Saturday, July 29, 2006

Giving Credit Where Credits Due

Some people cite advanced college degrees as the source of their infinite wisdom, while others attribute their know-how to just attending "The School Of Life". Me? Well, apparently, I've garnered lots of information from decidedly less noteworthy places.

Last year, my friend, Miss Biotech Goddess, and I went to the Houston International Festival featuring India. As a cavalcade of costumed Indian Gods came strolling through the congested streets, posing for photo ops, and shaking hands, I realized that I knew who most of them were. Miss Biotech isn't ordinarily impressed with mundane me, as her pedigree and career have allowed her to travel the World. However, she was amazed that I rattled off the names of the elephant trunked God, Ganesh, and continued on with the others. Kali, Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, and Brahma. Miss Biotech pointedly asked with a surprised tinged voice, "How did you know all that"? It was then that it dawned on me that I had absorbed that pertinent information on an episode of The Simpsons. I think the one where Apu gets married. D'OH!

So, I'm talking with
Barbara at Exxon last week about music when she brings up a song that she didn't know the title of but has always loathed. Barbara starts singing, "I left my cake out in the rain, and I shall never have that recipe again......". Immediately, I blurted out, "That's MacArthur Park"! She looked shocked that I knew such an old song, but said, "Yeah, I think that's right. Where did you learn that"? Again, I allayed to the poignant very special episode of The Simpsons featuring Paul and Linda McCartney as guests.

When I first heard the song, "Sugar, We're Goin Down", by Fall Out Boy, I knew they had named themselves after a comic book character on The Simpsons. I regularly use
these Simpsonisms for a quick laugh. "Hey is there a Butz here? Seymour Butz? Hey everybody, I wanna Seymour Butz"! Since we curtailed television two years ago, and I haven't watched The Simpsons, will it cause me to lose valuable I.Q. points? Will I lack the ability to impress family and friends with my tremendous wealth of knowledge? Will I ever again win a pop culture round of Trivial Pursuit in my lifetime? I wonder if I could earn an honorary degree from Simpson University?

9 comments:

White Man Retarded said...

The Simpsons used to be good but I think Groenig ran out of fresh ideas. King of the Hill is much better. Texas to a T. How is Biotech Goddess? I haven't heard from her since I met her on the hill. Did I offend her?

jams o donnell said...

Never cared for King of the Hill myself or Family Guy but I did love the Simpsons, Ut can still show flashes of past brilliance. One of my favourtie episodes is the one with John Waters where Homer thinks Bart is gay.. Hot stuff coming through! I also loved the episode where Sideshow Bob is hired by his brother to build the Springfield Dam...I suppose it will be my job to lead the hooting when a woman walks past. "Oh, yeah! Shake it, madam! Capital knockers!

Once can be cerebral but absolutely nothing wrong with some quality entertainment!

elasticwaistbandlady said...

Hey Patrick, you know Elizabeth Groening over in the Spring Ward from Central America? Her husband is Matt Groening's cousin. I'm persona non grata with Miss Biotech for the past week or so. She just may be moodier than you and me, if that's at all possible.

Yes, demosthenes, I've culled more valuable insight from The Simpsons that has everyday applications than from 15 years of formal education.

Crass American cartoons, the tie that binds people of different nations and cultures. As Monte Burns would say, "Eeeeexcellent"! I don't care for The Family Guy either, jams. I've seen it twice and that was plenty for me. Even my gross-out tolerant attitude has limits.

omar said...

MacArthur Park is one of the worst songs I've ever known.

"The Simpsons" rules.

Pirate Princess said...

I never could stand the Simpsons, but like Patrick Henry, I've a soft spot for King of the Hill... probably because it comes on late at night here, and also because it really does remind me of some of my old friends back home in the Lone Star State. Every episode leaves me in stitches.

RC said...

the intellegence and culture, etc. built into the simpson's makes it far superior to the fart joke shoes like family guy that try to be funny like the simpson's but don't have enough smarts.

i tell the kids at school to study hard so that they'll understand more of the jokes in the simpsons.

--RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com

elasticwaistbandlady said...

Omar, what about "Sex And Candy"? I think that's far worse. Also, theres this new song I keep hearing about being a punk rock girl with flowers in your hair. That song blows! And another one about 9 million bicycles in Beijing. Who writes this crap?

Hi orion's mom. It's nice to see you here. I thought I scared you away permanently when I discovered your blog and close LDS homeschooling in Texas kinship and our mutual acquaintances. Sometimes people don't want others to know about their super secret blogging alter egos, and I assumed you were one of those. Welcome!

I've never seen an episode of South Park, mullet. My soul is probably saved because of it. :)

RC. I didn't know they made fart joke shoes. That's flippin sweet! I want me a pair, but then if they can tell people fart jokes it would kind of cancel me out. Stupid downsizing and elimination of jobs due to automated technology.

White Man Retarded said...

uh, I love sex and candy. Wait, the song? I love that song. It's simple, yet trippy, all at the same time. Sippy, trimple...I empathize with the singer...

White Man Retarded said...

I didn't do acid, acid did me.