The Joke That Got An Episode Of The Simpsons Banned In Hong Kong

The Simpsons is known for many things – long, rambling story lines, beloved and hilarious characters, and a nostalgically-appealing animation style. 

But fans of the show will also be aware that it can, at times, be a little controversial. Well, at least China thinks it is.

The Simpsons is one of the most beloved cartoons of all time. It first aired in 1989, and although it has stumbled along the way, The Simpsons still remains one of the most popular cartoons on television.

It’s also one of the longest running. There are currently 740 episodes of The Simpsons. To put that into context, there have been 317 of South Park, and 140 of Futurama.

The show also pioneered a new style of cartoon. The world of The Simpsons wasn’t designed to be realistic, but has an undeniable visual appeal. The show also brought the idea of cartoons for adults to the mainstream.

It’s also eminently quotable. Because The Simpsons revels in the worst aspects of each of its characters, for many it is incredibly (shamefully) relatable. It holds up a mirror to ourselves and all of our flaws.

Amazingly, it has even survived the advent of the internet. In fact, it’s adapted and thrived through many cultural movements. This is likely because it constantly moves with the times and takes inspiration from what’s actually going on in society. That, or its incredible meme potential.

Fans will know that some of the scenes of the show are just iconic. The couch sequence, which appears in almost every episode’s opening credits, is the source of many of the show’s best jokes. When you can make people laugh before the show even starts, you’re on to a winner.

The Simpsons has also never been afraid to push boundaries, and it seems that fact has resulted in one of the show’s recent episodes being banned in Hong Kong. 

A Simpsons episode including a comment about “forced labour camps” in China has reportedly been taken down from Disney+ in Hong Kong, according to CNN. Marge becomes extremely into Peloton, well, Pedalon, and becomes a little obsessed with her instructor in the recent episode One Angry Lisa.

In the episode, we see Marge get taken on a private ride over the Great Wall of China, where the instructor gives a commentary, saying: “Behold the wonders of China, Bitcoin mines, forced labor camps where children make smartphones, and romance.”

Clearly, that didn’t go down well with Chinese officials, and it was quickly removed from streaming platforms.

The removal occurs after a contentious national security statute that forbids “sedition, secession, and subversion” against Beijing, which was implemented in Hong Kong back in 2020.

Speaking on the move, one Twitter user wrote: “Disney figured that they don’t need to see a parody of it when they’re living the reality of it.”

While another said: “They really have to stop appeasing authoritarian censorship… kind of a joke at this point.”

“Simpsons used to be rebellious…now they are eating Chinas shorts,” a third commented.


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