Homer really, really likes Maine potatoes

It is the dogged journalist unwilling to rest on his laurels who finds story ideas in episodes of The Simpsons. Here are the opening lines of a piece in this morning’s Portland Press-Herald: “The Maine potato industry got an unexpected prime-time plug Sunday night when Homer Simpson, America’s most famous cartoon glutton, endorsed the state’s spuds. In a subplot that had Homer’s bountiful body sporting tattoo advertisements for various products, ‘Eat Maine Potatoes’ was stamped across one arm. Homer, who was in bed, told his blue-tower-haired wife, Marge, that the tater reference wasn’t an ad, but a reminder. He then reached over the edge of the bed into a bag of—yup, ‘Maine Potatoes’—and started munching on one.” Now this is hard-hitting journalism. The story goes on to gauge the value of such a plug to the Maine potato industry. The writer, unwilling to leave any stone unturned, even places a call to Fox and is forwarded a statement from Simpsons executive producer Al Jean: “All of the Simpsons writers are huge fans of Maine potatoes.” We have a feeling that quote was meant—yup, sarcastically.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

Credit: Matt Groening

February 28, 2006 | Permalink