Tag: Josh Weinstein

Debuting on December 17, 1989, it has run 760 episodes.  The Simpson’s holds the record for the longest-running American animated series, longest-running American sitcom, and the longest-running American scripted primetime television series. This includes both in seasons and individual episodes.  It seems the public can’t get enough of the dysfunctional family.

As way to keep the public engaged, the creators drop behind the scene information including on-set drama or lucky breaks creators had along the way. Other times, it’s Easter eggs you missed or were left on the cutting room floor.

“Simpsons” writer Josh Weinstein shared a joke which falls into the latter category for the cartoon’s iconic “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” two-part episode.  In another example of the Simpson’s creator prediction the future, they understood the upcoming mainstreaming of marijuana.

Josh Weinstein, the writer episode’s script revealed “Simpsons” TV broadcaster Kent Brockman was secretly a marijuana user. Police officers investigate for clues while Brockman reports live from the scene, in the scene Weinstein shared.

RELATED: The 1975’s Matt Healy Reveals How Marijuana Helps His Mental Health

During the telecast, sniffer dogs converge upon Brockman, hinting he may have illicit substances on his person. “Brockman takes out a baggie of medicinal herbs and quickly crams it in his mouth,” reads the script. With his mouth full, he asks Wiggum, “Anything else, Chief?”

On the 24th anniversary of “Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)” – and an era in which marijuana’s legal in many places – here’s a Kent Brockman scene that got cut after the October ’96 table read, implying he clearly likes to smoke it. pic.twitter.com/46X9eH63AL

— Josh Weinstein (@Joshstrangehill) September 17, 2019

Weinstein revealed in comments to his post that he assumes the joke “got cut for time ’cause this episode was really jammed with stuff and this was just a side joke.” When one user commented that Kent Brockman always “came across as a coke guy,” Weinstein agreed.

This isn’t the first time “The Simpsons” has included some clever marijuana humor into its writing. In the 2005 episode “Midnight Rx,” the show accurately predicted Canada legalizing cannabis ahead of the United States. There was also the 2002 “Weekend at Burnsies” episode, which follows Homer getting a medical marijuana prescription and includes the most pot jokes possible in any “Simpsons” episode.