Happy Father's Day 2025 Reuben Martinez+Cartoon Anecdotes from THE SIMPSONS in New York from the late 90s.

Happy Father's Day Reuben Martinez.

I think to celebrate this day of Patriarchal Parenting, let me share a story that takes me back to late 1999 or early 2000.

You know how I stated my father Reuben was the one who molded me into the Cartoonist I am today?

Just compare that to John Kricfalusi who grew up in the 60s with his Cartoon-Hating late father Michael Kricfalusi....

When John K., aka the creator of Ren and Stimpy, was growing up, his father was pissed about his son being more into Cartoons, Comics, Mary Blair, MAD Magazine, and THE BEETLES, 

instead of Taxes, Fishing, Cottages, Canadian Mounties, etc.....

You know, the manly stuff that fathers demand from their children.

My dad on the other hand is the opposite of MIKE.

My dad loved Television and was always supportive of my interests even if the word NINTENDO did sometimes annoy my dad throughout my school years.

Now, I'm sort of inspired by this Blogpost where John K. stated that the only Cartoon that his father actually liked was FOGHORN LEGHORN because he reminded him of how a real man acts when it comes to Patriarchal parenting.

But for the life of me, I didn't grow up with Classic Looney Tunes till 4th Grade which was 2007-2008..... 

In fact, my mother domineered my viewing habits.

When I'm not watching Disney movies on VHS, my mother preferred to cherry-pick my TV Channel habits so she insured I only watched Treehouse TV on her watch.

Obviously I can't talk about anything from that block but at the same time, I can't talk about the Cartoon Network stuff due to Zaslav and the fact that I could only watch that channel at Gregoria's via her Shaw Cable plan which didn't happen until 2003-2004. 

So instead, let me tell you an anecdote about THE SIMPSONS since it's Father's Day.

My dad and I watched THE SIMPSONS on our little Woodgrain Television when we were living in Apartment building 1809 in Francis Street in Vancouver.

To my mother's bemused Chagrin, my dad let me watch THE SIMPSONS with him on our little woodgrain TV because why not.

Suddenly, I was exposed to real television that I could not get from TREEHOUSE TV because it was my first exposure to DOWN-TO-EARTH screenwriting, not the cherry-picked crap that Treehouse had in their scripts.

Anyway, I can't remember what was my first episode I watched with my Dad but the one that I think did made a major Impact in my Childhood was the episode 

THE CITY OF NEW YORK VS. HOMER SIMPSON which aired in 1997.

I think we watched a rerun of that in 1999 or 2000 but it really made me laugh for the hell of it.

The Simpsons' New York Episode is regarded as an All-Time Classic despite how dated the episode is due to the Twin-Towers, Robert Downey Jr's drug problems, etc.

But after 9/11, the episode was removed off Syndication because Network affiliates were worried that the episode would be in bad taste in the wake of the collapse of the Twin Towers.

So thank balls my first exposure to the episode was before that infamous day...

Anyway where was I,

Oh yes, the impact the episode had on me and my father back in the day.

This episode follows Homer as he goes to New York..... BEGRUDGINGLY.... to retrieve his car after his friend Barney borrows it but doesn't return it a month from now.

I was very young back in 1999 so until I became more obsessed with THE SIMPSONS in 2010, I only saw spurts of this episode.

But my memory is vivid and I remember many things from this episode that had a major impact on me.

One of these is the Flushing Meadows Scene from this episode.

But I think the most memorable for me, my father, and every SIMPSONS fan on this Planet, is the scene where Homer thinks to himself:

"SCREW IT! I'LL DRIVE EVEN WITH THIS DAMN BOOT ON MY CAR!!!"

Though the actual quote was

"Well that's it!

I'm getting out of this town alive if it kills me!!!"

Yeah Yeah, I had a small Woodgrain TV from the 1980s, even in 1999 but that didn't stop me from laughing my balls off watching Homer driving with that boot still on his car.

As I get older, I seem to know more about this episode than I let on, even for 2 year old me back in 1999-2000.

For example, this Episode had major research on making the landmarks as realistic as possible.

As well as future anecdotes.

For example, 

This is the first time Homer said an F-Bomb..... close..

We know what he's saying but we can't hear it phonetically due to the fact that when he says it, he's biting a bolt on the BOOT on his car.

Like I said, this episode is date and due to these two behemoths

Because of what happened on September 2001, the producers expressed some regrets with the episode...

Well they don't regret it because it's a fan-favorite of CLASSIC SIMPSONS

But what they regret is not taking future events as well some jokes that they think are in poor taste.

One such joke the writers regret is the JERKS ON TOWER 1 joke.

"When September happens, we will bring our arguments someplace else because...

Well, you get what I'm talking about and I'm not saying it!!!"

This episode was also the earliest to implement CGI.... sort of.

The first was in a TREEHOUSE OF HORROR episode in 1995 but this episode made some attempts to merge CGI with the Cel Animation but unlike the Butterfly in the Pepper Episode, this episode took a different approach.

