Kent Brockman

Last updated

Kent Brockman
The Simpsons character
Kent Brockman.jpg
First appearance"Krusty Gets Busted"(1990)
Created by Matt Groening
Designed by Brad Bird
Voiced by Harry Shearer
In-universe information
Full nameBrock Kentman
GenderMale
OccupationNews anchor
FamilyUnnamed sister
SpouseStephanie (wife)
ChildrenUnnamed adult daughter
Brittany (daughter)
RelativesUnnamed nephew

Brock Kentman, [1] more commonly called Kent Brockman, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons . He is voiced by Harry Shearer and first appeared in the episode "Krusty Gets Busted". He is the grumpy, self-centered, pompous news anchor for the local Springfield news.

Contents

Profile

Kent Brockman hosts the Channel 6 weekday news, as well as Smartline , a local current-affairs program (a parody of the national current-affairs program Nightline ), Bite Back! With Kent Brockman (a parody of Fight Back! With David Horowitz ), Eye on Springfield (a parody of Eye on LA), which focuses mostly on Springfield's entertainment news, the game show Springfield Squares , Springfield Action News, and has his own personal commentary segment of the 6:00 p.m. news, "My Two Cents". [2] In the episode "The Mansion Family", he co-hosted an award show with pop music singer Britney Spears.

It has been hinted that Brockman is ethnically Jewish, having changed his surname from Brockelstein; this was first indicated in a 1960s flashback featured in the episode "Mother Simpson", in which Brockman was known as Kenny Brockelstein early in his career. He can sometimes be spotted wearing the Hebrew Chai symbol on a necklace. However, he is seen several times attending Reverend Lovejoy's Protestant church, and in "Marge on the Lam" he states his belief in the Book of Revelation, [3] suggesting he professes Christian religious beliefs.

Brockman has a daughter, Brittany, who may have been the product of his fling with the Channel 6 weather girl. He also has a wife named Stephanie. In "Kamp Krusty", Brockman is revealed to have during his career, reported on the Vietnam War, the 1979-89 Soviet–Afghan War, and the 1991 Gulf War.

In "Dog of Death", Brockman won the multimillion-dollar ($130 million) state lottery jackpot and left the news desk while still on the air. However, he remained a news anchor because he was under contract, though he also admitted that he likes making $500,000 a year. He has an ongoing feud with traffic reporter Arnie Pye, and has been shown to criticize Pye's reporting and also even chuckles when it was thought Pye had died in a helicopter accident. When Arnie Pye took Brockman's anchor position he admitted on the air he made out with Brockman's daughter but was sure to note it was with "the grown up one," thus revealing Brockman has an adult daughter.

Brockman's penchant for using offensive language worked against him in the 400th episode, "You Kent Always Say What You Want," where, after Homer accidentally spilled coffee on Brockman's crotch, he shouted what Ned Flanders called a "super swear" that shocked everyone who watches it. Brockman was demoted to weather man due to the station paying a fine to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and was soon fired when the network executives deliberately mistook a ring of Splenda in Brockman's coffee for cocaine. Brockman was later given his job back to silence him (after doing an exposé that was seen on YouTube uncovering the real reason the FCC is cracking down on obscenity in the media), with a 50% raise, making his new salary $750,000 a year.

Creation and inspirations

Brad Bird designed Brockman. Brad bird cropped 2009.jpg
Brad Bird designed Brockman.

Kent Brockman first appeared on television in the first season episode "Krusty Gets Busted", which originally aired April 29, 1990. [4] [5] The character was based on Los Angeles anchormen Hal Fishman and Jerry Dunphy. [6] The director of "Krusty Gets Busted", Brad Bird, designed the character and modeled him after anchorman Ted Koppel. [7] Another influence on the character was The Mary Tyler Moore Show 's Ted Baxter, played by Ted Knight. [8] Dunphy was proud of the fact that Brockman was based on him and would tell people that he was Kent Brockman. [6]

