Top 10 Times The Simpsons Made Fun of Disney
#10: The 20th Century Fox Acquisition “When You Dish Upon a Star”
The title of this Season 10 episode, “When You Dish Upon a Star,” is an obvious take on Disney anthem, “When You Wish Upon a Star.” While the episode has nothing to do with “Pinocchio,” it did predict that the stars would one day align for Disney to purchase the show’s parent company, Fox. Through a visual gag, it’s noted that 20th Century Fox is “A Division of Walt Disney Co.” At the time, this was presumably poking fun at Disney’s recent acquisitions of the ABC and ESPN networks. The joke wound up being even more relevant nearly 20 years later, however, when Disney entered negotiations to purchase Fox. The deal officially went through in March 2019, making “The Simpsons” part of the Disney family.
#9: Copyright Expired “Lisa the Beauty Queen”
It’s no secret that Disney is very protective of its property. If your product invites too much comparison to the Disney brand, a lawsuit is likely on the horizon. So when Principal Skinner uses the slogan, “The Happiest Place on Earth,” for the school carnival, Disneyland threatens to sue Springfield Elementary. What Disney’s lawyers don’t realize is that Skinner was a Green Beret in the United States Army. Before a legal battle can ensue, Skinner commences a literal battle that leaves the lawyer and one of his bodyguards whimpering on the ground. Another Disney minion attempts to get away, but Skinner sends him packing with a mouse-eared briefcase. Of course, now that Disney owns “The Simpsons,” we shouldn’t expect any more copyright wars.
#8: Shary Bobbins “Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious”
This practically perfect episode parodies Disney’s “Mary Poppins”- although Shary Bobbins claims upfront that she’s an “original creation.” Julie Andrews herself was actually set to voice this send-up of her iconic character, but the producers ultimately gave the role to Maggie Roswell, the voice of Maude Flanders. The episode puts several satirical spins on classic Sherman Brothers songs, including “The Perfect Nanny,” “A Spoonful of Sugar,” and “Feed the Birds.” We also get Groundskeeper Willie channeling Bert and Mr. Burns flying a kite. Unlike the Banks family though, the Simpsons remains completely dysfunctional, prompting Shary to fly away with her umbrella. Given the character’s hilariously dark exit, we probably shouldn’t plan on seeing “Shary Bobbins Returns” anytime soon.
#7: “See My Vest” “Two Dozen and One Greyhounds”
Top 20 Times The Simpsons Made Fun of Disney
In addition to referencing the famous spaghetti scene from “Lady and the Tramp,” this episode largely satirizes “One Hundred and One Dalmatians.” When the Simpsons find themselves looking after 25 greyhound puppies, Mr. Burns kidnaps the dogs in order to make them into a tuxedo. Instead of Cruella de Vil’s song, however, Burns borrows a few notes from the “Be Our Guest” number in “Beauty and the Beast.” Sadly, the puppies won’t be the first animals to have died in the name of fashion, as Mr. Burns shows off his wardrobe of turtles’ necks, grizzly bear underwear, and a vest made from gorilla chest. Burns sings the tune with the same upbeat charisma as Lumière, which is hysterically at odds with its grim, even graphic subject matter.
#6: Diz-Nee Land Various Episodes
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A not-so-subtle imitation of various Disney parks, Diz-Nee Land is briefly seen in Season 2. The amusement park resurfaces in Season 26 and this time the writers come off as much more cynical, describing it as “The Happiest Hell on Earth.” A lengthy car trip is followed by an even more tedious journey simply to enter the park. Once inside, the Simpsons end up bleeding their wallets dry and sitting through repetitive rides. The episode also draws attention to Disney’s acquisition of “Star Wars” and the overhaul to make “Pirates of the Caribbean” more “politically correct.” A Springfield themed area is currently located at Universal Studios, but it’ll be beyond ironic if “Simpsons” attractions start popping up in Disneyland later down the line.
