'The Simpsons' Showrunner Reveals Barbara Bush's Letter to Marge Simpson

Barbara Bush passed away earlier this week, and as the public remembers the former First Lady an [...]

Barbara Bush passed away earlier this week, and as the public remembers the former First Lady an interesting footnote from her time in the White House has surfaced and involves a very unlikely character -- Marge Simpson.

Back in 1990, Bush had nothing nice to say about The Simpsons in an interview. When she was asked about television programs that she liked, the then-First Lady admitted to enjoying America's Funniest Home Videos, but also said that The Simpsons was the "dumbest thing she had ever seen." The animated series' staff responded to the slight by writing a letter to the First Lady -- as Marge Simpson -- telling Bush that she was "deeply hurt" by the criticism of her family.

Showrunner Al Jean revealed on Twitter Tuesday that Bush had actually replied to Marge's letter. The Hollywood Reporter shared a photo of the actual letter on White House stationery in which Bush asked Marge to forgive her. You can read text of the letter below.

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 is a nice family scene. Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country.

Please forgive a loose tongue.

Warmly,

Barbara Bush

P.S. Homer looks like a handsome fella!

The letter is a sweet bit of closure to the story some twenty-eight years later. For her part, Bush later told People magazine that she hadn't really seen much more than a "sample" of The Simpsons before making the comment originally so it's not difficult to imagine the First Lady receiving Marge's note and taking a moment to see what the show was really about.

Bush passed away on Tuesday after an announcement over the weekend that Bush would not seek further medical treatment for her failing health. Bush was the only woman in American history to see both her husband and son sworn in as U.S. presidents. Her husband, George H. W. Bush, served as the 41st president from 1989 to 1993 while her son, George W. Bush, served as the 43rd and served from 2001 to 2009.

The Simpsons airs Sunday nights on Fox.

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