]'', ''[[Bart's Nightmare]]'', ''[[The Simpsons: Bart & the Beanstalk|Bart & the Beanstalk]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Bart regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly, and also has his own series called ''Bart Simpson Comics'' which have been released since 2000.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=MSNBC}}</ref> Bart also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Bart, and other ''The Simpsons'' characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé]]'s [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990 to 2001, with the slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger|accessdate=2008-11-02|year=1998|month=June|publisher=[[BNET]]}}</ref> Matt Groening would later say that the Butterfinger advertising campaign was a large part of the reason why Fox decided to pick up the half-hour show.<ref>{{cite news|title=A Portrait of the Bartist - The Simpsons' Matt Groening has fulfilled his dream of invading mainstream U.S. pop culture |accessdate=2008-11-02|date=1995-05-13|work=[[Star Tribune]]}}</ref> The campaign was discontinued in 2001, much to the disappointment of Cartwright.<ref name=Adweek/> Bart has also appeared in commercials for [[Burger King]], [[C.C. Lemon]], [[Church's Chicken]], [[Domino's Pizza]], [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]], [[Ramada Inn]], [[Ritz Crackers]] and [[Subway (restaurant)|Subway]].<ref name=Adweek>{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001525209|title=Nancy Cartwright On The Spot|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2005-11-25|work=[[Adweek]]}}</ref> In 2001, [[Kellogg's]] launched a brand of cereal called "Bart Simpson Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch", which was available for a limited time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/News/09/10/showbuzz/index.html#2|title=D'Oh! Eat Homer for breakfast|accessdate=2008-09-03|date=2001-09-10|publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,184538,00.html|title=Cereal Numbers|accessdate=2008-10-28|date=2001-11-15|author=Fonseca, Nicholas|work=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Before the half-hour series went on the air, Matt Groening pitched Bart as a spokesperson for [[Jell-O]]. He wanted Bart to sing "J-E-L-L-O", then burp the letter O. His belief was that kids would try to do it the next day, but he was rejected.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of The Simpsons comics#Bart Simpson]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
*<cite id=Cartwright>{{cite book|last=Cartwright |first=Nancy|title=My Life as a 10-Year-Old Boy|year=2000|publisher=[[Hyperion (publisher)|Hyperion]]|location=New York City|id=ISBN 0-7868-8600-5}}</cite>
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |id=ISBN 0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| id=ISBN 0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | last=Alberti | first=John (ed.) | year=2003 | title=Leaving Springfield: 'The Simpsons' and the Possibility of Oppositional Culture | publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] | id=ISBN 0-8143-2849-0}}
* {{cite book | last=Brown | first=Alan | coauthors=Chris Logan | year= 2006 | title=[[The Psychology of The Simpsons]] | publisher=[[Benbella Books]]|id=ISBN 1-932100-70-9}}
* {{cite book |last = Conard| first = Mark T.| editor = Irwin, William; Skoble, Aeon (eds.)| title=[[The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer]]| chapter = Thus Spake Bart: On Nietzsche and the Virtues of Being Bad|year=1999 | location=Chicago |publisher=[[Open Court Publishing Company|Open Court]] |id=ISBN 0-8126-9433-3}}
* {{Cite book| last =Groening | first =Matt |coauthor=Bill Morrison| title =[[The Simpsons Library of Wisdom#The Bart Book|The Bart Book]] | publisher =[[HarperCollins]]| year =2005 | isbn =0061116602}}
* {{cite book | last=Groening| first=Matt | year=2001 | title=[[Bart Simpson's Guide to Life]] | publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Perennial]] | id=ISBN 5558685514}}
* {{cite book|last=Groening |first=Matt|title=[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]] |year=1991 |publisher=HarperCollins|id=ISBN 0-06-096582-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Pinsky | first=Mark I | title=The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family| year=2004|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|location=Louisville, Kentucky | id=ISBN 0-664-22419-9}}

==External links==
{{Portal|The Simpsons|Simpsons tv icon.svg}}
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

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[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Fictional troublemakers]]

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Marge Simpson

2008-11-11T11:43:36Z

Adolphus79: vandalism revert...

{{Simpsons character
| name=Marge Simpson
| image = [[Image:Marge Simpson.png|150px]]|
| gender=[[Female]]
| job=Housewife
| relatives= '''Husband:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] <br> '''Children:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] <br> '''Parents:''' [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy]] (deceased) and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]] <br> '''Sisters:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]]
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
| voiceactor=[[Julie Kavner]]
}}

'''Marjorie "Marge" Simpson''' (née '''Bouvier''') is a [[fictional character]] featured in the [[animated series|animated television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and is voiced by [[Julie Kavner]]. She is the well-meaning and extremely patient wife of [[Homer Simpson]] and mother of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson]]. Her most notable physical feature is her [[blue hair]], styled into an improbably high [[beehive (hairstyle)|beehive]]; she is proud to have never met anyone with taller hair outside [[Graceland]].<ref>[[Lisa's Rival]]</ref> Marge was named after, and loosely based on, Margaret "Marge" Groening, mother of series creator [[Matt Groening]].
==Role in The Simpsons==

Marge’s image is typically that of a stereotypical [[sitcom]] mother, who is sometimes portrayed as naive, gullible and optimistic. Despite having higher morals than most other characters, Marge has had her fair share of wild escapades throughout the show’s history. She [[The Springfield Connection|was once a police officer in Springfield]], [[Marge Simpson in: "Screaming Yellow Honkers"|took therapy for road rage]], [[Marge in Chains|was jailed for shoplifting]], [[$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)|became a gambling addict]], [[You Only Move Twice|showed alcoholic tendencies]], helped run an illegal [[bootlegging]] business and distillery in the basement of her house, accidentally got breast implants (and later exposed them), [[Marge on the Lam|was an unwilling participant in a cross-country police chase]], overdosed on [[steroids]], cheated on a cooking competition and developed [[amnesia]]. She has also sold prescription drugs at her garage sale which she was jailed for. In "[[The Joy of Sect]]", she escapes brainwashing by the [[Religion in The Simpsons#Movementarianism|Movementarian Church]], showing a surprisingly strong will. Marge is the only member of the family who encourages [[Church (building)|church]] attendance.

Marge can be somewhat of a doormat for her husband and children, reasoning that they love her and mean well behind their various crazy schemes. A major character trait is her inability to see her family as overly strange, making her quite eccentric when compared to non-regular characters and people from outside Springfield. She often provides a voice of reason for the town itself, but many of the townspeople are frustrated or contemptuous of her frequent failure to recognize or react correctly to breaches of social norms. She puts up with a lot from her family, but even ''she'' has a breaking point; she has been known to fight with Homer — a few times to the point of leaving him (most notably in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' where she taped her farewell message over their wedding video) — and does not shy from disciplining her children when needed.

[[Politics in The Simpsons|Politically]], Marge generally aligns with the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]]. She once mentions that she voted for [[Jimmy Carter]] ("twice" according to Lisa) and supported the candidacy of their state's progressive [[governor]] [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Mary Bailey|Mary Bailey]], and also claimed to have been extremely [[clinical depression|depressed]] when [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] died. Homer mentions in one episode that she is such a kind person that she always wants to vote for both candidates.

Marge is a talented painter. When she was a teenager she had an intense crush on [[Ringo Starr]] and painted a large number of portraits of him. She also wrote to him, but received a reply 25 years later. After Homer discovered her old paintings, Lisa encouraged Marge to enroll in an art contest in which her portrait of Homer asleep on the couch won a local art competition. She was then hired by [[Mr. Burns]] to do a portrait of him. After many attempts, she almost gave up until a belated response from Ringo Starr, stating that she had talent, inspired her to continue. The resulting nude portrait even won Mr. Burns’s praise. She also seems to be good at making statues out of [[Popsicle]] sticks, which was shown when Homer got a job as an ice-cream man and gave her all the spare sticks in [[Ice Cream of Margie (With the Light Blue Hair)]].

Marge is also an excellent cook. At the Simpsons' home, she is well known for her pork chops, which are Homer's favorite dish. She once started a [[pretzel]] business, which flourished with the aid of the mafia, but is never seen again. She has entered several cooking challenges but lost in most of them due to vengeful competitors and overheated ovens. In "[[All's Fair in Oven War]]", Marge cheats her way to the finals of a bakeoff but confesses after being prompted by [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]]. Although, she is an accomplished cook, her ability to improvise in her recipes is not showcased in the series - the only known change she ever made to a recipe was adding salt to her lamb chops.


As with many Simpson characters, Marge's age changes to serve the story. In first-season episodes "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" and "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons Episode)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", Marge is said to be 34, but her age was later changed to 38. In the episode "[[Regarding Margie]]", Homer mentions that Marge is his age, meaning she could be anywhere between 36 and 40.


As a teen, Marge had waist length hair that she always wore down, but got the idea to wear it in her trademark beehive for senior prom in the episode "[[The Way We Was]]"; this is sometimes contradicted by more recent episodes that show Marge as a child, where she is portrayed with her hair worn tall.

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived Marge and the rest of the Simpson family in 1986 in the lobby of producer [[James L. Brooks]]' office. Groening had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts for ''The Tracey Ullman Show'', and had intended to present an adaptation of his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' comic strip. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights, Groening decided to go in another direction,<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, naming the characters after members of his own family. Marge was named after Groening's mother Margaret "Marge" Groening, who has said she bears little similarity to the character, stating "it's really weird to have people think you're a cartoon."<ref>{{cite news|title=Groening's Mom: I'm no Marge Simpson|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=1997-05-12|work=[[Dayton Daily News]]}}</ref><ref name="americasfirstfamily"/><ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: [[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=''[[The Sun]]''}}</ref> Marge's [[Beehive (hair)|beehive]] hairstyle was inspired by a combination of ''[[The Bride of Frankenstein]]'' and the style that Margaret Groening wore during the 1960s, although her hair was never blue.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22wwln-Q4-t.html?fta=y|title=Questions for Matt Groening–Screen Dreams |accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Soloman, Deborah|date=2007-07-22|work=[[The New York Times Magazine]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2003818762_realsimpsons030.html|title=The real people behind Homer Simpson and family|accessdate=2008-10-31|author=Rose, Joseph|date=2007-08-03|publisher=''[[The Oregonian]]''}}</ref>

Marge made her debut with the rest of the Simpson family on April 19, 1987 in ''The Tracey Ullman Show'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>[[#Richmond|Richmond]], p. 14</ref> In 1989, the shorts were adapted into ''The Simpsons'', a half-hour series airing on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]]. Marge and the Simpson family remained the main characters on this new show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacitybeat.com/cms/story/detail/?id=568&IssueNum=32|title='3rd Degree: Harry Shearer'|accessdate=2008-10-30|author=Kuipers, Dean|date=2004-04-15|publisher=''Los Angeles: City Beat''}}</ref>

===Design===
The entire Simpson family was designed so that they would be recognizable in silhouette.<ref>Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; [[Mike Reiss|Reiss, Mike]]. (2001). Commentary for "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The family was crudely drawn, because Groening had submitted basic sketches to the animators, assuming they would clean them up; instead, they just traced over his drawings.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> To draw Marge, the animators generally start off with a sphere, similar to the way Lisa and Maggie are drawn. The eyes are then drawn, with one roughly in the middle of the sphere, and the other to the front side of the head. Then, the nose and lip are drawn. Her hair is then drawn on top as a long tube coming out of the sphere. An original idea the animators had for when Marge walked through doorways was that her hair would be forced down as she walked through, then once clear of the door it would spring back and forth. This was never used.<ref>Archer, Wes; Groening, Matt; Kirkland, Mark. (2005). "A Bit From the Animators", Illustrated Commentary for "[[Summer of 4 Ft. 2]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> According to Matt Groening, the original idea behind Marge's hair was that it would conceal large rabbit ears. The gag was intended to be revealed in the final episode of the series, but was scrapped early on due to inconsistencies, and also to the fact that rabbit ears would be too fictitious even for ''The Simpsons''.<ref>Groening, Matt. (2004). Commentary for "[[Selma's Choice]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>

===Voice===
Marge's voice is performed by [[Julie Kavner]], who also does the voices of Marge's mother Jacqueline and sisters Patty and Selma. Kavner had been part of the regular cast of ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner and fellow cast member [[Dan Castellaneta]] to voice Marge and Homer and rather than hire more actors.<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voices|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2003-02-27|author=Luaine Lee|publisher=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref name="FN">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129665,00.html|title=D'oh!: The Voice of Homer Is Deceivingly Deadpan|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2008-08-18|author=Lynn Elber|publisher=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Part of Kavner's contract says that she will never have to promote ''The Simpsons'' on video and she rarely performs Marge's voice in public because "I think it destroys the illusion. People feel these are real people"<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Peter Sheridan}}</ref><ref name="Hamilton"/> Kavner takes recording sessions seriously and feels that voice acting is "a little more limiting than live acting. And I have nothing to do with my character's movement."<ref>{{cite news|title=Treading 'Water' Julie Kavner takes break from Marge Simpson to star in Woody Allen's TV Movie |date=1994-09-18|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ]]|author=Weiskind, Ron}}</ref>

While Marge is her most famous character, Kavner's favorite characters to voice are Patty and Selma because "they're really funny and sad at the same time."<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite news|title=Ay caramba!: Only TV could call this work|date=1996-12-31|accessdate=2008-10-31|work=[[The Hamilton Spectator]]|author=Duffy, Mike}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', some scenes, such as Marge's video message to Homer, were recorded over one hundred times, leaving Kavner exhausted.<ref name=moviesonline>{{cite news|url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12524.html|title=The Simpsons Movie Interviews|author=Sheila Roberts|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=Movies Online}}</ref>

Until 1998, Kavner was paid $30,000 per episode. During a pay dispute in 1998, Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors with new actors, going as far as preparing for casting of new voices.<ref name=Glaister/> However, the dispute was soon resolved and she received $125,000 per episode until 2004 when the voice actors demanded that they be paid $360,000 an episode.<ref name=Glaister>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/02/1080544690429.html|title=Simpsons actors demand bigger share|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-04-03|author=Glaister, Dan|publisher=''The Age''}}</ref> The issue was resolved a month later,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/01/entertainment/main615066.shtml|title='Simpsons' Cast Goes Back To Work|accessdate=2008-10-30|date=2004-05-01|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> and Kavner earned $250,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=2004-05-06|accessdate=2008-10-30|publisher=''[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]''|author=Sheridan, Peter}}</ref> After salary re-negotiations in 2008, the voice actors receive approximately $400,000 per episode.<ref>{{cite news | title = Simpsons cast sign new pay deal | publisher = [[BBC News]] | date = [[2008-06-03]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7434296.stm | accessdate=2008-10-30}}</ref>

==Reception==
[[Image:The Simpsons star.jpg|thumb|200px|right|In 2000, Bart, along with the rest of the Simpson family, were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.]]
At the [[44th Primetime Emmy Awards]], Kavner received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Marge in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|season three]] episode "[[I Married Marge]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-02-09}}</ref> In 2004, Kavner and [[Dan Castellaneta]] (the voice of Homer) won a [[Young Artist Award]] for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".<ref name="YAA">{{cite news|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm|title=25th Annual Winners and Nominees|accessdate=2008-01-18|publisher=Youngartistawards.org}}</ref> For her performance in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Kavner received a nomination for "Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature" at the 2007 [[Annie Awards]], but lost to [[Ian Holm]] in ''[[Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille]]''.<ref name="A35">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html|title=For Your Consideration|
accessdate=2007-12-03|date=[[December 3]], [[2007]]|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117980588.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1|title='Ratatouille' nearly sweeps Annies|accessdate=2008-02-09|date=2008-02-08|publisher=Variety|author=Peter Debruge}}</ref> Kavner's emotional performance in the movie got positive reviews and one critic said she "gave what must be the most heartfelt performance ever."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/film.php?ak=2879|title=Homer's Odyssey|publisher=Metro Weekly|accessdate=2007-07-26|date=2007-07-26|author=Randy Shulman}}</ref> In 2000, Marge and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] located at 7021 Hollywood boulevard.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2008-09-04|url=http://www.tibp.com/cgi-bin/foxweb.dll/wlx/dir/wlxdirectory?cc=WOFAME++++&lcName=The+Simpsons|title=Hollywood Icons |publisher=Hollywood Chamber of Commerce }}</ref>

Marge has been ranked highly in several lists of the top television mothers of all time. She has been ranked first on ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list in 1994;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302270,00.html |title=Yea, Mamas–The best and worst of TV Moms|publisher=''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=1994-05-13|author=Ken Tucker}}</ref> first on [[FOX News]]' list in 2005;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155758,00.html |title=Marge Simpson Named Best TV Mom |publisher=[[FOX News]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=2005-05-07}}</ref> eighth on [[CityNews]]' list in 2008;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_22488.aspx |title=June Cleaver Chosen As All Time Top TV Mom|publisher=CityNews|accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> and was included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list of the "10 Best Moms Ever".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1738178_1737704_1737693,00.html |title=10 Best Moms Ever–Marge Simpson |publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|author=Caryn Brooks}}</ref> In a 2004 poll in the United Kingdom, Marge was named the "most respected mother" by respondants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3518984.stm |title=Marge Simpson leads top mum poll|publisher=[[BBC|BBC News]]|date=[[2004-03-17]]|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

Religious writer Kenneth Briggs wrote that "Marge is my candidate for sainthood [...] She lives in the real world, she lives with crises, with flawed people. She forgives and she makes her own mistakes. She is a forgiving, loving person [...] absolutely saintly."<ref>{{Citation |last=Bates |first=Stephen |title=Homer's odyssey takes Simpsons into the theological textbooks |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/oct/03/broadcasting.internationaleducationnews |publisher=''[[The Guardian]]'' |date=2001-10-03 |accessdate=2008-09-21}}</ref>
{{-}}

==Cultural influence==
{{quote box2 |width=30em | bgcolor=transparant |align=right |halign=left |quote=<div style="text-align:left;">Dear First Lady, I recently read your criticism of my family. I was deeply hurt. Heaven knows we're far from perfect and, if truth be known, maybe just a wee bit short from normal; but as [[Dr. Seuss]] says, "a person is a person". I try to teach my children [...] always to give somebody the benefit of the doubt and not talk badly about them, even if they're rich. It's hard to get them to understand this advice when the very First Lady in the country calls us not only dumb, but "the dumbest thing" she ever saw. [...] I hope there is some way out of this controversy. I thought, perhaps, it would be a good start to just speak my mind. |source=<div style="text-align:right;">—Marge Simpson in her letter to Barbara Bush<ref name="BushvSimpson"/>}}

In the October 1, 1990 edition of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'', included an interview with then-[[First Lady]] of the United States [[Barbara Bush]]. The article included the following passage: "She loves ''[[America's Funniest Home Videos]]'' but remains baffled after sampling ''The Simpsons''. "It was the dumbest thing I had ever seen," she says, "but it's a family thing, and I guess it's clean.""<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118869,00.html|title=In the Eye of the Storm|author=Paula Chin|accessdate=2008-08-27|date=1990-10-01|publisher=''[[People (magazine)|People]]''}}</ref> The writers decided to respond by privately sending a polite letter on September 28 to Bush where they posed as Marge Simpson. On October 9, Bush sent a reply: "Dear Marge, How kind of you to write. I'm glad you spoke your mind ... I foolishly didn't know you had one. I am looking at a picture of you... depicted on a plastic cup... with your blue hair filled with pink birds peeking out all over. Evidently, you and your charming family - Lisa, Homer, Bart and Maggie - are camping out. It's a nice family scene. Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country. Please forgive a loose tongue."<ref name="BushvSimpson">Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpson", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Will the real Marge Simpson please stand up?|author=Hall, Virginia|accessdate=2008-10-31|date=1990-11-13|work=[[Rocky Mountain News]]}}</ref>

In 2002, opponents of the [[Seattle Monorail Project]] planned on showing the episode "[[Marge vs. the Monorail]]" at a protest event. Following complaints, 20th Century Fox sent a letter to the event organizers ordering that the episode not be shown due to copyright laws.<ref>{{cite news|title=Backers of new monorail call foul when foes bring in Marge Simpson |work=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=[[2002-10-19]]|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref> In 2004, Marge appeared on [[Channel 4]] in the United Kingdom for the [[Royal Christmas Message#Alternative Christmas message|alternative Christmas message]] which is annually broadcast at the same time that [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] gives her Christmas message.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=101835&format=html|title=Marge Simpson versus the Queen|author=Singh, Anita|work=[[Manchester Evening News]]|date=[[2004-01-10]]|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

===Merchandising===
Marge has been included in various other ''The Simpsons''-related merchandise, including [[T-shirt]]s, [[baseball cap]]s, [[bumper sticker]]s, cardboard standups, [[refrigerator magnet]]s, [[key ring]]s, [[button]]s, dolls, [[poster]]s and figurines.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thesimpsonsshop.resultspage.com/search?SESSID=fdfce36bf3fa3b805380733a1c7defee&p=Q&ts=custom&w=Marge|title=Search Results for Marge|accessdate=2008-10-29|publisher=The Simpsons Shop}}</ref> Marge has appeared in other media relating to ''The Simpsons''. She has appeared in every one of [[The Simpsons video games|''The Simpsons'' video games]], including ''[[The Simpsons Game]]'', released in 2007.<ref>{{cite news| last =Walk| first =Gary Eng| title =Work of Bart| page =| work=Entertainment Weekly| date =2007-11-05| url =http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158366,00.html| accessdate =2008-10-29}}</ref> Alongside the television series, Marge regularly appears in issues of [[List of The Simpsons comics#Simpsons Comics|''Simpsons Comics'']], which were first published on November 29, 1993 and are still issued monthly.<ref name="gazette">{{cite web| title = Groening launches Futurama comics| publisher = ''[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]''| date = 2000-11-19| url = http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20001119/ai_n9979492|author=Radford, Bill|accessdate=2008-10-29}}</ref><ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070708094751/http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/features/simpsons_sundays/simpsons_on_sundays.asp|title=Sundays with the Simpsons|accessdate=2008-10-29|author=Shutt, Craig|publisher=MSNBC}}</ref> Marge also plays a role in [[The Simpsons Ride]], launched in 2008 at [[Universal Studios Florida]] and [[Universal Studios Hollywood|Hollywood]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/simpsons-ride-featur-1657/ |title=Simpsons ride features 29 characters, original voices|accessdate=2008-10-29|date=2008-04-09|work=Los Angeles Times|author=MacDonald, Brady}}</ref>

Marge was used in a 2005 advertisement for [[Dove (brand)|Dove Styling]], where her normal beehive hair was exhanged for a more stylish look for a new series of ads which featured several cartoon women.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=101835&format=html|title=Marge Simpson getting new hairdo|work=[[The Herald-Mail]]|date=[[2005-01-15]]|accessdate=2008-10-31}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* <cite id=Richmond>{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]]|location=New York City |id=ISBN 0-00-638898-1}}</cite>
* <cite id=Turner>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris |authorlink = Chris Turner (author)| title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] | year=2004 |publisher=[[Random House|Random House Canada]] |location=Toronto| id=ISBN 0-679-31318-4}}</cite>

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_marge.htm Marge Simpson] at TheSimpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003031}}

{{wikiquote}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Marge}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Fictional artists]]
[[Category:Fictional gamblers]]
[[Category:Fictional United States Democrats]]

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Operation Red Wings

2008-10-30T00:31:00Z

Adolphus79: /* Memorials */ minor cleanup and citation tag...

