The creators of The Simpsons have staunchly defended the continuation of the long-running gag depicting Homer strangling Bart, despite recent reports suggesting its demise.
Earlier this month, speculation arose that the recurring scene, where Homer angrily yells “why you little,” grips Bart’s neck, and squeezes until his son’s eyes bulge out, had been retired. This belief stemmed from a moment in the 35th season’s episode “McMansion & Wife” where Homer quipped, “I don’t do that anymore.”
However, co-creator and producer James L. Brooks, echoing the sentiment of creator Matt Groening, emphasized that nothing about the iconic scene was changing. Brooks stated firmly, “Don’t think for a second we’re changing anything. Nothing’s getting tamed. Nothing, nothing, nothing. He’ll continue to be strangled—[if] you want to use that awful term for it. He’ll continue to be loved by his father in a specific way.”
Groening, responding in his trademark humor, released an animated statement, saying, “Homer Simpson was unavailable for comment as he was busy strangling Bart.”
The controversial scene, in which Homer strangles Bart, last appeared on screen during the show’s 31st season, which aired between 2019 and 2020.
The recent uproar over the scene originated from the episode where Homer introduces himself to a character named Thayer, and Thayer comments on the firmness of Homer’s handshake. Homer jokingly attributes his strong grip to “strangling the boy,” only to quickly add, “Just kidding. I don’t do that anymore. Times have changed.”
This isn’t the first time the show addressed the gag. In a season 22 episode titled “Love Is a Many Strangled Thing,” therapist Dr. Zander attempts to make Homer see the error of his ways when he strangles Bart. In this episode, the towering basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a friend of Dr. Zander, confronts Homer and vividly illustrates what it feels like “to be young, small, and terrified” by repeatedly strangling him. Despite the traumatizing experience, the show did not abandon the strangling gag with Bart in subsequent episodes.
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