Bart Simpson Has No Idea Who Jimmy Fallon Is
The most recent episode of The Simpsons, “Full Heart, Empty Pool,” was all about the idea of legacy. Specifically, Homer wants to leave behind a legacy that’s unrelated to his famed idiocy. But Grampa suggests that “legacies don’t mean squat,” arguing, “Who cares what people think after you’re gone? You ain’t there to get the credit, if they remember you at all.”
To prove his point, Grampa asks Bart if he’s ever heard of Johnny Carson. “Nope,” Bart answers. David Letterman? “Nuh uh.” Grampa then brings up Jimmy Fallon, to which Bart replies, “Now you’re just making up names.”
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Some fans suggested that this exchange was a little odd considering that Bart once personally enlisted a newly-retired Carson to participate in Krusty the Clown’s comeback special, making this scene yet another example of the show’s shifting timeline.
As for the Fallon line, it was either intended as a broader critique of the late-night talk show’s fading cultural importance as a whole, or it was just a way for the writers to dunk on the current Tonight Show host. Probably the latter, considering that The Simpsons hasn’t exactly held back when it comes to jokes about Fallon, such as how Homer once threateningly asked Bart and Milhouse, “What are you kids laughing at? And if you say ‘Jimmy Fallon,’ I’ll know you’re lying.”
Then there was the time that a viral video of Homer ended up being “Jimmy Fallon-ed,” i.e., turned into some lame song. While brief, the depiction of Fallon’s brand of humor wasn’t exactly flattering.
Season 34’s It parody compared a murderous clown to Fallon, since they each get power from a “captive audience.” But perhaps the harshest Fallon burn of all came in last season’s “Treehouse of Horror XXXIV,” in which “celebrity shill” Jimmy Fallon is part of a robed, NFT-worshipping cult along with Kylie Jenner and Rob Gronkowski. He also can’t stop laughing, prompting Homer to shout, “Shut-up, you ruined ‘Cowbell’!”
Given all of these references, you’d think that Bart would definitely know who Fallon is. And, come to think of it, Bart should probably know who David Letterman is, too, considering that his dad has delivered multiple Top 10 lists.