{{POV-check|date=May 2008}}
{{Expand|date=January 2007}}
{{Cleanup-link rot|date=April 2008}}
{{for|the 1956 series of US nuclear tests|Operation Redwing}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Operation Red Wing
|partof=the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)]]
|image=
|caption=
|date=[[June 28]], [[2005]]
|place= [[Kunar province]], [[Afghanistan]]
|result= Taliban victory; operational failure.
|combatant1={{flag|United States}}
|combatant2={{flagicon|Afghanistan|Taliban}} [[Taliban insurgency|Taliban insurgents]]
|commander1=Lt. Cmdr. [[Erik S. Kristensen]]{{KIA}}<ref>''Lone Survivor, pp 247-248''</ref> <br>1 Lt. [[Michael P. Murphy]] {{KIA}}
|commander2=[[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]]
|strength1=12 Navy SEALs, 2 [[MH-47 Chinook]], 2 [[UH-60 Black Hawk]] and 2 [[AH-64D Apache]] helicopters
|strength2=150-200
|casualties1= 19 killed, 1 wounded,<br>1 Chinook helicopter shot down<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/03/afghan.casualties/ CNN.com - Helicopter crash victims identified - Jul 3, 2005]</ref>
|casualties2=Unknown
}}
{{Campaignbox US war in Afghanistan}}

'''Operation Red Wing''' was a failed counter insurgent mission in [[Kunar province]], [[Afghanistan]], involving four members of the [[U.S. Navy SEALs]], which took place June 28, 2005. Three of the SEALs were killed during the operation. The fourth was protected by local villagers and later rescued by the [[U.S. military]]. The story of the rescued SEAL would later become an a [[TIME Magazine]] article, titled "How The Shepherd Saved The SEAL."<ref>''[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1081394,00.html How The Shepherd Saved The SEAL].'' [[July 18]], [[2005]]. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/0,9263,7601050718,00.html]</ref>

== Operation Red Wing ==
The SEAL team, led by Lt. [[Michael P. Murphy]] and consisting of petty officers [[Matthew Axelson]], [[Danny Dietz]] and [[Marcus Luttrell]], was on a mission to kill or capture [[Ahmad Shah (Taliban)|Ahmad Shah]] ([[nom de guerre]] Mohammad Ismail), a key [[Taliban]] leader, west of [[Asadabad, Afghanistan|Asadabad]],<ref>{{cite web
| last = Naylor
| first = Sean D.
| title = Surviving SEAL tells story of deadly mission
| publisher = [[Army Times]]
| date = [[2007-06-18]]
| url = http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/
| accessdate = 2008-07-21 }}</ref> who ultimately died in a firefight some two years later.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Dupee
| first = Matt
| title = Bara bin Malek Front commander killed in Pakistani shootout
| publisher = [[The Long War Journal]]
| date = [[2007-04-17]]
| url = http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_sealbook_070618w/
| accessdate = 2008-07-21 }}</ref> After an initially successful infiltration, local goat herders stumbled upon the SEALs' hiding place. The SEALs decided to let them go rather than kill them, and the herders alerted local [[Taliban]] forces. They were surrounded by the Taliban and a firefight ensued. <ref name="irishabroad.com">[http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irish-voice/news/afghan-war-hero171007.aspx Highest Honor for Afghan War Hero]</ref>

Even though they were pinned down, Lt. Murphy broke cover long enough to make a call to his base for back-up. The call was placed on a [[cell phone]], due to the fact that the radio reception was very bad on that part of the mountain, and the base could not receive their radio transmission. In the process of placing this call, he was shot in the stomach and back but he still managed to complete the call.<ref name="irishabroad.com" /> The three remaining SEALs continued to fight off the Taliban, gravely wounded, protecting each other as their position was pushed back to lower ground. After two hours of fighting and killing dozens of Taliban fighters each, only Luttrell remained alive.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">{{cite web | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492_pf.html | title=The Sole Survivor - A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor | publisher=[[Washington Post]] | first=Laura | last=Blumenfeld | date=[[2007-06-11]] | page=A01 }}</ref>

In response to the call from Murphy to [[Bagram Air Base]], two [[MH-47 Chinook]] helicopter's, four UH-60 Blackhawks and two AH-64D Longbows attempted to come to their rescue to provide extraction in the mountains of Kunar province, Afghanistan. Crew from the escort [[attack helicopter]]s praised the SEALs on the ground as putting up outstanding resistance, calling it "an unbelievable firefight." One of the Chinook helicopter's carrying eight US [[Navy SEAL]]s and eight [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (United States)|Nightstalkers]] - members of the Army's elite [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment]] was shot down by what is believed to have been a [[rocket propelled grenade]] shot through the open rear ramp killing all sixteen on board.

== Rescue ==
{{Main|Marcus Luttrell#Operation Red Wing}}
Now alone and wounded, Luttrell had to fend for himself. He pulled himself away from the fire zone and tried to hide himself as he waited for rescue from the search helicopters flying overhead. During this time, Luttrell was discovered by an Afghan man who was not part of the Taliban. Shortly afterwards, more Afghan men showed up armed with [[AK-47]] rifles. The men took the wounded Luttrell and carried him to the village of Sabray-Minah.<ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> The villagers in Sabray-Minah took care of Luttrell, providing food and medical attention, and even protecting him from the Taliban that came to the village demanding that he be turned over to them.

Despite multiple attempts, the search helicopters were unable to locate Luttrell. Finally, the village elder, armed with a note from Luttrell, went down to seek help from a Marine outpost several miles away. With this information, the U.S. forces drew up rescue plans. According to Lt. Col. Steve Butow, the plans were "one of the largest combat search-and-rescue operations since [[Vietnam War|Vietnam]]".<ref name="washingtonpost.com" /> The rescue was a success and they brought Luttrell home.

== Casualties ==
[[Image:Navy SEALs in Afghanistan prior to Red Wing.jpg|thumb|SEALs from left to right, Matthew G. Axelson; Daniel R. Healy, James Suh, Marcus Luttrell, Shane E. Patton, and Lt. Michael P. Murphy. With the exception of Luttrell, all were killed [[June 28]], 2005, by enemy forces while supporting Operation Red Wing.]]
SEAL Team:
*Lt. [[Michael P. Murphy]], 29, of Patchogue, New York
*STG2(SEAL) [[Matthew Axelson]], 29, of Cupertino, CA
*GM2(SEAL) [[Danny Dietz]] 26, of Littleton, Colorado

The service members killed-in-action on the crashed helicopter include:<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/03/afghan.casualties/ CNN.com - Helicopter crash victims identified - Jul 3, 2005]</ref>

Nightstalkers:
*Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, 29, of Danville, Ohio
*Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, 35, of Clarks Grove, Minnesota.
*Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby, 21, of Pompano Beach, Florida
*Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles, 33, of Shelbyville, Indiana
*Master Sgt. James W. Ponder III, 36, of Franklin, Tennessee
*Maj. Stephen C. Reich, 34, of Washington Depot, Connecticut.
*Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31, of Stafford, Virginia
*Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, of Jacksonville, Florida

SEALs:
*FCC(SEAL/SW) Jacques J. Fontan, 36, of New Orleans, Louisiana
*ITCS(SEAL) Daniel R. Healy, 36, of Exeter, New Hampshire
*Lt. Cmdr. Erik S. Kristensen, 33, of San Diego, California
*ET1(SEAL) Jeffery A. Lucas, 33, of Corbett, Oregon
*Lt. Michael M. McGreevy, Jr., 30, of Portville, New York
*QM2(SEAL) James E. Suh, 28, of Deerfield Beach, Florida
*HM1(SEAL/FMF) Jeffrey S. Taylor, 30, of Midway, West Virginia
*MM2(SEAL) Shane E. Patton, 22, of Boulder City, Nevada

== Awards ==
{{Unreferencedsection|date=July 2008}}
On September 14, 2006, Dietz and Axelson were posthumously awarded the [[Navy Cross]] for "undaunted courage" and heroism. Luttrell was also awarded the [[Navy Cross]] in a ceremony at the [[White House]]. In 2007, Lieutenant Murphy was posthumously awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions during the battle.
Additionally, June 28, 2008, Luttrell and the family members of those killed were honored at the San Diego Padres game. In addition, the Navy Leapfrogs brought in the American flag, the POW/MIA flag, the San Diego Padres flag. Lutrell and the family members were given a standing ovation by the more than 25,000 there to watch the game.

== Memorials ==
A statue commemorating the operation stands in the [[Cupertino Memorial Park]], in [[Cupertino, California]]. [[Matthew Axelson]] was a former resident of Cupertino, and a member of the team involved in Operation Red Wing. {{fact}}

==See also==
*[[Communications in Afghanistan]]
*[[Pashtunwali#Secondary concepts|Lokhay Warkawal]]
*[[Marawara (village)]], [[Marawara district]]
*[[Asadabad, Afghanistan]]
*[[Bagram]]
*[[Bagram Air Base]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2008/03/8ad696c0-1b3d-4d52-9c3a-f2a64f21a40b.html Mobile-Phone Towers Are Taliban's New Target] [[RFE/RL]] [[March 3]] [[2008]]

== Notes ==
*''Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10'' [[Marcus Luttrell]] with [[Patrick Robinson (author)|Patrick Robinson]] (2007) [[Little, Brown and Company]]. ISBN 978-0316067591
*http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/07/06/afghan.ids/index.html
*{{cite web | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001492.html | title=The Sole Survivor - A Navy Seal, Injured and Alone, Was Saved By Afghans' Embrace and Comrades' Valor | publisher=[[Washington Post]] | first=Laura | last=Blumenfeld | date=[[2007-06-11]] | page=A01 }}
{{War on Terror}}
{{Lists of aviation accidents and incidents}}

[[Category:Conflicts in 2005]]
[[Category:Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|Red Wing]]
[[Category:Battles of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present) involving the United States|Red Wing]]
[[Category:Military snipers]]
[[Category:Operations involving American special forces|Red Wing]]
[[Category:Survival skills]]
[[Category:Taliban]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Taliban]]
[[Category:War on Terror]]

Video shot by the Taliban of the firefight and aftermath can be seen at http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=69fe9ab458

Marge Simpson

2008-10-14T18:39:12Z

Adolphus79: revert edits to infobox...

Fred Dibnah

2008-08-27T17:03:28Z

Adolphus79: /* Quotes */ a list of quotes belongs on Wikiquote, not here...

{{Infobox Person
| name = Fred Dibnah
| image = Fred Dibnah statue.JPG
| image_size =
| caption = Statue of Fred Dibnah in [[Bolton]]
| birth_date = [[28 April]] [[1938]]
| birth_place = [[Bolton]], [[Lancashire]], [[England]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2004|11|6|1938|4|28|df=yes}}
| death_place = Bolton Hospice, [[Greater Manchester]]<ref>Independent on Sunday, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20041107/ai_n12762867 Steeplejack Fred Dibnah dies at 66], 2004-11-07.</ref>
| education =
| occupation = [[steeplejack]], [[engineer]], [[TV presenter]]
| spouse = Alison (1967–1985)<br/>Susan (1987–1996)<br/>Sheila Grundy (1998—)<ref>BBC News, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3623347.stm Obituary: Fred Dibnah], 2004-11-06.</ref>
| parents = Frank and Betsy Dibnah (née Travis)<ref name=definitivefred>Hall, David. (2006) ''Fred: The Definitive Biography of Fred Dibnah'', London: Bantam Press (ISBN 0593056647)</ref>
| children = 5
}}

'''Fred Dibnah''' [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] ([[28 April]] [[1938]] – [[6 November]] [[2004]]), born in [[Bolton]], [[Lancashire]], was an [[England|English]] [[steeplejack]], [[engineer]] and [[eccentricity (behavior)|eccentric]] who became a television personality, a [[cult figure]]<ref name=cultfigure>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/stage/2003/01/dibnah.shtml BBC Shropshire - An Evening with Fred Dibnah]. URL accessed 24 April 2007.</ref> and, latterly, a national institution.<ref name=nationalinstitution>[http://www.icons.org.uk/nom/nominations/the-tv-documentaries-of-fred-dibnah icons.org - Fred Dibnah's TV documaries]. URL accessed 24 April 2007.</ref>

==Biography and career==
Fred Dibnah was the son of Frank and Betsy Dibnah (née Travis),<ref name=definitivefred>Hall, David. (2006) ''Fred: The Definitive Biography of Fred Dibnah'', London: Bantam Press (ISBN 0593056647)</ref> who both worked at a [[bleach]] works. After leaving school he briefly attended art college, then worked as a joiner before being called up for [[National Service]] in the army with the [[14th/20th King's Hussars]], as keeper of the regiment's horses and hounds. He left the army in 1962 after serving in [[Germany]].

He first became famous as a result of his profession as a [[steeplejack]]; although being a traditional repairer of tall buildings he also earned a reputation for [[chimney felling]]—mainly through a TV documentary where he was nearly crushed by a falling mill [[chimney]]. [[Bolton]] has become famous for the [[soot]] and grime produced by the town's multitude of mill chimneys, but the decline of the [[cotton mill|cotton industry]] meant that many of the obsolete landmarks had to be demolished as the cost of maintaining them became prohibitive.

Having mastered his trade repairing chimneys, Dibnah became aware of the demand for a cost-effective demolition method and offered to remove them without the need for [[explosive material|explosives]]. His technique was to cut an ingress at the bottom of the chimney, support the brickwork with wooden props and then burn the props so that the chimney fell, hopefully in the intended direction. Alongside his demolition work he also continued to work as a steeplejack. He has always maintained that, although most famous for demolishing chimneys, he much preferred to repair and preserve them.

In 1978, at the age of 40, Dibnah came into the public eye when the [[BBC]] broadcast a short news item about his work on [[Bolton#Bolton Town Hall|Bolton Town Hall]]. His warm, earthy manner combined with his endless enthusiasm and broad Bolton accent endeared him to viewers,<ref name=MENtribute>[http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/136/136136_tribute_to_fred_dibnah.html Manchester Evening News - Tribute to Fred Dibnah]. URL accessed 24 April 2007.</ref> and the BBC made a one hour documentary, ''Fred Dibnah: Steeplejack'', the following year. This featured Dibnah at work, both repairing and demolishing chimneys. Much of it was taken up by his monologue while climbing chimneys and spires, but the highlight was his demolition of a tall brick chimney, his running from the collapse, and his boyish glee at the spectacle.

Dibnah died on [[6 November]] [[2004]], following a three-year battle with [[prostate cancer]]. Thousands of people lined the streets of Bolton on the day of his funeral as his coffin was taken through the town on the back of his favourite [[traction engine]], driven by his son, with his steamroller, ''Betsy'', following.

== TV presenter ==
[[Image:GCR Dibnah.jpg|thumb|Fred Dibnah visits the [[Great Central Railway (preserved)|Great Central Railway]] works at Loughborough, as part of his final televised tour of Britain's industrial heritage.]]
Fred Dibnah's rough-hewn [[Lancashire|Lancastrian]] manner (and his ever-present [[flat cap]]) belied his gentle, self-taught philosophical outlook.<ref name=definitivefred>Hall, David. (2006) ''Fred: The Definitive Biography of Fred Dibnah'', London: Bantam Press (ISBN 0593056647)</ref> He went on to write and present a number of series, largely concerned with the [[Industrial Revolution]] and its mechanical and architectural legacy.

== Steam enthusiast ==
Dibnah was also an enthusiastic steam fan and owned an [[Aveling & Porter]] [[traction engine]] built in 1912 (Reg No: TA2436), and an [[Aveling & Porter]] [[steamroller|Steam Roller]] "Betsy", (Reg No: DM3079), built in 1910. This engine was initially named ''Alison'' after his first wife, but after the breakdown of his marriage, he renamed the engine ''Betsy'' after his mother, Dibnah's thinking being "Wives change but your mother will always be your mother."

He also maintained a fully steam-powered workshop in his back yard utilising old machines and tools otherwise destined for the scrapheap. On one occasion he remarked he always had steam up in his garden.

== Mining ==
[[Image:Dibnah_House.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Fred Dibnah's Bolton home]]
In 2002, Dibnah began to dig a replica [[coal mining|coal mine]] in the back garden of his [[Grade II]] listed house in [[Metropolitan Borough of Bolton|Bolton]]. He had already assembled the wooden pithead gear, and was planning to sink a 70–100 ft shaft below this into the hillside. At the bottom of the shaft, a horizontal tunnel would have led out to the steep side of the valley above which his garden sits. The intention was to have a [[narrow gauge railway]] running along the tunnel, back up the hillside on a rope-hauled [[inclined plane]], returning to the pithead. The ultimate aim was to be able to demonstrate the basic working of an early colliery.

Using traditional shaft-sinking techniques and the labour of mining friends, Alf Molyneux and Jimmy Crooks, the pit was constructed in the style of an 1870s colliery and its shaft was sunk to a depth of 20 feet. However, in 2004 the local council turned down Dibnah's planning application, and work on the project had to cease.

The adventure was filmed for a [[BBC]] documentary, ''Dig with Dibnah'',<ref name=DigwithDibnah>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405872/ IMDb - Dig with Dibnah (2004) (TV)]. URL accessed 24 April 2007.</ref> first shown on [[8 January]] [[2004]].

==Awards and honours ==
Dibnah was awarded an [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] in the 2004 [[British honours system|New Year's honours]] list. In Summer 2000 he was awarded an [[honorary degree]] of [[Doctor of Technology]] for his achievement in engineering by [[Robert Gordon University]] in [[Aberdeen]].<ref name=RobertGordonUniversity>[http://www.rgu.ac.uk/news/disp_NewsPreview.cfm?PGE_ID=468&vmenu=2 Awarded honorary degree by Robert Gordon University]. URL accessed 24 April 2007.</ref> He was awarded an honorary Doctor of the University by the [[University of Birmingham]] on [[19 July]] [[2004]].<ref name=BirminghamUniversity>[http://www.buzz.bham.ac.uk/Buzz_47.pdf Awarded honorary degree by the University of Birimingham]. URL accessed 24 April 2007.</ref>

A life-sized bronze statue of Fred Dibnah was erected in Bolton town centre in 2008. [[Jane Robbins (sculptor)|Jane Robbins]] was commissioned to provide the sculpture; its unveiling took place on [[29 April]] [[2008]] on what would have been Dibnah's 70th birthday.<ref>[http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/display.var.1711827.0.fred_dibnah_sculptress_is_chosen.php Fred Dibnah sculptress is chosen Bolton Evening News 25th September 2007]</ref>

==Filmography==
See {{imdb name | id=0225139 | name=Fred Dibnah}}
*''Fred Dibnah's World of Steam, Steel and Stone'' (2006)
*''Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain'' (2005)
*''Dig with Dibnah'' (2004)
*''Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam'' (2003)
*''Fred Dibnah's Building of Britain'' (2002)
*''Fred Dibnah's Magnificent Monuments'' (2000)
*''Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age'' (1999)
*''The Fred Dibnah Story'' (1986)
*''Fred Dibnah: Steeplejack'' (1979)

A celebration of Fred's love of railways is featured on the ''Fred Dibnah's Railway Collection'' DVD which contains nearly six hours of unseen footage shot for the BBC. The footage follows Fred as he explores Britain's railway workshops, museums and preservation lines.

''Fred Dibnah's Steam Collection'' is a celebration of Fred's love of steam, to be released on [[27 December]] [[2008]].

==Quotes==
{{ Copy section to Wikiquote }}
*"Did yer like that!?"
*"Mmmm. Aye. Oh aye. Y'know?"
*"A man who says he feels no fear is either a fool or a liar."
*"I realise that steam engines aren't everyone's cup of tea. But they're what made England great."
*"The modern world stinks."
*"We've become a nation of con men, living by selling double-glazing to each other."
*"Steam engines don't answer back. You can belt them with a hammer and they say nowt."
*"I set out as a steeplejack in my youth to preserve chimneys. I've finished by knocking most of them down."
*"Height gives you a wonderful feeling of grandeur. You're the king of the castle up here."
*"I have a wash more now than I used to y'know... I have a shower every night."
*"I'm just a bum who climbs chimneys."
*"Anybody who destroys anything made of stone should be prosecuted. It is not all beautiful, but it took a man all day to make one stone."
*"Steeplejacking's a bit of a spasmodic job, so you can play with your steam engine instead. It's a bit like being very rich."
*"If you make one mistake, it's half a day out with the undertaker."
*"It's a funny thing, this celebrity. If you don't wave back you're a miserable bugger, if you do wave back you're a big-headed bugger. I don't know."
*"The thing is nowadays, you'll have 20 men working, yet 60 men telling them 'You can't do that, you ain't got a tin hat on'".
*"Teaching boys to bake cakes? That's no way to maintain an industrial empire."
*"By 'eck it were grand."
*"Them fancy London types don't know the pleasure of eating chips with fingers."
*"That's Bolton's biggest chimney that... and I climbed it for a ten bob wager. Never did get the ten bob though."
*Fred also previously received two honorary doctorates ..... They were both given by the relevant engineering faculties, but Fred always told people that they were for "back street mechanicing".
*"I prefer the past to the present. Because life today, with all its modern technology, isn't very good, is it? And the future looks even worse."
*"I've never fell off a big chimney. You'd only fall off one of them once, like."
*"Engines aren't the same anymore. You only get the oiled, greasy feeling with old engines."

