The Chemosphere

Posted on February 24, 2012 by

Troy McClure’s back from the gutter, and he’s brought someone with him! — Troy McClure, “A Fish Called Selma”

Troy’s posh piscine pad is modeled on the Chemosphere, a classic piece of 60s architecture overlooking the San Fernando Valley region of sunny Los Angeles. Designed by architect John Lautner, the problem of how to pitch a home on such a steep slope was solved by suspending the UFO-like structure on a 30-foot concrete pylon.

The Chemosphere got its futuristic name thanks to the partial sponsorship of a company called Chemseal Corporation of America (now defunct, as far as I can tell), which contributed valuable materials to the process.

Excluding its animated appearance in The Simpsons, the Chemosphere is perhaps best known in the pop culture multiverse as the residence of the protagonist in Body Double, a sexy 80s sex thriller.

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Mafia Staff Car

Posted on February 22, 2012 by

Humans, you have stopped eating… — Alien #1, “Treehouse Of Horror”

Homer’s apron in the first-ever Treehouse ep is a quick take on a novelty automobile gewgaw that your uncle may have displayed on one Skylark or another. Bada bing:

See those bullet holes? They’re not actual holes — they’re only printed on to give the illusion as such! Just one of the many clever ideas novelty makers originated in the years before Truck Nutz came along and cheapened the art.

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Holiday Throwaway: Honest Abe

Posted on February 20, 2012 by
honest abe mannequins

This gallery contains 5 photos.

President’s Day … what a rip-off! — Homer, “Two Cars In Every Garage And Three Eyes On Every Fish” Happy Washington’s Birthday! In honor of our founding father, SHS is off until Wednesday. Until then, allow that other fan favorite’s … Continue reading →

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The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Posted on February 17, 2012 by

I’m gon-na make it af-ter all! — Homer, “And Maggie Makes Three”

I do declare, it’s starting to seem like the Simpsons writers may have watched a fair amount of television growing up. Here’s the full routine:

Fun fact, the Mary Tyler Moore Show was also a James L. Brooks project. Also, Cloris Leachman, who plays the less wacky of Mary’s wacky neighbors, would go on to voice Mrs. Glick for the home team.

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Dan Rather’s Walkoff

Posted on February 15, 2012 by

And now, my exclusive interview with His Holiness, Pope John Paul II…That’s it, I cannot work under these conditions. If anyone wants me, I’ll be downstairs at MacDougal’s… — Kent Brockman, “Lisa The Beauty Queen”

CBS Evening News certainly got nightly news folk hero Dan Rather‘s goat when in 1987 the network opted to present the final minutes of a tennis match in place of the start of Rather’s on-site broadcast in Miami (where, yes, John Paul II was currently visiting). Rather was pissed, and he opted not to be in his seat when the match ended and CBS cut back to the studio.

Fortunately, YouTube has footage of this awkward moment. Let’s take a look:

Hm. Well, it looks like I’ve been duped yet again. Nonetheless, you can read the New York Times‘s account of things if you like.

Rather, for his part, deeply regretted his decision to leave his post, issuing a public apology the next night:

Alright, that’s it. Call the SHS weekend guy, I don’t care.

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Fast Paced World

Posted on February 13, 2012 by

Perk up, Prendergast. Profoundly pressing power plant profit projections for Pete Porter in Pasadena. — Smithers

Priority? — Prendergast

Precisely. — Smithers, “Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part One”

That rapid fire Fedex scene that more-or-less opens WSMBPO is based on a truly well-done commercial that even now makes me want to run out and mail something:

“Fast Paced World”, colloquially referred to as the “Federal Express Fast Talker” bit, features more alliteration and wordplay than you can shake a stick at, and likely led more than one starry-eyed youth to the carnival barker/auctioneer circuit.

The star of the show, John Moschitta Jr. — who, according to the Guinness people, has established the high-water mark with the ability to fire off 568 words in a minute —  also applied his talents to other commercial endeavors, though I don’t think he’s going at quite the same clip for the Micro Machines people:

And many others that also may be worth your time. The term used to describe the ability to speak so quickly and with such articulation is “tachylalia“, for future reference.

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Nobody Beats The Wiz

Posted on February 10, 2012 by

He unholied the holy water! — Agnes Skinner, ‘The Canine Mutiny”

Ah, the Wiz. A consumer electronics store whose ubiquitous slogan once played across the Eastern Seaboard like sexy music (?). But don’t take my word for it … ask CSNY:

Though this next one does offer a valuable vocabulary lesson, I’m a bit unsettled by how grabby this couple gets when discussing Wiz-level savings:

And, of course, the Wiz himself was featured prominently on that other beloved 90s sitcom:

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