Cultural influence

Brockman is responsible for popularizing the snowclone "I, for one, welcome our new [fill-in-the-blank] overlords", sometimes used to express mock submission, usually for the purpose of humor. [9] Brockman's comment about believing a spacecraft was taken over by a master race of giant space ants in "Deep Space Homer" (1994), which generated the meme, [10] [11] [12] is considered one of the show's classic moments. The spacecraft was carrying an ant colony, though the insects were accidentally released by Homer. This led to an ant drifting by the video feed, appearing gigantic due to its proximity to the camera, at which point Brockman contemplates if the "master race of giant space ants ... will consume the captive earth men or merely enslave them" and eventually utters the line "And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords". Author Chris Turner called it "perhaps his finest hour as a journalist" [13] and said the scene is "simply among the finest comedic moments in the history of television." [14]

Variations of the phrase have been used in the media, such as New Scientist magazine, [15] the Houston Chronicle [16] and Ken Jennings on the Jeopardy! IBM Challenge (versus Watson) on February 16, 2011. [17] [18] On May 6, 2014, Stephen Colbert made direct reference to the phrase by using it as the closing line of his television program The Colbert Report .

Reception

The author of the book Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation , Chris Turner, said that "if the institution of the News has a single iconic face on The Simpsons, it's Brockman's" [19] and that "in Brockman's journalism, we see some of the modern news media's ugliest biases", which he identifies as glibness, [19] amplification, and sensationalism. [20] MSN called Brockman one of the worst TV news anchors. [21]

"You Kent Always Say What You Want" was well received by critics. IGN called it the second best episode of the season. [22]

Merchandise

Playmates Toys created a Kent Brockman action figure for its World of Springfield toy line which was released in July 2001. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart Simpson</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons

Bartholomew Jojo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional character in the American animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening created and designed Bart while waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic strip, Life in Hell, but instead decided to create a new set of characters. While the rest of the characters were named after Groening's family members, Bart's name is an anagram of the word brat. After appearing on The Tracey Ullman Show for two years, the Simpson family received its own series on Fox, which debuted December 17, 1989. Bart has appeared in every Simpsons episode except "Four Great Women and a Manicure".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krusty the Clown</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Herschel Shmoikel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofsky, better known by his stage name Krusty the Clown, is a recurring character on the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is the long-time clown host of Bart and Lisa Simpson's favorite TV show, a variety show consisting of various kid-friendly sketches and often highly violent cartoons, most notably The Itchy & Scratchy Show. Despite his cheery onscreen persona, Krusty is actually a cynical, burnt-out, addiction-riddled smoker who is made miserable by show business but continues on anyway. He has become one of the most frequently occurring characters outside the main Simpson family and has been the focus of many episodes, some of which also feature Sideshow Bob.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sideshow Bob</span> Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise

Robert Underdunk Terwilliger Jr., PhD, better known as Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Kelsey Grammer and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". Bob is a self-proclaimed genius who is a graduate of Yale University and a champion of high culture, including the adoption of a transatlantic accent, similar to that of Grammer's portrayal of Dr. Frasier Crane from the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier. He began his career as a sidekick on Krusty the Clown's television show, but after enduring constant abuse, Bob framed his employer for armed robbery in "Krusty Gets Busted", only to be foiled by Bart Simpson, and sent to prison. Bob started seeking revenge against Bart while in prison, and the two became feuding arch-enemies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marge vs. the Monorail</span> 12th episode of the 4th season of The Simpsons

"Marge vs. the Monorail" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on January 14, 1993. The plot revolves around Springfield's impulse purchase of a faulty monorail from a conman, and how it subsequently falls to Marge to stop the train from destroying the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Krusty Gets Kancelled</span> 22nd episode of the 4th season of The Simpsons

"Krusty Gets Kancelled" is the twenty-second and final episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 81st episode overall. It first aired on Fox in the United States on May 13, 1993. In the episode, a new show featuring ventriloquist Arthur Crandall and his dummy Gabbo premieres in Springfield and competes with Krusty the Clown's show. Krusty's show is soon canceled. Bart and Lisa decide to help Krusty get back on the air by staging a comeback special.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa's First Word</span> 10th episode of the 4th season of The Simpsons

"Lisa's First Word" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was first broadcast on Fox in the United States on December 3, 1992. In the episode, as the Simpson family gathers around Maggie and tries to encourage her to say her first word, Marge reminisces and tells the story of Lisa's first word. Maggie's first word is voiced by Elizabeth Taylor.