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://www.fredtalks.co.uk/ The Official Sheila Dibnah Website]
* [http://www.fred-dibnah.co.uk/ Fred Dibnah's website]
* [http://www.cultidols.com/biography/celebrity/fred-dibnah Fred Dibnah on CultIdols.com]
* [http://www.geocities.com/fred_dibnah_fan_club/home.html The Fred Dibnah Fanclub - Lots of biographical detail, audio clips of Fred talking about his life, and photos]
* [http://www.vanl.freeserve.co.uk/gvlFred.html A brief biography of Fred Dibnah]
* [http://www.thisisthelakedistrict.co.uk/archive/display.var.393883.0.0.php Meet the original reality TV star (The Westmorland Gazette)]
* [http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/fred1.htm Fred Dibnah - Some Personal photographic memories].
* [http://www.wiganworld.co.uk/fred/ Fred Dibnah Tribute site with many pictures]
* [http://legacy.thisislancashire.co.uk/lancashire/bolton/famousboltonians/freddibnah-tribute.html Bolton Evening News tribute]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/dibnah/ Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain (BBC History TV Series)]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/3988667.stm TV's Fred Dibnah loses cancer battle (BBC News)]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3623347.stm Fred Dibnah Obituary (BBC News)]
*[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,60-1348881,00.html Fred Dibnah's Obituary in The Times - probably his most biographically informative obituary on the web]
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,1345735,00.html Fred Dibnah Obituary: Steeplejack who became a television celebrity (The Guardian)]
*[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/06/ufred.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/11/06/ixportaltop.html Obituary: Steeplejack Fred Dibnah dies, aged 66 (The Telegraph)]
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9905133 Photos of Fred Dibnah's grave in Tonge Cemetery]
*[http://www.mmauction.co.uk/list/details.php?id_files=859 Dibnah house to be auctioned off]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dibnah, Fred}}
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:2004 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths from prostate cancer]]
[[Category:English television presenters]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:People from Bolton]]

[[cy:Fred Dibnah]]

Philip Giaccone

2008-08-02T03:51:24Z

Adolphus79: prod...

{{dated prod|concern = NN gangster|month = August|day = 2|year = 2008|time = 03:51|timestamp = 20080802035124}}

{{Infobox_Criminal
| subject_name = Philip Giaccone
| image_name = Philipgiaccone1.JPG
| image_size = 150px
| image_caption = Philip Giaccone on November 16, 1980.
| date_of_birth = [[July 12]], [[1932]]
| place_of_birth = [[Ridgewood, Queens]]
| date_of_death = [[May 5]], [[1981]]
| place_of_death = [[Lindenwood, Queens]]
| charge =
| penalty =
| status =
| occupation =
| spouse =
| children =
}}

'''Phillip Giaccone''' aka '''''"Philly Lucky"''''' and '''"''The Priest''"''' ([[July 12]] [[1932]] [[Ridgewood, Queens]] - [[May 5]]th, [[1981]] [[Lindenwood, Queens]]) was a [[Bonanno crime family]] capo.

==Power struggle==
On July 12, 1979, Giaccone, [[Dominick Trinchera]], and [[Alphonse Indelicato]] murdered Bonanno acting boss [[Carmine Galante]] at an Italian-American restaurant in [[Bushwick, Brooklyn]] along with his bodyguard and restaurant owner. It is suspected that the heads of the other New York [[Five Families]] arranged Galante's death; they supposedly viewed Galante's greed and ambition as a threat to all their interests. After the Galante murder, a fight for control of the family started. On one side was mobster and aspiring Bonanno boss [[Philip Rastelli]], on the other side were capos Trichera, Giaconne, and Indelicato. In May 1981, Rastelli ordered mobster [[Donnie Brasco]], who was actually undercover FBI agent [[Joseph Pistone]], to murder Trichera in [[Miami, Florida]]. However, the contract was called off; Rastelli loyalist [[Dominick Napolitano]] wanted to kill all three capos at the same time so as to destroy the opposition to Rastelli.

==The Three Capos Murder==
On May 5, 1981 Giaccone, Trinchera, Indelicato, and Bonanno mobster [[Frank Lino]] went to a peace meeting with the Rastelli faction at the 20/20 Night Club in [[Clinton Hill, Brooklyn]]. Bonanno mobster [[Gerlando Sciascia]] met the men at the club and escorted them to a store room where [[Joseph Massino]] and other Bonanno gunmen were waiting to ambush them. As the men entered the room, Sciasca brushed his hand through his hair, giving Massino the prearranged signal. The gunmen rushed out and told the mobsters that it was a "stick up".

The bodies of the three capos were moved to a lot in [[Lindenwood, Queens]], where [[Gambino crime family]] mobsters [[John Gotti]] and [[Gene Gotti]] arranged the burials. In December 2004, after some children discovered a body in the Lindenwood lot, [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] agents (FBI) excavated the property and discovered the bodies of the three capos.

==References==
*Saggio, Frank, and Rosen, Fred, ''Born to the Mob: The True-Life Story of the Only Man to Work for All Five of New York's Mafia Families'', Frankie Saggio "Bonanno Soldier and Mob Family Enforcer" known to be an huge earner for the family Thunder's Mouth Press (May 4, 2004) ISBN 1560255595

==External links==
*[http://www.geocities.com/OrganizedCrimeSyndicates/BonannoFamily.html Organized Crime Syndicates: Bonanno LCN Family]
*[http://www.springerlink.com/content/euu145rv36m7af2l/ Springer Link: Trends in Organized Crime]
*[http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/nyc-mob0624,0,6538818.story?coll=ny-nationworld-world-utility Newsday.com Last of the old-style mafia dons sentenced to life] by LIAM PLEVEN
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/24/nyregion/24massino.html New York Times: Bonanno Crime Boss Is Sentenced to 2 Life Terms] by ROBERT F. WORTH
*[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F04EFD91330F932A15751C1A9629C8B63&scp=2&sq=Trinchera&st=nyt New York Times: Human Remains Linked To Mob]
*[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE3DF133FF933A05757C0A961948260&scp=13&sq=Dominick+Trinchera&st=nyt New York Times: DEFENDANT LINKED TO MOB MURDER PLOT] By ARNOLD H. LUBASCH
*[http://www.ganglandnews.com/column364.htm This Week in Gangland: Turncoat: I Whacked 3 Bonanno Capos] by Jerry Capeci

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giaccone, Philip}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:1981 deaths]]
[[Category:Bonanno crime family]]
[[Category: Murdered mobsters]]

Bart Simpson

2008-08-01T20:34:30Z

Adolphus79: vandalism / test revert...

{{for|the comic book series of the same name|Bart Simpson comics}}
{{Simpsons character
|name=Bart Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson|Abraham]] and [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona]] <br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" J. Simpson''' <ref name="CompleteGuide">Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 178. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> is a [[fictional character|character]] in the [[FOX]] animated [[television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is voiced by [[Nancy Cartwright (actress)|Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name="CompleteGuide"/>, and first appeared on the ''[[Tracy Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night]]". At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson]], and the elder brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].<ref name="CompleteGuide"/> Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness, disrespect for authority and sharp wit. During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'', Bart was the show's main character; while later episodes started to focus more on Homer, Bart remains one of the most enduring characters on the series, and has proven to be one of the most well-known characters in the history of American television animation.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Personality==
Bart is a self-described underachiever and proud of it, and is considerably motivated in disrupting the routine at [[Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]]. His pranks are often elaborately complex, while his actions and speech frequently show considerable mental agility, street-smarts, and understanding. In "[[Separate Vocations]]" when Bart becomes hall monitor, his grades go up, showing that he only struggles because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid. This is reinforced in the episode "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder. On the other hand, he often seems to have trouble understanding even the simplest concepts, such as the word "irony", what the [[equator]] is and that the logo on his globe, "Rand McNally," is not actually a country. The fact that he is the son of Homer Simpson and shares many of the same mannerisms and behaviors may also account for his antics. Homer even described Bart as "a younger, more in-your-face version" of himself. It is often joked that Bart is a pawn of the devil due to his mischievous behavior, such as when Lisa calls him "the Devil's cabana boy", a role which Bart seems to relish. In one Halloween episode, the Devil actually makes an appearance in the form of [[Ned Flanders]], saying "Hey, Bart" like they are old friends.

Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped the school Principal [[Seymour Skinner]], and his teacher [[Edna Krabappel]] despite the fact he often terrorizes them, and he often befriends outcasts like [[Milhouse Van Houten]]. One great example of his quasi sense of honor is in the episode ''[[This Little Wiggy]]'' where Bart stands up for [[Ralph Wiggum]] at the cost of peer popularity. In addition Bart, almost invariably, has made amends with the person he has pranked by the end of an episode.

Due to Bart's mischievousness and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy". Whenever Homer finds out that Bart has said or done something stupid or bad, he yells "Why you little–!" and then strangles him. In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Homer and Bart's relationship reaches a breaking point following Homer's pollution of Lake Springfield. Nevertheless, the two really do love each other deep down. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], however, is much more caring, understanding and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics. Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.

Bart's appearance in the show rarely changes from episode-to-episode. He typically sports blue shorts and an orange t-shirt with blue sneakers with alittle white dot on the sides. Although his t-shirt color occasionally changes to light blue or red, a differing appearance is only seen in special occasions such as when the Simpsons go to church or when the episode takes place in the winter season.

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa out of jealousy, and even fought her physically, they are very close. Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him, and has always apologized for going too far. He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems, and frequently goes to her for advice. Despite his duties as a brother to torment his sister, Bart is also highly protective of Lisa, such as in [[Bart the General]]: when a bully destroys her box of cupcakes he immediately steps in with a 'that's my sister, man!' and proceeds to stand up against schoolyard-leviathan Nelson Muntz. This close relationship is also exhibited in [[Round Springfield]]; after the death of Lisa's hero Bleeding Gums Murphy, Bart uses his Krusty-Metal-O settlement money to buy her the only known copy of Murphy's album, because she was the only one who believed him when he said he was sick. The siblings have formed a dynamic crime-solving duo during many of their encounters with [[Sideshow Bob]], Bart's nemesis.

Bart also has had numerous relationships, including one of Lisa's friends, Emily, who kissed Bart on a dare ("[[Flaming Moe's]]"), [[Reverend Lovejoy]]'s daughter, Jessica Lovejoy ("[[Bart's Girlfriend]]"), Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta Wolfcastle ("[[The Bart Wants What it Wants]]"), a juvenial, Gina Vendetti ("[[The Wandering Juvie]]"), a girl from North Haverbrook, Darcy ("[[Little Big Girl]]"), an unnamed girl in ("[[The Monkey Suit]]"), and a girl in season nineteen's upcoming episode. Bart's first (and probably the greatest) love of his life was [[Laura Powers]] ("[[New Kid on the Block]]"), his next door neighbor and babysitter, with whom he shares a lot in common. But because she's a teenager and Bart is only 10, the two never have a relationship. In [[Another Simpsons Clip Show]], Bart calls Laura "The only girl he ever loved", although this was set before the episodes featuring most of the other relationships.

Bart's interests include watching [[Krusty the Klown]], [[skateboarding]], reading [[comic book]]s like ''[[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]'', watching [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]], terrorizing [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], playing [[video games]]/[[computer games]], helping Lisa solve various problems like reuniting Krusty with his [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Hyman Krustofski|estranged father]], and playing various pranks such as [[mooning]] unsuspecting people and [[prank call]]ing [[Moe Szyslak]] at his tavern. His best friend is [[Milhouse van Houten]].

Bart sometimes demonstrates amazing linguistic abilities. Though he has not demonstrated the ability since the [[The Crepes of Wrath|episode in which he learned]], where he speaks near-perfect French. He also learned Spanish in a matter of hours in preparation for the family's trip to Brazil. Upon learning that Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Spanish, Homer tells his son to forget what he learned, prompting Bart to strike himself over the head with an airplane phone until he forgot the language. Bart also speaks Japanese, which he also learned in a couple of hours in [[prison]] along with Homer, and is also shown speaking Japanese in 'A Star is Burns', Cantonese and Latin. His advanced linguistic skills may be inherited from Homer, who also speaks advanced languages, including penguin. Bart can also drive, having his own driving license, given to him in "[[Little Big Girl]]" after saving Springfield from a fire, although he has been seen driving before, a la "[[Burns' Heir]]", and also with a fake license, particularly in the episode "[[Bart on the Road]]". He still possesses it, using it to great effect in "[[24 minutes]]", stealing Principal Skinner's car to get to Jimbo's house. He is allergic to real and imitation butterscotch, luminous monster make-up, cauliflower, and shrimp, the latter of which is possibly inherited from his mother. According to an interview, Bart has a fear of coffins. This fear may have started when, shopping for a coffin for the yet-living Grampa in the episode "[[Tennis the Menace]]", when Bart is accidentally shut in a coffin while fooling around. This fear is referred to in "[[Funeral for a Fiend]]", where Bart is nearly cremated while in a coffin. In the episode "[[The Boys of Bummer]]," it is revealed that Bart's favorite song is "[[Love Stinks]]" by [[The J. Geils Band]].

In his book ''Planet Simpson'', Chris Turner describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]]. Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority has been likened to that of America's founding fathers, rendering him an updated version of American icons [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one."<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Simpsons good night.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Homer says good night to Bart in his first televised appearance on the short "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".]]

[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, substituting "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=[[The Sun]]}}</ref> Bart then made his debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref name="goodnight">Richmond, p. 14</ref> The name "Bart" is an anagram of the word "brat".<ref name=sundvd/> Groening conceived Bart as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening's older brother Mark provided most of the inspiration for Bart.<ref name=SitterDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=[[1995-09-30]] | accessmonthday=[[October 7]] | accessyear=[[2007]]}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Bart Carny]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

Groening has also said that he found the premise of many things such as ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

===Voice===

Nancy Cartwright originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but became more interested in the role of Bart when she got there, so Matt Groening let her try out for the part, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Bart's catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was at college.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=[[2007-07-26]]|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref>

Although Cartwright is probably best known for providing the voice of Bart Simpson in ''The Simpsons'', she is also the voice for [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Rod and Todd Flanders|Todd Flanders]] and [[Ralph Wiggum]].<ref name="actors">Stated in interview on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 1998, ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' magazine selected Bart as 46th of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and the only [[fictional character]] to make the list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|publisher=Time}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover the [[December 31]] [[1990]] edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|publisher=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=''[[CNN]]''}}</ref>

Bart's catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]," "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" were featured on t-shirts in the initial show's run.<ref>Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, p. 25. ISBN 0-679-31318-4</ref> The latter two phrases were rarely actually spoken on the show itself until after they became popular through merchandise, and the use of many of these catchphrases diminished in later seasons. The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" in which Bart lands a popular role on the Krusty show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>Turner p. 61</ref> During the early seasons, Bart was the rebellious lead character and frequently received no punishment for his misbehavior, which led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>Turner, p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=[[2007-06-29]]|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> At the time, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like [[the Waltons]] and less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=[[2000-04-15]]}}</ref> Several U.S. public schools even banned ''The Simpsons'' [[merchandise]] and [[t-shirt]]s, such as one featuring Bart and the caption "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/> Despite the ban, ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[US$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/>

Bart is the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character for the show on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s, car decals, and even [[graffiti art]]. Bart, and other Simpsons characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé|Nestlé's]] [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990-2001, with the slogan ''"Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger - Nestle USA Inc. Nestle Chocolate and Confections' television advertisements - Brief Article|accessdate=2007-05-17|publisher=Prepared Foods at Find Articles}}</ref> This association was parodied in "[[Barting Over]]", an episode when he discovered a [[video tape]] with Lisa that proved he participated in a TV commercial when he was a [[baby]]; Bart says that he does not remember being in a commercial, then ironically holds up a Butterfinger and eats it.

==See also==
{{wikiquote}}
* [[Chalkboard gag|Bart's chalkboard gags]]
* ''[[Do the Bartman]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
*[http://bart.squarelogic.net Bart Simpson Dedication]
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Fictional Americans]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

[[af:Bart Simpson]]
[[ast:Bart Simpson]]
[[bs:Bart Simpson]]
[[bg:Барт Симпсън]]
[[ca:Bart Simpson]]
[[cs:Bart Simpson]]
[[da:Bart Simpson]]
[[de:Die Simpsons/Familie#Bart_Simpson]]
[[et:Bart Simpson]]
[[es:Bart Simpson]]
[[eo:Bart Simpson]]
[[fr:Bart Simpson]]
[[ko:바트 심슨]]
[[hr:Bart Simpson]]
[[is:Bart Simpson]]
[[it:Bart Simpson]]
[[he:בארט סימפסון]]
[[hu:Bart Simpson]]
[[nah:Bart Simpson]]
[[nl:Bart Simpson]]
[[no:Bart Simpson]]
[[oc:Bart Simpson]]
[[pl:Bart Simpson]]
[[pt:Bart Simpson]]
[[ru:Барт Симпсон]]
[[sq:Bart Simpson]]
[[simple:Bart Simpson]]
[[sk:Bart Simpson]]
[[sr:Барт Симпсон]]
[[fi:Bart Simpson]]
[[sv:Bart Simpson]]
[[th:บาร์ต ซิมป์สัน]]
[[tr:Bart Simpson]]
[[uk:Барт Сімпсон]]
[[zh:巴特·辛普森]]

Bart Simpson

2008-07-30T18:21:54Z

Adolphus79: blanking revert...

{{for|the comic book series of the same name|Bart Simpson comics}}
{{Simpsons character
|name=Bartholomew J Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|200px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student
|hair=yellow
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson|Abraham]] and [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona]] <br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" J. Simpson''' <ref name="CompleteGuide">Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 178. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> is a [[fictional character|character]] in the [[FOX]] animated [[television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is voiced by [[Nancy Cartwright (actress)|Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name="CompleteGuide"/>, and first appeared on the ''[[Tracy Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night]]". At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson]], and the elder brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].<ref name="CompleteGuide"/> Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness, disrespect for authority and sharp wit. During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'', Bart was the show's main character; while later episodes started to focus more on Homer, Bart remains one of the most enduring characters on the series, and has proven to be one of the most well-known characters in the history of American television animation.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Personality==
Bart is a self-described underachiever and proud of it, and is considerably motivated in disrupting the routine at [[Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]]. His pranks are often elaborately complex, while his actions and speech frequently show considerable mental agility, street-smarts, and understanding. In "[[Separate Vocations]]" when Bart becomes hall monitor, his grades go up, showing that he only struggles because he does not pay attention, not because he is stupid. This is reinforced in the episode "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder. On the other hand, he often seems to have trouble understanding even the simplest concepts, such as the word "irony", what the [[equator]] is and that the logo on his globe, "Rand McNally," is not actually a country. The fact that he is the son of Homer Simpson and shares many of the same mannerisms and behaviors may also account for his antics. Homer even described Bart as "a younger, more in-your-face version" of himself. It is often joked that Bart is a pawn of the devil due to his mischievous behavior, such as when Lisa calls him "the Devil's cabana boy", a role which Bart seems to relish. In one Halloween episode, the Devil actually makes an appearance in the form of [[Ned Flanders]], saying "Hey, Bart" like they are old friends.

Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped the school Principal [[Seymour Skinner]], and his teacher [[Edna Krabappel]] despite the fact he often terrorizes them, and he often befriends outcasts like [[Milhouse Van Houten]]. One great example of his quasi sense of honor is in the episode ''[[This Little Wiggy]]'' where Bart stands up for [[Ralph Wiggum]] at the cost of peer popularity. In addition Bart, almost invariably, has made amends with the person he has pranked by the end of an episode.

Due to Bart's mischievousness and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy". Whenever Homer finds out that Bart has said or done something stupid or bad, he yells "Why you little–!" and then strangles him. In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Homer and Bart's relationship reaches a breaking point following Homer's pollution of Lake Springfield. Nevertheless, the two really do love each other deep down. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], however, is much more caring, understanding and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics. Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.

Bart's appearance in the show rarely changes from episode-to-episode. He typically sports blue shorts and an orange t-shirt with blue sneakers with alittle white dot on the sides. Although his t-shirt color occasionally changes to light blue or red, a differing appearance is only seen in special occasions such as when the Simpsons go to church or when the episode takes place in the winter season.

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa out of jealousy, and even fought her physically, they are very close. Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him, and has always apologized for going too far. He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems, and frequently goes to her for advice. Despite his duties as a brother to torment his sister, Bart is also highly protective of Lisa, such as in [[Bart the General]]: when a bully destroys her box of cupcakes he immediately steps in with a 'that's my sister, man!' and proceeds to stand up against schoolyard-leviathan Nelson Muntz. This close relationship is also exhibited in [[Round Springfield]]; after the death of Lisa's hero Bleeding Gums Murphy, Bart uses his Krusty-Metal-O settlement money to buy her the only known copy of Murphy's album, because she was the only one who believed him when he said he was sick. The siblings have formed a dynamic crime-solving duo during many of their encounters with [[Sideshow Bob]], Bart's nemesis.

Bart also has had numerous relationships, including one of Lisa's friends, Emily, who kissed Bart on a dare ("[[Flaming Moe's]]"), [[Reverend Lovejoy]]'s daughter, Jessica Lovejoy ("[[Bart's Girlfriend]]"), Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta Wolfcastle ("[[The Bart Wants What it Wants]]"), a juvenial, Gina Vendetti ("[[The Wandering Juvie]]"), a girl from North Haverbrook, Darcy ("[[Little Big Girl]]"), an unnamed girl in ("[[The Monkey Suit]]"), and a girl in season nineteen's upcoming episode. Bart's first (and probably the greatest) love of his life was [[Laura Powers]] ("[[New Kid on the Block]]"), his next door neighbor and babysitter, with whom he shares a lot in common. But because she's a teenager and Bart is only 10, the two never have a relationship. In [[Another Simpsons Clip Show]], Bart calls Laura "The only girl he ever loved", although this was set before the episodes featuring most of the other relationships.

Bart's interests include watching [[Krusty the Klown]], [[skateboarding]], reading [[comic book]]s like ''[[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]'', watching [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]], terrorizing [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], playing [[video games]]/[[computer games]], helping Lisa solve various problems like reuniting Krusty with his [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Hyman Krustofski|estranged father]], and playing various pranks such as [[mooning]] unsuspecting people and [[prank call]]ing [[Moe Szyslak]] at his tavern. His best friend is [[Milhouse van Houten]].

