One of The Simpsons' most hilarious satires was inspired by Steven Spielberg, details explored

While The Simpsons is usually known for its predictions, the thing that has kept the show alive since its debut in December 1989 is its satire. One of the many foremost examples of satire from the iconic American animated show is the fourth season's nineteenth episode, "The Front," directed by Rich Moore and written by Adam I. Lapidus.

The Front aired on Fox on April 15, 1993, and featured a plot that satirized the entertainment industry. In that episode, Lisa and Bart write an episode of Itchy & Scratchy and use Grampa Simpson as a front, and thus the title of the episode. The synopsis for this The Simpsons episode reads like this:

"Using Grandpa as a front, Lisa and Bart write their own "Itchy and Scratchy" cartoons."

While this plot may sound implausible, there is a basis for it in reality, and it is linked to none other than the beloved filmmaker Steven Spielberg and the animated show Tiny Toon Adventures, which he executive-produced.

The Simpsons Episode "The Front" explained:

Early in the episode, Bart and Lisa watch an episode of Itchy & Scratchy, which doesn't impress them. Therefore, they decide to write a script and send it to Itchy & Scratchy International, along with Lisa writing a letter telling why she and her brother wrote it. This script surprisingly manages to land on the company's Chairman, Roger Meyers Jr.'s desk.

Meyers rejects the script after reading the letter, and Lisa and Bart ascertain that the chairman rejected them for their age. Thus, the duo comes up with a diabolical plan to resend the script again, but this time with an adult serving as the front, Grampa Abe Simpson. Now, Meyers loves the script under Grampa Simpson's name, and he is hired as a staff writer.

Lisa and Bart reveal the truth to Grampa, who agrees to work as a writer on their behalf in exchange for splitting the money between the three. The scripts Bart and Lisa write strike a chord with fans, and it impresses Roger Meyers Jr. so much that he fires the entirety of the writing staff, except for Grampa. This satirical plot might be right out of something like a modern comedy like The Studio.

Which is why it is surprising that The Simpsons pulled off a comedy plot from today 32 years ago. However, the entire plot of the episode has a basis in reality.

Adam I. Lapidus, the writer of The Front, looked at Steven Spielberg's Tiny Toon Adventures for inspiration:

As mentioned earlier, Steven Spielberg served as the executive producer (EP) of Tiny Toon Adventures, which aired between September 1990 and February 1992. In 1991, the world was shocked to learn that one of the episodes of the then-upcoming second season would be written by three 13-year-old girls, Amy Crosby, Renee Carter, and Sarah Creef.

The three girls wrote and mailed a 120-page-long script titled "Babs and Buster Go Hawaiian" and mailed it to the Jurassic Park filmmaker. They expected a fan form letter in return, but instead Spielberg flew the three young girls to the Universal Studios command center to attend the story meeting for the episode, which was released in November 1991.

Adam I. Lapidus, the writer of The Simpsons episode, "The Front," read this story and realized that this story could suit Lisa and Bart, and sat down to write the episode.

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If you haven't seen this episode of The Simpsons, it is accessible via streaming on Disney+.

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