Simpsons fans are marking their calendars for Saturday October 18, 2003, when Simpsons Mania takes place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Fans will have an opportunity to view and purchase original artwork used in the show. The exhibition, organized by Animation Connection, will showcase hundreds of pieces of art, including animator's drawings and hand-painted cels. Wes Archer, one of the original directors of The Simpsons, will be there to speak to the crowds as well as sign artwork purchased at the event. The expo runs from 1 - 4pm on the day, and if you can't make it, Animation Connection will be offering a wide selection after the event.

DarkHorizons.com have posted a little tidbit in their news section about upcoming storylines on The Simpsons. "There's been deaths, scandals, crushes, etc. Now apparently at an Angelo State University lecture last night, Producer Mike Reiss revealed one of the main characters would have "gay sex" this season but NOT one of the kids. There's also a slim chance of the now-cancelled "Futurama" characters appearing." Sounds like Reiss is trying yank our chains if you ask me. I enjoy the odd rumor though, and if this one turned out to be true, I'd be kicking myself if I hadn't announced it.

George Plimpton, the self-deprecating author of "Paper Lion" and a patron to Philip Roth, Jack Kerouac and countless other writers, has died. He was 76. Plimpton died Thursday night at his Manhattan apartment, his longtime friend, restaurateur Elaine Kaufman, said Friday. She had no information on the cause. Earlier this year, Plimpton lent his voice to The Simpsons, where he played himself, as the host of the National Spelling Olympics in the episode "I'm Spelling As Fast As I Can". It was one of the last appearances he'd ever make. You can read about his accomplishments at Chicago Sun Times.

"For those seeking sophisticated treatment of cultural issues from the nuclear family to feminism, professor Matthew Henry offers what may be considered an unconventional resource: The Simpsons TV show. "The Simpsons is a show that continually challenges us to think seriously about the world we live in today, to question our beliefs and examine our values, and to imagine the ways in which the world could be a better place," Henry told about 200 people crowded into Aurora University's Perry Theatre on Thursday for the program "The Simpsons and American Culture." Read More >>>

When she discovered a lump in her breast as a young woman, a terrified Marcia Wallace returned to her hometown to have it removed. But circa 1970, the small community 70 miles southwest of Des Moines had no pathology lab. So the lump was esconced in a Chinese food carton which Wallace's sister then drove to the capital city for testing. As Wallace imagined the worst, her sister confessed as how, along the miles of highway, she'd serenaded the package with the Cole Porter evergreen "Begin the Beguine," substituting the word benign for beguine. "The thought of my sister singing to my lump made me laugh, and feel much less helpless," says Wallace, an actress known by Simpsons fans as the voice of Edna Krabappel. Read More >>>

The first meeting of one of the newest clubs on campus consisted of nothing more than a small group of "The Simpsons" fanatics lounging on couches and watching their favorite show. No entrance requirements. No registration. No dues. The founders of SCimpsons, a club open to anyone looking to share a common love for the television series, held its first meeting on the fourth floor North Lounge at the International Residential College at Parkside. "At most meetings, we'll be sitting around watching episodes. It's basically a forum for 'Simpsons' fans to come together, watch 'Simpsons,' and have fun," said Lee Gorlin, President of SCimpsons. Read More >>>

Grab a box of donuts and pick up the controller, it's time to take an adventure through Springfield in the best Simpsons game ever. Vivendi announced today that The Simpsons Hit & Run for the PS2, XBox, and GameCube has shipped to retail stores nationwide priced at $49.99. Developed with Gracie Films and Matt Groening, The Simpsons Hit & Run is a "must-have" for both gamers and fans alike. Read More >>

"I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?" With those timeless words of wisdom, Simpsons extraordinaire Nancy Cartwright, who provides the voice of Bart Simpson, greeted an audience of nearly 400 Saturday night in Baldwin Auditorium. It was a fans-only night, as audience members quizzed each other on favorite episodes and quotes in anticipation of she who gives Bart life. It was an evening uncannily reminiscent of the "Itchy and Scratchy" convention where Homer, voice of Poochie, faces a crowd full of fault-finding nerds. The audience rivaled Cartwright in its singularity. One student wore a "Simpsons Satire Society" t-shirt. A handful of the audience admitted to having taped and watched every single episode. Read More >>>

Good news, everyone (well, not for "Futurama" fans). The Simpsons has won yet another Emmy for "Outstanding Animated Program," beating out "Disney’s Kim Possible," "As Told By Ginger," "SpongeBob SquarePants," and Matt Groening's other brainchild. This time around OFF won the award thanks to the "Three Gays Of The Condo" episode, and you can read more information about it and the other nominations by clicking here. The Simpsons missed out on the award for best Music and Lyrics for "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders", but hey, you can't win everything. Congratulations to our favorite family for still raking in the awards after 14 years.

