"The class came to a general agreement: Homer Simpson is incontinent. "With moments of continence," a professor added. This is no normal college course, and not just because it sounds like the class is commenting on a popular cartoon character’s bodily functions. Don’t have a cow man, but Siena Heights University is offering a course on philosophy, theology, and The Simpsons. That’s right, the irreverent, animated television show that has aired on Fox since 1989 and made "Eat my shorts" a rallying cry for rebellious youths has taken its place in academia. "Philosophy 200: Animated Philosophy and Religion," is making its debut here this semester at the Catholic, liberal arts university of 1,170 students.The idea is to use The Simpsons as a tool to introduce students to significant philosophical and theological figures and their ideas." Read More >>>

"When Jacob Thomas entered the Is Your Dad Like Homer? contest just before Father’s Day, his dad agreed to pose for the perfect character-driven picture. The picture Jacob submitted for the contest reveals his dad, Jim Thomas, lounging on a living room couch, grasping a bottle of beer in his left hand and balancing a plate of doughnuts on his swollen belly. Caught just as he’s taking a bite out of one doughnut, the north St. Catharines man looks as if he’s having a Homer Simpson moment. But wait — there doesn’t appear to be any slobber dripping down Thomas’s chin. And he has a full head of dark brown hair and a dark beard. And four fingers and a thumb on each hand. And is that a pillow stuffed under his shirt? OK, so maybe his dad doesn’t look like the infamous cartoon patriarch, but Jacob, 9, said Monday that his dad "drinks lots of beer, eats lots" and "sits on the couch a lot." Read More >>>

One of the nation's most honored comedians, Bob Hope, has died at the age of 100. His longtime publicist says Hope died last night of pneumonia, while surrounded by his family at home in Toluca Lake, California. Hope was a star in vaudeville, radio, television and film -- most notably a string of "Road" movies with longtime friend Bing Crosby. For decades, he took his show on the road to military bases around the world, boosting the morale of servicemen from World War Two to the first Gulf War. He was admired by his peers, and generations of younger comedians. Woody Allen called Hope "the most influential comedian for me." Hope appeared as a guest voice on The Simpsons in Season 4's "Lisa The Beauty Queen".

No matter how many laughs a television show can squeeze from an impish boy, cracking wise and bugging out his eyes at various oppressors, a sudden end to the laughter looms. The comedy often stops when puberty starts. Fox's Sunday night hit "Malcolm in the Middle" is the latest series to confront the reality of a star hitting adolescence, with all its attendant restructuring of face and physique and vocal cords. ... Only one show has succeeded in keeping a kid in the lead for a decade: "The Simpsons" with the animated Bart Simpson. Watching Bart never mature is considered a key to its enduring appeal. "Early on, I know that the powers that be decided that no one would age," said Tim Long, the show's current head writer. "A kid with a starter 'stache, that would just be unpleasant," he added. "You don't worry about his future because in a way he has none." Read More >>>

"It's said we get the politicians we deserve - but Homer J Simpson for New Zealand prime minister? Only in his dreams. A Simpsons comic has Homer coming home drunk and waking to find he's become our PM - surrounded by Kiwis, sheep and a framed picture of Xena star Lucy Lawless. Helen Clark is in Korea and a spokesman doubted if she had ever watched The Simpsons. But, he said, "she thinks Homer would do a better job than Bill English". Not to be outdone, English, the National Party leader, confirmed The Simpsons was a regular favourite in his home, prompting the occasional tussle over the remote at news time. Asked if Homer would make a good PM, he said: "Well he'd make a better prime minister than the present one - because he's not politically correct and he has a sense of humour." Read More >>>

Australia: "FOXTEL entertainment channel Fox8 received almost 100,000 entries in its Sunday night Simpsons Text Trivia competition over a four-week period. The competition was offering a prize that money can't buy - a tour of The Simpsons animation studios, lunch with a Simpsons' writer, a VIP tour of the Fox Studios Lot and a signed Simpsons cartoon cell. Fox8 marketing manager Suzanne Dunseath-Hamilton said she was surprised at the number of entries, which had exceeded expectations. "This result clearly demonstrates that our viewers are highly committed to the interactive aspects the channel has to offer," Dunseath-Hamilton said. The text component of the competition operated through Legion Interactive. The success of this promotion can ensure that Australian fans will be offered similar contests in future."

