The Simpsons episode
"Fraudcast News"
Episode no.	335
Prod. code	FABF18
Orig. airdate	May 23, 2004
Written by	Don Payne
Directed by	Bob Anderson
Couch gag	The couch is located at a Japanese bus stop and the family members fly in dressed as popular anime characters.
Season 15 November 2, 2003 – May 23, 2004
Treehouse of Horror XIV My Mother the Carjacker The President Wore Pearls The Regina Monologues The Fat and the Furriest Today I Am a Clown 'Tis the Fifteenth Season Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot Diatribe of a Mad Housewife Margical History Tour Milhouse Doesn't Live Here Anymore Smart and Smarter The Ziff Who Came to Dinner Co-Dependent's Day The Wandering Juvie My Big Fat Geek Wedding Catch 'Em If You Can Simple Simpson The Way We Weren't Bart-Mangled Banner Fraudcast News
List of all The Simpsons episodes

"Fraudcast News" is the 22nd and last episode of The Simpsons' fifteenth season, first aired on May 23, 2004 in the United States on FOX.. *The Writers Guild of America gave this episode a 2005 WGA Award, winning the Paul Selvin Award, which honors works that focus on First Amendment issues. Simpsons redirects here. ... Promo card for Fraudcast News. This work is copyrighted. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Simpsons writing staff in season 13, including current show runner Al Jean (fourth from left in middle row) and previous show runners Mike Scully (first from left in back row), David Mirkin (sixth from left in back row), and Mike Reiss (fourth from left in back row). ... Don Payne is a writer on The Simpsons. ... The three people are caricatures of (left to right) Rich Moore, Wes Archer and David Silverman[1] The following is a list of directors who have worked on the Fox animated television series The Simpsons. ... Bob Anderson is animation director on The Simpsons. ... The couch gag is a running visual joke in the opening credits of the animated television series The Simpsons. ... The main cast of the anime Cowboy Bebop (1998) (L to R: Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Ed Tivrusky, Faye Valentine, and Ein the dog) For the oleo-resin, see Animé (oleo-resin). ... The Simpsons 15th season (November 2003 - May 2004) began on Sunday, November 2, 2003 with Treehouse of Horror XIV. The season contains five hold-over episodes from the season 14 (EABF) production line. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... My Mother the Carjacker is the second episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... The President Wore Pearls is an episode of The Simpsons first broadcast on November 16, 2003 as the third episode of the shows fifteenth season. ... The Regina Monologues is the fourth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, which originally aired November 23, 2003. ... The Fat and the Furriest is an episode from The Simpsons that aired in the fifteenth season on November 30, 2003. ... Today I Am a Clown is the sixth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... Tis the Fifteenth Season is the seventh episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, and the seventh Christmas themed episode. ... Marge vs. ... I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot is the ninth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, which originally aired January 11, 2004. ... Diatribe of a Mad Housewife is the tenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, which originally aired January 25, 2004. ... Margical History Tour is the eleventh episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... Milhouse Doesnt Live Here Anymore is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, airing on February 15, 2004. ... Smart and Smarter is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... The Ziff Who Came to Dinner is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... Co-Dependents Day is the fifteenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... The Wandering Juvie is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... My Big Fat Geek Wedding is the 17th episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, first aired on April 18, 2004. ... Catch em If You Can is the 18th episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, first aired on April 25, 2004. ... Simple Simpson is the nineteenth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... The Way We Werent is the twentieth episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... Bart-Mangled Banner is an episode from The Simpsons fifteenth season. ... The following is an episode list for the Fox animated television series The Simpsons. ... Simpsons redirects here. ... The Simpsons 15th season (November 2003 - May 2004) began on Sunday, November 2, 2003 with Treehouse of Horror XIV. The season contains five hold-over episodes from the season 14 (EABF) production line. ... is the 143rd day of the year (144th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is the collective bargaining representative, or labor union, for writers in the motion picture and television industries in the United States. ... The Bill of Rights in the National Archives The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is a part of the United States Bill of Rights. ...

Plot

Springfield holds a ceremony dedicating their newest national park, Geezer Rock, a rock formation which resembles a face in profile. As Lisa prepares to read a poem there, Homer notices that there is a small tree growing in the eye of the rock, and pulls it out, believing he's doing the right thing. Unfortunately, this causes Geezer Rock to fall apart (a parody of the Old Man of the Mountain collapse on May 3, 2003), and everyone runs for their lives—except for Mr. Burns, who winds up in a landslide. Smithers fears he has lost Mr. Burns. Springfield is a fictionalized version of Springfield, Vermont, in which the animated American sitcom The Simpsons is set. ... Lisa Marie Simpson is a character in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Yeardley Smith; Lisa is the only character Smith voices on a regular basis. ... Homer Jay Simpson (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. ... The Old Man of the Mountain, also known as the great stone face, was a series of five granite cliff ledges on Cannon Mountain in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, USA that, when viewed from the correct angle, appeared to be the jagged profile of a face. ... Charles Montgomery Burns, normally referred to as Mr. ... Landslide of soil and regolith in Pakistan A landslide is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows. ... Waylon Smithers, Jr. ...

Lisa is saddened that no one ever heard her poem, and she publishes it on Marge's suggestion. Meanwhile, it turns out that, Burns survived the horrible landslide—through slithering his way out—but nobody except Smithers has missed him. To improve his image, he decides to acquire every media outlet in Springfield.

