The Simpsons creator says controversy was ‘one of the best things that ever happened’ to the show
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How The Simpsons has survived on TV after 35 years
- Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, believes early controversy surrounding the show, including bans and backlash over risque content, ultimately benefited its popularity by making it seem "exotic" and "forbidden."
- Groening highlighted an incident where Bart Simpson Underachiever T-shirts were banned in schools, contributing to the show's notoriety.
- Groening believes The Simpsons' longevity is due to its ability to tell stories and incorporate jokes across various mediums, including comics, video games, and merchandise.
- Showrunner Matt Selman hopes the eventual final episode will be "a really good story about the family," avoiding a typical, sentimental series finale.
- Selman mentioned a spoof 'finale' in 2024 that used AI to imagine an ending, inspired by the difficulty of creating a satisfactory conclusion to the long-running series.