A prediction: Viewers eons from now will give "Futurama" the credit it deserves today. When the show's time finally comes, this shrewd cartoon series could well be endorsed as an accurate picture of life, circa A.D. 3000. For now, however, we ancients of the 21st century who love it will continue to celebrate "Futurama" as unbeatable satire - even as its prime-time cycle nears an end. The final three new "Futurama" episodes can be seen on Fox on Sundays at 7 p.m. through Aug. 10. Granted, four seasons in prime time is nothing to sneeze at - unless compared to "The Simpsons," still going gangbusters on Fox after 14 years. Matt Groening's big "Simpsons" follow-up, "Futurama" has always been overshadowed by his brilliant first-born. Who knows why? The verbal humor, sight gags, wicked cultural jabs and general irreverence that make "The Simpsons" great are found full-strength on "Futurama," as is spectacular voice talent. Read More >>>

FOX today announced the season premiere dates for all their popular shows including The Simpsons. Our previously predicted November 2nd date is correct, and being named as the 'unofficial' season premiere as it is the annual Treehouse Of Horror special. The 'official' premiere will be on November 9th, with either My Mother The Carjacker or The Regina Monologues tipped to be the opener. The complete list of dates reveals Fox's new Sunday lineup starting November 2nd as follows: King Of The Hill at 7:30, The Simpsons at 8:00, new interview show/sitcom The Ortegas at 8:30, Malcolm In The Middle at 9:00, and new series Arrested Development at 9:30. Oliver Beene is missing from the lineup but will return at a later date.

Update: Comics Continuum has confirmed that 'My Mother The Carjacker' will be the official season premiere, not 'The Regina Monologues'.

Vivendi has revealed some more information and screens about its mission based driving title, The Simpsons Hit & Run. The game features over 56 driving and on-foot missions in seven levels spread out over familiar Springfield landmarks such as the Kwik-e-mart, and even the Simpsons' home. 17 characters can take over 40 vehicles, while you can also explore Springfield on foot as Homer, Bart, Apu, Marge, and Lisa. There will also be hidden pickups containing episode-specific bonus material from the last 14 seasons, a multiplayer mode for up-to four players and a fully authentic voice casting. The Simpsons Hit & Run will be released in November on PlayStation2, Xbox, Gamecube and PC. You can see new screenshots at Games Domain.

"The Simpsons are helping create a new generation of Scalextric fans, the toy car racers that have entertained kids since the Sixties. Scalextric owner Hornby told shareholders at today's annual general meeting that sales of both its Hornby and Scalextric ranges are 'encouraging', helped by a number of new product launches including 'The Simpsons Micro Scalextric'. Group trading in the first few months of the year has met expectations, the company said. Retailing at £29.99, the Simpsons model contains two cars, one with a Homer figure and another with son Bart on a skateboard, allowing kids to chase each other's cars. 'Our prospects remain pretty bright,' said chairman Neil Johnson." Original Article >>>

Independent Michigan band 'BuFu Nation' has shown their love for The Simpsons through song. The four-piece band who describe themselves as "Geeks with guitars" have written and released a song about the show titled 'Simpsons Love Song' (SLS). The song which is available to download from the mp3.com link on their Official Website was written to express the sentiment of every true Simpsons fan. And what fans they must be. The lyrics of the song involves the dilemma of a girl wanting to talk to them on the phone when their favorite television show is on. "Yeah to you, Its just a cartoon But to me its a way of life". I found the song refreshingly funny, make sure you listen to the lyrics (which are also available on the site). Love the dedication, guys.

