The Simpsons has more than 700 episodes from its historic run of more than 30 years. In that time, many of the show’s jokes have become ubiquitous in popular culture thanks to their memorable and zany humor. Even decades after some of the jokes first been aired, they are seen in memes across the internet.
Some entire scenes, such as the “steamed hams” scene, are referenced and reworked in memes time and time again due to their timeless humor. Other times, simple one-liners quoted again and again, sometimes becoming more familiar than ever to audience decades after they first appeared.
“Am I so out of touch? No, it’s the children who are wrong.”
— Principal Skinner.
When he believes Bart is playing truant by faking his mother’s signature, Principal Skinner goes on a pursuit to find him around town. After looking in spots he thinks are cool, such as the natural history museum and the 4H club, but doesn’t find Bart in any of them, he wonders if he’s now uncool before deciding it’s the kids who are.
This Simpsons joke got better over time and became a meme because it gleefully mocks a stubborn attitude. From politicians to celebrities, the internet references this quote when anyone refuses to see the blatantly obvious.
“That’s a paddlin’.”
— Jasper Beardsley.
When the teachers of Springfield Elementary go on strike, it is up to the PTA to get local citizens to substitute their kids’ classes. In Lisa’s class, she gets the elderly Jasper Beardsley, who warns the class of his old-school discipline techniques with his paddle, listening the punishment for a variety of classroom crimes. It’s the same for each transgression: “That’s a paddlin’.”
The scene is classic Simpsons silliness, a level of absurdity that makes Jasper’s line endlessly quotable. The phrase “that’s a paddlin” is often used in memes online when people on social media deem a user or post deserving of punishment.
“The worst day of your life so far.”
— Homer Simpson.
In The Simpsons Movie, Bart is publicly humiliated after a stunt gone wrong and loses his pants and underwear. “This is the worst day of my life,” Bart says. Homer tries to make his son feel better with a less-than-comforting prediction: “The worst day of your life so far.”
The scene is often used as an expression of exasperation or pessimism, and Homer’s unhelpful comment makes it memorable. For example, it has been frequently used in social media posts about rising temperatures due to climate change.
“Because of me, they have a warning.”
— Homer Simpson.
“Football fever” comes to Springfield and is advertised on television, with newsreader Kent Brockman quipping, “There’s only one cure: Take two tickets and see the game Sunday morning!”A disclaimer appears instructing viewers not to swallow the tickets, prompting Homer to get nostalgic.
The meme is often posted after seeing a notice warning people not to do something that would be generally considered highly foolish to do. Homer’s gleeful face when watching the TV and looking remorseless over his past idiotic actions makes it ideal meme fodder.
“Enjoy your death trap, ladies.”
— Homer Simpson.
When Homer is the only man at a crowded bar called The She-She Lounge, he slowly realizes something about the nature of the joint. “Wait a minute,” he says,” There’s something bothering me about this place.” Then it dawns on him: “I know! This lesbian bar doesn’t have a fire exit. Enjoy your death trap, ladies.” He then makes a swift exit, prompting another patron to ask, “What was her problem?”
It is always delightful to see Homer being his classic clueless self, making it ideal meme material. The scene is also oddly progressive for a 1990s cartoon character, and Homer has a rather wholesome yet brilliantly silly reaction to being the sole straight man in a lesbian bar.
“I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.”
— Kent Brockman.
On the news covering Homer’s space expedition, camera footage shows a close-up of an ant, making it appear giant. Kent Brockman immediately resigns himself to a giant insect apocalypse, even offering his guidance as a beloved newsreader to help round up humans for labor.
Online, this quote is used to admit defeat in the face of something deemed superior, usually in praise of the strength or quality of something, and “insects” will be replaced with the relevant term. Kent’s immediate resignation to the insects helped make the meme as wildly popular as it is.
“Stupid sexy Flanders!”
— Homer Simpson.
When his skis start speeding downhill at a dangerously accelerating pace, Homer tries to remember the advice his ski instructor gave him. Instead, his brain can only recall Ned Flanders’ shapely figure in a skintight ski suit.
Homer’s bizarre response to his neighbor that he famously despises makes the quote the highlight of the episode and one of Homer’s best exasperated one-liners ever. The quote became a meme, typically in response to a person looking unexpectedly good in the eyes of the meme poster.
“Why can’t I have no kids and three money?”
— Homer Simpson.
Homer becomes stressed at the amount of noise Maggie is making and requires sleeping pills to be able to sleep, which causes him to sleepwalk. After Bart and Lisa refuse to help provide buffers for his sleepwalking habit and suggest he gets off the pills. Homer says he can’t because he’s stressed, and laments having children. “I have three kids and no money,” he says. “Why can’t I have no kids and three money?”
Homer’s classic brainless comments are what makes The Simpsons the comedic phenomenon it is. In memes, the quote is frequently cited when meme makers express frustration at their lack of funds.
“You’ll have to speak up. I’m wearing a towel.”
— Homer Simpson.
When Bart gets into trouble on a field trip, Principle Skinner and Mrs. Krabappel try to call Bart’s parents. Marge, at home, misses the call because she is in the shower. When they call Homer at work at the nuclear power plant, Homer somehow was also showering, and is wrapped in a towel.
The joke is more clever than Simpsons fans may have assumed, as a writer for the show revealed Homer picked up the phrase from seeing people, probably Marge, saying it with a towel on their head and misunderstanding it. Even without knowing that, a classic Homer non sequitur has the timeless humor that lends itself well to memes.
“What a time to be alive.”
— Jasper Beardsley.
Jasper attempts to time travel by locking himself in Apu’s freezer at the Kwik-E-Mart. He eventually thaws and, assuming he has now time traveled, sees a Moon Pie and remarks on it as evidence of the wonders of the future.
Jasper always delivers great one-liners when he appears on the show, and this scene is no exception. His awed response to the extremely 20th-century snack cake became relatable for meme posters in response to seeing a small thing that brings a lot of joy.