Other Voices
	The Simpsons Garden of Eden
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	by Chris Reese, April 27, 2007
	I used to manage a Pittsburgh-based rock band called, The Gathering Field. Bill Deasy, an Uncle Grumps contributor, was the lead singer. Although the band eventually was signed to Atlantic Records, life on the road was always of the spartan, everyone-piled-into-the-van variety. In the van, we fed our three addictions - we drank incredible amounts of coffee, most of us played chess, and all of us watched the Simpsons. Long before drop-down DVD players became common, we had a portable TV with VHS player triple-strapped between the front two seats. Eric, the bass player, and his friend, Pat, would load us up with taped Simpson shows and when we felt the urge, we'd rip through a bunch of episodes. I don't think I've watched it since. Now that we have a DVR, I can't think of one good reason for that to continue. The problem is that my wife never caught the Simpsons bug. Don't tell her, but I've been trying to slowly trick her into watching a little bit here and a little bit there. My finger has slipped on the remote 12 times in the past week. Real Simpsons fans know that: 1)it's a sitcom, not a cartoon -- you have to get to know the characters to fully appreciate it, 2) although it's not for young kids, it's about a loving family, not a dysfunctional one, and 3) for many years, it was the best comedy on TV. Although I could pick a gazillion clips that I've enjoyed, this one is a tribute to the guys in the van. I remember laughing while we watched it. A perfect way to start off an episode. If you've never really watched the Simpsons, it's not too late to start. ____________________________ We post new reviews and essays every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. During 2007, we will be donating 100 percent of our referral fees from Amazon to the Uncle Grumps Education Initiative. So, please click through us first when shopping at Amazon. The best way to keep in touch with us is to sign up on our e-mail list. You'll get a free copy of the Grump Gazette mailed to you every two weeks or so. You can sign up through the link at the top of this page or from the "Grump Gazette" icon on the homepage
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