The Simpsons’ Jewish congressman

By RABBI ELLIOT B. GERTEL

Recently, “The Simpsons” offered an inverted take on the Purim story. It seems that our heartland family becomes the victim of city officials who re-route airlines over the Simpson home out of consideration for the mayor’s mistress. Unable to sleep or to keep the furniture from flying, the family at first tries to sell their home and then to fight city hall. When aviation officials threaten them with the wrath of the federal government, they enlist Krusty the Clown to run for Congress.

The Simpson children, Bart and Lisa, longtime fans of the afternoon TV icon, prevail upon Krusty to use his influence to steer the air routes away from their neighborhood. One thinks of Mordecai’s words to Esther, “Who knows whether you have attained political clout for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

On “The Simpsons,” the Jewish clown is drafted by gentile fans, children, in order to help general society. In the Book of Esther, the heroine is admonished by her guardian to utilize her position to help her people fight back against a would-be terrorist.

Krusty makes a noble effort to campaign, but he is hampered by his own tasteless (and, worse still, politically incorrect) humor and by his puerile gags, including the proverbial pants-dropping. At one point he wonders whether he is failing with the masses because of “the Jewish thing.” He asks: “Is it the Jewish thing? Because I could change that.” (It was made clear in a classic “Jazz Singer”-like episode some years back that Krusty rebelled against his Jewish heritage, with which he was conversant, because of issues with his father.)

His young political coaches help (with some assistance by their parents) to re-make him into an advocate for the people, especially for children, and he wins the election.

Writer John Swartzwalder reminds us in this clever episode that winning an election is one thing, but making good on campaign promises is quite another. Krusty is stymied at every turn by red tape, gridlock, and mean-spirited politics. Early on, he tells his congressional colleagues: “Someone on this farkochte committee has to care about my air traffic bill.”

With the help of a custodian (who, we are told, looks a lot like Walter Mondale), Krusty’s kid advisors (again, with the support of their parents) help him to out-maneuver the opposition (with some ruthless trickery), to clear the flight paths over the Simpson home and to remain true to his campaign promises.

In the end, we are told, the American way prevails. The planes are re-routed “over the homes of poor people.” The episode is amusing, but rather cynical, not unlike the Book of Esther. It makes for excellent political satire.

Kudos to the Fox Network for the parodies on its own news department. The parodies work well because Fox News has become more “fair and balanced” than big network news. One would have hoped, however, that in the spirit of the Book of Esther, the episode would have ended on a more hopeful and generous note.

Updated 3/19/03