Comments on: Is The Simpsons a boys’ show?

By: Elena

Elena — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:09:30 +0000

Being one of those girls who can drop a Simpsons quote into any conversation, I must say that only a couple of my female friends will get the reference without explanation.

The guys can sometimes carry on the conversation until we end up reciting entire scenes.

Perhaps it is, as Rachel suggests, a matter of geekiness. The same girls that quote Simpsons also go to comic book conventions and watch loads of anime…

By: Jacob

Jacob — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:52:00 +0000

I know girls and boys alike who quote The Simpsons constantly – but yes, in general I think it’s more common among guys. Something about our ability to amass large quantities of useless information, I don’t know.

I think you’re probably right, also, that the fact it’s a cartoon means it holds more appeal with males. I asked my housemate the other day whether she had ever watched The Simpsons and she said she didn’t watch it as she doesn’t like cartoons, and finds them ‘childish’ and ‘immature’. I put it to her that she just doesn’t GET the quite intelligent humour that is actually there in spades. I think she was a bit affronted.

By: Rachel @ Musings of An Inappropriate Woman

Rachel @ Musings of An Inappropriate Woman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:12:03 +0000

The Simpsons probably makes me laugh more than any other show on television (even now that it’s not what it used to be, the hardcore fans I know tell me). Still, I’d be hardpressed to quote anything from it, and I know legions of guys who – as you point out – quote it damn well constantly.

I think the show has a broad appeal, but maybe the quoting has more to do with a particular brand of geekiness that manifests itself more commonly in men than in women (you can see this in music, as well – John Cusack’s character in High Fidelity). I also suspect this is a generational (20- and 30-something) thing – I wonder if teenage boys today share the same enthusiasm for the show.