Reel Around The Smiths Episode of The Simpsons
Lisa Was All of Us
The innocuous enough clips that were teased to us in the days leading up to The Smiths (or rather The Snuffs) episode of The Simpsons portrayed an image of Morrissey we could all laugh at — and more importantly agree upon. The dialogue seemed to effortlessly incorporate song lyrics from Morrissey’s extensive catalogue and his character, Quilloughby, was effused with just the right amount of loathing and disdain for humanity as the Mozziah himself.
In Lisa’s quest to find new music, she is struck by the sardonic sound and pleading lyricism of The Snuffs and in particular their aloof frontman — a devout animal rights activist and pessimistic intellectual who spoke right to her soul. Quite the same experience that most Smiths fans felt when they listened to the lilting melodies of This Charming Man or Boy With a Thorn in His Side for the first time. It was like stumbling upon a secret that no one else knew. A membership in a private club of cool. Above all, it was the overwhelming feeling of finally being understood.
Viewers were lulled into naive enjoyment as we nodded our heads to the incredibly accurate song interpretations from Flight of the Conchords and the endearing interactions between Quilloughby and Lisa as they braved the world together in all its mediocrity. Him, her imaginary friend and inner monologue. Her, a burgeoning fan emboldened by everything that is Quilloughby and The Snuffs.
We were reeling around more than just the fountain, when at the end of the episode Lisa and Quilloughby see The Snuffs, newly reunited, perform live. We are faced with the Quilloughby of now: a bitter and litigious man, bursting out of his shirt, and espousing anti-immigrant sentiments. All while the remnants of a pastrami on rye drip down his face. We live vicariously through Lisa in this moment, as the fog of betrayal settles around her. She must now contend with the indelible purpose of Quilloughy’s music and the ethical contradictions he now represents.
In May of 2019 Morrissey was seen sporting a For Britain pin during a guest appearance on Jimmy Fallon, a movement started by an anti-Islamist activist named Anne Marie Waters. This reignited statements Morrissey had made ten years prior when he was asked about wet markets in China. Morrissey referred to the Chinese people as “subhuman” and expressed in various magazine interviews his fear of the British identity disappearing with the influx of immigrants.
As much as The Smiths and Morrissey are known for… well…being Morrissey, they are also known for their devout and unwavering fan base. Even in the face of this documented proof, they have explained away and stood in defense of him. They have been unable to separate their personal attachment to Morrissey from an honest and critical view of his real world implications.
The Simpsons have always had a tendency to mimic real life, and this scenario is no different. This episode invoked the internal struggle of fans everywhere who have become part of the social topography of today and who have made strides to understand the deep roots of systemic racism. Part of wielding that newfound knowledge is applying it to every facet of life and finding the nooks and crannies of our existence that make allowances for those inequalities to grow. That includes calling out our idols.
Like Lisa, how then can we begin to continue a genuine fight for our moralist beliefs when our earbuds are ringing with the words of someone who doesn’t support that same fight? The Simpsons, once again proving their mastery of revelatory writing, aim to answer that question towards the end of the episode. As Lisa’s disillusionment begins to fade, Quilloughby begs Lisa to “not let what happened to him, happen to her. And not to sneer at everything. And to listen to others.” And with that Lisa decides it is time for them to part ways, but not before expressing her love for what Quilloughby left behind.
Morrissey and The Smiths will always be a part of my human experience (I named my freaking cat after him, ok?). Listening to their music will forever provide sonic harkening back to youth and the comfort of nostalgia. It will always remind me of my father and my first taste of independence. However, The Simpsons spoke to me now. In the present. I may even go so far as to say they spoke to me in a way that The Smiths once did.
