5 strange places you'll find references to The Simpsons
The Simpsons have had some strange references over their many years on the air.
5 strange places you'll find references to The Simpsons
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Credit: Image via Disney / Russell Descourouez | How To Geek
Russell Descourouez
Mar 1, 2026, 12:00 PM EST
Russell is a hard-working family-man who loves all things nerdy. His love of writing led Russell to obtain a minor in English in addition to his Bachelor's of Psychology from the University of North Texas.
Since graduating, he has actively pursued a career in pop-culture journalism, consistently watching and breaking down some of the greatest media of the last few decades. When he isn't at his desk, Russell spends his time playing with his kids, gaming, reading, cooking, or binge-watching on the couch with his partner.
The Simpsons is one of the most popular cartoon series of all time and is currently streaming on Disney+. The series began on December 17, 1989, and has since become a widely recognizable cultural phenomenon.
Since their screen debut, The Simpsons has become synonymous with success. After nearly three decades, there are avid references to the popular show around every corner. Yet, certain Easter eggs, like Slash's popular World on Fire album art, are more interesting than others.
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Terraria's Tavernkeep shares a name with the popular Simpsons' bartender
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Credit: Image via Re-Logic
Terraria is one of the most popular 2D sandbox games on the market. It is similar to Minecraft in many ways, but with the addition of helpful and often beloved NPCs. On November 15, 2016, a new NPC was added, called The Tavernkeep, in collaboration with the game Dungeon Defenders 2. Like the other Terraria NPCs, the Tavernkeep can spawn with several names, one of which is a reference to The Simpsons.
The Tavernkeep will often spawn with the name of Moe. Moe is also the name of one of the most popular characters in The Simpsons. The beloved bartender is one of Homer's most consistent allies and also the victim of many of Bart Simpson's iconic pranks. This creative reference has caused many Terraria players to recreate Moe's Tavern within the game.
Unfortunately, that is where The Simpsons reference seems to end. The Tavernkeep is one of the most interesting characters in the game and only accepts Defender Medals instead of the normal in-game currency. However, that has more to do with the Tavernkeep's relationship with Dungeon Defenders 2 than with The Simpsons.
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Terraria
Action
Adventure
Sandbox
Systems
[super greyscale 8-bit logo]
Top Critic Avg:
79/100
Critics Rec:
76%
Released
May 16, 2011
ESRB
T for Teen: Blood and Gore, Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol
Developer(s)
Re-Logic
Publisher(s)
505 Games
WHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
Genre(s)
Action, Adventure, Sandbox
**](https://gamerant.com/db/video-game/terraria/)
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Slash's World on Fire album features several distorted Simpsons' characters
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Credit: Image via Gibson Records
Saul "Slash" Hudson is one of the most well-known musicians of all time. He is the lead guitarist for the band Guns N' Roses but has also had a prominent solo career. In 2019, Slash released the World on Fire album, which has some of the most recognizable cover art of any relatively recent album. Featured prominently on the cover are distorted images of popular Simpsons characters Bart Simpson and Nelson Muntz.
The characters are instantly recognizable despite being severely disfigured. Bart features bulging eyes and a twisted, unfathomably large grin, while Nelson is missing a majority of his lower half. There are other popular characters on the album cover, but The Simpsons' stars are easily the most iconic.
It remains unknown if the characters' haunting visages are a commentary on the show itself, but that hasn't stopped fans from making several theories. Some assume that Bart's twisted mouth is meant to symbolize his consistent prank calls and how that influenced a generation. Yet, it's more than likely the characters were simply included due to their highly recognizable nature.
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Turning Red references Disney's buyout
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Credit: Image via Disney+
Turning Red came out in 2022 and was released around the time of one of Disney's most significant relatively recent purchases. On March 20, 2019, Disney would buy The Simpsons from 21st Century Fox, acquiring yet another media giant. Obviously, Turning Red took the opportunity to capitalize on this fact and is one of the first Disney films with a reference to the beloved adult cartoon shows.
The film's reference might be small, but it is incredibly significant given the context. When Mei-Mei is giving a tour of her family's temple, she comments on the lion statues at the front. Not only are the figures meant to guard the temple, but they are also named after Bart and Lisa, the cherished Simpsons' children.
Since Turning Red is targeted towards children, the reference had to be relatively obscure. Yet, longtime Simpsons fans would immediately recognize the names, especially when used in tandem. Ultimately, this is one small step for Disney but one huge leap for all adult cartoons, at least those that are owned by Disney.
[turning-red-payoff-classroom-1s-v13-0-mech15-fs.jpg]
Family
Animation
Adventure
Comedy
Release Date
March 11, 2022
Runtime
100 minutes
Cast
[Cast Placeholder Image]
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
Jordan Fisher
wai ching ho
[Cast Placeholder Image]
Mia Tagano
[logo-prime-video-jpg-png.jpg]
WHERE TO WATCH
Streaming
BUY
[logo-prime-video-jpg-png.jpg]
**](https://screenrant.com/db/movie/turning-red/)
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The Harvest Moon manga features a plethora of Simpsons' cameos
Credit: Image via Natsume Inc.
Harvest Moon is one of the most popular video game franchises of all time. Behind the video game is a lesser-known but equally well-made manga. The manga's creator, Yasuhiro Wado, is an avid fan of a lot of pop culture icons and would actively add them to the manga's pages.
Based on references alone, Wado is clearly a huge fan of The Simpsons. Throughout the manga, there are several direct and indirect references to the series. Characters like Moe and Flanders sometimes appear directly in the background, while other characters like Krusty are referenced on shirts or in the form of dolls.
There are many references to the popular show within the manga. Any fan of the adult-centered cartoon show could easily pick out the iconic characters littered throughout the manga's pages. Ultimately, the amount of consistent and overt references turns the Harvest Moon manga into a pseudo "Where's Waldo" with The Simpsons character.
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The Band Fallout Boy is actually named after a minor Simpson's character
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Credit: Image via Disney+
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