The first “classic” season of The Simpsons (season three) begins with “Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington,” in which, after writing an award-nominated essay entitled “What Makes America Great,” Lisa learns that America is, in fact, not great. (The season premiere is technically “Stark Raving Dad,” but Disney+ would rather you “just don’t look” at the Michael Jackson-starring episode.) Lisa’s moment of heartbreak occurs in the Winifred Beecher Howe memorial, where she overhears a congressman accept a bribe from a lobbyist to destroy Springfield National Forest. She rips up her essay and quickly writes a new one: “Cesspool on the Potomac.” That moment of lost innocence was turned into a popular GIF, which Donald Trump’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted during House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s speech at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night.
It’s actually the second time Pompeo has used the GIF in reference to Pelosi, and both times, Yeardley Smith, who voices Lisa, had something to say about it.
Back in February, she tweeted, “I might just add f*ck you @mikepompeo for co-opting my character to troll @SpeakerPelosi. Be a leader and fight your own fight! Oh, wait I forgot, you’re a follower.” This time, she wrote, “Again with this #lisasimpson GiF? Are you OK? Is this a coded cry for help? Or just your way of trolling @realDonaldTrump for decimating our standing in the world and now you’re hoping history will be kinder to you? #FatChance.” This is the more appropriate Lisa GIF for Pompeo, anyway.
Again with this #lisasimpson GiF? Are you OK? Is this a coded cry for help? Or just your way of trolling @realDonaldTrump for decimating our standing in the world and now you’re hoping history will be kinder to you? #FatChance https://t.co/BO985RxAid
— Yeardley Smith (@YeardleySmith) August 20, 2020
Twitter truly is a cesspool! cesspool! cesspool!
(Via Twitter/Yeardley Smith)