Bart sometimes demonstrates amazing linguistic abilities. Though he has not demonstrated the ability since the [[The Crepes of Wrath|episode in which he learned]], where he speaks near-perfect French. He also learned Spanish in a matter of hours in preparation for the family's trip to Brazil. Upon learning that Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Spanish, Homer tells his son to forget what he learned, prompting Bart to strike himself over the head with an airplane phone until he forgot the language. Bart also speaks Japanese, which he also learned in a couple of hours in [[prison]] along with Homer, and is also shown speaking Japanese in 'A Star is Burns', Cantonese and Latin. His advanced linguistic skills may be inherited from Homer, who also speaks advanced languages, including penguin. Bart can also drive, having his own driving license, given to him in "[[Little Big Girl]]" after saving Springfield from a fire, although he has been seen driving before, a la "[[Burns' Heir]]", and also with a fake license, particularly in the episode "[[Bart on the Road]]". He still possesses it, using it to great effect in "[[24 minutes]]", stealing Principal Skinner's car to get to Jimbo's house. He is allergic to real and imitation butterscotch, luminous monster make-up, cauliflower, and shrimp, the latter of which is possibly inherited from his mother. According to an interview, Bart has a fear of coffins. This fear may have started when, shopping for a coffin for the yet-living Grampa in the episode "[[Tennis the Menace]]", when Bart is accidentally shut in a coffin while fooling around. This fear is referred to in "[[Funeral for a Fiend]]", where Bart is nearly cremated while in a coffin. In the episode "[[The Boys of Bummer]]," it is revealed that Bart's favorite song is "[[Love Stinks]]" by [[The J. Geils Band]].

In his book ''Planet Simpson'', Chris Turner describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]]. Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority has been likened to that of America's founding fathers, rendering him an updated version of American icons [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one."<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Simpsons good night.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Homer says good night to Bart in his first televised appearance on the short "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".]]

[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, substituting "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=[[The Sun]]}}</ref> Bart then made his debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref name="goodnight">Richmond, p. 14</ref> The name "Bart" is an anagram of the word "brat".<ref name=sundvd/> Groening conceived Bart as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening's older brother Mark provided most of the inspiration for Bart.<ref name=SitterDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=[[1995-09-30]] | accessmonthday=[[October 7]] | accessyear=[[2007]]}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Bart Carny]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

Groening has also said that he found the premise of many things such as ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

===Voice===

Nancy Cartwright originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but became more interested in the role of Bart when she got there, so Matt Groening let her try out for the part, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Bart's catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was at college.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=[[2007-07-26]]|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref>

Although Cartwright is probably best known for providing the voice of Bart Simpson in ''The Simpsons'', she is also the voice for [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Rod and Todd Flanders|Todd Flanders]] and [[Ralph Wiggum]].<ref name="actors">Stated in interview on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 1998, ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' magazine selected Bart as 46th of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and the only [[fictional character]] to make the list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|publisher=Time}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover the [[December 31]] [[1990]] edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|publisher=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=''[[CNN]]''}}</ref>

Bart's catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]," "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" were featured on t-shirts in the initial show's run.<ref>Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, p. 25. ISBN 0-679-31318-4</ref> The latter two phrases were rarely actually spoken on the show itself until after they became popular through merchandise, and the use of many of these catchphrases diminished in later seasons. The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" in which Bart lands a popular role on the Krusty show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>Turner p. 61</ref> During the early seasons, Bart was the rebellious lead character and frequently received no punishment for his misbehavior, which led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>Turner, p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=[[2007-06-29]]|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> At the time, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like [[the Waltons]] and less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=[[2000-04-15]]}}</ref> Several U.S. public schools even banned ''The Simpsons'' [[merchandise]] and [[t-shirt]]s, such as one featuring Bart and the caption "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/> Despite the ban, ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[US$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/>

Bart is the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character for the show on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s, car decals, and even [[graffiti art]]. Bart, and other Simpsons characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé|Nestlé's]] [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990-2001, with the slogan ''"Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger - Nestle USA Inc. Nestle Chocolate and Confections' television advertisements - Brief Article|accessdate=2007-05-17|publisher=Prepared Foods at Find Articles}}</ref> This association was parodied in "[[Barting Over]]", an episode when he discovered a [[video tape]] with Lisa that proved he participated in a TV commercial when he was a [[baby]]; Bart says that he does not remember being in a commercial, then ironically holds up a Butterfinger and eats it.

==See also==
{{wikiquote}}
* [[Chalkboard gag|Bart's chalkboard gags]]
* ''[[Do the Bartman]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
*[http://bart.squarelogic.net Bart Simpson Dedication]
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Fictional Americans]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

[[af:Bart Simpson]]
[[ast:Bart Simpson]]
[[bs:Bart Simpson]]
[[bg:Барт Симпсън]]
[[ca:Bart Simpson]]
[[cs:Bart Simpson]]
[[da:Bart Simpson]]
[[de:Die Simpsons/Familie#Bart_Simpson]]
[[et:Bart Simpson]]
[[es:Bart Simpson]]
[[eo:Bart Simpson]]
[[fr:Bart Simpson]]
[[ko:바트 심슨]]
[[hr:Bart Simpson]]
[[is:Bart Simpson]]
[[it:Bart Simpson]]
[[he:בארט סימפסון]]
[[hu:Bart Simpson]]
[[nah:Bart Simpson]]
[[nl:Bart Simpson]]
[[no:Bart Simpson]]
[[oc:Bart Simpson]]
[[pl:Bart Simpson]]
[[pt:Bart Simpson]]
[[ru:Барт Симпсон]]
[[sq:Bart Simpson]]
[[simple:Bart Simpson]]
[[sk:Bart Simpson]]
[[sr:Барт Симпсон]]
[[fi:Bart Simpson]]
[[sv:Bart Simpson]]
[[th:บาร์ต ซิมป์สัน]]
[[tr:Bart Simpson]]
[[uk:Барт Сімпсон]]
[[zh:巴特·辛普森]]

Marge Simpson

2008-07-30T18:21:18Z

Adolphus79: blanking revert...

{{Simpsons character
| name=Marjorie Bouvier Simpson
| image = [[Image:Marge Simpson.png|150px]]|
| gender=[[Female]]
| job=Housewife
| relatives= '''Husband:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] <br> '''Children:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] <br> '''Parents:''' [[Simpson family#Clancy Bouvier|Clancy]] (deceased) and [[Simpson family#Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Bouvier]] <br> '''Sisters:''' [[Patty and Selma Bouvier|Patty and Selma]]
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
| voiceactor=[[Julie Kavner]]
}}

'''Marjorie "Marge" Simpson''' (née '''Bouvier''') is a [[fictional character|character]] featured in the [[animated series|animated television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and is voiced by [[Julie Kavner]]. She is the well-meaning and extremely patient wife of [[Homer Simpson]] and mother of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson]]. Her most notable physical feature is her [[blue hair]], styled into an improbably high [[beehive (hairstyle)|beehive]]; she is proud to have never met anyone with taller hair outside [[Graceland]].<ref>[[Lisa's Rival]]</ref> Marge was named after, and loosely based on, Margaret "Marge" Groening, mother of series creator [[Matt Groening]].{{fact}}

==Role in The Simpsons==
Marge’s image is typically that of a stereotypical [[sitcom]] mother, who is sometimes portrayed as naive, gullible and optimistic. Despite having higher morals than most other characters, Marge has had her fair share of wild escapades throughout the show’s history. She was once a [[police officer]] in [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]], took therapy for [[road rage]], was jailed for [[shoplifting]], became a [[gambling]] addict, showed [[alcoholic]] tendencies, helped run an illegal [[bootlegging]] business and distillery in the basement of her house, accidentally got breast implants (and later exposed them), was an unwilling participant in a cross-country police chase, overdosed on [[steroids]], cheated on a cooking competition and developed [[amnesia]]. She has also sold prescription drugs at her garage sale which she was jailed for. In "[[The Joy of Sect]]", she escapes brainwashing by the [[Religion in The Simpsons#Movementarianism|Movementarian Church]], showing a surprisingly strong will. Marge is the only member of the family who encourages [[church]] attendance.

Marge can be somewhat of a doormat for her husband and children, reasoning that they love her and mean well behind their various crazy schemes. A major character trait is her inability to see her family as overly strange, making her quite eccentric when compared to non-regular characters and people from outside Springfield. She often provides a voice of reason for the town itself, but many of the townspeople are frustrated or contemptuous of her frequent failure to recognize or react correctly to breaches of social norms. She puts up with a lot from her family, but even ''she'' has a breaking point; she has been known to fight with Homer — a few times to the point of leaving him (most notably in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'' where she taped her farewell message over their wedding video) — and does not shy from disciplining her children when needed.

[[Politics in The Simpsons|Politically]], Marge generally aligns with the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]]. She once mentions that she voted for [[Jimmy Carter]] ("twice" according to Lisa) and supported the candidacy of their state's progressive [[governor]] [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Mary Bailey|Mary Bailey]], and also claimed to have been extremely [[clinical depression|depressed]] when [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] died.

[[Image:Thetwistedworldofmargesimpson.png|thumb|left|200px|Marge’s [[pretzel]] business in the episode "[[The Twisted World of Marge Simpson]]"]]
Marge is a talented painter. When she was a teenager she had an intense crush on [[Ringo Starr]] and painted a large number of portraits of him. She also wrote to him, but received a reply 25 years later. After Homer discovered her old paintings, Lisa encouraged Marge to enroll in an art contest in which her portrait of Homer asleep on the couch won a local art competition. She was then hired by [[Mr. Burns]] to do a portrait of him. After many attempts, she almost gave up until a belated response from Ringo Starr, stating that she had talent, inspired her to continue. The resulting nude portrait even won Mr. Burns’s praise. She also seems to be good at making statues out of [[Popsicle]] sticks, which was shown when Homer got a job as an ice-cream man and gave her all the spare sticks in [[Ice Cream of Margie (With the Light Blue Hair)]].

Marge is also an excellent cook. At the Simpsons' home, she is well known for her pork chops, which are Homer's favorite dish. She once started a [[pretzel]] business, which flourished with the aid of the mafia, but is never seen again. She has entered several cooking challenges but lost in most of them due to vengeful competitors and overheated ovens. In "[[All's Fair in Oven War]]", Marge cheats her way to the finals of a bakeoff but confesses after being prompted by [[Lisa Simpsons|Lisa]]. Although, she is an accomplished cook, her ability to improvise in her recipes is not showcased in the series - the only known change she ever made to a recipe was adding salt to her lamb chops.


As with many Simpson characters, Marge's age changes to serve the story. In first-season episodes "[[Life on the Fast Lane]]" and "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons Episode)|Some Enchanted Evening]]", Marge is said to be 34, but her age was later changed to 38. In the episode "[[Regarding Margie]]", Homer mentions that Marge is his age, meaning she could be anywhere between 36 and 40.


As a teen, Marge had waist length hair that she always wore down, but got the idea to wear it in her trademark beehive for senior prom in the episode "[[The Way We Was]]"; this is sometimes contradicted by more recent episodes that show Marge as a child, where she is portrayed with her hair worn tall. In the episode "[[Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious]]", her hair is shown close to her knees, consistent with the logic that a lot of hair would be needed to create her tall beehive. In "[[That 90's Show]]", Marge is shown in college with her hair much shorter than usual, cut just above the shoulders. It was revealed by Homer in "[[Secrets of a Successful Marriage]]" that Marge dyes her hair with blue dye #56, stating ''"She’s been gray as a mule since she was seventeen."'' Because of her unusually large hairstyle, her height is reported to be 8'6", as noted by [[Apu Nahasapeemapetilon]] in the episode "[[Marge in Chains]]" although a police photograph taken in "[[Homer Alone]]" records her height, including her hair, at 6'4". In "[[The Way We Weren't]]", her hair was blue before she met Homer and was brunette at one time due to Marge ironing a piece of her hair for a long time. Like Homer who sometimes talks to his own brain as if it had an independent mind, in early episodes Marge's hair also talked to her, but instead of only one voice it had three separate voices and minds. In ''The Simpsons'' Season Four DVD commentary, Groening states that the original idea behind Marge's hair was to conceal large rabbit ears. The gag was intended to be revealed in the final episode of the series, but was scrapped early on due to inconsistencies, and also to the fact that rabbit ears would be too fictitious even for [[the Simpsons]]. <ref> [[Matt Groening]], The Complete Fourth Season DVD (2004) commentary for episode Selmas Choice. 20th Century Fox </ref> According to the episode "[[Little Orphan Millie]]" Marge has [[Eye color#Hazel|hazel]] eyes, being the only character in the series whose eye color was revealed, since the way the characters are drawn their irises cannot be normally seen.

==Character==
===Creation===
Groening first conceived the [[Simpson family]] in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a [[dysfunction]]al family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, with Marge being the name of his mother.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Marge then made her debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[April 19]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 14. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref>

===Voice===
Marge's voice is performed by [[Julie Kavner]], who also does the voices of Marge's mother Jacqueline and sisters Patty and Selma. Kavner had been part of the regular cast of ''[[The Tracey Ullman Show]]''. Voices were needed for the shorts, so the producers decided to ask Kavner and fellow cast member [[Dan Castellaneta]] to voice Marge and Homer and rather than hire more actors.<ref name="The Age">{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/27/1046064146568.html|title=D'oh, you're the voices|accessdate=2008-08-18|date=[[2003-02-27]]|author=Luaine Lee|publisher=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref name="FN">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129665,00.html|title=D'oh!: The Voice of Homer Is Deceivingly Deadpan|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=[[2008-08-18]]|author=Lynn Elber|publisher=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Part of Kavner's contract says that she will never have to promote ''The Simpsons'' on video because she does not want to "destroy the illusion for children".<ref>{{cite news|title=Meet the Simpsons|date=[[2004-05-06]]|accessdate=2008-02-09|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|Daily Express]]|author=Peter Sheridan}}</ref> In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', some scenes in the movie, such as Marge's video message to Homer, were recorded over one hundred times, leaving Kavner exhausted.<ref name=moviesonline>{{cite news|url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12524.html|title=The Simpsons Movie Interviews|author=Sheila Roberts|accessdate=2007-08-01|publisher=Movies Online}}</ref>

==Reception==
[[Julie Kavner]] received a [[Primetime Emmy Award]] in 1992 for voicing Marge in the episode "[[I Married Marge]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php |title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|accessdate=2008-02-09}}</ref> In 2004, Kavner and [[Dan Castellaneta]] (the voice of Homer) won a [[Young Artist Award]] for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".<ref name="YAA">{{cite news|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm|title=25th Annual Winners and Nominees|accessdate=2008-01-18|publisher=Youngartistawards.org}}</ref> For her performance in ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Kavner received a nomination for "Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature" at the 2007 [[Annie Awards]], but lost to [[Ian Holm]] in ''[[Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille]]''.<ref name="A35">{{cite news|url=http://annieawards.org/foryourconsideration.html|title=For Your Consideration|
accessdate=2007-12-03|date=[[December 3]], [[2007]]|publisher=Annie Awards}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117980588.html?nav=news&categoryid=1983&cs=1|title='Ratatouille' nearly sweeps Annies|accessdate=2008-02-09|date=[[2008-02-08]]|publisher=Variety|author=Peter Debruge}}</ref> Kavner's emotional performance in the movie got positive reviews and one critic said she "gave what must be the most heartfelt performance ever".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/film.php?ak=2879|title=Homer's Odyssey|publisher=Metro Weekly|accessdate=2007-07-26|date=[[2007-07-26]]|author=Randy Shulman}}</ref>

Marge has been ranked highly in several lists of the top television mothers of all time. She has been ranked first on ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list in 1994;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302270,00.html |title=Yea, Mamas–The best and worst of TV Moms|publisher=''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=[[1994-05-13]]|author=Ken Tucker}}</ref> first on [[FOX News]]' list in 2005;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,155758,00.html |title=Marge Simpson Named Best TV Mom |publisher=[[FOX News]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|date=[[2005-05-07]]}}</ref> eighth on [[CityNews]]' list in 2008;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_22488.aspx |title=June Cleaver Chosen As All Time Top TV Mom|publisher=CityNews|accessdate=2008-05-11}}</ref> and was included in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s list of the "10 Best Moms Ever".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1738178_1737704_1737693,00.html |title=10 Best Moms Ever–Marge Simpson |publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|accessdate=2008-06-14|author=Caryn Brooks}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_marge.htm Marge Simpson] at TheSimpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003031}}

{{wikiquote}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Marge}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]
[[Category:Fictional artists]]
[[Category:Fictional gamblers]]
[[Category:Fictional United States Democrats]]

[[af:Marge Simpson]]
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[[ko:마지 심슨]]
[[hr:Marge Simpson]]
[[id:Marge Simpson]]
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[[ru:Мардж Симпсон]]
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Toyota WISH

2008-07-24T06:07:57Z

Adolphus79: /* External links */ removing spammier fan/club (unencyclopedic) links...

{{Infobox Automobile
| image = [[Image:Toyota Wish X.jpg|250px|2005 Toyota Wish JDM 1.8 X Model]]
| name = Toyota Wish
| manufacturer = [[Toyota|Toyota Motor Co.]]
| production = 2003-present
| class = [[MPV]], [[Minivan]]
| wheelbase = {{Auto mm|1750|1}}
| length = {{Auto mm|4550|1}}
| width = {{Auto mm|1695|1}}
| height = {{Auto mm|1590|1}}
| engine= 1.8 L [[Toyota ZZ engine|1ZZ-FE]] <br>2.0 L [[Toyota AZ engine|1AZ-FSE]]
| layout=[[Front-wheel drive|FWD]] for [[Asean]] markets only<br> [[4WD]] for [[JDM]] only
| transmission =4-speed automatic
| related =[[Honda Stream]]<br> [[Nissan Liberty]]
}}
[[Image:Toyota-Wish-IMG 2480A.jpg|thumb|250px|right|2005 Toyota Wish]]
[[Image:Toyota Wish 0014.JPG|thumb|250px|right|2003 Toyota Wish JDM 2.0Z Model]]
[[Image:Toyota Wish 02.jpg|thumb|250px|right|2005 Toyota Wish JDM 2.0G Model]]

The '''Toyota Wish''' is a [[minivan]] produced by Japanese automaker [[Toyota]] since 2003. It is available as a six and seven-seater, equipped with either a 1.8 or 2.0-litre gasoline engine. It is positioned below the [[Toyota Ipsum|Ipsum]] and above the [[Toyota Spacio|Spacio]] in Toyota's minivan range.

Apart from [[Japan]], the Wish is also assembled in Thailand (for [[Thailand]], [[Malaysia]], and [[Singapore]] only) and Taiwan (for [[Taiwan]] only).

==Model history==
===2003===
The Wish was developed under code name "760N" by the team, lead by Chief engineer named [[Takeshi Yoshida]] and was introduced to the public for the first time at [[Tokyo Motor Show]] in October 2002 (Commercial vehicles & welcab show) and then launched in [[Japan]] in January,20th 2003, under a massive publicity campaign with Japanese singer [[Utada Hikaru]]. The [[television commercial|TV commercial]] features her song [[Colors (Utada Hikaru song)|Colors]], which coincides with the launch of her new [[CD-single]]. The car was marketed under the "Wish Comes True" slogan.

Codenamed ZNE10G (FWD) and ZNE14G (4WD), it uses a 1.8 L [[1ZZ-FE]] engine, producing ([[JIS]]) 132 [[horsepower|PS]] and {{Auto Nm|170|0}}. It is only available with four-speed automatic. A 2.0 L version (codenamed ANE11W for the six-seater version and ANE10G for the seven-seater version) was launched in April 2003. Equipped with the [[1AZ-FSE]] direct-injection engine, it has ([[JIS]]) 155 PS (114 kW) and 192 N·m (142 ft·lbf). Variants with the 2.0 D-4 engine are only available with a [[continuously variable transmission|CVT]] gearbox.

The WISH was extremely successful in its home market, and is frequently seen on the Top 5 on the 30 bestseller list each months. It has also made shockwave to its competitors, such as the [[Honda Stream]] & [[Madza Premacy]] or [[Mazda 5]] to changing its market positioning. The Toyota Wish was also launched as a locally assembled model in Thailand towards the end of 2003 (Dec.2003). The Wish in Thailand is very similar to the Japanese version, except for a few differences:

*Models across the range get the 2.0Z fenders.
*Standard 17 inch wheels across the range (Same design as the one used on the 2.0Z)
*Same 2.0 1AZ-FE engine as the ASEAN [[Toyota Camry|Camry]] instead of the 1AZ-FSE
*No privacy glass (excluding the grey-import variants)
*Leather upholstery as standard on the 2.0Q
*The rear Double wishbone suspension of 4WD models in Japan was fitted with 2WD model in Thailand as standard.
(no Torsion beam rear suspension in Thai version).

===2004===
The Wish was launched in [[Taiwan]] in November 2004. For this market, the car is marketed under the "No Rules!" slogan and the TVCM is shot in New York. The Taiwanese version shares the same engine as the Thailand model, which means missing out on Toyota's D-4 technology. The Taiwanese assembled version have some styling differences: a new front end, redesigned rear [[LED]] taillights, reflectors recessed into the rear bumper, body color/chrome side rubbing strips and a cleaner chrome rear plate garnish. The WISH badging is not an integral part of the garnish, unlike the JDM-spec model. Equipment may include parking sensors, dual [[moonroof]] and [[leather|leather seats]]. Another aspect unique to the Taiwanese Wish is that it can be specified with a beige interior color scheme unlike its Japanese and Thai-built counterparts.

===2005===
The car was a huge success in Japan, and featured in the best sellers chart regularly, no mean feat for an MPV. The Toyota Wish was updated at the end of 2005 with the introduction of a [[Facelift (product)|facelifted]] model. The original car was fundamentally well designed and that meant that few changes were necessary. Cosmetic changes to the headlights, bumpers, LED tail-lights and dashboard were made, together with revised switchgear for the climate control and automatic transmission (The 2.0Z received a seven-gear transmission.) As the changes were minor the fuel consumption figures, which are the best in the compact MPV class, remain the same. The 2005 Wish was also the third model to be sold exclusively through Toyota's [[NETZ]] dealer network, hence the replacement of the Wish's signature "W" front emblem with a generic NETZ oval (As seen on the 2005 [[Toyota Vitz|Vitz]] & [[Toyota Ist|Ist]].). Feedback on the [[electronic throttle control]] has been mixed, with claims that the original throttle system used in the 2003 car is quicker off the mark. The [[drivetrain]] and engines remained the same.

==External links==
{{commonscat|Toyota Wish|Toyota WISH}}
===Official websites===
*[http://www.toyota.jp/wish Official Toyota Wish Website]
*[http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/index.html Toyota Motor Corporation]
*[http://www.toyota-f1.com/public/index.html Toyota Formula One Team] Global

{{Toyota cars}}

[[Category:Toyota vehicles|Wish]]
[[Category:Minivans]]
[[Category:Vehicles introduced in 2002]]

[[id:Toyota WISH]]
[[ja:トヨタ・ウィッシュ]]
[[zh:豐田Wish]]

Bart Simpson

2008-07-16T01:53:56Z

Adolphus79: vandalism revert...

