27-Year-Old Simpsons Episode Blunder Revealed: How The Writer Missed an Epic Joke

An observant fan of The Simpsons recently discovered a significant mistake in an episode that writer Josh Weinstein had overlooked before it aired. Weinstein joined the writing staff of The Simpsons in 1992 and contributed to seasons 3 and 4, becoming part of a new generation of writers after the departure of several original staff members. He later served as co-showrunner alongside Bill Oakley during seasons 7 and 8 before leaving the show. Weinstein has since gone on to work on other beloved animated series such as Futurama, Gravity Falls, and Disenchantment.

During a discussion about his time on The Simpsons on Twitter, Weinstein was contacted by a fan who pointed out an error in the season 7 episode titled "Mother Simpson." While this episode is best known for introducing Homer's estranged mother, Mona Simpson, Weinstein acknowledged a mistake in a memorable joke that was shared by the Twitter account @Simpsons_Tweets. The mistake involved a misspelling on Homer's tombstone in the original design. Take a look at the image below:

When a fan pointed out the misspelling that had made its way into the final episode, Weinstein confessed that he had never actually noticed the error in the final cut. He shared this revelation in a tweet, which also cleverly referenced Homer's three nerdy college mentors: Benjamin, Doug, and Gary.

How Josh Weinstein's Time As Showrunner Shook Up The Simpsons

In addition to Oakley, Weinstein's tenure as showrunner for The Simpsons resulted in numerous memorable moments. During season 7, they provided answers to the mystery of who shot Mr. Burns, unveiled the secret World War II exploits of grandpa Abe Simpson, and explored the doomed romance between washed-up actor Troy McClure and Selma Bouvier. One notable episode from season 7 was episode 21, "22 Short Films About Springfield," which introduced the now legendary and widely-memed "Steamed Hams" scene.

With Weinstein's tenure as a showrunner bringing forth numerous iconic storylines for The Simpsons, his presence on social media has offered viewers insights into his era. However, the recent oversight of misspelling Homer's last name, which went unnoticed by Weinstein during production, has served as a learning experience for the former showrunner himself. Considering the show's extensive history of over 30 years, one can't help but wonder if similar unnoticed errors can be discovered in other episodes.

​​​​​​Source: Josh Weinstein/Twitter