20 Normal Things Simpsons Fans Can't Hear Without Laughing
A comprehensive guide to 20 perfectly cromulent words, phrases and random things that are now permanently hilarious because of The Simpsons:
1. Dental Plan
It's really a shame how often a good "DENTAL PLAN / LISA NEEDS BRACES" reference just flies RIGHT over the head of your dentist's receptionist. And what do you mean, "Seriously, can you give me your insurance card or else you'll have to pay the full $200 for this cleaning"?? That's not the correct follow-up quote.
2. Aurora Borealis
CHALLENGE: Say "Aurora Borealis" out loud, right now, without yelling it in a Superintendent Chalmers voice. If you can do it, we're probably never getting married.
3. Monorail
This word doesn't come up often outside of Disney theme parks, but when it does, you better believe that song isn't leaving anyone's head for the next 5-10 days/years. Also, for the record: "mono" means "one", and "rail" means "rail." And that concludes our intensive three-week course.
4. "Boo"
To this day, I've never been in a crowd of people booing without some hilarious jokester taking it upon themselves to inevitably start shouting "BOO-URNS! BOOOO-URNS!", because that person is me.
5. Incognito
Guy Incognito's brief drop-in to Moe's is still maybe the hardest I've ever laughed at a Simpsons joke, but it's made this "Richie Incognito NFL-bullying scandal" really hard not to chuckle at. And that's not even scratching the surface of what it's done for dogs with puffy tails.
6. Brown
In your FACE, people who went to a way smarter school than I did! Otto almost got tenure there. Also, are you ok? You're saying "Brown" an awful lot.
7. BYOB
Lisa, if I ever stop adding "BYOBB" to every Facebook Event I ever create, I want you to shoot me. It's going on my wedding invitations.
8. Default
The two sweetest words in the English language.
9. Chowder
Anytime a waiter mentions "chowder" on a list of specials, I have to try really hard to resist screaming "SHOW-DEEAH? SHOW-DEEAH?? It's CHOWDAH! SAY IT, FRENCHIE!" then brutally beating them and pushing them into a room of mousetraps to complete the reference. I'll usually just settle for a bite of the big Rice Krispie square.
10. The Songs "Baby Come Back," "Cat's In The Cradle," "Everybody Loves A Clown," or "Crazy"
Ahh, the list of songs permanently turned-hilarious by the Simpsons just goes on and on. "Sgt. Pepper's," "Summer Wind," "In The Garden of Eden" by I. Ron Butterfly -- you name it.
11. The Waiting Game
Everyone knows The Waiting Game sucks, and that Hungry Hungry Hippos is a preferable alternative. Or 'Hippo In The House' (unless the hippo's missing).
12. Thermodynamics
Looking forward to yelling "In this house we obey the laws of THERMODYNAMICS" at my future-children for the first 10 years of their lives, with no context or explanation.
13. "In God We Trust"
lol @ all money
14. Homeowner's Tax
Fortunately, I'm not enough of an adult to actually have to pay one of these, because I will NEVER be enough of an adult to not laugh at paying one of these. Plus I already pay the Homer Tax.
15. Jeremy Irons, Walt Whitman, or Rory Calhoun
Every time Walt Whitman's name came up in a class throughout my life, someone was there with the appropriate "I. HATE. YOU. WALT. FREAKIN'. WHITMAN!" response. Basically, it was the English-class cousin of yelling "MORE LIKE BORE-O-PHYL!" anytime chlorophyl came up in a science class. RELATED NOTE: I was so much fun to be around in school, you guys.
Also, I still don't know who Rory Calhoun is outside of The Simpsons and refuse to look it up.
16. Superintendent
My mom was a school principal who often had very long, serious job-related phone discussions with her superintendent, but I was always there to support her with a nice "How are things with the ol' Super Nintendo? Is he putting the 'Super' back in 'Superintendent'?"
17. Guys And Dolls
As a Theater Major in college, I learned very little actually-useful life information, other than the fact that turning the title of any musical into a song where you just keep just repeating that title is never not hilarious.
18. Anyone With The Last Names "Grimes," "Thompson," or "Black"
Future-apologies to anyone with these names who ever come in contact with me.
19. "Purple," "Monkey" or "Dishwasher"
...Or just any time you mis-hear a sentence. Or mis-speak a sentence. Or really, since we're on the home stretch of this list, let's just say "pretty much any word, combination of words, or phrase ever spoken by people in any situation." Much tidier.
20. Mule
Hehehehe. "Mule."
Other examples we're leaving out? Feel free to leave them in the comments! (We cut this list down to 20 from about, say, 500 or so examples.)
(Also, thanks to my other Simpsons SuperFriends for sending me their billions of personal contributions for this list. You truly are the King of Kings.)