{{for|the comic book series of the same name|Bart Simpson comics}}
{{Simpsons character
|name=Bartholomew J Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|128px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student
|hair=yellow
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson|Abraham]] and [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona]] <br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" Jack Simpson''' <ref name="CompleteGuide">Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 178. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> is a [[fictional character|character]] in the [[FOX]] animated [[television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is voiced by [[Nancy Cartwright (actress)|Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name="CompleteGuide"/>, and first appeared on the ''[[Tracy Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night]]". At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson]], and the elder brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].<ref name="CompleteGuide"/> Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness, disrespect for authority and sharp wit. During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'', Bart was the show's main character; while later episodes started to focus more on Homer, Bart remains one of the most enduring characters on the series, and has proven to be one of the most well-known characters in the history of American television animation.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Personality==
Bart is a self-described underachiever and proud of it, and is considerably motivated in disrupting the routine at [[Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]]. His pranks are often elaborately complex, while his actions and speech frequently show considerable mental agility, street-smarts, and understanding. In "[[Separate Vocations]]" when Bart becomes hall monitor, his grades go up, showing that he only struggles because he does not pay attention, not because he is dumb. This is reinforced in the episode "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder. On the other hand, he often seems to have trouble understanding even the simplest concepts, such as the word "irony", what the [[equator]] is and that the logo on his globe, "Rand McNally," is not actually a country. The fact that he is the son of Homer Simpson and shares many of the same mannerisms and behaviors may also account for his antics. Homer even described Bart as "a younger, more in-your-face version" of himself. It is often joked that Bart is a pawn of the devil due to his mischievous behavior, such as when Lisa calls him "the Devil's cabana boy", a role which Bart seems to relish. In one Halloween episode, the Devil actually makes an appearance in the form of [[Ned Flanders]], saying "Hey, Bart" like they are old friends.

Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped the school Principal [[Seymour Skinner]], and his teacher [[Edna Krabappel]] despite the fact he often terrorizes them, and he often befriends outcasts like [[Milhouse Van Houten]]. One great example of his quasi sense of honor is in the episode ''[[This Little Wiggy]]'' where Bart stands up for [[Ralph Wiggum]] at the cost of peer popularity. In addition Bart, almost invariably, has made amends with the person he has pranked by the end of an episode.

Due to Bart's mischievousness and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy". Whenever Homer finds out that Bart has said or done something stupid or bad, he yells "Why you little–!" and then strangles him. In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Homer and Bart's relationship reaches a breaking point following Homer's pollution of Lake Springfield. Nevertheless, the two really do love each other deep down. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], however, is much more caring, understanding and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics. Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.

Bart's appearance in the show rarely changes from episode-to-episode. He typically sports blue shorts and an orange t-shirt with blue sneakers that resemble [[Converse]] [[Chuck Taylor All-Stars]].{{Or|date=June 2008}} Although his t-shirt color occasionally changes to light blue or red, a differing appearance is only seen in special occasions such as when the Simpsons go to church or when the episode takes place in the winter season.

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa out of jealousy, and even fought her physically, they are very close. Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him, and has always apologized for going too far. He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems, and frequently goes to her for advice. Despite his duties as a brother to torment his sister, Bart is also highly protective of Lisa, such as in [[Bart the General]]: when a bully destroys her box of cupcakes he immediately steps in with a 'that's my sister, man!' and proceeds to stand up against schoolyard-leviathan Nelson Muntz. This close relationship is also exhibited in [[Round Springfield]]; after the death of Lisa's hero Bleeding Gums Murphy, Bart uses his Krusty-Metal-O settlement money to buy her the only known copy of Murphy's album, because she was the only one who believed him when he said he was sick. The siblings have formed a dynamic crime-solving duo during many of their encounters with [[Sideshow Bob]], Bart's nemesis.

Bart also has had numerous relationships, including one of Lisa's friends, Emily, who kissed Bart on a dare ("[[Flaming Moe's]]"), [[Reverend Lovejoy]]'s daughter, Jessica Lovejoy ("[[Bart's Girlfriend]]"), Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta Wolfcastle ("[[The Bart Wants What it Wants]]"), a juvenial, Gina Vendetti ("[[The Wandering Juvie]]"), a girl from North Haverbrook, Darcy ("[[Little Big Girl]]"), an unnamed girl in ("[[The Monkey Suit]]"), and a girl in season nineteen's upcoming episode. Bart's first (and probably the greatest) love of his life was [[Laura Powers]] ("[[New Kid on the Block]]"), his next door neighbor and babysitter, with whom he shares a lot in common. But because she's a teenager and Bart is only 10, the two never have a relationship. In [[Another Simpsons Clip Show]], Bart calls Laura "The only girl he ever loved", although this was set before the episodes featuring most of the other relationships.

Bart's interests include watching [[Krusty the Klown]], [[skateboarding]], reading [[comic book]]s like ''[[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]'', watching [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]], terrorizing [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], playing [[video games]]/[[computer games]], helping Lisa solve various problems like reuniting Krusty with his [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Hyman Krustofski|estranged father]], and playing various pranks such as [[mooning]] unsuspecting people and [[prank call]]ing [[Moe Szyslak]] at his tavern. His best friend is [[Milhouse van Houten]].

Bart sometimes demonstrates amazing linguistic abilities. Though he has not demonstrated the ability since the [[The Crepes of Wrath|episode in which he learned]], he speaks near-perfect French. He also learned Spanish in a matter of hours in preparation for the family's trip to Brazil. Upon learning that Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Spanish, Homer tells his son to forget what he learned, prompting Bart to strike himself over the head with an airplane phone until he forgot the language. Bart also speaks Japanese, which he also learned in a couple of hours in [[prison]] along with Homer, and is also shown speaking Japanese in 'A Star is Burns', Cantonese and Latin. His advanced linguistic skills may be inherited from Homer, who also speaks advanced languages, including penguin. Bart can also drive, having his own driving license, given to him in "[[Little Big Girl]]" after saving Springfield from a fire, although he has been seen driving before, a la "[[Burns' Heir]]", and also with a fake license, particularly in the episode "[[Bart on the Road]]". He still possesses it, using it to great effect in "[[24 minutes]]", stealing Principal Skinner's car to get to Jimbo's house. He is allergic to real and imitation butterscotch, luminous monster make-up, cauliflower, and shrimp, the latter of which is possibly inherited from his mother. According to an interview, Bart has a fear of coffins. This fear may have started when, shopping for a coffin for the yet-living Grampa in the episode "[[Tennis the Menace]]", when Bart is accidentally shut in a coffin while fooling around. This fear is referred to in "[[Funeral for a Fiend]]", where Bart is nearly cremated while in a coffin. In the episode "[[The Boys of Bummer]]," it is revealed that Bart's favorite song is "[[Love Stinks]]" by [[The J. Geils Band]].

In his book ''Planet Simpson'', Chris Turner describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]]. Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority has been likened to that of America's founding fathers, rendering him an updated version of American icons [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one."<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Simpsons good night.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Homer says good night to Bart in his first televised appearance on the short "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".]]

[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, substituting "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=[[The Sun]]}}</ref> Bart then made his debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref name="goodnight">Richmond, p. 14</ref> The name "Bart" is an anagram of the word "brat".<ref name=sundvd/> Groening conceived Bart as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening's older brother Mark provided most of the inspiration for Bart.<ref name=SitterDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=[[1995-09-30]] | accessmonthday=[[October 7]] | accessyear=[[2007]]}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Bart Carny]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

Groening has also said that he found the premise of many things such as ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

===Voice===

Nancy Cartwright originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but became more interested in the role of Bart when she got there, so Matt Groening let her try out for the part, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Bart's catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was at college.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=[[2007-07-26]]|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref>

Although Cartwright is probably best known for providing the voice of Bart Simpson in ''The Simpsons'', she is also the voice for [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Rod and Todd Flanders|Todd Flanders]] and [[Ralph Wiggum]].<ref name="actors">Stated in interview on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 1998, ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' magazine selected Bart as 46th of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and the only [[fictional character]] to make the list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|publisher=Time}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover the [[December 31]] [[1990]] edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|publisher=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=''[[CNN]]''}}</ref>

Bart's catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]," "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" were featured on t-shirts in the initial show's run.<ref>Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, p. 25. ISBN 0-679-31318-4</ref> The latter two phrases were rarely actually spoken on the show itself until after they became popular through merchandise, and the use of many of these catchphrases diminished in later seasons. The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" in which Bart lands a popular role on the Krusty show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>Turner p. 61</ref> During the early seasons, Bart was the rebellious lead character and frequently received no punishment for his misbehavior, which led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>Turner, p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=[[2007-06-29]]|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> At the time, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like [[the Waltons]] and less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=[[2000-04-15]]}}</ref> Several U.S. public schools even banned ''The Simpsons'' [[merchandise]] and [[t-shirt]]s, such as one featuring Bart and the caption "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/> Despite the ban, ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[US$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/>

Bart is the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character for the show on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s, car decals, and even [[graffiti art]]. Bart, and other Simpsons characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé|Nestlé's]] [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990-2001, with the slogan ''"Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger - Nestle USA Inc. Nestle Chocolate and Confections' television advertisements - Brief Article|accessdate=2007-05-17|publisher=Prepared Foods at Find Articles}}</ref> This association was parodied in "[[Barting Over]]", an episode when he discovered a [[video tape]] with Lisa that proved he participated in a TV commercial when he was a [[baby]]; Bart says that he does not remember being in a commercial, then ironically holds up a Butterfinger and eats it.

Early ''Simpsons'' merchandise included t-shirts that featured a picture of Bart and the slogan 'Underachiever and Proud of It'. Parents and teachers initially objected to the slogan, pointing out that the phrase, coupled with Bart's popularity among teenagers, made Bart a poor role-model for school-aged children.

==See also==
{{wikiquote}}
* [[Chalkboard gag|Bart's chalkboard gags]]
* ''[[Do the Bartman]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
*[http://bart.squarelogic.net Bart Simpson Dedication]
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

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[[Category:Fictional Americans]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

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Lisa Simpson

2008-07-14T01:05:42Z

Adolphus79: revert non-infobo information...

{{Simpsons character
|image=[[Image:Lisa Simpson.png|128px]]
|name=Lisa Simpson
|gender=[[Female]]
|hair= [[Yellow]]
|job=[[Student]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Siblings:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br><small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor= [[Yeardley Smith]]
}}
'''Lisa Marie Simpson''' is a [[fictional character|character]] in the animated [[television]] series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and is voiced by [[Yeardley Smith]]. [[Matt Groening]], the creator of the series, named her after his sister. She is the elder daughter and middle child of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge Simpson]], and the sister of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].

Lisa is an extremely intelligent 8 year old girl, one of the most intelligent characters on the show, with an [[I.Q.]] of either [[Homer's Enemy|156]] or [[Smart and Smarter|159]]. She also plays the [[baritone saxophone]].

==Personality==
[[Image:LisaSimpson Saxophone.png|thumb|200px|left|Lisa with her saxophone.]]
Lisa's knowledge covers a wide range of subjects, from astronomy to medicine, and she is notably more concerned with world affairs than her life in Springfield. Lisa shares her intellect and overachieving personality traits with other [[female]] members of the Simpson family ("[[Lisa the Simpson]]" revealed that Simpson [[male]]s inherit a [[gene]] on the [[Y chromosome]] that prevents them from using their intellect regularly). Lisa also deeply values her [[integrity]], as demonstrated when she cheats on a test on ''[[The Wind in the Willows]]'' to attain her highest grade of A+++, but later admits her dishonesty to an unreceptive [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and later self-grades her test as an F. Like her brother Bart, Lisa has received [[detention]] quite a number of times, often because of her rebellious and sometimes bitter attitude and anti-social behavior that is capable of deeply embarrassing authority figures. For instance, she once stole all the teacher's edition [[textbook]]s of the school's faculty and threw it into a panic as their ignorance is threatened to be exposed. In "[[The President Wore Pearls]]", Lisa's dedication to being Student Council President makes her troublesome with the teaching staff, so Principal Skinner temporarily transfers her to a school for the academically gifted, much to her delight (although Homer refuses to allow her to attend). She was also able to talk at a very young age, as seen in "[[Homer's Barbershop Quartet]]".

Although her rebellion against social normalities is usually depicted as constructive and heroic, Lisa can be self-righteous at times. Notably, in "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", her increasing sense of moral righteousness regarding her [[vegetarianism]] leads her to proselytize, culminating in her disruption of a "meat-based" [[barbecue]] prepared by Homer, an act she comes to rue. In "[[Bart Star]]", she triumphantly declares that she, a girl, would like to join the football team. When it is revealed that there are already girls on the team, she declares her distaste for a sport that would use a pig's skin to make its ball. When it is revealed that the ball is actually synthetic, she is at a loss for words and runs off visibly upset. She is often embarrassed and disapproving of her eccentric family: of her father's poor parenting skills and buffoonish personality; her mother's stereotyped image and inability to recognize social abnormalities; and her brother's delinquent and low-brow nature. She is also concerned that Maggie may grow up to be like the rest of the family, and is seen trying to teach her complex ideas. However, in the end she is very loyal to her family, most clearly seen in "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", which deals with her concerns with introducing them to her cultured future fiancé.

Despite her high [[IQ]], Lisa does have typical childhood issues, sometimes requiring adult intervention. In "[[Lost Our Lisa]]", she tricks Homer into allowing her to ride the bus alone, only to become hopelessly lost. After his coworkers [[Lenny Leonard|Lenny]] and [[Carl Carlson|Carl]] point out that he allowed his 8 year old daughter to ride a bus by herself, Homer comes to her rescue. In one episode, Lisa has a Jewish [[imaginary friend]] named Rachel who "just got into [[Brandeis University|Brandeis]]." In the earlier seasons, Lisa displayed more personality traits of a young girl, including obsessing over getting a pony, addiction to TV and fighting with Bart many times throughout the series. She also finds Bart's joke-calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] funny (although she never does it personally). It is slightly less prevalent in the later seasons.

In "[[Homer's Enemy]]", it is mentioned that Lisa has an IQ of 156. She is a member of [[Mensa International|Mensa]] [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]]. Lisa demonstrates an early intelligence by changing her own [[diaper]] as an [[infant]] and completing a puzzle in Dr. Pryor's office at 3 years old. When unable to attend school due to a [[teacher]]s' [[strike action|strike]] in "[[The PTA Disbands]]", she suffered a sort of "school withdrawal" and invents a [[perpetual motion]] machine that Homer describes as going "faster and faster". He goes on to chastise her, saying "In this house, we obey the [[laws of thermodynamics]]!"

Lisa's political convictions are generally socially liberal. She is a [[vegetarianism|vegetarian]], and a supporter of the [[Free Tibet movement]].<ref name="s14e12">{{cite episode | title = I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can | episodelink = I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can
| series = The Simpsons | serieslink = The Simpsons | network = Fox | airdate = 2003-02-16 | season = 14 | number = 303 | minutes = }}Lisa yells "Free Tibet!" after winning the school spelling bee.</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.snpp.com/guides/foreign.html|title= A Foreign Affair|accessdate=2007-06-16|last=Rasmussen
|first=Claus|coauthors=''et al''|date=2004-06-10|work=The Simpsons Archive|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20040812122015/http://www.snpp.com/guides/foreign.html|archivedate=2004-08-12
|quote=Lisa yells "Free Tibet!" after winning the school spelling bee.}}</ref> While still supportive of the [[Christianity|Christian]] church in which she was raised,<ref>[http://www.snpp.com/episodes/DABF02 Episode DAB-F02]</ref> Lisa became a practicing [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] following her decision to follow the [[Noble Eightfold Path]].<ref name="s13e06">{{cite episode | title = She of Little Faith | episodelink = She of Little Faith | series = The Simpsons | serieslink = The Simpsons | network = Fox | airdate = 2001-12-16 | season = 13 | number = 275 | minutes = }}</ref> She also supports the theory of [[Darwinism]] and [[evolution]], calling Darwin "one of the greatest minds" of all time, as seen in the episode, "[[The Monkey Suit]]." Though apparently not an adherent, she mentions in one episode that she considers [[Wicca]] "very empowering." <ref> "Catch 'Em if You Can" </ref> There have been several instances where Lisa has used extreme measures to get her point across (such as throwing paint on the [[Keebler]] elves <ref> "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy" </ref> and on [[Krusty the Clown]] for wearing a fur coat). She has also expressed tolerance and acceptance of [[homosexuality]] in a number of different episodes, including "[[Three Gays of the Condo]]".

Lisa's quintessentially good nature, even compared to her family members, is symbolized in the episode "[[Simpsons Bible Stories]]", when she is the only family member to be raised up to Heaven during the [[Rapture]] (although Homer pulls her back down so she can go to Hell with the rest of them).

Lisa has had relationships with several boys, including [[Ralph Wiggum]] ("[[I Love Lisa]]"), [[Nelson Muntz]] ("[[Lisa's Date with Density]]" and "[[Love, Springfieldian Style]]") and [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Colin|Colin]] (''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''). She has revealed that the boy in school that she likes the most is a never-seen boy called Langdon Alger. [[Milhouse Van Houten]] also has a crush on her, and tries to get her to kiss or date him frequently, and as yet has been unsuccessful. Although, it is hinted that he might become her future boyfrined/husband. In [[Lisa's Wedding]] she is shown by a gypsy at a carnival that she will become engaged to a man named Hugh Parkfield. However, she leaves him on their wedding day as he doesn't care for her family and doesn't want them to be a part of their lives.

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Yeardleysmithcomiccon.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Voice actress [[Yeardley Smith]].]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, and Lisa is the name of one of his sisters.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Lisa then made her debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 14. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> [[Nancy Cartwright]], originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but was soon told that her voice would be better suited voicing Bart.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Yeardley Smith had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high, so Smith was given the role of Lisa instead. In order to perform the voice, Smith lifts her voice up a little.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=[[2007-12-08]]|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Charles Miranda}}</ref>

In the Tracey Ullman Show shorts, Lisa was more of a "female Bart" and was equally mischievous.<ref>{{cite video | people=Mirkin, David|year=2004|title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Boy-Scoutz N the Hood"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> As the series progressed, Lisa began to develop into a more intelligent and more emotional character with "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" being one of the first episodes where her true intelligence is fully shown.<ref name="Reiss">{{cite video | people=Reiss, Mike|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Krusty Gets Busted"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Many episodes focusing on Lisa have an emotional nature, the first one being "[[Moaning Lisa]]". The idea for the episode was pitched by [[James L. Brooks]], who had wanted to do an emotional episode where Lisa is sad because the show had done a lot of "jokey episodes".<ref name="Reiss1">{{cite video | people=Reiss, Mike|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Moaning Lisa"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 2001 Lisa received a special "Board of Directors Ongoing Commitment Award" at the [[Environmental Media Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-11-15-simpsons.htm|title= Lisa Simpson animates environmental awards|author=W. Reed Moran|date=2001-11-15|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", an episode from [[The Simpsons (season 7)|the seventh season]], won both an Environmental Media Award for "Best Television Episodic Comedy"<ref name="EMAIMDB">{{cite news|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096697/awards|title=Awards for "The Simpsons"|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]}}</ref> and a [[Genesis Awards|Genesis Award]] for "Best Television Comedy Series, Ongoing Commitment".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1995_genesis_awards.html|title=1995 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2007-10-21|publisher=[[Humane Society of the United States|hsus.org]]}}</ref> Lisa was also listed at number 11 (in the same entry as Bart) in ''[[TV Guide|TV Guide's]]'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time."<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters]</ref> In [[Japan]], the broadcasters of the series found they were able to turn the apparent viewer dislike of the series around by focusing marketing attention on Lisa. Lisa's well-intended but ill-fated struggles to be a voice of reason and a force of good in her family and city struck a chord with the Japanese.<ref>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris | title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] |publisher=Random House of Canada |id=ISBN 0-679-31318-4|page=pg. 327}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
*[[Lisa's sax solo gags on The Simpsons]]
*[[List of characters from The Simpsons]]

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_lisa.htm Lisa Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003029}}

{{Simpsons characters}}



{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Lisa}}
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[[Category:Child characters in television]]
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[[Category:Fictional vegetarians]]
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Bart Simpson

2008-07-13T16:49:26Z

Adolphus79: vandalism revert...

{{for|the comic book series of the same name|Bart Simpson comics}}
{{Simpsons character
|name=Bartholomew J Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|128px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student
|hair=yellow
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson|Abraham]] and [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona]] <br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" Jojo Simpson''' <ref name="CompleteGuide">Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 178. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> is a [[fictional character|character]] in the [[FOX]] animated [[television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is voiced by [[Nancy Cartwright (actress)|Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name="CompleteGuide"/>, and first appeared on the ''[[Tracy Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night]]". At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson]], and the elder brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].<ref name="CompleteGuide"/> Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness, disrespect for authority and sharp wit. During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'', Bart was the show's main character; while later episodes started to focus more on Homer, Bart remains one of the most enduring characters on the series, and has proven to be one of the most well-known characters in the history of American television animation.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Personality==
Bart is a self-described underachiever and proud of it, and is considerably motivated in disrupting the routine at [[Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]]. His pranks are often elaborately complex, while his actions and speech frequently show considerable mental agility, street-smarts, and understanding. In "[[Separate Vocations]]" when Bart becomes hall monitor, his grades go up, showing that he only struggles because he does not pay attention, not because he is dumb. This is reinforced in the episode "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder. On the other hand, he often seems to have trouble understanding even the simplest concepts, such as the word "irony", what the [[equator]] is and that the logo on his globe, "Rand McNally," is not actually a country. The fact that he is the son of Homer Simpson and shares many of the same mannerisms and behaviors may also account for his antics. Homer even described Bart as "a younger, more in-your-face version" of himself. It is often joked that Bart is a pawn of the devil due to his mischievous behavior, such as when Lisa calls him "the Devil's cabana boy", a role which Bart seems to relish. In one Halloween episode, the Devil actually makes an appearance in the form of [[Ned Flanders]], saying "Hey, Bart" like they are old friends.

Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped the school Principal [[Seymour Skinner]], and his teacher [[Edna Krabappel]] despite the fact he often terrorizes them, and he often befriends outcasts like [[Milhouse Van Houten]]. One great example of his quasi sense of honor is in the episode ''[[This Little Wiggy]]'' where Bart stands up for [[Ralph Wiggum]] at the cost of peer popularity. In addition Bart, almost invariably, has made amends with the person he has pranked by the end of an episode.