For the Bridge Credits scene, the models were made on the Computer, printed, and then the animators traced on another sheet of paper over the bridge scene to make the scene stand out better with the driving car on the scene.

And I heard that before this episode's 1997 debut, the SIMSPONS Staff had to negotiate with FOX not to cut to Commercials before the credits just so this Awesome Punchline can be more effective with all that awesome Jazz Tunes.

And that's the episode.

And as for you Reuben, hope you find this Father's Day Blogpost entertaining.

On another note, While I have previously use my DVDs for SIMPSONS Images, This time, I recorded this episode using my Avermedia Capture Card while watching on Disney+ because I had some issues with Screenshots on VLC Player and my Season 9 DVD as well as ripping the contents using the convert tool.

So I felt SCREW IT, I'll just go the Avermedia route and capture the episode since it's in a higher resolution than the DVD.

And yes, I confirm that the SIMPSONS Aspect Ratio has been set to Classic so I retain the original Height and Width Presentation of the episode.

Maverick Update 6/9/2025

For the month of June 2025, 

I will be putting the Maverick Martinez Archive on temporary Hiatus due to a multitude of factors. 

One is that my mother has come back from Surgery in the abdomen so she needs my care due to the post-operation pain.

Second, I'm working on an Army Recruitment Commercial. I just got back from a call with an actress from Atlanta, Georgia who will provide a few voices for the characters in the commercial.

Another is that I've gotten a little distracted due to my recent purchase of a Nintendo Switch 2 console that was recently released on June 5 2025.

But that doesn't mean will leave this blog inactive, unlike the TRALFAZ blog which is currently retired according to the author of that blog.

What this means for my sporadic updates is that this blog will remain active but updates will be irregular due to my mother, my Commercial, my Nintendo Switch 2, and of course, my Airport Cafe Job which is still my current source of my main income.

So posts will be limited to those that are already scheduled such as my Fathers Day post on THE SIMPSONS as well as my post on LADY & THE TRAMP's 70th Anniversary.

And let's not forget, my MAVERICK QUICKIES will still be available when something happens that I need to cover.

But until my Commercial is finished, I will be inactive for a good while so for those who want to read about DOUG, Autodesk MAYA, etc., wait until my schedule is worked out.

Until then, to give you an idea what I have purchased, here's a photo from June 5 to prove that I've made the purchase.

And I will say, that I've been having fun with this guy too.

If anybody wants me to make a Blogpost about me unboxing this beauty, just request it on the comments and I will oblige. 

Doug's Movie/TV Shoutouts 01

If you've only seen Nickelodeon's DOUG just because the fandom tells you to, you might think why did DOUG replace POP CULTURE REFERENCES in their episodes?

DOUG doesn't do that all the time. 

The just do it only a few moments because of rights issues with other studios, even within their original parent company VIACOM. 

By the time of the Disney Series, the Pop Culture Embargo by JUMBO Pictures was lifted and it then allowed for more references than ever.

But regardless if it's Nickelodeon or Disney, the references were not Jim Jinkins' thing but rather the writers who write them episodes.

Let's go through a handful of references littering throughout the 117 episodes of DOUG.

Note, this will not cover SMASH ADAMS or RACE CANYON as those are recurring references that the main character would like to imagine himself as.

Plus, what would DANIEL DRUVOT say?

Anyway, let's get started with these references.

01 DOUG CAN'T DANCE-Godzilla

While the Kaiju doesn't make an appearance, Skeeter mistakes Doug's costume for the famous Japanese Monster.... at least for the 1991 extended cut since the original 1990 Pilot Cut doesn't have the scene due to budget.

"I'm not Godzilla, Skeet. I'm a slug."

02 DOUG'S A GENIUS-The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross

When Doug mentions THAT GUY ON TV, he imagines himself as BOB ROSS, the late painter on PBS.

03 NIGHTMARE ON JUMBO STREET-The Thing(AKA Who Goes there?)

The episode plot(Plus Spoiler Alerts) speaks for itself.

"They thought I was a dog, BUT I'M THE THING!!!"

04 DOUG'S IN THE MIDDLE-Disaster Movies of 1997

When DOUG worries that his Second House Party is going to become a disaster when Patti and Skeeter have a big fight, he imagines his House Party as a trailer for a Disaster Flick.

The narrator compares it to:

TITANIC,

DANTE'S PEAK, 

& 

TWISTER.(Except, the film is from 1996)

05 DOUG'S COMIC COLLABORATION-Silver Surfer has got some tips for Skeeter

Just watch the 1993 episode to get an idea where Skeeter came up with his Superhero character from.

06 DOUG'S DERBY DILEMA-BEN HUR Derby

With something as tense and Action Oriented as a soapbox derby in the state of Virginia, You know DOUG's wild imagination, as well as sneaking into Judy's collection of 1950s filmography tapes, would propel him to reference the greatest of all 1950s Epic Movies.

07 DOUG'S DERBY DILEMA-Spaghetti Dinner Date

One wonders if the mystery Grand Prize would have been a Spaghetti Dinner instead of signing letters for the Mayor.