#5: Mixar “Angry Dad: The Movie”
At any Oscar or Golden Globe ceremony, Pixar is almost always a safe bet for Best Animated Feature. When Bart’s short film garners award buzz, he faces fierce competition in an animation powerhouse called Mixar. One of the key Mixar personnel is the spitting image of John Lasseter, from the glasses to the Hawaiian shirt. The Mixar staff aren’t quick to make friends with the competition, enlisting Randy Newman to sing a song entitled “You’ve Got an Enemy.” They also have a giant Luxo lamp, Mr. Carrot Head, and WALL-E-like robot in their corner. The Mixar short in contention is “Condiments,” a CGI western that spoofs Pixar’s tendency to give inanimate objects life and create worlds within worlds. And yes, this episode predated “Sausage Party.”
#4: EFCOT Center “Special Edna”
Let’s be honest, if you’re going to visit a Florida theme park, Epcot probably isn’t top of the list. The Simpsons’ EFCOT Center does little to distinguish itself from EPCOT with its signature structure being a large geodesic sphere. Homer is bored from the second they fly over the park, which is advertised as the place you go “when everything else is booked.” The park’s vision of the future apparently hasn’t been updated since the late 60s and it really shows. Eventually, Homer decides to make a break for Disney World, although he’s horrified to learn that the churros are $14. As many jabs as the episode takes at Epcot, the writers have to admit that Disney parks do have some incredible restaurants.
#3: Itchy the Lucky Mouse “The Day the Violence Died”
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We all know who Walt Disney is, but fewer people are familiar with Mickey’s co-creator, Ub Iwerks. In this episode, it’s revealed that Roger Meyers stole the character Itchy from another animator in 1928, the same year Mickey made his debut. This doesn’t exactly parallel Disney and Iwerks’ partnership, as both played a hand in creating Mickey. That being said, there’s no denying that the public associates Mickey more with Disney than Iwerks. Roger Meyers is clearly meant to be a Walt Disney parody, right down to a line about him being cryogenically frozen. Of course, the episode could also be seen as a shot at Charles Mintz, a distributor who took control of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit away from his creators, Disney and Iwerks.
#2: The Roger Meyers Story “Itchy & Scratchy Land”
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A vacation to Itchy & Scratchy Land invites numerous possibilities for parodies, including a documentary about fictional founder Roger Meyers, Sr. The documentary depicts Meyers as a seemingly wholesome figure who actually had a few skeletons in his closet. Just as Walt Disney has been accused by some of being anti-Semitic, Meyers landed in hot water for his controversial cartoon, “Nazi Supermen are Our Superiors.” Meyers’ filmography also includes an ultra-violent version of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” entitled “Scratchtasia.” His follow-up feature is a “Pinocchio” parody called “Pinnitchio,” which is perhaps even more shocking than the original novel by Carlo Collodi. A manic Scratchy robot destroys the screen before the documentary’s conclusion, but we can’t help but wonder if Itchy and Scratchy ever got the Bambi treatment. Before we get to our topic pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Radio Disney “Large Marge” Snow White Parody “No Loan Again Naturally” Demented Disney “The Simpsons Movie” (2007) Steamboat Itchy “Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie” Duff Gardens “Selma’s Choice”
#1: “Kimba, I Mean Simba” “Round Springfield”
When the late Bleeding Gums Murphy appears to Lisa in the sky, it’s hard not to think about Mufasa’s heavenly message to Simba. Actually, Mufasa appears alongside Bleeding Gums with Darth Vader and James Earl Jones. While “The Lion King” lampoon is evident, there’s another joke that might’ve flown over your head. Mufasa accidentally says “Kimba” instead of “Simba.” Animation fans will know that this is a reference to “Kimba the White Lion,” an anime series from the 60s that shares an astonishing amount in common with the Disney film. “Lion King” directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff claim they had no knowledge of the anime while making their film, but this moment seems to be suggesting that somebody at Disney was familiar with it.
