Editorial: why Homer Badman is even more relevant today

The best social satire is not only relevant when it's created, it becomes even more so as time passes.

A few weeks back we talked about The Simpsons celebrating its 30th season. That's right, this show has been on TV for 30 years! At the time, Shawn pointed out how on point the series has been with its social commentary, and ability to predict the world we'd inherit years in advance.

Boy, is he right.

I recently rewatched the Homer Badman episode form 1994, wherein Homer is accused of sexual harassment. At the time, the episode was a stark commentary on the then newly minted 24-hour news channels, and media ignoring the facts in favour of being first to break a story.

This is still the world we live in. Now public opinion courts are held on Facebook and other social media, which has news outlets clamouring to stay ahead of each other in a neverending news loop. Plus there's the #MeToo angle, which adds a whole layer to this episode that wasn't there before.

Everyone is watching everyone now, and we're all quick to be offended if something doesn't fit within our moral view of the world, facts be dammed. And our society is willing to condemn those accused of a crime before anyone has his or her day in court. Lives are ruined before all the facts are heard. In fact, no one wants to hear those facts at all.

As Marge says in Homer Badman "...the courts might not be work anymore, but as long as everybody is videotaping everyone else, justice will be done."

That thought was scary back then, and its even scarier now...

Check out the episode here:

Source: Daily Motion

Comments

The Animated Addict: "The Adventures of Tintin" (2011)

If you're a 40 + white dude, like myself, you may remember a comic series called " The Adventures of Tintin ". I know I remember them. This series, dating back to 1929, got turned into a animated feature film by Steven Spielberg in 2011. After buying a model of ship called The Unicorn, teenaged journalist Tintin finds himself on adventure that will take him from the high seas, to the low deserts, and from the distant past to the present. With his trusty dog, Snowy, by his side, Tintin uncovers a story connecting two men across the centuries.. . The story is really quite good. It's well crafted, and high paced- with just enough slow moments to build and develop the world and the characters. This is the sort of adventure story you'd find in the old serials of the 1930's and '40's. In fact, it felt like it was the sort of tale that you'd find Indiana Jones undertaking. I found myself swept up, and swept along as our hero swung from one e...

Grace Victoria Patterson returns

What's this? Two podcasts From The Basement in less than nine months? Has the world gone mad!?! No, but when past Basement guest Grace Victoria Patterson asked nicely if she could return to this fine podcast, Jason and Shawn -- agreeable sorts that they are -- said yes. Hence we have this new episode for your ear holes! Grace provides an update on her career, which has seen the cheerleader-turned-actress appear in no fewer than eight films plus a TV series, with more projects on the way. She and Jason talk all about this, plus some other stuff. What kind of stuff? Stick with us! And stay tuned, as The Basement Boys discuss a whole slew of movies and television, including the Netflix Jimmy Savile documentary, The Batman, the horror romp The Cellar and more! It's podcasting that's so awesome, you'll be awesomed out by its awesomeness! What are you waiting for? Push play and enjoy!

Unlock your fate with The Puzzle

When my dad wasn't working, building stuff or being my dad, he was making puzzles. It was a guaranteed way for him to unwind. So it was with great interest that I sat down to watch Italian filmmaker Davide Melini's award-winning short The Puzzle. You see, the mother in the five-minute film likes to relax with puzzles just like my dad. Unfortunately, her good-for-nothing son keeps harassing her for money. Losing herself in her favourite passtime, the mother soon discovers that completing this puzzle might unlock a nightmare. The Puzzle has been an official selection at more European film festivals than you can shake a stick at, and was voted Third Best Italian Film at the Rome International Film Festival in 2008. Having watched it, I'm not surprised. It's a tight little film that hits you hard in the final few seconds. You can tell Melini cut his teeth as an assistant director for legendary Italian filmmaker Dario Argento. But enough chit chat on my part. See if yo...

Search This Blog