Due to Bart's mischievousness and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy". Whenever Homer finds out that Bart has said or done something stupid or bad, he yells "Why you little–!" and then strangles him. In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Homer and Bart's relationship reaches a breaking point following Homer's pollution of Lake Springfield. Nevertheless, the two really do love each other deep down. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], however, is much more caring, understanding and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics. Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.

Bart's appearance in the show rarely changes from episode-to-episode. He typically sports blue shorts and an orange t-shirt with blue sneakers that resemble [[Converse]] [[Chuck Taylor All-Stars]].{{Or|date=June 2008}} Although his t-shirt color occasionally changes to light blue or red, a differing appearance is only seen in special occasions such as when the Simpsons go to church or when the episode takes place in the winter season.

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa out of jealousy, and even fought her physically, they are very close. Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him, and has always apologized for going too far. He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems, and frequently goes to her for advice. Despite his duties as a brother to torment his sister, Bart is also highly protective of Lisa, such as in [[Bart the General]]: when a bully destroys her box of cupcakes he immediately steps in with a 'that's my sister, man!' and proceeds to stand up against schoolyard-leviathan Nelson Muntz. This close relationship is also exhibited in [[Round Springfield]]; after the death of Lisa's hero Bleeding Gums Murphy, Bart uses his Krusty-Metal-O settlement money to buy her the only known copy of Murphy's album, because she was the only one who believed him when he said he was sick. The siblings have formed a dynamic crime-solving duo during many of their encounters with [[Sideshow Bob]], Bart's nemesis.

Bart also has had numerous relationships, including one of Lisa's friends, Emily, who kissed Bart on a dare ("[[Flaming Moe's]]"), [[Reverend Lovejoy]]'s daughter, Jessica Lovejoy ("[[Bart's Girlfriend]]"), Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta Wolfcastle ("[[The Bart Wants What it Wants]]"), a juvenial, Gina Vendetti ("[[The Wandering Juvie]]"), a girl from North Haverbrook, Darcy ("[[Little Big Girl]]"), an unnamed girl in ("[[The Monkey Suit]]"), and a girl in season nineteen's upcoming episode. Bart's first (and probably the greatest) love of his life was [[Laura Powers]] ("[[New Kid on the Block]]"), his next door neighbor and babysitter, with whom he shares a lot in common. But because she's a teenager and Bart is only 10, the two never have a relationship. In [[Another Simpsons Clip Show]], Bart calls Laura "The only girl he ever loved", although this was set before the episodes featuring most of the other relationships.

Bart's interests include watching [[Krusty the Klown]], [[skateboarding]], reading [[comic book]]s like ''[[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]'', watching [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]], terrorizing [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], playing [[video games]]/[[computer games]], helping Lisa solve various problems like reuniting Krusty with his [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Hyman Krustofski|estranged father]], and playing various pranks such as [[mooning]] unsuspecting people and [[prank call]]ing [[Moe Szyslak]] at his tavern. His best friend is [[Milhouse van Houten]].

Bart sometimes demonstrates amazing linguistic abilities. Though he has not demonstrated the ability since the [[The Crepes of Wrath|episode in which he learned]], he speaks near-perfect French. He also learned Spanish in a matter of hours in preparation for the family's trip to Brazil. Upon learning that Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Spanish, Homer tells his son to forget what he learned, prompting Bart to strike himself over the head with an airplane phone until he forgot the language. Bart also speaks Japanese, which he also learned in a couple of hours in [[prison]] along with Homer, and is also shown speaking Japanese in 'A Star is Burns', Cantonese and Latin. His advanced linguistic skills may be inherited from Homer, who also speaks advanced languages, including penguin. Bart can also drive, having his own driving license, given to him in "[[Little Big Girl]]" after saving Springfield from a fire, although he has been seen driving before, a la "[[Burns' Heir]]", and also with a fake license, particularly in the episode "[[Bart on the Road]]". He still possesses it, using it to great effect in "[[24 minutes]]", stealing Principal Skinner's car to get to Jimbo's house. He is allergic to real and imitation butterscotch, luminous monster make-up, cauliflower, and shrimp, the latter of which is possibly inherited from his mother. According to an interview, Bart has a fear of coffins. This fear may have started when, shopping for a coffin for the yet-living Grampa in the episode "[[Tennis the Menace]]", when Bart is accidentally shut in a coffin while fooling around. This fear is referred to in "[[Funeral for a Fiend]]", where Bart is nearly cremated while in a coffin. In the episode "[[The Boys of Bummer]]," it is revealed that Bart's favorite song is "[[Love Stinks]]" by [[The J. Geils Band]].

In his book ''Planet Simpson'', Chris Turner describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]]. Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority has been likened to that of America's founding fathers, rendering him an updated version of American icons [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one."<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Simpsons good night.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Homer says good night to Bart in his first televised appearance on the short "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".]]

[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, substituting "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=[[The Sun]]}}</ref> Bart then made his debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref name="goodnight">Richmond, p. 14</ref> The name "Bart" is an anagram of the word "brat".<ref name=sundvd/> Groening conceived Bart as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening's older brother Mark provided most of the inspiration for Bart.<ref name=SitterDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=[[1995-09-30]] | accessmonthday=[[October 7]] | accessyear=[[2007]]}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Bart Carny]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

Groening has also said that he found the premise of many things such as ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

===Voice===

Nancy Cartwright originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but became more interested in the role of Bart when she got there, so Matt Groening let her try out for the part, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Bart's catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was at college.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=[[2007-07-26]]|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref>

Although Cartwright is probably best known for providing the voice of Bart Simpson in ''The Simpsons'', she is also the voice for [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Rod and Todd Flanders|Todd Flanders]] and [[Ralph Wiggum]].<ref name="actors">Stated in interview on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 1998, ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' magazine selected Bart as 46th of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and the only [[fictional character]] to make the list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|publisher=Time}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover the [[December 31]] [[1990]] edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|publisher=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=''[[CNN]]''}}</ref>

Bart's catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]," "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" were featured on t-shirts in the initial show's run.<ref>Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, p. 25. ISBN 0-679-31318-4</ref> The latter two phrases were rarely actually spoken on the show itself until after they became popular through merchandise, and the use of many of these catchphrases diminished in later seasons. The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" in which Bart lands a popular role on the Krusty show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>Turner p. 61</ref> During the early seasons, Bart was the rebellious lead character and frequently received no punishment for his misbehavior, which led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>Turner, p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=[[2007-06-29]]|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> At the time, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like [[the Waltons]] and less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=[[2000-04-15]]}}</ref> Several U.S. public schools even banned ''The Simpsons'' [[merchandise]] and [[t-shirt]]s, such as one featuring Bart and the caption "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/> Despite the ban, ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[US$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/>

Bart is the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character for the show on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s, car decals, and even [[graffiti art]]. Bart, and other Simpsons characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé|Nestlé's]] [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990-2001, with the slogan ''"Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger - Nestle USA Inc. Nestle Chocolate and Confections' television advertisements - Brief Article|accessdate=2007-05-17|publisher=Prepared Foods at Find Articles}}</ref> This association was parodied in "[[Barting Over]]", an episode when he discovered a [[video tape]] with Lisa that proved he participated in a TV commercial when he was a [[baby]]; Bart says that he does not remember being in a commercial, then ironically holds up a Butterfinger and eats it.

Early ''Simpsons'' merchandise included t-shirts that featured a picture of Bart and the slogan 'Underachiever and Proud of It'. Parents and teachers initially objected to the slogan, pointing out that the phrase, coupled with Bart's popularity among teenagers, made Bart a poor role-model for school-aged children.

==See also==
{{wikiquote}}
* [[Chalkboard gag|Bart's chalkboard gags]]
* ''[[Do the Bartman]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
*[http://bart.squarelogic.net Bart Simpson Dedication]
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Fictional Americans]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

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Bart Simpson

2008-07-12T16:20:14Z

Adolphus79: vandalism revert...

{{for|the comic book series of the same name|Bart Simpson comics}}
{{Simpsons character
|name=Bartholomew J Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|128px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student
|hair=yellow
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson|Abraham]] and [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona]] <br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" Jojo Simpson''' <ref name="CompleteGuide">Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 178. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> is a [[fictional character|character]] in the [[FOX]] animated [[television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is voiced by [[Nancy Cartwright (actress)|Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name="CompleteGuide"/>, and first appeared on the ''[[Tracy Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night]]". At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson]], and the elder brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].<ref name="CompleteGuide"/> Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness, disrespect for authority and sharp wit. During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'', Bart was the show's main character; while later episodes started to focus more on Homer, Bart remains one of the most enduring characters on the series, and has proven to be one of the most well-known characters in the history of American television animation.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Personality==
Bart is a self-described underachiever and proud of it, and is considerably motivated in disrupting the routine at [[Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]]. His pranks are often elaborately complex, while his actions and speech frequently show considerable mental agility, street-smarts, and understanding. In "[[Separate Vocations]]" when Bart becomes hall monitor, his grades go up, showing that he only struggles because he does not pay attention, not because he is dumb. This is reinforced in the episode "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder. On the other hand, he often seems to have trouble understanding even the simplest concepts, such as the word "irony", what the [[equator]] is and that the logo on his globe, "Rand McNally," is not actually a country. The fact that he is the son of Homer Simpson and shares many of the same mannerisms and behaviors may also account for his antics. Homer even described Bart as "a younger, more in-your-face version" of himself. It is often joked that Bart is a pawn of the devil due to his mischievous behavior, such as when Lisa calls him "the Devil's cabana boy", a role which Bart seems to relish. In one Halloween episode, the Devil actually makes an appearance in the form of [[Ned Flanders]], saying "Hey, Bart" like they are old friends.

Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped the school Principal [[Seymour Skinner]], and his teacher [[Edna Krabappel]] despite the fact he often terrorizes them, and he often befriends outcasts like [[Milhouse Van Houten]]. One great example of his quasi sense of honor is in the episode ''[[This Little Wiggy]]'' where Bart stands up for [[Ralph Wiggum]] at the cost of peer popularity. In addition Bart, almost invariably, has made amends with the person he has pranked by the end of an episode.

Due to Bart's mischievousness and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy". Whenever Homer finds out that Bart has said or done something stupid or bad, he yells "Why you little–!" and then strangles him. In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Homer and Bart's relationship reaches a breaking point following Homer's pollution of Lake Springfield. Nevertheless, the two really do love each other deep down. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], however, is much more caring, understanding and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics. Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.

Bart's appearance in the show rarely changes from episode-to-episode. He typically sports blue shorts and an orange t-shirt with blue sneakers that resemble [[Converse]] [[Chuck Taylor All-Stars]].{{Or|date=June 2008}} Although his t-shirt color occasionally changes to light blue or red, a differing appearance is only seen in special occasions such as when the Simpsons go to church or when the episode takes place in the winter season.

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa out of jealousy, and even fought her physically, they are very close. Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him, and has always apologized for going too far. He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems, and frequently goes to her for advice. Despite his duties as a brother to torment his sister, Bart is also highly protective of Lisa, such as in [[Bart the General]]: when a bully destroys her box of cupcakes he immediately steps in with a 'that's my sister, man!' and proceeds to stand up against schoolyard-leviathan Nelson Muntz. This close relationship is also exhibited in [[Round Springfield]]; after the death of Lisa's hero Bleeding Gums Murphy, Bart uses his Krusty-Metal-O settlement money to buy her the only known copy of Murphy's album, because she was the only one who believed him when he said he was sick. The siblings have formed a dynamic crime-solving duo during many of their encounters with [[Sideshow Bob]], Bart's nemesis.

Bart also has had numerous relationships, including one of Lisa's friends, Emily, who kissed Bart on a dare ("[[Flaming Moe's]]"), [[Reverend Lovejoy]]'s daughter, Jessica Lovejoy ("[[Bart's Girlfriend]]"), Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta Wolfcastle ("[[The Bart Wants What it Wants]]"), a juvenial, Gina Vendetti ("[[The Wandering Juvie]]"), a girl from North Haverbrook, Darcy ("[[Little Big Girl]]"), an unnamed girl in ("[[The Monkey Suit]]"), and a girl in season nineteen's upcoming episode. Bart's first (and probably the greatest) love of his life was [[Laura Powers]] ("[[New Kid on the Block]]"), his next door neighbor and babysitter, with whom he shares a lot in common. But because she's a teenager and Bart is only 10, the two never have a relationship. In [[Another Simpsons Clip Show]], Bart calls Laura "The only girl he ever loved", although this was set before the episodes featuring most of the other relationships.

Bart's interests include watching [[Krusty the Klown]], [[skateboarding]], reading [[comic book]]s like ''[[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]'', watching [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]], terrorizing [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], playing [[video games]]/[[computer games]], helping Lisa solve various problems like reuniting Krusty with his [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Hyman Krustofski|estranged father]], and playing various pranks such as [[mooning]] unsuspecting people and [[prank call]]ing [[Moe Szyslak]] at his tavern. His best friend is [[Milhouse van Houten]].

Bart sometimes demonstrates amazing linguistic abilities. Though he has not demonstrated the ability since the [[The Crepes of Wrath|episode in which he learned]], he speaks near-perfect French. He also learned Spanish in a matter of hours in preparation for the family's trip to Brazil. Upon learning that Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Spanish, Homer tells his son to forget what he learned, prompting Bart to strike himself over the head with an airplane phone until he forgot the language. Bart also speaks Japanese, which he also learned in a couple of hours in [[prison]] along with Homer, and is also shown speaking Japanese in 'A Star is Burns', Cantonese and Latin. His advanced linguistic skills may be inherited from Homer, who also speaks advanced languages, including penguin. Bart can also drive, having his own driving license, given to him in "[[Little Big Girl]]" after saving Springfield from a fire, although he has been seen driving before, a la "[[Burns' Heir]]", and also with a fake license, particularly in the episode "[[Bart on the Road]]". He still possesses it, using it to great effect in "[[24 minutes]]", stealing Principal Skinner's car to get to Jimbo's house. He is allergic to real and imitation butterscotch, luminous monster make-up, cauliflower, and shrimp, the latter of which is possibly inherited from his mother. According to an interview, Bart has a fear of coffins. This fear may have started when, shopping for a coffin for the yet-living Grampa in the episode "[[Tennis the Menace]]", when Bart is accidentally shut in a coffin while fooling around. This fear is referred to in "[[Funeral for a Fiend]]", where Bart is nearly cremated while in a coffin. In the episode "[[The Boys of Bummer]]," it is revealed that Bart's favorite song is "[[Love Stinks]]" by [[The J. Geils Band]].

In his book ''Planet Simpson'', Chris Turner describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]]. Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority has been likened to that of America's founding fathers, rendering him an updated version of American icons [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one."<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Simpsons good night.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Homer says good night to Bart in his first televised appearance on the short "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".]]

[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, substituting "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=[[The Sun]]}}</ref> Bart then made his debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref name="goodnight">Richmond, p. 14</ref> The name "Bart" is an anagram of the word "brat".<ref name=sundvd/> Groening conceived Bart as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening's older brother Mark provided most of the inspiration for Bart.<ref name=SitterDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=[[1995-09-30]] | accessmonthday=[[October 7]] | accessyear=[[2007]]}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Bart Carny]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

Groening has also said that he found the premise of many things such as ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

===Voice===

Nancy Cartwright originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but became more interested in the role of Bart when she got there, so Matt Groening let her try out for the part, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Bart's catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was at college.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=[[2007-07-26]]|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref>

Although Cartwright is probably best known for providing the voice of Bart Simpson in ''The Simpsons'', she is also the voice for [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Rod and Todd Flanders|Todd Flanders]] and [[Ralph Wiggum]].<ref name="actors">Stated in interview on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 1998, ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' magazine selected Bart as 46th of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and the only fictional character to make the list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|publisher=Time}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover the [[December 31]] [[1990]] edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|publisher=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=''[[CNN]]''}}</ref>

Bart's catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]," "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" were featured on t-shirts in the initial show's run.<ref>Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, p. 25. ISBN 0-679-31318-4</ref> The latter two phrases were rarely actually spoken on the show itself until after they became popular through merchandise, and the use of many of these catchphrases diminished in later seasons. The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" in which Bart lands a popular role on the Krusty show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>Turner p. 61</ref> During the early seasons, Bart was the rebellious lead character and frequently received no punishment for his misbehavior, which led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>Turner, p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=[[2007-06-29]]|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> At the time, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like [[the Waltons]] and less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=[[2000-04-15]]}}</ref> Several U.S. public schools even banned ''The Simpsons'' [[merchandise]] and [[t-shirt]]s, such as one featuring Bart and the caption "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/> Despite the ban, ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[US$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/>

Bart is the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character for the show on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s, car decals, and even [[graffiti art]]. Bart, and other Simpsons characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé|Nestlé's]] [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990-2001, with the slogan ''"Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger - Nestle USA Inc. Nestle Chocolate and Confections' television advertisements - Brief Article|accessdate=2007-05-17|publisher=Prepared Foods at Find Articles}}</ref> This association was parodied in "[[Barting Over]]", an episode when he discovered a [[video tape]] with Lisa that proved he participated in a TV commercial when he was a [[baby]]; Bart says that he does not remember being in a commercial, then ironically holds up a Butterfinger and eats it.

Early ''Simpsons'' merchandise included t-shirts that featured a picture of Bart and the slogan 'Underachiever and Proud of It'. Parents and teachers initially objected to the slogan, pointing out that the phrase, coupled with Bart's popularity among teenagers, made Bart a poor role-model for school-aged children.

==See also==
{{wikiquote}}
* [[Chalkboard gag|Bart's chalkboard gags]]
* ''[[Do the Bartman]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
*[http://bart.squarelogic.net Bart Simpson Dedication]
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
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[[Category:Fictional Americans]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

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Lisa Simpson

2008-07-11T19:07:22Z

Adolphus79: Reverted edits by 86.40.255.200 (talk) to last version by 98.226.221.176

{{Simpsons character
|image=[[Image:Lisa Simpson.png|128px]]
|name=Lisa Simpson
|gender=[[Female]]
|hair= [[Yellow]]
|job=[[Student]]
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Siblings:''' [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br><small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor= [[Yeardley Smith]]
}}
'''Lisa Marie Simpson''' is a [[fictional character|character]] in the animated [[television]] series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and is voiced by [[Yeardley Smith]]. [[Matt Groening]], the creator of the series, named her after his sister. She is the elder daughter and middle child of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge Simpson]], and the sister of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].

Lisa is an extremely intelligent 8 year old girl, one of the most intelligent characters on the show, with an [[I.Q.]] of either [[Homer's Enemy|156]] or [[Smart and Smarter|159]]. She also plays the [[baritone saxophone]].

==Personality==
[[Image:LisaSimpson Saxophone.png|thumb|200px|left|Lisa with her saxophone.]]
Lisa's knowledge covers a wide range of subjects, from astronomy to medicine, and she is notably more concerned with world affairs than her life in Springfield. Lisa shares her intellect and overachieving personality traits with other [[female]] members of the Simpson family ("[[Lisa the Simpson]]" revealed that Simpson [[male]]s inherit a [[gene]] on the [[Y chromosome]] that prevents them from using their intellect regularly). Lisa also deeply values her [[integrity]], as demonstrated when she cheats on a test on ''[[The Wind in the Willows]]'' to attain her highest grade of A+++, but later admits her dishonesty to an unreceptive [[Seymour Skinner|Principal Skinner]], and later self-grades her test as an F. Like her brother Bart, Lisa has received [[detention]] quite a number of times, often because of her rebellious and sometimes bitter attitude and anti-social behavior that is capable of deeply embarrassing authority figures. For instance, she once stole all the teacher's edition [[textbook]]s of the school's faculty and threw it into a panic as their ignorance is threatened to be exposed. In "[[The President Wore Pearls]]", Lisa's dedication to being Student Council President makes her troublesome with the teaching staff, so Principal Skinner temporarily transfers her to a school for the academically gifted, much to her delight (although Homer refuses to allow her to attend). She was also able to talk at a very young age, as seen in "[[Homer's Barbershop Quartet]]".

Although her rebellion against social normalities is usually depicted as constructive and heroic, Lisa can be self-righteous at times. Notably, in "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", her increasing sense of moral righteousness regarding her [[vegetarianism]] leads her to proselytize, culminating in her disruption of a "meat-based" [[barbecue]] prepared by Homer, an act she comes to rue. In "[[Bart Star]]", she triumphantly declares that she, a girl, would like to join the football team. When it is revealed that there are already girls on the team, she declares her distaste for a sport that would use a pig's skin to make its ball. When it is revealed that the ball is actually synthetic, she is at a loss for words and runs off visibly upset. She is often embarrassed and disapproving of her eccentric family: of her father's poor parenting skills and buffoonish personality; her mother's stereotyped image and inability to recognize social abnormalities; and her brother's delinquent and low-brow nature. She is also concerned that Maggie may grow up to be like the rest of the family, and is seen trying to teach her complex ideas. However, in the end she is very loyal to her family, most clearly seen in "[[Lisa's Wedding]]", which deals with her concerns with introducing them to her cultured future fiancé.

Despite her high [[IQ]], Lisa does have typical childhood issues, sometimes requiring adult intervention. In "[[Lost Our Lisa]]", she tricks Homer into allowing her to ride the bus alone, only to become hopelessly lost. After his coworkers [[Lenny Leonard|Lenny]] and [[Carl Carlson|Carl]] point out that he allowed his 8 year old daughter to ride a bus by herself, Homer comes to her rescue. In one episode, Lisa has a Jewish [[imaginary friend]] named Rachel who "just got into [[Brandeis University|Brandeis]]." In the earlier seasons, Lisa displayed more personality traits of a young girl, including obsessing over getting a pony, addiction to TV and fighting with Bart many times throughout the series. She also finds Bart's joke-calls to [[Moe's Tavern]] funny (although she never does it personally). It is slightly less prevalent in the later seasons.

In "[[Homer's Enemy]]", it is mentioned that Lisa has an IQ of 156. She is a member of [[Mensa International|Mensa]] [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]]. Lisa demonstrates an early intelligence by changing her own [[diaper]] as an [[infant]] and completing a puzzle in Dr. Pryor's office at 3 years old. When unable to attend school due to a [[teacher]]s' [[strike action|strike]] in "[[The PTA Disbands]]", she suffered a sort of "school withdrawal" and invents a [[perpetual motion]] machine that Homer describes as going "faster and faster". He goes on to chastise her, saying "In this house, we obey the [[laws of thermodynamics]]!"