The International Comic Convention was held in San Diego this weekend, and many fans were there to check out all the Simpsons goodies alone. "A writing team from The Simpsons screened one of the past season's episodes with three minutes of footage cut from the television broadcast. When asked by one fan if there will ever be a film feature for the dysfunctional Springfield family, creator Matt Groening said the television series is nowhere near played out. "We hope to have a Simpsons movie ready for your children when you grow up," he said.

Many sources are printing information about the upcoming season's guest stars, and while much of it may not be news to you, you can read New York's Daily News article about the guest stars here.

Fox's president of entertainment Gail Berman has spoke out about the network's current schedule, in which she revealed that this years Treehouse Of Horror, or "Halloween Special" episode will again be airing in November. The specials aired in the final week of October or on October 31st from Seasons 2 - 11. Fans were disappointed when the annual episode aired in November for the first time in Season 12, but outraged when the trend continued in Seasons 13 and 14. Berman described the recurring situation as "frustrating" for the creators and the network but necessary because of Fox's commitment to postseason baseball. With this new piece of information, it is likely that Treehouse Of Horror XIV will be the unofficial Season 15 premiere, airing on Sunday November 2nd. We'll let you know if we hear otherwise.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences today announced the Nominees in all categories for the 55th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. As usual, The Simpsons are nominated in the category 'Animated Program Less Than One Hour'. The episode submitted for the award was this season's "Three Gays Of The Condo." For the first time we can bring you the rest of the nominees in this category. They are: "As Told by Ginger: And She Was Gone," Nickelodeon; "Disney's Kim Possible: Crush," Disney; "Futurama: Jurassic Bark," Fox; "SpongeBob SquarePants: New Student Starfish-Clams," Nickelodeon.

Further down the nominees list, The Simpsons also pokes their head into the best music category for Dude, Where's My Ranch's "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders." The awards will be presented at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 21, 2003.

Following up on our post on July 12th regarding a new Christmas Special DVD, TVShowsOnDVD.com have released the cover art of this special release. The DVD is due for an October 14th release in Region 1. The cover (click for full view) features a scene from "Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire" and confirms the title as "Christmas With The Simpsons". It will retail for $14.98 US, $16.98 CAN.

This release is the second of two specialty holiday-themed DVD's which Fox is releasing this year. Treehouse Of Horror is released on September 2nd.

Do you have the Simpsons theme song on your cellphone? Maybe you should rethink that. "Of all the embarrassing places where a mobile phone can ring, a coroner's court must be on a par with a funeral. Inquests are often emotionally charged, as tearful bereaved relatives answer questions about the deceased from a coroner whose duty is to establish the cause of death. When the theme tune from The Simpsons suddenly clangs through the courtroom, people involved in the inquest can react with anger, red faces, tears or sometimes even laughter. Dewi Pritchard-Jones, coroner for North-west Wales, has seen this happen too many times. In one recent inquest, he warned that if proceedings were interrupted once more by a ring tone, the phone's owner would be ordered to pay £25 to charity." Read More >>>

Now in its third year, David Fishof's Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp is already muscling its way into pop culture, thanks to a hilarious recent episode of "The Simpsons" in which Homer signs up.In the episode, Mick Jagger inducts participants into the habitat's free-for-all lifestyle. "There are only two rules here," Jagger's animated figure decrees. "Rule Number One: THERE ARE NO RULES! Rule Number Two: No outside food." But the actual event is organized somewhat differently than the media has portrayed it. For all of you who saw how Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy Camp was played out in the episode "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation," and thought it would be fun, you can read about one man's experience at the real fantasy camp at Lawrence.com.

Bart Simpson Dedication has been relaunched this week, with a bright new design to lift the mood of the site. Since its re-release, it has undergone a number of changes but looks great as it is today. The site's competition has also undergone a makeover. Bart: The One And Only has been cleaned and freshened up with a new look which is an improvement over before.

After being down for quite some time, Toons Exposed is back on the net, offering all the best in Simpsons, South Park, Futurama, and Family Guy content. The new design is much nicer than before, and the amount of content on offer has grown considerably.

