‘The Simpsons’ at 30: Cincinnati’s appearances in the classic animated series

Show Caption Hide Caption 'The Simpsons' turns 30 "The Simpsons" creators walk Tribeca red carpet for 30th anniversary; talk how the show predicted the Trump presidency. (April 29)

“The Simpsons” reaches another milestone today – 30 years since the first episode, the Christmas special “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire,” premiered Dec. 17, 1989.

In the three decades since, the ageless animated series has had a number of local connections – and punchlines.

1. The voice of Bart

Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson himself, was born in Dayton and grew up in Kettering. The 1976 Fairmont High School graduate, now 62 years old, said that she had contributed Bart’s early catchphrase, “Eat my shorts!” which she got from her high school band’s chant.

“It was a phrase that started somewhere between my trumpet section and the drum squad, and it became synonymous with the band,” Cartwright said.

2. Cincinnati Time Waste

In the Season 18 episode “Ice Cream of Margie (With the Light Blue Hair)” (2006), Homer and his power plant cohorts Lenny and Carl get serious about goofing off, playing “Cincinnati Time Waste,” a game involving brooms and a rubber-band ball with its own rule book.

3. Betting against the Bengals

Homer looks for betting tips on the football game between Cincinnati and Miami in the Season 3 episode “Lisa the Greek” (1992). He takes Lisa’s advice to pick the Dolphins, and they win. (The Bengals play the Dolphins this weekend. Coincidence?)

4. Sunday in Cincinnati

In the Season 29 episode “No Good Read Goes Unpunished” (2018), Marge tries to edit out the offensive parts of her favorite children’s book and winds up making it “as inoffensive as a Sunday in Cincinnati.”

5. A better life

When Lisa tries to hitch a ride in a rocket with billionaire Elon Musk in “The Musk Who Fell to Earth” (Season 26, 2015), she “just wanted to see if there was a better life, even for a little bit.”

Homer tells her, “When you’re 16, I’ll drive you to Cincinnati, and you’ll see what there is to see.”

6. Queen City celebrities

The folks in Springfield have had a few visits from folks in Cincinnati.

• Baseball great Ken Griffey Jr. guest stars in Season 3’s “Homer at the Bat” (1992) to play on Homer’s all-star softball team, but develops gigantism.

• Cincinnati native Carmen Electra appears on “The Frying Game” (Season 13, 2002) as a cohost of a new reality show “Frame Up.” Marge and Homer are unwittingly the subject of the show, which frames ordinary people for murder.

• Homer knocks off two local celebs in the “How to Get Ahead in Dead-vertising” segment of Treehouse of Horror XIX, (Season 20, 2008). As part of a celebrity killing spree, he takes out George Clooney with Quicksand Extra Deep as the actor puts his hand prints in the sidewalk at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Neil Armstrong is crushed under displays knocked over by Homer using a model airplane as he gives a speech in the National Air and Space Museum.

• West High alum Andy Williams gets two nods: On “Bart on the Road” (Season 7, 1996), Bart, Milhouse, Martin and Nelson wind up in Branson, Missouri, and stop to see Andy Williams, who is Nelson’s hero. The Season 24 episode “Moonshine River” is dedicated to Williams, who died from bladder cancer five days before the episode aired in 2012. Williams’ hit “Moon River” plays during the credits.

• British rocker Peter Frampton, formerly of Indian Hill, tours with the Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth and Cypress Hill in “Homerpalooza” (Season 7, 1996).

• Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench is the spokesman for Johnny Bench’s Pre-cooked Bacon (it’s mixed with fudge) in “Pray Anything” (Season 14, 2003).

• Former Cincinnati mayor Jerry Springer appears as himself in “Treehouse of Horror IX” (Season 10, 1998), when Homer and Kang clash over Maggie’s paternity.

7. Cowabunga!

Cincinnati fans of the show may have something to look forward to in 2020: Here's a tweet about a script entitled "The Road to Cincinnati" which is said to be planned for the new year.