The Simpsons’ thirty-seventh season is in full swing, with Fox Animation already confirming that the Springfield family will be having adventures up until at least season forty. With the latest episode seeing Homer taking on the role of Bumblebee Man’s stunt double, the animated series was able to celebrate its Latin America counterpart by bringing in Los Tigres Del Norte and Homer’s Latin American voice actor, Humberto Velez. While there was plenty to celebrate with the recent installment, one joke might have thrown animation fans for a loop as it comments on a wildly controversial real-life event.
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With Bart finding out that his dad works with Bumblebee Man, the eldest son is excited to tell his school about what his father now does for a living. Shooting down Bart’s hopes, Homer states that he signed an NDA, so his secret could not be revealed to the general public. In a wild retort, Bart states, “What’s the use of having a bada** in the family if you can’t brag about them? Now I know how the Mangiones feel.” This bit is in reference to Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. As of the writing of this article, there hasn’t been a word from The Simpsons creative team in response to this joke, though it is certainly making the rounds on social media. You can see the joke for yourself below.
The Simpsons & Controversy
The Simpsons and controversy have gone hand in hand more times than one over its decades-long career. Whether it be thanks to an early Michael Jackson cameo, episodes that were banned in foreign countries such as “Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo” and “Blame it on Lisa,” or the dark fate of Frank Grimes, the Fox animated series has dipped its toes into the deep end at some points. Ultimately, it will be interesting to see whether this Luigi Mangione joke remains in future airings on syndication, as well as on Disney+, as The Simpsons has been censored before. Should this controversial crack be stricken from the record, we’ll be sure to let you know here at ComicBook.com
As mentioned earlier, controversies and all, The Simpsons is still planning to release years’ worth of new episodes in the future. In addition to the slew of installments set to hit Fox, Springfield is set to return to the silver screen once again, as “The Simpsons Movie 2” has been announced for release on September 3, 2027. While plot details remain a mystery for what Homer and his brood will be up to, the first film remains one of the most epic misadventures for the Fox family to date, so the sequel will have plenty to live up to. With controversy being a subject that the Simpsons has explored quite often in the past, we fully expect the Fox animated series to hit more speed bumps before its grand finale arrives.
What do you think of this wild Simpsons joke from the animated show’s latest episode? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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Image Courtesy of Bandai Namco Pictures/Studio Bones
