Brazil vs. the simpsons

[Guest RetroRob215]

Brazil Retaliates Against 'The Simpsons'

Mon, Apr 8, 2002 02:01 PM PDT

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - According to reports in the Rio de Janeiro daily newspaper O Globo, the producers of "The Simpsons" will soon find themselves the target of a lawsuit from Rio tourism officials for the show's depiction of the Brazilian city in a recent episode, reports the Miami Herald.

 

Brazilian officials are upset about the March 31 episode entitled "Blame it on Lisa" where the family travels to Rio in order to find a missing orphan that Lisa Simpson had sponsored.

 

Officials are particularly upset over the shows use of clichés and stereotypes, as well as the homogenized mixture of Brazilian elements with broader Latin American cultures. The critics point to the show's general depiction of Brazilians as being congo-dancing, mustache-wearing folks with Spanish accents.

 

In the episode, while searching for the missing orphan that Lisa has sponsored, the family gets assaulted on a beach by poor Brazilian children and discover that Rio's slums are infested with violent monkeys. Homer also gets kidnapped by a taxi driver.

 

Rio's tourism secretary, Jose Eduardo Guinle, says he has asked the lawyer for the city's tourism agency to file a lawsuit in American courts for damages caused to the city's image as a result of the show.

 

Since it first aired in 1989, "The Simpsons" has lampooned many other foreign nations, including Canada, Japan, Britain, France and Australia.

 

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I personally liked the episode and think Brazil is taking things too personally.  I'm sure kidnappings happen in Brazil and children probably steal money from people in Brazil.  Those things happen everywhere, so IMO, Brazil has no case.

[Guest Kevin Sullivan Booked My Divorce]

I can't believe that.  If it was a documentary, that's one thing.  But it's a friggin' sitcom.  And yeah, that was a funny episode.

[Guest muzanisa]

The Australian one was brutal really put the boot in. Man if everyone who's ever had the piss taken out of them in the Simpsons is going to sue then Rupert Murdoch will go broke. (Although I've seen him and Fox get done over in it a few times so he can get it back that way)

[Guest HBK16]

That is dumb.  I also liked the show.  Espcially the angle with Homer and the Kidnappers. LOL.

[Guest]

More idiotic political correctness tries to ruin good fun. You would think people would get MORE open minded in the future than less.

[Guest Some Guy]

It's a fucking cartoon!  Brazil needs to lighten up a little or perhaps watch the Simpson's other shows to see that they are equal oppurtunity offenders.

[Guest razazteca]

Brazil is funny how they try to blame others for problems they have no solution for.

 

I remember watching Discovery or TLC about how The Tourism Officials tried to sue a local popular weather man for low turnout at the Carnival!!!!  The forecast was something like a tornado or thunderstorm was coming but missed the city by a few miles.

[Guest evenflowDDT]

Is this a legitimate claim? Will the lawsuit take place in Brazil or America?

 

Again, I'll have to agree, it's a stupid move (fodder for many more late night jokes... or maybe that's the idea, more lawsuits?), and the episode was funny.  I haven't seen Simpsons in a while for whatever reason, but having tuned in and having seen a great episode like that made my week.  Just goes to show you how lame my spring break was...

[Guest Mystery Eskimo]

You'd think Brazil would have better things to do than sue the Simpsons. Such as sorting out said slums.

[Guest JerryDrake]

They make fun of their own damn country.

 

They basically display Homer as a typical American father.

 

I am from Canada, and their Canadian episode did not offened me. I found it funny!

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

What are the terms of the lawsuit?

[Guest Shaved Bear]

I am from Canada, and their Canadian episode did not offened me. I found it funny!

uhhh im suffering from simpson amnesia currently, what happened in that episode, I do remember two incidents with canadiens though:

-On the Japanese Game Show

 

-A Canadien boy was in Bart's Special Ed class

[Guest]

The Australian one was brutal really put the boot in. Man if everyone who's ever had the piss taken out of them in the Simpsons is going to sue then Rupert Murdoch will go broke. (Although I've seen him and Fox get done over in it a few times so he can get it back that way)

Theyve been sued before?

 

And yeah the episode was pretty good. It wasnt great on its own but compared to the shitty episopes recently it was fucking hilarious. The last two seasons have been brutal and this had to be the best one. I was shocked because the promo Fox was airing with Hoemrs swimtrunks was terribly unfunny and I thought the episode was going to be more of the same.

[Guest muzanisa]

As far as I know the Simpsons has never been sued.

 

Ghast we seem to be on totally different planets on our postings.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

I am from Canada, and their Canadian episode did not offened me. I found it funny!

uhhh im suffering from simpson amnesia currently, what happened in that episode, I do remember two incidents with canadiens though:

-On the Japanese Game Show

 

-A Canadien boy was in Bart's Special Ed class

they've made alot of Canadian jokes bt their was an episode where Bart fell for Ranier WolfCastle's daughter but he broke up with her and she started going out with Millhouse, when her dad has to goto Toronto she goes too and the simpsons follow so Bart can win her back.

 

they make jokes about how clean the city is, the health care system, curling,etc.  i'm a canadian and i liked the episode.

 

other jokes about canada.

 

"Who can Remember them all tucked away down their" Homer on Canada"

 

"Awww Why do we have to goto America jr.?" when Bart says he wants to goto Toronto.

[Guest Jericholic82]

simpsosn make fun of everything so its cool.  Brazil should shut up.  We know thats not what alll the people are like its a freakin satire for gods sake. I doubt many are offended by it

 

for example

im from NY and I loved the NY vs Homer Simpson episode (the one thats been taken off syndication cuz of the wtc)

 

look at south park: they satire EVERYTHING

 

actually we should be happy candians didnt sue someone over the sp movie since  "Blame Canada" was nomintaed for an oscar for best song in 2000 ugh

[Guest DrEvil]

I think The United States of America should sue the Simpsons.  Look at the image they've created that the entire world believes is a typical American village.  Fat, lazy beer swilling slobs who just manage to get by through luck and good fortune, and running nuclear plants that are ticking time bombs for ecological disasters.

 

Actually, let's get that bastard Mr. Burns, he's loaded.

[Guest]

"Who can Remember them all tucked away down their" Homer on Canada"

That wasn't a joke about canada....it was jsut to show how Homer is an idiot.