[669] in Vegetarian_Support_Group
Don't Eat a Cow, Man
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Matthew Krom)
Thu Sep 28 10:54:19 1995
To: vsg@MIT.EDU
From: krom@media.mit.edu (Matthew Krom)
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 95 10:53:34 -0400
Here's a good article on the upcoming Simpson's episode! (probably Sunday Oct
22) It's the same article that was run in the Vegetarian Times... don't read
on if you don't like plot spoilers!
-Matt
___________________
By Robin Armstrong banmeat@qnet.com
Don't Eat a Cow, Man
This Fall, about 10 million Americans will witness Lisa Simpson, one of
television's most famous cartoon characters, go vegetarian - with a little
help from friends Paul and Linda McCartney.
*** Warning: plot spoilers follow...! ***
The episode featuring Lisa's dietary conversion begins with the Simpsons
visiting a local petting zoo, where Lisa falls in love a group of sheep.
That evening, the Simpsons have lamb chops for dinner, and Lisa makes the
connection between the animal lying on her plate and the ones she was
petting earlier. "In keeping with Lisa's character, she's faced with a moral
crisis and forced to make a decision," says Executive Story Editor David
Cohen, who is credited with suggesting Lisa's character on the show.
Lisa decides to quit eating meat for ethical reasons, but soon discovers
that being vegetarian means tolerating what seems like a world of morally
indifferent carnivores. For starters, her smart-aleck brother, Bart, taunts
her mercilessly. But the Pig de Resistance comes when her father, Homer,
hosts a meat-laden barbecue whose centerpiece is a pig roasting over an open
fire. Lisa offers her family home-made gazpacho, but they reject the
alternative. She demolishes the barbecue and flees in disgust.
Fortunately for Lisa, the McCartneys are nearby visiting their old Indian
friend, Apu. They offer Lisa moral support, and Paul reveals for the very
first time, that "If you play 'Maybe I'm Amazed' backward, you'll hear a
recipe for really ripping lentil soup."
Lisa's most important lesson comes when she tells Apu, who is a vegan, that
she eats cheese. "You must think I am a monster," Lisa says. "Indeed I do,"
replies Apu. "But, I have learned long ago to tolerate others rather than
forcing my beliefs on them."
A condition of the McCartney's appearance was that Lisa remain a vegetarian
for future episodes. Executive Producer (and sometime vegetarian) David
Mirkin flew to Sussex, England, to record Linda and Paul's speaking parts at
their studio. During the recording session, Linda tried to persuade Mirkin,
a self-described "fast food addict," to go vegetarian. "Linda told me 'It's
not seafood, it's sea life,'" Mirkin recalls. The Simpson's airs Sunday
nights on Fox. The episode featuring Lisa's vegetarian conversion will air
on or about October 15th, and will feature original music by Paul. - Jack
Rosenberger
