Bristol street artist, Banksy, known for his graffiti art has created a title sequence for The Simpsons.
There are many items in the titles which people people associate with him such as his famous tag which appears all over the streets. There is also a section where sweatshop workers are shown making Simpsons merchandise and painting the film reels, dipping them in toxic liquid. As part of this sweatshop sequence, live kittens are thrown in to a chipper in order that the fur can stuff soft toys taking Bart’s image. Animals such as a Giant Panda and a Unicorn are also shown being use dto help with the merchandise production. There is also a section showing Bart writing all over the classroom walls with his face covered. The words he is writing are ‘I must not write all over the walls’ apt for a graffiti artists titles.
The episode is called ‘MoneyBart’ and will be aired in the UK on 21st October. The title sequence is longer than usual and can also be found on the Internet for a more detailed viewing. It does include many familiar parts of the sequence but does have some additions and many small changes.
This is the first time that an artist has been asked to contribute to the show. Banksy himself reported that his storyboard has caused big problems including a threatened walk out by staff in the animation department, disputes over broadcast standards and delays. The executive Producer joked about it though, stating that it was a common problem that occurred when you outsourced,
Other famous Britons to appear in Simpsons episodes include Tony Blair and Simon Cowell and Ricky Gervais wrote an episode in 2006 as well as starring in the cartoon. He is set to make another appearance in the near future.