Feast of Saint Matt

Brothers,sisters, and Transgendered Comedists Everywhere,

This week sees the 54th birthday of cartoonist Matt Groening. Many of us first saw his work in the syndicated "Life in Hell," a comic with a smart, ironic feel, usually carried in alternative papers. It's funny how there are comics that never leave you, and this one was always one of my favorites...possibly because it came out my first year in grad school.

It was big news at the time that he was going to do animated shorts during The Tracy Ulman Show, a comedian of extraordinary talent. Seemed a great pairing. Little did anyone suspect that the slots would lead to The Simpsons, one of the few times I can remember that an incredibly smart, sharp, and insightful bit of cultural commentary would become a fad. And so it was for the first few years, but the quality of the writing has made the show the only legitimate reason to turn on Fox for many years.

The word "D'oh," no doubt will make the OED one year soon. So, this weeks questions, best Simpsons line and best Simpsons episode.

Live, love, and laugh,

Irreverend Steve