The writers know their Boston. One scene featured a Cumbie's, Lechmere and an old 'BCN billboard. Even one local pol got a shoutout, indirectly, when Marge marveled over one of City Councilor Matt O'Malley's free sunscreen dispensers: "So progressive!"
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Best. Episode. Ever.
By Ralph Boston
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 8:40pm
I probably missed the most obscure references (well Adam just confirmed that I did).
Was too busy laughing my ass off to catch it all.
Completely accurate too. Right down to cheating football team.
We Did Not Cheat
By Suldog
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 8:55pm
We won 12 division titles in 10 years fair and square!
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
P.S. In case anyone wants to accuse me of anything, that's a line from the show.
Looking at list from boston.com article
By Ralph Boston
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 8:50pm
Yes, there actually is a boston.com article worth reading:
The "Baby Whale" sunfish (Khed!)
"Menino Panini" cart.
so many more....lol
I don't have high [any?]
By anon
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 12:22am
I don't have high [any?] expectations for Boston.com, but really -- misspelling "NECCO" and getting the full company name wrong (referenced as "New England Candy Company" instead of "New England Confectionery Company" in point 13) -- shame.
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By ThatGuyFromRoxbury
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 12:40am
-----
Sense of Humor?????
By SBer
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 1:05am
I think you've lost your sense of humor. Boston.com didn't "misspell" the candy company's name....that is what the company was named on the Simpson's show. Like many other Boston names, they changed it ever so slightly, but the locals got the reference.
"Homer gets a job as a safety inspector at NEKCO, the New England Candy Company."
Yes, but Boston.com could've
By anon
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 3:45pm
Yes, but Boston.com could've gotten the name of the company correct in their write-up.
They DID get it correct
By Imma Dork
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 4:55pm
They reported on the episode, so they spelled it the same way as aired in the episode.
Now, don't have an episode.
Um
By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 9:40am
The show used NECKO because NECCO is trademarked.
Just like Legal Seafood (not Lawful Seafood) and Dunkin Donuts (Duncan's Doughnuts).
Boston.com went with the parody names used in the show.
My two favorite obscure refs
By Henry John
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 8:51pm
Dukakis' eyebrows in the Faneuil Hall scene...
A bowling alley, "The Lanes of Eddie Coyle" which works in a direct reference to the book (Higgins) and movie (Mitchum) while working in a side ref to the Affleck's The Town, when the bank manager is forced to walk blindfolded towards the ocean.
Was so busy noticing Steven Tyler ...
By adamg
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 8:56pm
I missed Fred the Baker.
Not to mention..
By Neal
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 9:39pm
Standing behind Fred to the right, is David McCullough. Elizabeth Warren, the whole Cheers cast, Elizabeth Warren, the Bosstones, Mike Dukakis in a tank costume, Barney Frank and Bobby Orr also make cameos in the parade crowd.
And also Elizabeth Warren!
By anon
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 9:57am
And also Elizabeth Warren!
Oh yeah, her too!
By Neal
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 10:30am
I see what I did there! One of those Liz Warrens was supposed to be Conan O'Brien! I guess I was too quick to hit post.
Another parade onlooker I forgot...
By Neal
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 10:37am
To David McCullough's right: the waistcoat-clad ghost of Paul Revere, holding a silver teapot in his left hand, with his right hand up to his chin, just as in the Copley painting.
Dunkie's
By Suldog
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 9:00pm
In one of the very fleeting backgrounds at the Americans' victory parade, the "Time to make the donuts" guy was in the crowd.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
And I see...
By Suldog
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 9:01pm
Adam just beat me to it. He gets extra points for knowing the actual character name.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
And that was a DD cup
By Ben
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 9:12pm
Thrown at them in traffic as they arrive in town.
But the DD in the ep stood for....
By Ralph Boston
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 10:17pm
Duncan's Donuts.. lol
I see marvelous Marvin Hagler
By Mfc
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 9:13pm
I see marvelous Marvin Hagler and ric ocasek in the background of that shot.
Noticed Ocasek....whiffed on Hagler
By Ralph Boston
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 10:20pm
Thx for pointing that out.!
Not Hagler
By MC PeePants
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 4:26am
Hawk from Spenser for Hire!
Hagler
By Suldog
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 5:39pm
In boxing trunks. Hawk is in another group.
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
And
By Eighthman
Tue, 10/11/2016 - 10:18am
Behind Officer Mike and the ducklings are the kids from ZOOM. THAT'S one that wasn't in the Boston.com article.
Robert Parish's Parish
By Ralph Boston
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 9:10pm
...the church with Robert Parish as pastor made me laugh....as did about 1,000 other things from the show.
Work on Drydock Ave and would
By Murphquake
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 9:35pm
Work on Drydock Ave and would have to say the South Boston dock workers with the veggie drinks.
TEDDD
By JohnAKeith
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 11:36pm
Ted made it in, along with Johnnie (Mark Wahlberg).