Lisa's political convictions are generally socially liberal. She is a [[vegetarianism|vegetarian]], and a supporter of the [[Free Tibet movement]].<ref name="s14e12">{{cite episode | title = I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can | episodelink = I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can
| series = The Simpsons | serieslink = The Simpsons | network = Fox | airdate = 2003-02-16 | season = 14 | number = 303 | minutes = }}Lisa yells "Free Tibet!" after winning the school spelling bee.</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.snpp.com/guides/foreign.html|title= A Foreign Affair|accessdate=2007-06-16|last=Rasmussen
|first=Claus|coauthors=''et al''|date=2004-06-10|work=The Simpsons Archive|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20040812122015/http://www.snpp.com/guides/foreign.html|archivedate=2004-08-12
|quote=Lisa yells "Free Tibet!" after winning the school spelling bee.}}</ref> While still supportive of the [[Christianity|Christian]] church in which she was raised,<ref>[http://www.snpp.com/episodes/DABF02 Episode DAB-F02]</ref> Lisa became a practicing [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] following her decision to follow the [[Noble Eightfold Path]].<ref name="s13e06">{{cite episode | title = She of Little Faith | episodelink = She of Little Faith | series = The Simpsons | serieslink = The Simpsons | network = Fox | airdate = 2001-12-16 | season = 13 | number = 275 | minutes = }}</ref> She also supports the theory of [[Darwinism]] and [[evolution]], calling Darwin "one of the greatest minds" of all time, as seen in the episode, "[[The Monkey Suit]]." Though apparently not an adherent, she mentions in one episode that she considers [[Wicca]] "very empowering." <ref> "Catch 'Em if You Can" </ref> There have been several instances where Lisa has used extreme measures to get her point across (such as throwing paint on the [[Keebler]] elves <ref> "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy" </ref> and on [[Krusty the Clown]] for wearing a fur coat). She has also expressed tolerance and acceptance of [[homosexuality]] in a number of different episodes, including "[[Three Gays of the Condo]]".

Lisa's quintessentially good nature, even compared to her family members, is symbolized in the episode "[[Simpsons Bible Stories]]", when she is the only family member to be raised up to Heaven during the [[Rapture]] (although Homer pulls her back down so she can go to Hell with the rest of them).

Lisa has had relationships with several boys, including [[Ralph Wiggum]] ("[[I Love Lisa]]"), [[Nelson Muntz]] ("[[Lisa's Date with Density]]" and "[[Love, Springfieldian Style]]") and [[List of one-time characters from The Simpsons#Colin|Colin]] (''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''). She has revealed that the boy in school that she likes the most is a never-seen boy called Langdon Alger. [[Milhouse Van Houten]] also has a crush on her, and tries to get her to kiss or date him frequently, and as yet has been unsuccessful. Although, it is hinted that he might become her future boyfrined/husband. In [[Lisa's Wedding]] she is shown by a gypsy at a carnival that she will become engaged to a man named Hugh Parkfield. However, she leaves him on their wedding day as he doesn't care for her family and doesn't want them to be apart of their lives.

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Yeardleysmithcomiccon.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Voice actress [[Yeardley Smith]].]]
[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, and Lisa is the name of one of his sisters.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> Lisa then made her debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref>Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 14. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> [[Nancy Cartwright]], originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but was soon told that her voice would be better suited voicing Bart.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Yeardley Smith had initially been asked to audition for the role of Bart but casting director [[Bonita Pietila]] believed her voice was too high, so Smith was given the role of Lisa instead. In order to perform the voice, Smith lifts her voice up a little.<ref>{{cite news|title=She who laughs last|date=[[2007-12-08]]|accessdate=2008-02-09|page=8E|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph (Australia)|The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Charles Miranda}}</ref>

In the Tracey Ullman Show shorts, Lisa was more of a "female Bart" and was equally mischievous.<ref>{{cite video | people=Mirkin, David|year=2004|title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Boy-Scoutz N the Hood"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> As the series progressed, Lisa began to develop into a more intelligent and more emotional character with "[[Krusty Gets Busted]]" being one of the first episodes where her true intelligence is fully shown.<ref name="Reiss">{{cite video | people=Reiss, Mike|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Krusty Gets Busted"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Many episodes focusing on Lisa have an emotional nature, the first one being "[[Moaning Lisa]]". The idea for the episode was pitched by [[James L. Brooks]], who had wanted to do an emotional episode where Lisa is sad because the show had done a lot of "jokey episodes".<ref name="Reiss1">{{cite video | people=Reiss, Mike|year=2001|title=The Simpsons season 1 DVD commentary for the episode "Moaning Lisa"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 2001 Lisa received a special "Board of Directors Ongoing Commitment Award" at the [[Environmental Media Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/spotlight/2001-11-15-simpsons.htm|title= Lisa Simpson animates environmental awards|author=W. Reed Moran|date=2001-11-15|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> "[[Lisa the Vegetarian]]", an episode from [[The Simpsons (season 7)|the seventh season]], won both an Environmental Media Award for "Best Television Episodic Comedy"<ref name="EMAIMDB">{{cite news|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096697/awards|title=Awards for "The Simpsons"|accessdate=2007-10-17|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]}}</ref> and a [[Genesis Awards|Genesis Award]] for "Best Television Comedy Series, Ongoing Commitment".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hsus.org/about_us/offices_and_affiliates/hsus_hollywood_office/the_genesis_awards/genesis_award_winners_and_memorable_moments/1995_genesis_awards.html|title=1995 Genesis Awards|accessdate=2007-10-21|publisher=[[Humane Society of the United States|hsus.org]]}}</ref> Lisa was also listed at number 11 (in the same entry as Bart) in ''[[TV Guide|TV Guide's]]'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time."<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters]</ref> In [[Japan]], the broadcasters of the series found they were able to turn the apparent viewer dislike of the series around by focusing marketing attention on Lisa. Lisa's well-intended but ill-fated struggles to be a voice of reason and a force of good in her family and city struck a chord with the Japanese.<ref>{{cite book | last=Turner | first=Chris | title=[[Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation]] |publisher=Random House of Canada |id=ISBN 0-679-31318-4|page=pg. 327}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
*[[Lisa's sax solo gags on The Simpsons]]
*[[List of characters from The Simpsons]]

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_lisa.htm Lisa Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
* {{imdb character|0003029}}

{{Simpsons characters}}



{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Lisa}}
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[[Category:Fictional Americans]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:Fictional jazz musicians]]
[[Category:Fictional vegetarians]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

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Bart Simpson

2008-07-09T10:39:50Z

Adolphus79: vandalism revert...

{{for|the comic book series of the same name|Bart Simpson comics}}
{{Simpsons character
|name=Bartholomew J Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png|128px]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student
|hair=yellow
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br>'''Grandparents:''' [[Abraham Simpson|Abraham]] and [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona]] <br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" Jojo Simpson''' <ref name="CompleteGuide">Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 178. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> is a [[fictional character|character]] in the [[FOX]] animated [[television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is voiced by [[Nancy Cartwright (actress)|Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name="CompleteGuide"/>, and first appeared on the ''[[Tracy Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night]]". At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson]], and the elder brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].<ref name="CompleteGuide"/> Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness, disrespect for authority and sharp wit. During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'', Bart was the show's main character; while later episodes started to focus more on Homer, Bart remains one of the most enduring characters on the series, and has proven to be one of the most well-known characters in the history of American television animation.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Personality==
Bart is a self-described underachiever and proud of it, and is considerably motivated in disrupting the routine at [[Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]]. His pranks are often elaborately complex, while his actions and speech frequently show considerable mental agility, street-smarts, and understanding. In "[[Separate Vocations]]" when Bart becomes hall monitor, his grades go up, showing that he only struggles because he does not pay attention, not because he is dumb. This is reinforced in the episode "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder. On the other hand, he often seems to have trouble understanding even the simplest concepts, such as the word "irony", what the [[equator]] is and that the logo on his globe, "Rand McNally," is not actually a country. The fact that he is the son of Homer Simpson and shares many of the same mannerisms and behaviors may also account for his antics. Homer even described Bart as "a younger, more in-your-face version" of himself. It is often joked that Bart is a pawn of the devil due to his mischievous behavior, such as when Lisa calls him "the Devil's cabana boy", a role which Bart seems to relish. In one Halloween episode, the Devil actually makes an appearance in the form of [[Ned Flanders]], saying "Hey, Bart" like they are old friends.

Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped the school Principal [[Seymour Skinner]], and his teacher [[Edna Krabappel]] despite the fact he often terrorizes them, and he often befriends outcasts like [[Milhouse Van Houten]]. One great example of his quasi sense of honor is in the episode ''[[This Little Wiggy]]'' where Bart stands up for [[Ralph Wiggum]] at the cost of peer popularity. In addition Bart, almost invariably, has made amends with the person he has pranked by the end of an episode.

Due to Bart's mischievousness and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy". Whenever Homer finds out that Bart has said or done something stupid or bad, he yells "Why you little–!" and then strangles him. In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Homer and Bart's relationship reaches a breaking point following Homer's pollution of Lake Springfield. Nevertheless, the two really do love each other deep down. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], however, is much more caring, understanding and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics. Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.

Bart's appearance in the show rarely changes from episode-to-episode. He typically sports blue shorts and an orange t-shirt with blue sneakers that resemble [[Converse]] [[Chuck Taylor All-Stars]].{{Or|date=June 2008}} Although his t-shirt color occasionally changes to light blue or red, a differing appearance is only seen in special occasions such as when the Simpsons go to church or when the episode takes place in the winter season.

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa out of jealousy, and even fought her physically, they are very close. Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him, and has always apologized for going too far. He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems, and frequently goes to her for advice. Despite his duties as a brother to torment his sister, Bart is also highly protective of Lisa, such as in [[Bart the General]]: when a bully destroys her box of cupcakes he immediately steps in with a 'that's my sister, man!' and proceeds to stand up against schoolyard-leviathan Nelson Muntz. This close relationship is also exhibited in [[Round Springfield]]; after the death of Lisa's hero Bleeding Gums Murphy, Bart uses his Krusty-Metal-O settlement money to buy her the only known copy of Murphy's album, because she was the only one who believed him when he said he was sick. The siblings have formed a dynamic crime-solving duo during many of their encounters with [[Sideshow Bob]], Bart's nemesis.

Bart also has had numerous relationships, including one of Lisa's friends, Emily, who kissed Bart on a dare ("[[Flaming Moe's]]"), [[Reverend Lovejoy]]'s daughter, Jessica Lovejoy ("[[Bart's Girlfriend]]"), Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta Wolfcastle ("[[The Bart Wants What it Wants]]"), a juvenial, Gina Vendetti ("[[The Wandering Juvie]]"), a girl from North Haverbrook, Darcy ("[[Little Big Girl]]"), an unnamed girl in ("[[The Monkey Suit]]"), and a girl in season nineteen's upcoming episode. Bart's first (and probably the greatest) love of his life was [[Laura Powers]] ("[[New Kid on the Block]]"), his next door neighbor and babysitter, with whom he shares a lot in common. But because she's a teenager and Bart is only 10, the two never have a relationship. In [[Another Simpsons Clip Show]], Bart calls Laura "The only girl he ever loved", although this was set before the episodes featuring most of the other relationships.

Bart's interests include watching [[Krusty the Klown]], [[skateboarding]], reading [[comic book]]s like ''[[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]'', watching [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]], terrorizing [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], playing [[video games]]/[[computer games]], helping Lisa solve various problems like reuniting Krusty with his [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Hyman Krustofski|estranged father]], and playing various pranks such as [[mooning]] unsuspecting people and [[prank call]]ing [[Moe Szyslak]] at his tavern. His best friend is [[Milhouse van Houten]].

Bart sometimes demonstrates amazing linguistic abilities. Though he has not demonstrated the ability since the [[The Crepes of Wrath|episode in which he learned]], he speaks near-perfect French. He also learned Spanish in a matter of hours in preparation for the family's trip to Brazil. Upon learning that Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Spanish, Homer tells his son to forget what he learned, prompting Bart to strike himself over the head with an airplane phone until he forgot the language. Bart also speaks Japanese, which he also learned in a couple of hours in [[prison]] along with Homer, and is also shown speaking Japanese in 'A Star is Burns', Cantonese and Latin. His advanced linguistic skills may be inherited from Homer, who also speaks advanced languages, including penguin. Bart can also drive, having his own driving license, given to him in "[[Little Big Girl]]" after saving Springfield from a fire, although he has been seen driving before, a la "[[Burns' Heir]]", and also with a fake license, particularly in the episode "[[Bart on the Road]]". He still possesses it, using it to great effect in "[[24 minutes]]", stealing Principal Skinner's car to get to Jimbo's house. He is allergic to real and imitation butterscotch, luminous monster make-up, cauliflower, and shrimp, the latter of which is possibly inherited from his mother. According to an interview, Bart has a fear of coffins. This fear may have started when, shopping for a coffin for the yet-living Grampa in the episode "[[Tennis the Menace]]", when Bart is accidentally shut in a coffin while fooling around. This fear is referred to in "[[Funeral for a Fiend]]", where Bart is nearly cremated while in a coffin. In the episode "[[The Boys of Bummer]]," it is revealed that Bart's favorite song is "[[Love Stinks]]" by [[The J. Geils Band]].

In his book ''Planet Simpson'', Chris Turner describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]]. Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority has been likened to that of America's founding fathers, rendering him an updated version of American icons [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one."<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Simpsons good night.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Homer says good night to Bart in his first televised appearance on the short "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".]]

[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, substituting "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=[[The Sun]]}}</ref> Bart then made his debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref name="goodnight">Richmond, p. 14</ref> The name "Bart" is an anagram of the word "brat".<ref name=sundvd/> Groening conceived Bart as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening's older brother Mark provided most of the inspiration for Bart.<ref name=SitterDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=[[1995-09-30]] | accessmonthday=[[October 7]] | accessyear=[[2007]]}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Bart Carny]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

Groening has also said that he found the premise of many things such as ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

===Voice===

Nancy Cartwright originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but became more interested in the role of Bart when she got there, so Matt Groening let her try out for the part, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Bart's catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was at college.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=[[2007-07-26]]|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref>

Although Cartwright is probably best known for providing the voice of Bart Simpson in ''The Simpsons'', she is also the voice for [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Rod and Todd Flanders|Todd Flanders]] and [[Ralph Wiggum]].<ref name="actors">Stated in interview on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 1998, ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' magazine selected Bart as 46th of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and the only fictional character to make the list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|publisher=Time}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover the [[December 31]] [[1990]] edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|publisher=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=''[[CNN]]''}}</ref>

Bart's catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]," "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" were featured on t-shirts in the initial show's run.<ref>Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, p. 25. ISBN 0-679-31318-4</ref> The latter two phrases were rarely actually spoken on the show itself until after they became popular through merchandise, and the use of many of these catchphrases diminished in later seasons. The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" in which Bart lands a popular role on the Krusty show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>Turner p. 61</ref> During the early seasons, Bart was the rebellious lead character and frequently received no punishment for his misbehavior, which led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>Turner, p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=[[2007-06-29]]|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> At the time, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like [[the Waltons]] and less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=[[2000-04-15]]}}</ref> Several U.S. public schools even banned ''The Simpsons'' [[merchandise]] and [[t-shirt]]s, such as one featuring Bart and the caption "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/> Despite the ban, ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[US$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/>

Bart is the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character for the show on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s, car decals, and even [[graffiti art]]. Bart, and other Simpsons characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé|Nestlé's]] [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990-2001, with the slogan ''"Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger - Nestle USA Inc. Nestle Chocolate and Confections' television advertisements - Brief Article|accessdate=2007-05-17|publisher=Prepared Foods at Find Articles}}</ref> This association was parodied in "[[Barting Over]]", an episode when he discovered a [[video tape]] with Lisa that proved he participated in a TV commercial when he was a [[baby]]; Bart says that he does not remember being in a commercial, then ironically holds up a Butterfinger and eats it.

Early ''Simpsons'' merchandise included t-shirts that featured a picture of Bart and the slogan 'Underachiever and Proud of It'. Parents and teachers initially objected to the slogan, pointing out that the phrase, coupled with Bart's popularity among teenagers, made Bart a poor role-model for school-aged children.

==See also==
{{wikiquote}}
* [[Chalkboard gag|Bart's chalkboard gags]]
* ''[[Do the Bartman]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
*[http://bart.squarelogic.net Bart Simpson Dedication]
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Fictional Americans]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

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Bart Simpson

2008-07-03T06:17:29Z

Adolphus79: Nancy is already linked in the intro paragraph...

{{for|the comic book series of the same name|Bart Simpson comics}}
{{Simpsons character
|name=Bartholomew J Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student
|hair=yellow
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" Jojo Simpson'''<ref name="CompleteGuide">Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 178. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> is a [[fictional character|character]] in the [[FOX]] animated [[television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is voiced by [[Nancy Cartwright (actress)|Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name="CompleteGuide"/>, and first appeared on the ''[[Tracy Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night]]". At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson]], and the elder brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].<ref name="CompleteGuide"/> Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness, disrespect for authority and sharp wit. During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'', Bart was the show's main character; while later episodes started to focus more on Homer, Bart remains one of the most enduring characters on the series, and has proven to be one of the most well-known characters in the history of American television animation.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Personality==
Bart is a self-described underachiever and proud of it, and is considerably motivated in disrupting the routine at [[Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]]. His pranks are often elaborately complex, while his actions and speech frequently show considerable mental agility, street-smarts, and understanding. In "[[Separate Vocations]]" when Bart becomes hall monitor, his grades go up, showing that he only struggles because he does not pay attention, not because he is dumb. This is reinforced in the episode "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention Deficit Disorder]] (although the claim is later dismissed). On the other hand, he often seems to have trouble understanding even the simplest concepts, such as the word "irony", what the [[equator]] is and that the logo on his globe, "Rand McNally," is not actually a country. The fact that he is the son of Homer Simpson and shares many of the same mannerisms and behaviors may also account for his antics. Homer even described Bart as "a younger, more in-your-face version" of himself. It is often joked that Bart is a pawn of the devil due to his mischievous behavior, such as when Lisa calls him "the Devil's cabana boy", a role which Bart seems to relish. In one Halloween episode, the Devil actually makes an appearance in the form of [[Ned Flanders]], saying "Hey, Bart" like they are old friends.

Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped the school Principal [[Seymour Skinner]], and his teacher [[Edna Krabappel]] despite the fact he often terrorizes them, and he often befriends outcasts like [[Milhouse Van Houten]]. One great example of his quasi sense of honor is in the episode ''[[This Little Wiggy]]'' where Bart stands up for [[Ralph Wiggum]] at the cost of peer popularity. In addition Bart, almost invariably, has made amends with the person he has pranked by the end of an episode.

Due to Bart's mischievousness and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy". Whenever Homer finds out that Bart has said or done something stupid or bad, he yells "Why you little–!" and then strangles him. In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Homer and Bart's relationship reaches a breaking point following Homer's pollution of Lake Springfield. Nevertheless, the two really do love each other deep down. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], however, is much more caring, understanding and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics. Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.

Bart's appearance in the show rarely changes from episode-to-episode. He typically sports blue shorts and an orange t-shirt with blue sneakers that resemble [[Converse]] [[Chuck Taylor All-Stars]].{{Or|date=June 2008}} Although his t-shirt color occasionally changes to light blue or red, a differing appearance is only seen in special occasions such as when the Simpsons go to church or when the episode takes place in the winter season.

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa out of jealousy, and even fought her physically, they are very close. Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him, and has always apologized for going too far. He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems, and frequently goes to her for advice. Despite his duties as a brother to torment his sister, Bart is also highly protective of Lisa, such as in [[Bart the General]]: when a bully destroys her box of cupcakes he immediately steps in with a 'that's my sister, man!' and proceeds to stand up against schoolyard-leviathan Nelson Muntz. This close relationship is also exhibited in [[Round Springfield]]; after the death of Lisa's hero Bleeding Gums Murphy, Bart uses his Krusty-Metal-O settlement money to buy her the only known copy of Murphy's album, because she was the only one who believed him when he said he was sick. The siblings have formed a dynamic crime-solving duo during many of their encounters with [[Sideshow Bob]], Bart's nemesis.

Bart also has had numerous relationships, including one of Lisa's friends, Emily, who kissed Bart on a dare ("[[Flaming Moe's]]"), [[Reverend Lovejoy]]'s daughter, Jessica Lovejoy ("[[Bart's Girlfriend]]"), Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta Wolfcastle ("[[The Bart Wants What it Wants]]"), a juvenial, Gina Vendetti ("[[The Wandering Juvie]]"), a girl from North Haverbrook, Darcy ("[[Little Big Girl]]"), an unnamed girl in ("[[The Monkey Suit]]"), and a girl in season nineteen's upcoming episode. Bart's first (and probably the greatest) love of his life was [[Laura Powers]] ("[[New Kid on the Block]]"), his next door neighbor and babysitter, with whom he shares a lot in common. But because she's a teenager and Bart is only 10, the two never have a relationship. In [[Another Simpsons Clip Show]], Bart calls Laura "The only girl he ever loved", although this was set before the episodes featuring most of the other relationships.

Bart's interests include watching [[Krusty the Klown]], [[skateboarding]], reading [[comic book]]s like ''[[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]'', watching [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]], terrorizing [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], playing [[video games]]/[[computer games]], helping Lisa solve various problems like reuniting Krusty with his [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Hyman Krustofski|estranged father]], and playing various pranks such as [[mooning]] unsuspecting people and [[prank call]]ing [[Moe Szyslak]] at his tavern. His best friend is [[Milhouse van Houten]].

Bart sometimes demonstrates amazing linguistic abilities. Though he has not demonstrated the ability since the [[The Crepes of Wrath|episode in which he learned]], he speaks near-perfect French. He also learned Spanish in a matter of hours in preparation for the family's trip to Brazil. Upon learning that Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Spanish, Homer tells his son to forget what he learned, prompting Bart to strike himself over the head with an airplane phone until he forgot the language. Bart also speaks Japanese, which he also learned in a couple of hours in [[prison]] along with Homer, and is also shown speaking Japanese in 'A Star is Burns', Cantonese and Latin. His advanced linguistic skills may be inherited from Homer, who also speaks advanced languages, including penguin. Bart can also drive, having his own driving license, given to him in "[[Little Big Girl]]" after saving Springfield from a fire, although he has been seen driving before, a la "[[Burns' Heir]]", and also with a fake license, particularly in the episode "[[Bart on the Road]]". He still possesses it, using it to great effect in "[[24 minutes]]", stealing Principal Skinner's car to get to Jimbo's house. He is allergic to real and imitation butterscotch, luminous monster make-up, cauliflower, and shrimp, the latter of which is possibly inherited from his mother. According to an interview, Bart has a fear of coffins. This fear may have started when, shopping for a coffin for the yet-living Grampa in the episode "[[Tennis the Menace]]", when Bart is accidentally shut in a coffin while fooling around. This fear is referred to in "[[Funeral for a Fiend]]", where Bart is nearly cremated while in a coffin. In the episode "[[The Boys of Bummer]]," it is revealed that Bart's favorite song is "[[Love Stinks]]" by [[The J. Geils Band]].