Sci-Fi Online have published an article based on info supposedly leaked by a source close to The Simpsons, on the death of another character. "A source close to the production of The Simpsons has leaked some information about a future episode which may cause concern for fans of the animated series. "At the moment, and this may change, we are looking into the possibility of killing off one of our regular characters," said our source. It has been hinted that it may be Grandpa, Moe or Principal Skinner who we wave goodbye to in the not too distant future. "We are just kicking the idea around at the moment," said our source. "I don't know how popular this will make us with our audience. If it is handled right, it could be an extremely moving episode." Hmm. Rumors are rumors, so we're throwing this one out there. The article is being discussed on this board. Thanks to John Cruz for alerting me. Read More >>>

Back in April we were told that there were Simpsons calendars in production for 2004. Their covers were released, and we learnt that as well as a Wall Calendar and Trivial Desktop Calendar, there would be a Family Organizer. These items are now available for you to preorder at Amazon.com if you would like to get in early. The items are the retail price of $12.99, but only $10.39 if you order from Amazon. The items covers are pictured below.

If you would like to preorder the Wall Calendar, Family Organizer, or the Trivial Calendar, click their respective links.

Comics Unlimited in Westminster CA are giving you the opportunity to celebrate ten years of Bongo Comics with an in-store appearance by Bongo editor Bill Morrison and writers Batton Lash and Jesse McCann. These people are heavily involed in the creation of Simpsons Comics, or you might recognize McCann's name as the editor of The Simpsons Beyond Forever. You'll have the opportunity to talk to the people, as well as get autographs and sketches, and meet other Bongo fans. The appearance will take place between 3 and 5pm on Saturday August 2nd, so if you live in the area or are passing by, make sure you check it out! The poster of the event can be found here, or you can find out more about Comics Unlimited at their official website.

Fox is looking to give Simpsons fans a treat, with their not-so-pleasing attitude towards getting Season DVD's out on time, they've lined up a number of special releases in attempt to keep you quiet (and to make money). TVShowsOnDVD.com has just reported about the second of two DVD specials that are set to be released within the next few months. "Information is scanty so far, but 20th Century Fox Home Entertaiment is announcing an October 14th release of The Simpsons Christmas Special. It looks to be in the same style as the recently announced Treehouse of Horror DVD, but this time the supplement is a Burns montage featurette. List pricing is expected to be $14.98 in the US ($16.98 in Canada)."

Meanwhile, Amazon.co.uk has reported a change in the UK release of the Season 3 DVD. The set will now be available on September 1st (previously July 28th). Sweden's release date is September 24th, while France is October 22nd. Thanks to SNPP.com for the last two dates.

"When comic actress Yeardley Smith got tired of hearing herself complain about her erratic fame and fickle fortune, she decided to write a show about it. Best known as the voice of Lisa Simpson, the 8-year-old baritone-sax player and improvisational poet on Fox-TV's 'The Simpsons,' Smith has been acting professionally since she was a teenager. She made her Broadway debut at age 19 in Tom Stoppard's 'The Real Thing' and won an Emmy Award for 'The Simpsons.' While her movie career hasn't been stellar - or even stable, Smith points out - she is a familiar enough figure on the big and small screens that a pharmacist once discussed her psychotropic prescription loudly before asking her for Lisa Simpson's autograph. Teenage girls recognize her in shopping malls, says Smith - and exclaim to one another: 'I can't believe she went out looking like that!' Read More >>>

IGN.com have posted their review of The Simpsons Road Rage for Game Boy Advance. We think it fared pretty well for a Simpsons game, receiving a total of 7.5 out of 10. The closing comments for the game were "As poorly as the console versions of The Simpsons Road Rage ranked, I honestly didn't think the Game Boy Advance version was nearly as bad...in fact, there's a lot of fun, enjoyable modes in the GBA's game design, and it doesn't have a hard time being a better Crazy Taxi clone than the handheld version of Crazy Taxi. But it's both the lack of character and lack of cartridge save that hurt the product; without Simpsons catchphrases, it just feels like the Simpsons license was slapped onto an existing game design (which it was, honestly). And without the cartridge save, it makes it a far less friendly portable game design." You can read Craig Harris's full review here

Last Exit To Springfield was redesigned today, after being offline for just half a day. The new design is completely different than before, featuring a Springfield road, which is very fitting with the title. The site has incorporated flash elements to make it more compact, while the interiors have their own design which has similar elements to before. This is the first major change since October 2001.