The ducklings, RIc Ocasek, an Aimee Mann reference, Bit Warren, Lechmere, Duncan's Donuts, Fribbles (but spelled Fribels, I think), Conan O'Brien, having locals as guest voices (including Rachel Dratch).
Negative was ... ugh, my constant beef that "Boston" means "Greater Boston" to everyone who doesn't live here. There wouldn't be sunscreen dispensers on Memorial Drive, MIT isn't in Boston, and Brandeis University is in (gasp) Waltham and the Peabody Essex is in .. I dunno, New Hampshire?
Some felt the "hidden racism" line was out of line but, eh.
EDIT: I posted 7 stills from the episode to my Twitter feed (not an attempt to promote myself) https://twitter.com/JohnAKeith
PEM is in Salem, MA
By Felicity
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 10:58pm
PEM is in Salem, MA
Peabody Museum @ Harvard
By BikerGeek
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 11:55pm
was the reference there I think. Building looks the same.
PEM reference
By Chowdahead68
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 4:00pm
As someone who grew up and lives in the Merrimack Valley I have long understood anything north of 128 was NH. I guess now it is anything north of the Charles. It's ok though because it's been a while since I have met anyone who lives in Boston that is from Boston. :)
Those probably are the Winklevoss twins
By BikerGeek
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 12:04am
A lot of the writers for The Simpsons went to Harvard, and, for all we know, knew the twins during their time there.
Johnny Tremain
By SBer
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 12:56am
Thank you for posting the stills John! I missed so many of the details when watching it live. Did you notice the character standing between Conan and the cast of Cheers? I was puzzled by him but realized it's Johnny Tremain, from one of my favorite books from elementary school.
Great pics
By MC PeePants
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 4:29am
But I lost it at "It's your cousin... Marvin!"
Boston proper is irrelevant.
By Chris77
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 7:06am
Boston proper is irrelevant. Harvard Square is as "Boston" as anything to a lot of people. If you live in Davis Square, you basically live in Boston.
Brandeis
By Eve
Tue, 10/11/2016 - 8:28am
Speaking as a Brandeis alumna, we're just glad to be included.
My Fave
By Felicity
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 10:57pm
The boston.com article showed a frame with a Dana Hersey - Movie Loft poster
The Mikey "It's a Baby Wheel, Kid!" Bergin reference
By ThatGuyFromRoxbury
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 4:24pm
Glad I wasn't the only one to catch the "It's a Baby Whale, Kid!" sunfish in there!! I also thought it was amazingly awesome how spot-on Faneuil Hall Marketplace was, right down to the carts selling cheesy tourist stuff in that little plaza across the street from Long Wharf. Can't say I've ever seen bobbleheads there, but I digress. The Cheers-esque riff anytime they did a wide shot of the area was a nice little touch as well.
edit: Just remembered, Homer was drinking a beer called "Brockton's Best" that featured Rocky Marciano on the label.
"Noam Chompsky's Smoothies"
By BikerGeek
Sun, 10/09/2016 - 11:54pm
Storefront in the background near Faneuil Hall.
Also, a cop with a bunch of ducklings in the parade.
And Howard Stern--who famously got his radio start at WBUR back when it was a student-run radio station.
The Jordan's commercial that was a pastiche on the show's opening credits and couch gag was a nice touch. (If it's old hat for the show, please be kind--I haven't watched the show in many, many years.)
Also, one scene with the theme music to St. Elsewhere.
Where was Howard Stern?
By Imma Dork
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 11:55am
I'm wondering if it's the same long-haired guy I thought was Ric Ocasek.
No Smoothies and No Stern (I don't think)
By comic Book Guy
Wed, 10/12/2016 - 12:37pm
Pretty sure the sign said Frappes rather than Smoothies. And I didn't see howard stern.
Dana Hersey
By Alex Kingsbury
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 12:21am
Dana Hersey and The Movie Loft poster?
For those who missed it...
By dpalomares
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 9:18am
And have Hulu: the episode is available to watch today.
Amazon Prime Too
By BostonGal
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 10:02am
$1.99 to buy. Enjoying it now! Hilarious!
It wasn't obscure,
By Eighthman
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 10:45am
but my favorite part was the street lined with Newbury Comcs Toothface stickers.
I recorded the show on my computer, so I can go through and see what I missed in the backgrounds (and to make screen shots).
John Houseman from "The Paper Chase"!
By CopleyScott17
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 8:06pm
Now THAT's obscure!
What a great episode! Have they done that for other cities? Is it weird that I'm proud? :-)
The doctor calliing everyone kid
By anon
Mon, 10/10/2016 - 9:18pm
Was great. Also thought the punks littering their Fribble cups was spot on.
Good stuff all around.
...
By matt
Tue, 10/11/2016 - 11:06am
other than wishing they had swapped out the modern lovers for aerosmith, this was great.
Just realized something....
By Ralph Boston
Tue, 10/11/2016 - 10:30pm
...did anyone pronounce Bart's named BAHT at all? If not...good for the writers. Would've been too easy!
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