Some TV stations are filtering out and not airing episodes of the popular animated series 'The Simpsons' because of the crisis in Japan. According to a report from E! Online, TV stations in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are reviewing episodes of the series to determine which episodes not to air during this difficult time in Japan.
In the series, the father character Homer works in a nuclear power plant, and various epsiodes joke about impending or actual nuclear crises. Understandably, some TV stations feel that these kinds of jokes are not appropriate to show on TV, if only out of respect for those who are suffering in Japan.
In Austria, one station has already pulled two episodes, one in which Marie and Pierre Curie die of radiation poisoning and another which jokes about a nuclear meltdown.
Al Jean, an executive producer for the classic American animated series, supports the decisions of the networks.
"We have 480 episodes, and if there are a few that they don't want to air for awhile in light of the terrible things going on, I completely understand that," says Jean. “We would never make light of what’s happening in Japan.”
Jean also said that no upcoming episodes will deal with the touchy subject. "Some of them are workplace shows, but they are just about Homer being at work," says Jean. "They’re not about nuclear power."
And in case any long-time fans of the series are worried that the show might become too sensitive or politcally correct, Jean assures fans that Homer will not be leaving his job at the plant.
“He’s still going to work there,” says Jean. “We have a rich universe in which we can do a million things and not touch on that.”
(Sources: E! Online, Entertainment Weekly)
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