“Je Suis Milhouse”: Matt Groening Gets Emotional At Annecy As He Reveals The Motivation Behind The 800-Episode Longevity Of ‘The Simpsons’

[ad_1] Matt Groening, arguably the best TV animator of all time, grew visibly emotional receiving Honorary Cristal Award at at present’s Annecy Worldwide Animation Movie Competition, which he labeled the “finest pageant on the planet, animation or in any other case.”

Receiving the gong in entrance of a packed home, he paid tribute to the “gods and goddesses” within the viewers, who “fill the universe with loopy characters who do what you inform them to do.”

“You'll be able to have them be courageous however isn’t it extra enjoyable to have Homer fall off a cliff,” he mentioned. “We torment our characters and have enjoyable with them.”

Groening was emotional as he thanked his household and reminded the viewers that the principle characters in The Simpsons are famously named after his father and mom, Homer and Marge, his sisters, Lisa and Maggie, and his grandfather, Abe.

Is Bart named after Groening? “I’ll allow you to into just a little secret…. Je suis Milhouse,” joked Groening, in reference to Bart’s loveable, dorky finest buddy.

After watching a brand new ep of The Simpsons, the viewers have been handled to a masterclass from Groening, animator David Silverman and writer-producer Matt Selman.

Throughout this session, Groening revealed the true factor that has motivated him to return to The Simpsons in spite of everything these years.

“We don’t take into consideration being accountable however our principal motivation is to shock ourselves,” he mentioned to applause. “If we shock ourselves then we predict we are able to shock the viewers.”

The key to the 36-year-old animation stalwart’s 800-episode longevity isn't to be lazy and maintain layering the humor, he added.

“Because it goes on we change into identified for various sorts of jokes,” added Groening. “We have now parodies of cinema and references to books, TV exhibits and private autobiographical anecdotes. The sum complete of the present is that contribution of everybody concerned.”

Within the subsequent season of The Simpsons, there shall be an ode to well-known American cartoonist Jules Feiffer and Groening quoted Feiffer when referencing The Simpsons’ long-lasting success: “Jules mentioned with each advance in know-how comes decline in high quality. So we have now tried to keep up that hand drawn high quality.”

He additionally confronted questions over the present’s odd knack for predicting real-life occasions, together with an episode during which Lisa references a President Donald Trump years earlier than he grew to become POTUS.

“All of the conspiracy theories are true,” joked Groening, who pretended that the inventive group pulls its predictions out of a Marge Simpson-shaped wig that his group had introduced on stage.

Groening and the group then proceeded to drag out a set of joke predictions together with that the “Statue of Liberty shall be returned to France when nobody in America can bear in mind what the phrase ‘liberty’ means,” and “electrical vehicles will use a brand new power supply powered by a hatred of Elon Musk.”

By way of the recommendation he’d give future animators, Groening first mentioned “don't let your mum throw away your comedian e-book assortment once you depart Excessive College,” and secondly grew to become emotional as soon as extra as he urged the gang of younger animators: “No matter you’re engaged on, end it. The world is filled with half-finished items of animation, so end it and get it on the market.”

Groening was talking on the second day of the Annecy Worldwide Animation Movie Competition, which is being attended by all the massive American studios.