This is confirmed from a number of Internet sites. Tentative air date appears to be Feb. 4.


The Simpsons' Lesbian Shock
Hit cartoon series The Simpsons is pushing for gay marriage rights in America with a shocking episode featuring chain-smoking twin Patty wedding another woman. Animated father Homer is ordained as a minister and marries Marge's sister to her dream woman in the eagerly-awaited show, which criticizes American President George W Bush's refusal to allow homosexual marriage. The sitcom will create further controversy later this year when Marge delivers a Christmas speech to the British public, which will rival monarch Queen Elizabeth II's traditional festive message.

Falwell Robertson and other neo nuts will be calling
for the show to be cancelled

But, but, but.....it's on FOX!!!

The Simpsons comes on Sundays (been so long since I watched it, I forgot), so Feb. 4 isn't the right date. The Simpsons website doesn't say when it will air, but it's not scheduled for Jan. 16, so it will be Jan. 23 or later.

I imagine the right won't be just real happy about it

BTW, the show is staying topical. On the Jan. 16 episode, Homer's dad will be arrested for smuggling prescription drugs from Canada.

How long before South Park does a gay marriage episode featuring Phelps?

All of Fox's entertainment shows have some degree of shock value. Their "news' operations had 9 out of 10 most watched shows.

Could Fox be in it for the money?

They have NEWS of FOX? When does it air? All I've seen is smut on the regular channels and they have the OP/ED channel on cable (FNN)

Fox News is a separate cable channel from Fox's entertainment network, which is over-the-air. I don't recall every having seen anything but local news on Fox channels.

And of course Fox is in it for the money

The Simpsons is the network's longest-running hit and is the longest-running sitcom in TV history. Glad to see that in its 16th season, it still has an edge.

You do realize I was being fascetious, don't you?

Well, I assume most folks know the difference

However, on the point of whether Fox's "news" division ever provides any programming for the entertainment network, I don't know the answer to that. I assume not, but then, I rarely watch *any* network TV.

That'll be fun. Thanks for the heads-up.

You sure? Maybe this being the Simpsons and all will use some sterotypical humor. It may be over all pro-rights tone to it, but what will happen if they, feeling a bit too immune to the controversy put in some stereotypical jokes. Will you be offended. Its kind of like the Black people using the N word, what if Homer uses the F word repeatedly? Will there be a RIGHTS ADVOCATES movement to censor a cartoon, you bet!!

Depends on the context and the overall tone of the show. One big difference between us and the right: We wouldn't call for prior restraint on this type of show.

However, being The Simpsons, I really don't think there will be anything offensive about it to us.