- Last month, The Simpsons’ Homer stated in an episode that he was no longer going to strangle his son, Bart.
- The long-running gag of Homer angrily strangling Bart has been a fixture of The Simpsons for 34 years.
- Co-creator James L. Brooks responded by stating that Bart will continue to be strangled in future episodes.
According to Bovada, Homer is not expected to strangle Bart in Episode 1 of Season 36 of The Simpsons. Currently, Homer has +200 odds of strangling Bart in Episode 1 of Season 36, which is scheduled to air in the Fall of 2024.
Despite The Simpsons co-creator James L. Brooks indicating that the show isn’t scrapping the gag, oddsmakers do not believe that Homer will strangle Bart, at least to open the season. At +200, the implied probability of Homer strangling Bart in the season premiere is 33.3 percent.
With $100 wagered on this bet, gamblers have a chance to win $200, at Bovada. However, if you believe that Homer is telling the truth, you will have to bet $300 to win $100, at -300 odds.
Homer Suggests That He Is Done Strangling Bart
Since The Simpsons debuted in 1989, Homer grabbing Bart’s neck and shouting “Why you little!”, while choking the life out of him has been one of the most memorable gags on the show.
It has become synonymous with The Simpsons, so when Homer said that he isn’t interested in strangling Bart anymore, diehard fans of the show took note.
Airing on the October 22, 2023, episode, “McMansion & Wife”, Homer told Marge that he is a changed man and times are different now.
“See, Marge, strangling the boy has paid off,” Homer said to Marge. “Just kidding. I don’t do that anymore. Times have changed.”
The media set off a firestorm of controversy, as multiple reports suggested that Homer will no longer be strangling Bart in The Simpsons. In an article published by CNN on November 7, the headline wrote, “Homer Simpson apparently won’t be choking Bart anymore.”
Other news sources picked up on Homer’s comments, as well. While it was a big deal to old-time fans of the 34-time Emmy Award-winning show, current The Simpsons fans likely weren’t shocked.
According to IGN, Homer hasn’t strangled Bart since Season 31, which was broadcast from 2019 to 2020. Many fans believed that the gag may have quietly been phased out of The Simpsons. Homer was simply confirming what people already thought was true.
Executive Producers Respond to ‘Clickbait’
With several media outlets running with the story, executive producers of the show were forced to respond to the numerous reports running in the media.
One image seemingly cleared up any misconceptions regarding the drama. In the image, Homer is seen strangling Bart, with text in a word bubble stating, “Why you little clickbaiting-!!”
Speaking to PEOPLE, co-creator James L. Brooks went even further and clarified that nothing will be changing on The Simpsons.
“Nothing’s getting tamed. Nothing, nothing, nothing,” said Brooks. “He’ll continue to be strangled — if you want to use that awful term for it. He’ll continue to be loved by his father in a specific way.”
Interestingly enough, it has been a few years since Homer has strangled Bart. However, the opposite was true in the latest episode of The Simpsons.
In “It’s a Blunderful Life”, aired on November 19, 2023, Bart strangles Homer and shouts, “Why you giant!”. It is only the second time that Bart has strangled Homer on The Simpsons since 2003.
The decision to have Bart strangling Homer is most likely in response to this recent drama. Instead of having Homer strangle Bart, The Simpsons’ writers threw a curveball to audiences with Bart strangling his father.
Will the producers of The Simpsons start Season 36 off with a bang to disprove the ‘clickbaiting’ media? At +200, Bovada oddsmakers are not convinced. But, if you are, be sure to lock in your bets at Bovada.