In his book ''Planet Simpson'', Chris Turner describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]]. Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority has been likened to that of America's founding fathers, rendering him an updated version of American icons [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one."<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Simpsons good night.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Homer says good night to Bart in his first televised appearance on the short "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".]]

[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, substituting "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=[[The Sun]]}}</ref> Bart then made his debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref name="goodnight">Richmond, p. 14</ref> The name "Bart" is an anagram of the word "brat".<ref name=sundvd/> Groening conceived Bart as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening's older brother Mark provided most of the inspiration for Bart.<ref name=SitterDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=[[1995-09-30]] | accessmonthday=[[October 7]] | accessyear=[[2007]]}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Bart Carny]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

Groening has also said that he found the premise of many things such as ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

===Voice===

Nancy Cartwright originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but became more interested in the role of Bart when she got there, so Matt Groening let her try out for the part, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Bart's catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was at college.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=[[2007-07-26]]|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref>

Although Cartwright is probably best known for providing the voice of Bart Simpson in ''The Simpsons'', she is also the voice for [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Rod and Todd Flanders|Todd Flanders]] and [[Ralph Wiggum]].<ref name="actors">Stated in interview on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 1998, ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' magazine selected Bart as 46th of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and the only fictional character to make the list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|publisher=Time}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover the [[December 31]] [[1990]] edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|publisher=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=''[[CNN]]''}}</ref>

Bart's catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]," "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" were featured on t-shirts in the initial show's run.<ref>Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, p. 25. ISBN 0-679-31318-4</ref> The latter two phrases were rarely actually spoken on the show itself until after they became popular through merchandise, and the use of many of these catchphrases diminished in later seasons. The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" in which Bart lands a popular role on the Krusty show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>Turner p. 61</ref> During the early seasons, Bart was the rebellious lead character and frequently received no punishment for his misbehavior, which led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>Turner, p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=[[2007-06-29]]|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> At the time, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like [[the Waltons]] and less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=[[2000-04-15]]}}</ref> Several U.S. public schools even banned ''The Simpsons'' [[merchandise]] and [[t-shirt]]s, such as one featuring Bart and the caption "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/> Despite the ban, ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[US$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/>

Bart is the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character for the show on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s, car decals, and even [[graffiti art]]. Bart, and other Simpsons characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé|Nestlé's]] [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990-2001, with the slogan ''"Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger - Nestle USA Inc. Nestle Chocolate and Confections' television advertisements - Brief Article|accessdate=2007-05-17|publisher=Prepared Foods at Find Articles}}</ref> This association was parodied in "[[Barting Over]]", an episode when he discovered a [[video tape]] with Lisa that proved he participated in a TV commercial when he was a [[baby]]; Bart says that he does not remember being in a commercial, then ironically holds up a Butterfinger and eats it.

Early ''Simpsons'' merchandise included t-shirts that featured a picture of Bart and the slogan 'Underachiever and Proud of It'. Parents and teachers initially objected to the slogan, pointing out that the phrase, coupled with Bart's popularity among teenagers, made Bart a poor role-model for school-aged children.

==See also==
{{wikiquote}}
* [[Chalkboard gag|Bart's chalkboard gags]]
* ''[[Do the Bartman]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
*[http://bart.squarelogic.net Bart Simpson Dedication]
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Fictional Americans]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

[[af:Bart Simpson]]
[[ast:Bart Simpson]]
[[bs:Bart Simpson]]
[[bg:Барт Симпсън]]
[[ca:Bart Simpson]]
[[cs:Bart Simpson]]
[[da:Bart Simpson]]
[[de:Die Simpsons/Familie#Bart_Simpson]]
[[et:Bart Simpson]]
[[es:Bart Simpson]]
[[eo:Bart Simpson]]
[[fr:Bart Simpson]]
[[ko:바트 심슨]]
[[hr:Bart Simpson]]
[[is:Bart Simpson]]
[[it:Bart Simpson]]
[[he:בארט סימפסון]]
[[hu:Bart Simpson]]
[[nah:Bart Simpson]]
[[nl:Bart Simpson]]
[[no:Bart Simpson]]
[[oc:Bart Simpson]]
[[pl:Bart Simpson]]
[[pt:Bart Simpson]]
[[ru:Барт Симпсон]]
[[sq:Bart Simpson]]
[[simple:Bart Simpson]]
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[[sr:Барт Симпсон]]
[[fi:Bart Simpson]]
[[sv:Bart Simpson]]
[[th:บาร์ต ซิมป์สัน]]
[[tr:Bart Simpson]]
[[uk:Барт Сімпсон]]
[[zh:巴特·辛普森]]

Lisa Simpson

2008-06-21T15:29:54Z

Adolphus79: vandalism revert...

Bart Simpson

2008-06-18T18:03:32Z

Adolphus79: vandalism revert...

{{for|the comic book series of the same name|Bart Simpson comics}}
{{Simpsons character
|name=Bartholomew Simpson
|image=[[Image:Bart Simpson.png]]
|gender=[[Male]]
|job=Student
|hair=yellow
|relatives='''Parents:''' [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson|Marge]]<br>'''Sisters:''' [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]]<br> <small>(See also [[Simpson family]])</small>
| appearance = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| ullmanappearance = "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]"
|voiceactor=[[Nancy Cartwright]]
}}
'''Bartholomew "Bart" Jojo Simpson'''<ref name="CompleteGuide">Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers, pg. 178. ISBN 0-00-638898-1</ref> is a [[fictional character]] in the [[FOX]] animated [[television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is voiced by [[Nancy Cartwright (actress)|Nancy Cartwright]]<ref name="CompleteGuide"/>, and first appeared on the ''[[Tracy Ullman Show]]'' [[The Simpsons shorts|short]] "[[Good Night]]". At ten years of age, Bart is the eldest child and only son of [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] and [[Marge Simpson]], and the elder brother of [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]].<ref name="CompleteGuide"/> Bart's most prominent character traits are his mischievousness, rebelliousness, disrespect for authority and sharp wit. During the first two seasons of ''The Simpsons'', Bart was the show's main character; while later episodes started to focus more on Homer, Bart remains one of the most enduring characters on the series, and has proven to be one of the most well-known characters in the history of American television animation.<ref name="americasfirstfamily">{{cite video|people=BBC|year=2000|title='The Simpsons': America's First Family (6 minute edit for the season 1 DVD)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250735/|format=DVD|location=UK|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

==Personality==
Bart is a self-described underachiever and proud of it, and is considerably motivated in disrupting the routine at [[Springfield Elementary School|Springfield Elementary]]. His pranks are often elaborately complex, while his actions and speech frequently show considerable mental agility, street-smarts, and understanding. In "[[Separate Vocations]]" when Bart becomes hall monitor, his grades go up, showing that he only struggles because he does not pay attention, not because he is dumb. This is reinforced in the episode "[[Brother's Little Helper]]", in which it is revealed that Bart suffers from [[Attention Deficit Disorder]] (although the claim is later dismissed). On the other hand, he often seems to have trouble understanding even the simplest concepts, such as the word "irony", what the [[equator]] is and that the logo on his globe, "Rand McNally," is not actually a country. The fact that he is the son of Homer Simpson and shares many of the same mannerisms and behaviors may also account for his antics. Homer even described Bart as "a younger, more in-your-face version" of himself. It is often joked that Bart is a pawn of the devil due to his mischievous behavior, such as when Lisa calls him "the Devil's cabana boy", a role which Bart seems to relish. In one Halloween episode, the Devil actually makes an appearance in the form of [[Ned Flanders]], saying "Hey, Bart" like they are old friends.

Although he gets into endless trouble and can be sadistic, shallow and selfish, Bart also exhibits many qualities of high [[integrity]]. He has, on a few occasions, helped the school Principal [[Seymour Skinner]], and his teacher [[Edna Krabappel]] despite the fact he often terrorizes them, and he often befriends outcasts like [[Milhouse Van Houten]]. One great example of his quasi sense of honor is in the episode ''[[This Little Wiggy]]'' where Bart stands up for [[Ralph Wiggum]] at the cost of peer popularity. In addition Bart , almost invariably, has made amends with the person he has pranked by the end of an episode.

Due to Bart's mischievousness and [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s often uncaring and incompetent behavior, the two have a turbulent relationship. Bart will often address Homer by his [[given name]] instead of "Dad", while Homer in turn often refers to him as "the boy". Whenever Homer finds out that Bart has said or done something stupid or bad, he yells "Why you little–!" and then strangles him. In ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]'', Homer and Bart's relationship reaches a breaking point following Homer's pollution of Lake Springfield. Nevertheless, the two really do love each other deep down. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]], however, is much more caring, understanding and nurturing than Homer, but she also refers to Bart as "a handful" and is often embarrassed by his antics. Despite his attitude, Bart is sometimes willing to go through a series of humiliations if it means pleasing his mom.

Bart's appearance in the show rarely changes from episode-to-episode. He typically sports blue shorts and an orange t-shirt with blue sneakers that resemble [[Converse]] [[Chuck Taylor All-Stars]].{{Or|date=June 2008}} Although his t-shirt color occasionally changes to light blue or red, a differing appearance is only seen in special occasions such as when the Simpsons go to church or when the episode takes place in the winter season.

Bart shares a sibling rivalry with his younger sister, Lisa, but has a buddy-like relationship with his youngest sister Maggie, due to her infant state. While Bart has often hurt Lisa out of jealousy, and even fought her physically, they are very close. Bart cares for Lisa as deeply as she does for him, and has always apologized for going too far. He also believes Lisa to be his superior when it comes to solving problems, and frequently goes to her for advice. Despite his duties as a brother to torment his sister, Bart is also highly protective of Lisa, such as in [[Bart the General]]: when a bully destroys her box of cupcakes he immediately steps in with a 'that's my sister, man!' and proceeds to stand up against schoolyard-leviathan Nelson Muntz. This close relationship is also exhibited in [[Round Springfield]]; after the death of Lisa's hero Bleeding Gums Murphy, Bart uses his Krusty-Metal-O settlement money to buy her the only known copy of Murphy's album, because she was the only one who believed him when he said he was sick. The siblings have formed a dynamic crime-solving duo during many of their encounters with [[Sideshow Bob]], Bart's nemesis.

Bart also has had numerous relationships, including one of Lisa's friends, Emily, who kissed Bart on a dare ("[[Flaming Moe's]]"), [[Reverend Lovejoy]]'s daughter, Jessica Lovejoy ("[[Bart's Girlfriend]]"), Rainier Wolfcastle's daughter, Greta Wolfcastle ("[[The Bart Wants What it Wants]]"), a juvenial, Gina Vendetti ("[[The Wandering Juvie]]"), a girl from North Haverbrook, Darcy ("[[Little Big Girl]]"), an unnamed girl in ("[[The Monkey Suit]]"), and a girl in season nineteen's upcoming episode. Bart's first (and probably the greatest) love of his life was [[Laura Powers]] ("[[New Kid on the Block]]"), his next door neighbor and babysitter, with whom he shares a lot in common. But because she's a teenager and Bart is only 10, the two never have a relationship. In [[Another Simpsons Clip Show]], Bart calls Laura "The only girl he ever loved."

Bart's interests include watching [[Krusty the Klown]], [[skateboarding]], reading [[comic book]]s like ''[[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons character)|Radioactive Man]]'', watching [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show]], terrorizing [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], playing [[video games]]/[[computer games]], helping Lisa solve various problems like reuniting Krusty with his [[List of recurring characters from The Simpsons#Hyman Krustofski|estranged father]], and playing various pranks such as [[mooning]] unsuspecting people and [[prank call]]ing [[Moe Szyslak]] at his tavern. His best friend is [[Milhouse van Houten]].

Bart sometimes demonstrates amazing linguistic abilities. Though he has not demonstrated the ability since the [[The Crepes of Wrath|episode in which he learned]], he speaks near-perfect French. He also learned Spanish in a matter of hours in preparation for the family's trip to Brazil. Upon learning that Brazilians speak Portuguese and not Spanish, Homer tells his son to forget what he learned, prompting Bart to strike himself over the head with an airplane phone until he forgot the language. Bart also speaks Japanese, which he also learned in a couple of hours in [[prison]] along with Homer, and is also shown speaking Japanese in 'A Star is Burns', Cantonese and Latin. His advanced linguistic skills may be inherited from Homer, who also speaks advanced languages, including penguin. Bart can also drive, having his own driving license, given to him in "[[Little Big Girl]]" after saving Springfield from a fire, although he has been seen driving before, a la "[[Burns' Heir]]", and also with a fake license, particularly in the episode "[[Bart on the Road]]". He still possesses it, using it to great effect in "[[24 minutes]]", stealing Principal Skinner's car to get to Jimbo's house. He is allergic to real and imitation butterscotch, luminous monster make-up, cauliflower, and shrimp, the latter of which is possibly inherited from his mother. According to an interview, Bart has a fear of coffins. This fear may have started when, shopping for a coffin for the yet-living Grampa in the episode "[[Tennis the Menace]]", when Bart is accidentally shut in a coffin while fooling around. This fear is referred to in "[[Funeral for a Fiend]]", where Bart is nearly cremated while in a coffin. In the episode "[[The Boys of Bummer]]," it is revealed that Bart's favorite song is "[[Love Stinks]]" by [[The J. Geils Band]].

In his book ''Planet Simpson'', Chris Turner describes Bart as a [[Nihilism|nihilist]]. Bart's character traits of rebelliousness and disrespect for authority has been likened to that of America's founding fathers, rendering him an updated version of American icons [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]], rolled into one."<ref>Cantor, P: "The Simpsons: Atomistic Politics and the Nuclear Family", page 738. Political Theory, Vol 27 No 6, Dec 1999.</ref>

==Character==
===Creation===
[[Image:Simpsons good night.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Homer says good night to Bart in his first televised appearance on the short "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".]]

[[Matt Groening]] first conceived the Simpson family in the lobby of [[James L. Brooks]]' office. He had been called in to pitch a series of animated shorts, and had intended to present his ''[[Life in Hell]]'' series. When he realized that animating ''Life in Hell'' would require him to rescind publication rights for his life's work, Groening decided to go in another direction.<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> He hurriedly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family, and named the characters after various members of his own family, substituting "Bart" for his own name,<ref name="americasfirstfamily"/> as he decided it would have been too obvious for him to have named the character Matt.<ref name=sundvd>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt: Jean, Al|year=2007|title=The Simpsons Movie: A Look Behind the Scenes| medium=DVD||publisher=[[The Sun]]}}</ref> Bart then made his debut with the rest of the Simpsons clan on [[19 April]], [[1987]] in the [[The Simpsons shorts|Tracey Ullman short]] "[[Good Night (The Simpsons short)|Good Night]]".<ref name="goodnight">Richmond, p. 14</ref> The name "Bart" is an anagram of the word "brat".<ref name=sundvd/> Groening conceived Bart as an extreme version of the typical misbehaving child character, merging all of the extreme traits of characters such as [[Tom Sawyer]] and [[Huckleberry Finn]] into one person.<ref name=sundvd/> Groening's older brother Mark provided most of the inspiration for Bart.<ref name=SitterDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Eighth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[My Sister, My Sitter]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref><ref name="flux">{{cite news|title=Life in Hell | work=Flux Magazine | last=Paul | first=Alan | date=[[1995-09-30]] | accessmonthday=[[October 7]] | accessyear=[[2007]]}}</ref><ref name=BartCarnyDVD>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2006|title=The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Bart Carny]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

Groening has also said that he found the premise of many things such as ''[[Dennis the Menace (TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]'' disappointing and was inspired to create a character who was actually a menace.<ref>{{cite video | people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons The Complete Seventh Season DVD commentary for the episode "[[Two Bad Neighbors]]"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>

===Voice===

Nancy Cartwright originally auditioned for the role of Lisa, but was soon told that her voice would be better suited voicing Bart, so Matt Groening let her try out for the part, and upon hearing her read, gave her the job on the spot.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1017238.stm|title=Bart's voice tells all|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=[[2000-11-10]]|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> Bart's catchphrase "Eat My Shorts" was an ad-lib by Cartwright in one of the original table readings, harking back to an incident when she was at college.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml|title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers|accessdate=2007-07-29|date=[[2007-07-26]]|author=Larry Carroll|publisher=[[MTV]]}}</ref>

Although Cartwright is probably best known for providing the voice of Bart Simpson in ''The Simpsons'', she is also the voice for [[Nelson Muntz]], [[Rod and Todd Flanders|Todd Flanders]] and [[Ralph Wiggum]].<ref name="actors">Stated in interview on ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''</ref>

==Cultural influence==
In 1998, ''[[Time Magazine|Time]]'' magazine selected Bart as 46th of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, and the only fictional character to make the list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists/profile/simpson.html|title=Bart Simpson|accessdate=2007-05-16|date=1998-06-08|publisher=Time}}</ref> He had previously appeared on the cover the [[December 31]] [[1990]] edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101901231,00.html|title=TIME Magazine Cover: Bart Simpson|accessate=2007-05-16|date=1990-12-31|publisher=Time}}</ref> Both Bart and Lisa ranked #11 in ''[[TV Guide]]'s'' "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/07/30/cartoon.characters.list/ |title=CNN - TV Guide's 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters |accessdate=2007-03-14 |date=2002-07-30 |publisher=''[[CNN]]''}}</ref>

Bart's catchphrases, "[[¡Ay, caramba!]]," "Don't have a cow, man!" and "Eat my shorts!" were featured on t-shirts in the initial show's run.<ref>Turner, Chris. Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, p. 25. ISBN 0-679-31318-4</ref> The latter two phrases were rarely actually spoken on the show itself until after they became popular through merchandise, and the use of many of these catchphrases diminished in later seasons. The use of catchphrase-based humor was mocked in the episode "[[Bart Gets Famous]]" in which Bart lands a popular role on the Krusty show for saying the line "I didn't do it."<ref>Turner p. 61</ref> During the early seasons, Bart was the rebellious lead character and frequently received no punishment for his misbehavior, which led some parents and [[Conservatism|conservatives]] to characterize him as a poor [[role model]] for children.<ref>Turner, p. 131</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6252856.stm|title=Is The Simpsons still subversive?|accessdate=2007-08-06|date=[[2007-06-29]]|author=Rosenbaum, Martin|publisher=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> At the time, then-President [[George H. W. Bush]] said, "We're going to strengthen the American family to make them more like [[the Waltons]] and less like the Simpsons."<ref name="mikescully">{{cite news|first=Nick|last=Griffiths|title=America's First Family|publisher=''The Times Magazine''|pages=25, 27–28|date=[[2000-04-15]]}}</ref> Several U.S. public schools even banned ''The Simpsons'' [[merchandise]] and [[t-shirt]]s, such as one featuring Bart and the caption "Underachiever ('And proud of it, man!')".<ref name="mikescully"/> Despite the ban, ''The Simpsons'' merchandise sold well and generated [[US$]]2 billion in revenue during the first 14 months of sales.<ref name="mikescully"/>

Bart is the most prevalent ''Simpsons'' character for the show on memorabilia such as [[T-shirt]]s, car decals, and even [[graffiti art]]. Bart, and other Simpsons characters, have appeared in numerous [[television commercials]] for [[Nestlé|Nestlé's]] [[Butterfinger]] candy bars from 1990-2001, with the slogan ''"Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger!"''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3289/is_n6_v167/ai_20897150|title=Don't lay a finger on his Butterfinger - Nestle USA Inc. Nestle Chocolate and Confections' television advertisements - Brief Article|accessdate=2007-05-17|publisher=Prepared Foods at Find Articles}}</ref> This association was parodied in "[[Barting Over]]", an episode when he discovered a [[video tape]] with Lisa that proved he participated in a TV commercial when he was a [[baby]]; Bart says that he does not remember being in a commercial, then ironically holds up a Butterfinger and eats it.

Early ''Simpsons'' merchandise included t-shirts that featured a picture of Bart and the slogan 'Underachiever and Proud of It'. Parents and teachers initially objected to the slogan, pointing out that the phrase, coupled with Bart's popularity among teenagers, made Bart a poor role-model for school-aged children.

==See also==
{{wikiquote}}
* [[Chalkboard gag|Bart's chalkboard gags]]
* ''[[Do the Bartman]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_bart.htm Bart Simpson] at The Simpsons.com
*[http://bart.squarelogic.net Bart Simpson Dedication]
* {{imdb character|0003013}}

{{Simpsons characters}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Bart}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Fictional Americans]]
[[Category:Child characters in television]]
[[Category:1987 introductions]]

[[af:Bart Simpson]]
[[ast:Bart Simpson]]
[[bs:Bart Simpson]]
[[bg:Барт Симпсън]]
[[ca:Bart Simpson]]
[[cs:Bart Simpson]]
[[da:Bart Simpson]]
[[de:Die Simpsons/Familie#Bart_Simpson]]
[[et:Bart Simpson]]
[[es:Bart Simpson]]
[[eo:Bart Simpson]]
[[fr:Bart Simpson]]
[[ko:바트 심슨]]
[[hr:Bart Simpson]]
[[is:Bart Simpson]]
[[it:Bart Simpson]]
[[he:בארט סימפסון]]
[[hu:Bart Simpson]]
[[nah:Bart Simpson]]
[[nl:Bart Simpson]]
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[[oc:Bart Simpson]]
[[pl:Bart Simpson]]
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[[ru:Барт Симпсон]]
[[sq:Bart Simpson]]
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[[sk:Bart Simpson]]
[[sr:Барт Симпсон]]
[[fi:Bart Simpson]]
[[sv:Bart Simpson]]
[[th:บาร์ต ซิมป์สัน]]
[[tr:Bart Simpson]]
[[uk:Барт Сімпсон]]
[[zh:巴特·辛普森]]

Lisa Simpson

2008-06-01T14:42:09Z

Adolphus79: religion is not part of this info box, and you misspelled Buddhist...