Last night on The Simpsons they referenced one of my favorite Simpsons’ line, Semper Fudge. While it was a great line, I did not expect to ever hear it again on the show. Semper Fudge just seemed so episode specific. Maybe I never expected the Simpsons to become so huge that they could just start referencing themselves.
Semper Fudge was first referenced in episode 157 “Burns, Baby Burns” and it went something like this:
Burns: Well, did you meet Larry?
Yale Official 1: Oh, yes. He made light of my weight problem, then suggested my motto be “semper fudge.” At that point, he told me to “relax.”
Last night’s season 19 premier, “He Loves to Fly and He D’ohs,” Homer used it while pretending to be a Marine.
Homer: Okay, so this should be enough money to get me up in the air, have a frank talk with Marge, then maybe eat a deviled egg.
Pilot: Well, anything for a fellow Marine.
Homer Salutes
Homer: Yeah, Semper fudge.
Pilot: Uh, did you just say “Semper fudge?”
Homer: No, I said the right thing.
This is just perfect. It worked in the moment for people who had not seen the original reference, but was a nice joke for anyone who knew the original episode. After all these years, this show still has the ability to surprise and deliver some good laughs. Being into nostalgia, the way that I am, it was nice to see something that tapped into the history of the show. It was a blast from the past.
Note: In the past, I used to use Semper Fudge at the bottom of all my websites. Since I switched themes I removed it. Also it confused people. Maybe I should bring it back?