HOLLYWOOD (AP) – Simpsons creator Matt Groening has filed suit against Barack Obama in Federal court today, claiming that the President “substantially appropriated” material from the animated comedy series during a recent speech.
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“This is an open-and-shut case,” said Groening. “When Sarah Palin gave a speech that repeatedly quoted Newt Gingrich and she only cited his article five times, the Huffington Post correctly concluded that she was a plagiarist. This means that the non-plagiarizing standard is SIX citations, and Obama fell short of that by at least six citations.”
The questionable Obama lines came as he criticized the irresponsible largesse of the Bush administration for creating America’s current financial crisis:
“The reckless fiscal policies of the past have left us in a very deep hole,” Obama said. “Digging our way out will take time and patience and tough choices.”
Groening claims that the quote was “unquestionably” lifted from the 1994 Simpsons episode “Homer the Vigilante“. During the episode’s closing scene, half the town of Springfield is stuck in the bottom of the hole they dug while searching for buried treasure, and the following conversation ensues
OTTO THE BUS DRIVER: Hey, how are we gonna get out of here?
HOMER: [pause] We’ll DIG our way out! [grunts from effortful digging]
CHIEF WIGGUM: No, no… dig UP, stupid!
For his part, Obama denied that any plagiarism took place, saying, “Homer and I do trade ideas all the time, and you know he’s occasionally used lines of mine. Like that thing where he says ‘Why you little!…” and starts strangling Bart? He TOTALLY got that from watching me & Biden.”
[photo credit: SimpsonizeMe.com]
OMG, Harvey is the best (no offense, Mr J…) at newsish fakery. Another Mark Twain, if there had been computers and blogs and stuff in the 1880’s…really.
That “fiscal responsibility mantle” that Obama seeks has done crumbled into a pile of federal sh*t.
The sweet sight of the return of hard news to this site could not come at a better time.
However, in the uncaptioned and curiously unattributed photograph accompanying the news piece, the most gracious object of our deepest affections Mr. Obama has allowed himself to be pictured without any facial blemishes. Since President Obama’s facial blemishes are a hallmark of accurate photographic depictions of our esteemed Leader and the star of our many dreams, I must cry foul. Is this photograph a product of Photoshop, or has our glorious Leader healed himself again?
Nevertheless, thank you for your hard work and serious treatment of this important topic.
Matt Groening will have to get in line behind the estates of Karl Marx and V.I Lenin.
But, how would this affect the “Biden Rule”? You know, the rule that states that no matter how outlandish, completely untruthful, or dangerous to national security a statement made by Joe Biden may be, “That’s just our lovable Joe.”
hObama’s entire political career is a page ripped from the Annals of The Simpsons. His oafish, ham-fisted and just plain stupid handling of absolutely everything, while purporting to have the best of Intentions is Homer Jay Simpson to a “T” with no variation whatsoever.
I wish Mr. Groening the best of fortune in his impending legal action.
I believe I’ve heard Obama use the line “Me fail English? That’s unpossible!” before.
Homer Simpson could do a better job as president.
Hummm, I don’t know if Homer could do a better job as president but cartainly Mr. Burns could.
I can’t really fault Obama here. If I were president, I’d give entire press conferences that were nothing more than Simpsons quotes. Of course, they’d all be from the “good years”. None of this newer crap.
@IH8Socialist
i friggin love doughnuts.
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