The Simpsons Gallery has a new design, with the same colors and general feel to it's previous look. The improvement is a positive one, though, and the site was well overdue for it. More new designs can be seen at Springfield In Pixels, A Hitchhikers Guide To Springfield, and Seven Forty-Two.

New York Post's "Starr Report" has some more details about guest star Simon Cowell's upcoming Simpsons appearance. Spoilers follow. "If American Idol judge Simon Cowell is brutally honest in real life, can his animated alter-ego be far behind? Cowell recently taped a turn for The Simpsons, playing a 'brutally honest' admissions screener at one of Springfield's most desirable pre-nursery schools, according to a report in TV Guide. On the episode, airing next March, "Homer and Marge are trying to get Maggie into the school, but she has to interview [with Cowell's character] first," a show insider tells TV Guide. Cowell recorded his "Simpsons" dialogue June 27 in London - and apparently has some dicey things to say when he learns Maggie can't talk."

The Simpsons — that rowdy, sometimes raucous ensemble that has become the epitome of dysfunctional family fun — have questioned the status quo, overthrown the fashion world and secured a permanent place in pop culture. This clan has been attacked by some for a lack of family values and then heralded by others for their family values. Some go so far as to call the Simpsons theologically relevant. There have been papers as well as books published about finding the spiritual messages within the show that depicts the Simpson family foibles. It's a phenomenon that's even been discussed in houses of worship, and it's currently the theme of a Sunday morning class at the First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs. Read More >>>

Velvet-voiced R&B crooner Barry White, whose lush baritone and throbbing musical compositions oozed sex appeal on songs like "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe," died Friday. He was 58. His canyon-deep, butter-smooth vocals emphasized his songs' sexually charged verbal foreplay, like on 1975's "Love Serenade," which began with White purring: "I want you the way you came into the world, I don't want to feel no clothes." The heavyset musician enjoyed three decades of fame for songs like "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" and "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me." White had a guest role on two Simpsons episodes in 1993: "Whacking Day" and "Krusty Gets Kancelled." Read More >>>

THQ today have issued a press release informing us that The Simpsons Road Rage game for Game Boy Advance has been shipped to retail stores in North America. "Handheld game players can now control over 15 Springfield residents, including Bart, Homer and Marge, as they drive vehicles inspired by the longest running comedy on television. The Simpsons has been a highly successful television show for over a decade," said Tiffany Ternan, Senior Vice President, North American Sales and Distribution, THQ. "We're excited to give fans of The Simpsons a videogame with all the fun and humor of the series." Road Rage is the seventh Simpsons game available on Nintendo's handheld, but this one is the first for Game Boy Advance. Read More >>>

Yeardley Smith, voice of Lisa Simpson, turns 39 today. Happy birthday! Speaking of which, she will be among the many artists who will take part in the third annual "Women Center Stage" festival at The Culture Project's 45 Bleecker space. Playbill has posted details of the event, running through July 13. Yeardley's performance follows "A woman's darkly comic journey through her life in and out of show-biz."

Meanwhile, Sky News has posted a rather vague article which we'll relay anyway. "Did you know that cartoon show The Simpsons has received its highest audience figures yet in the US? The stats were boosted by the guest appearance of wrinkled rocker Mick Jagger. A source told me: "Bosses were really keen to land Mick, and when he agreed they were over the moon." These figures prove they were right. Go, Mick, Go!"