And one thing, THIS WAS NOT PRODUCT PLACEMENT as this reference was when DOUG was owned by VIACOM. 

Surprisingly, the Disney Series never made mentions to the animated Canon. What a swell way to bribe Jim there, eh Michael Eisner?

08 DOUG'S ON HIS OWN-A Reference Doug always wanted to do

Looks like DOUG may be a fan of TOM CRUISE to a point he always wanted to dance in his underwear like CRUISE does in the film RISKY BUSINESS.

Let's hope DOUG does not go all KATIE HOLMES on PATTI.

09 DOUG GOES HOLLYWOOD-Doug's Filmography part 01

During DOUG's imagination as a famous actor, he passes by a Multiplex theater with posters showing all the movies he starred in.

10 NIGHT OF THE LIVING DOUGS-Doug's Filmography part 02

Another one of DOUG's Imaginary filmography... only this time, it's a nightmare involving clones of him. 

Here are the movies he says VERBATIM:

11 DOUG'S GREAT BEET WAR-Rambo eat your heart out

Sure, DOUG had a normal birth that didn't involved forceps but that doesn't stop him from using all the ACTION-FILM knowledge he learned from Sylvester Stallone.

12 DOUG'S GREAT OPPORTOONITY-Braveheart treaty

When Guy Graham tells DOUG someday he could be a leader, DOUG imagines himself as WILLIAM WALLACE.....

With a Twist..... Just go watch the episode and you'll see what I'm talking about.

"And don't call my reference 2 years out of date since BRAVEHEART's 1995 release!!!

That's like saying the GOLDENEYE N64 game came 2 years after the film's release!!!"

13 DOUG'S LAST BIRTHDAY-1 Month Pre-Shout Out to Marc Brown

Don't need anything else to say except that this was JIM JINKINS' way of saying Congrats to MARC BROWN for successfully pitching ARTHUR to PBS back in the mid-90s.

14 DOUG'S LAST BIRTHDAY-Mr. Sweeney solves Doug's hair dilemma

Well, not exactly. Just suggest a hair style to start the 7th Grade.

"Good Grief" indeed.

Thank balls he didn't get this haircut, otherwise, his mailbox would have been stuffed

with Lawsuits from CHARLES M. SCHULZ.

15 DOUG'S NEW SCHOOL-Sculley's assigns a case for Doug.

I can tell that this was reference THE X-FILES, what with the music that was playing through this scene.

16 DOUG GROWS UP-MAD MAX DOUG's FURY ROAD

When browsing on his TV for adult TV Shows, he comes across a viewing of the 1979 film MAD MAX.

True to his very imagination, he imagines himself as MAD MAX ROCKATANSKY.

"Buckle up, MATE!!!"

Hold off your comments about Patti's depiction here because this episode predated FURY ROAD by 19 years so no way is there ever gonna be a shorthaired Patti cosplaying as FURIOSA.

Though that probably won't stop Fan Artists from making them artwork of Patti as FURIOSA....

Though I'm sure your Patti/Furiosa Fanarts will still use her longer haircut from the Nick Series as always...

17 DOUG'S BLOODY BUDDY-Doug: Mystery Inc.

Despite the change of company, the writers were just as compelled to lampoon Hanna-Barbera's most famous work.

Even getting DOUG to say SHAGGY's most famous quote.

"ZOINKS!!!!"

Now if only Billy West didn't burn the bridge with Michael Eisner and just accepted his pay because 2 years later after this episode's broadcast on ABC, Warner Bros. gave us Scooby-Doo fans a wonderfully crafted film about the Mystery Gang and Zombies and it has Billy West in it as Shaggy Rogers.

Though a year later after that, Billy West would lose his role of Shaggy Rogers to Scott Innes.... and then many years later, he'd lose the role to Mathew Lillard.

Scooby and Shaggy's reaction to Doug now sounding like a 

Whiny Teenager with a cracking voice....

but I think they're worried about how Doug will turn out when he grows up.....

"TOO LATE, BITCHES!!!

This is what happens when you raise a stink about my acting career!!!"

18 DOUG'S BRAIN DRAIN-Tribute to Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen

When the Nickelodeon version of DOUG ended on January 2 1994, PBS released THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS, an animated adaptation of the books by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen.

When Disney revived DOUG for ABC, the writers decided SCREW IT, let's reference SCHOOL BUS but keep it as an imagination spot.

19 DOUG GETS HIS WISH-The Bluffington Zone

Looks like someone on the writing team was a fan of ROD SERLING'S 

THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

Those eyebrows are a dead giveaway.

Good thing the writing staff decided not to mention anything about the late Vic Morrow.

I've got more references to uncover but for now, lets end this post here as I sort through my DVD rips of the Nick Series and Avermedia Captures of the Disney Series...

And take more screenshots using VLC Player.

On another note, I finally bought my Coveted Ultra-Wide Monitor.

It's the ASUS TUF Variant as shown below as I was playing GTA V Enhanced on my Maverick Falcon 7900RT Custom Built PC.