Lisa distributes the very first issue of her newspaper, "The Red Dress Press", which is well-received. She enlists the help of Bart, Milhouse, and Nelson, among others, to publish her newspaper's second issue. Bart and his sister Lisa as news anchors. ... Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional 10 year old character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Pamela Hayden. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Burns acquires all media outlets in Springfield...except Lisa's newspaper. His views are even promoted on Itchy & Scratchy (which he now writes and directs). Lisa is saddened that all the others left her, but is relieved when Bart decides to stay and help Lisa publish more issues. Later, Burns tries to bait Lisa with ponies in an attempt to acquire her newspaper, but she won't give up. Burns gets back at Lisa by cutting the Simpsons' power off. Lisa writes her next issue through an old mimeograph Skinner used in Vietnam. Mr. Burns has a talk with Homer (and even drugs him) so he can dish some dirt on Lisa. Lisa writes her final "I Give Up" edition and gives up, but Homer responds by creating his own newspaper, and other people also create their own newspapers. Itchy and Scratchy The Itchy & Scratchy Show is a fictional television cartoon show within the television cartoon show The Simpsons (see show-within-a-show). ... Mimeograph machine The Mimeograph machine (commonly abbreviated to Mimeo), or stencil duplicator was a printing machine that was far cheaper per copy than any other process in runs of several hundred to several thousand copies. ...

Burns ultimately decides that acquiring all media outlets isn't so great, so he goes out on a shopping spree with Smithers.

The episode is a satire of the FCC's new rules on media ownership, as well as containing blatant criticisms of Rupert Murdoch, the ultimate owner of Fox. The FCCs official seal. ... Keith Rupert Murdoch AC, KCSG (born 11 March 1931) is an Australian born United States citizen who is a global media executive and is the controlling shareholder, chairman and managing director of News Corporation, based in New York. ...

Cultural references

• Blood, Sweat and Tears — Mayor Quimby's introduction of the band as Blood and Tears — and his additional statement, "Sorry to hear about Sweat" — is a reference to the 1960s-1970s rock band.
• Booberella — The anchor partner of Kent Brockman is a parody of movie hostesses Elvira and Vampira.
• Broadcast News — The title of the episode is a play on the name of James L. Brooks' 1987 film.
• "Sven Hoek" — The scene involving Mr. Burns' brain falling out of his ear in a tiny and shriveled state is taken from the episode of the Nickelodeon animated series, Ren and Stimpy.
• 'Red Dress Press' - a reference to publishing house 'Red Dress Ink'. Red Dress Ink publishes Harlequin-type romances novels in international markets like Italy.
• Journalism scandals — Milhouse's admission that he fabricated articles for Lisa's newspaper is a reference to various high-profile journalism scandals, most notably those involving reporters employed at the USA Today and New York Times.
• New York Daily News — The headline of Lisa's newspaper (shown above, in screenshot) is a reference to a 1970s Daily News headline, "Ford to City: Drop dead!"
• Superman — The dialogue where Lisa admonishes Bart about calling her "Chief" is taken from the comic book series, where cub reporter Jimmy Olsen frequently calls The Daily Planet editor Perry White by that name.
• Futurama - Squeaky-Voice Teen jumps off Geezer Rock, depressed due to Futurama's cancellation

Blood, Sweat & Tears was an American rock and roll group formed in New York City in 1967. ... Fraudcast News is the 22nd and last episode of The Simpsons fifteenth season, first aired on May 23, 2004. ... Cassandra Peterson (born September 17, 1951) is better known for her on-screen persona Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. She gained fame on Los Angeles television station KHJ wearing a black, gothic, cleavage-enhancing gown as host of Movie Macabre, a weekly horror movie presentation. ... Actress Maila Nurmi (born December 21, 1921) portrayed Vampira in many shows, and starred in Ed Woods Plan 9 From Outer Space. ... Broadcast News is a 1987 romantic comedy about a brilliant yet prickly reporter (Albert Brooks), his charming but admittedly far less seasoned rival (William Hurt), and their virtuoso producer (Holly Hunter), who has daily emotional breakdowns. ... James L. Brooks (born May 9, 1940) is a three-time Academy Award, nineteen-time Emmy and Golden Globe-winning American producer, writer, and film director. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Svën Höek is the tenth episode of Ren and Stimpy. ... In animals, the brain or encephalon (Greek for in the head), is the control center of the central nervous system, responsible for behaviour. ... The ear is the sense organ that detects sounds. ... Ren and Stimpy are the eponymous characters of two cartoon television series created by Canadian animator John Kricfalusi. ... Journalism scandals are high-profile incidents or acts, whether intentional or accidental, that run contrary to the generally accepted ethics and standards of journalism, or otherwise violate the ideal mission of journalism: to report news events and issues accurately and fairly. ... USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. ... Superman is a fictional character and comic book superhero , originally created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian artist Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics. ... Jimmy Olsen (full name James Bartholomew Olsen) is a fictional character, a photojournalist who appears in DC Comics’ Superman stories. ... Perry White is a fictional character who appears in the Superman comics, and is the editor-in-chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet. ... Futurama is an Emmy Award-winning animated American sitcom created by creator of The Simpsons Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox network. ...

Soundtrack

• "Incense and Peppermints" — The Strawberry Alarm Clock song is played during Skinner's flashback.
• "Spinning Wheel" — A band performing at the Geezer Rock dedication plays the Blood, Sweat and Tears song.

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

"Fraudcast News"

The Simpsons Portal