For a show entering its 26th season, “The Simpsons” has been generating a lot of fresh news lately.
There was last month's FXX Every Simpsons Ever Marathon, in which all 552 episodes and the movie were aired in sequence, single-handedly transforming FXX from a cable curiosity into a destination.
For lucky residents of Los Angeles, there's this weekend's The Simpsons Take The Bowl three night event. Starting on Friday, September 12, Hank Azaria will host a trio of live shows at the Hollywood Bowl featuring the likes of Conan O'Brien, Nancy Cartwright, Beverly D'Angelo, Jon Lovitz, Yeardley Smith, “Weird Al” Yankovic, series creator Matt Groening and more, with musical performances accompanied by clips. [Timed around the Bowl show is Thursday night's “Simpsons” music-themed marathon on FXX, which runs from 8 p.m. to midnight.]
And then for everybody, “The Simpsons” returns to FOX on Sunday, September 28 with a fall of new episodes that include a major character death and a “Futurama” crossover and that's not even mentioning the “Family Guy” premiere, which features a much-discussed visit to Springfield.
Earlier this week, I sat down with long-time “Simpsons” star Yeardley Smith to talk about each of these major events.
In the interview, posted above, Smith discusses her own experience of the FXX marathon, her nervousness about the Hollywood Bowl performance and whether it felt different playing Lisa Simpson on “The Family Guy.”
Check it out!