27 Amazing Facts about The Simpsons

By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer

Published August 21, 2020Updated March 14, 2025

Bart Simpson is voiced by Nancy Cartwright. The character first appeared on The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987._[1]
All the characters on The Simpsons have four-fingered hands. The only exception is the character of God, who has 5 fingers._[8]
Homer Simpson originally had a secret identity: Krusty the Clown. As the series went on, the producers dropped the idea but kept the character._[8]

The Simpsons' writers say that McCartney always checks that Lisa is still a vegetarian

Paul McCartney agreed to do a voice-over on The Simpsons if the creators agreed to turn Lisa into a vegetarian for the rest of the series. McCartney also allowed them to use "Maybe I'm Amazed" during the end credits._[7]
Whenever Bart makes a prank call to Moe's Tavern, he dials the number 764-84377, which spells "Smithers."_[9]
There is an Arabic version of The Simpsons. In this version, Homer is called Omar Shamshoom._[3]
The Simpsons uses a floating timeline, which means the characters do not age or they age just slightly._[1]
In the episode "Simpsorama," Bart says that his birthdate is February 23._[1]
The name "Bart" is an anagram of the word "brat." Bart's middle name, JoJo, is a tribute to animated characters Bullwinkle J. Moose and Rocket J. Squirrel._[1]
Actors who appeared both as themselves and as other characters in The Simpsons include Elizabeth Taylor, Alec Baldwin, Mark Hamill, Steve Buscemi, and Susan Sarandon._[10]
The Simpsons is the longest running primetime comedy series. It is also the longest running primetime animated series in US history._[10]
Bart's hair always has 9 points, except when its combed._[10]

Don't have a cow, man.

- Bart Simpson

One of Cletus' children is named Crystal Meth._[10]
Homer Simpson has an email address. Not surprisingly, it is [email protected]._[10]
The full names of The Simpsons characters are Homer Jay Simpson, Marjorie Jacqueline Bouvier Simpson, Bartholomew JoJo Simpson, Lisa Marie Simpson, and Margaret Evelyn Simpson._[10]
The characters in The Simpsons were created yellow to attract the attention of channel surfers._[10]

Bart, Lisa, and Maggie also have no hairlines, so they have kinda skin, kind of hair

As a baby, Bart's first words were "Ay Caramba."_[10]
Dustin Hoffman had a speaking role in the second season as Lisa's substitute teacher, Mr. Bergstrom. But he didn't know if he wanted to be associated with the cartoon, so his pseudonym, "Sam Etic," was used in the credits. It is a play on the word "Semitic."_[4]
In 2000, The Simpsons predicted the Trump presidency. Writer Dan Greaney noted that a Trump presidency was consistent with "America going insane."_[4]

Eddie Haskell from Leave it to Beaver was a forerunner to TV troublemakers like Bart Simpson

The Simpsons creator Matt Groening described Bart as "what would have happened if Eddie Haskell from Leave it Beaver got his own show."_[5]
Matt Groenig, The Simpsons creator, named Lisa Simpson after his little sister Lisa._[8]
Lisa Simpson's email is [email protected]_[8]
Lisa Simpson's first word was "Bart."_[8]
Originally, Marge Simpson had such big hair to hid her bunny ears. Her bunny ears can be seen in The Simpsons arcade game._[8]
Former First Lady Barbara Bush once said that The Simpsons was the "dumbest thing I've ever seen." However, after Marge wrote a personalized letter to her explaining that her family was trying their best, Mrs. Bush apologized and complimented Marge on being a good example._[2]
Late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien wrote for The Simpsons in the show's early days._[11]
Forty-three of 86 Simpsons writers attended an Ivy League school, and 35 attended Harvard specifically. Sometimes you'll see complex mathematical equations on chalkboards in the cartoon._[6]