Counterculture UK recently posted a competition to win all five of Fox's new 'The Simpsons Classics' DVDs, available in Region 2 format. The set comprises Simpsons Go To Hollywood, Simpsons Greatest Hits, Bart Wars, Too Hot For TV and Dark Secrets Of The Simpsons. Each disc contains four episodes. The competition is open to counterculture readers worldwide, but make sure you are fit to play Region 2 DVD's. To win, you must answer a simple question that appears on the competition page before September 20th. A winner will be chosen at random.

Johnny Cash, "The Man in Black" who became a towering figure in American music with such hits as "Folsom Prison Blues," "I Walk the Line" and "A Boy Named Sue," died today. He was 71. Cash died of complications from diabetes that resulted in respiratory failure, his manager, Lou Robin, said in a statement issued by Baptist Hospital in Nashville. He had battled a disease of the nervous system, autonomic neuropathy, and pneumonia in recent years. Cash had a guest guest part on The Simpsons in 1997, playing the role of the Coyote in the episode 'El Viaje De Neustro Jomer (The Mysterious Voyage Of Homer)'. Read MSNBC's tribute to the legendary musician here.

Tim Long, an executive producer and senior writer of The Simpsons, insists he's not a performer. Still, he displayed the skills of a standup comedian yesterday afternoon, fielding questions about the popular animated TV series from students who crowded into The Wave, a University of Western Ontario bar. After writing stints on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and Late Night with David Letterman, Long joined The Simpsons in 1998. "I think Homer Simpson's the best character in TV history and credit for that belongs to Dan Castellaneta," said Long. "The writers are always asking how stupid should Homer be and we decided he should never be dumber than a dog. But then the question becomes 'What kind of dog?'" Read More >>>

TV Guide's entertainment news has given us further details on Sarah Michelle Gellar's upcoming appearance which we first reported a month ago. Spoilers follow. "Former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar recently recorded an episode of Fox's The Simpsons to air in early 2004. In the episode, the Chosen One plays a kiddie delinquent named Gina who befriends Bart in juvenile detention. She later helps the bad seed escape, and the two go on the lam à la The Defiant Ones." These details confirm a storyline that Dan Castellana mentioned in our previous update. This episode is likely to air early next year. The Simpsons returns with new episodes on November 2nd.

Northern Illinois University has conducted an interview with Dan Castellaneta, voice of Homer, and one of their most famous alums. Their Weekender section talks to him about his past at the University and briefly touches on the show. But in a separate article he talks Season 15. Spoilers follow: "Homer and Bart make a battling robot. Marge and Homer talk about their past romances. Homer becomes an avenging super hero. Bart goes to juvenile detention. Principal Skinner and Mrs. Krabapple get married. Or do they? Tune in." The separate article also discusses how long Dan thinks the show will run. Read the full Weekender article here and extras here.

While the eyes of Simpsons fans were fixed on the release of the Season 3 DVD, another set has slipped under the radar. The Simpsons: Treehouse Of Horror collection has been released in North America today and is available for the RRP of $14.98. The single disc includes Treehouse Of Horror V, VI, VII, and XII, as well as a special Kang And Kodos featurette. Current reviews seem to share disappointment over the fact that only five episodes are included when it could have been so simple to include them all. But if you're a Simpsons fan that just can't wait for these episodes to come out on the season-sets, we recommend you purchase it from Amazon for the wee price of $11.23.

The Simpsons were pictured on the cover of August's Psychology Today magazine. A feature article titled "Men Know from Homer, Women from Marge" is now available to read on the net, as the issue is now a month old. "Sure, we ogle "The Osbournes" and love "Everybody Loves Raymond." But when it comes to a conjugal relationship that everyone understands, the hands-down winner is primary-colored and two-dimensional. Psychology Today visits the stars of America's real reality TV show, "The Simpsons." Read More >>>