"Krusty Gets Busted" is the twelfth and penultimate episode of the first season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 29, 1990. The episode was written by Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky and directed by Brad Bird. In the episode, Krusty the Clown is convicted of armed robbery of the Kwik-E-Mart. Believing that Krusty has been framed for it, Bart and Lisa investigate the crime and learn that Krusty's sidekick, Sideshow Bob, is the culprit.

"Marge Simpson in: 'Screaming Yellow Honkers'" is the fifteenth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 21, 1999. After Homer purchases a Canyonero sports utility vehicle, he discovers he bought the model intended for women, so he gives the vehicle to Marge. Despite disliking it at first, Marge grows fond of it, and quickly develops road rage against other motorists. The episode was written by David M. Stern and directed by Mark Kirkland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deep Space Homer</span> 15th episode of the 5th season of The Simpsons

"Deep Space Homer" is the fifteenth episode of the fifth season of American animated television series The Simpsons, which was first broadcast on Fox in the United States on February 24, 1994. In the episode, NASA selects Homer Simpson to participate in a spaceflight to spark public interest in space exploration and boost low ratings of the launches. Once in space, his incompetence destroys the navigation system on board the Space Shuttle.

"Miracle on Evergreen Terrace" is the tenth episode of the ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on December 21, 1997. Bart accidentally ruins Christmas for the Simpson family by burning down the tree and all their presents.

"Girly Edition" is the twenty-first episode in the ninth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 19, 1998. In the episode, Lisa and Bart must co-anchor a new news program, though when Bart is seen as a more successful news anchor, Lisa becomes jealous and seeks revenge. Meanwhile, in the subplot, Homer gets a monkey helper because of his laziness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart Gets Famous</span> 12th episode of the 5th season of The Simpsons

"Bart Gets Famous" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 3, 1994. In the episode, Bart gets a job as Krusty the Clown's production assistant. He replaces Sideshow Mel in one of Krusty's skits and accidentally destroys the stage props. When Bart says "I didn't do it," he instantly becomes famous for his catchphrase.

"Lisa the Beauty Queen" is the fourth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on Fox in the United States on October 15, 1992. In the episode, Homer enters Lisa into a beauty pageant to boost her confidence. Lisa is runner-up, but gains the title of Little Miss Springfield after the original winner is injured. Little Miss Springfield's duties include being a spokesperson for Laramie Cigarettes, which causes Lisa to speak out against smoking. As a result of her anti-smoking protests, her title is taken away on a technicality.

<i>The Simpsons</i> season 1 Season of television series

The first season of the American animated television series The Simpsons premiered on the Fox network on December 17, 1989, with the Christmas special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", with the rest of the season airing from January 14 to May 13, 1990. The executive producers for the first production season were Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, and Sam Simon. It was produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television.

Media is a recurring theme of satire on The Simpsons. The show is known for its satire of American popular culture and especially television culture, but has since its inception covered all types of media such as animation, journalism, commercials, comic books, movies, internet, and music. The series centers on a family and their life in a typical American town but the town of Springfield acts as a complete universe. The town features a vast array of media channels—from kids' television programming to local news, which enables the producers to make jokes about themselves and the entertainment industry.

<i>The Simpsons</i> season 4 Season of television series

The fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons originally aired on the Fox network between September 24, 1992, and May 13, 1993, beginning with "Kamp Krusty". The showrunners for the fourth production season were Al Jean and Mike Reiss, with the season being produced by Gracie Films and 20th Century Fox Television. The aired season contained two episodes which were hold-over episodes from season three, which Jean and Reiss also ran. Following the end of the production of the season, Jean, Reiss and most of the original writing staff left the show. The season was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards and Dan Castellaneta would win one for his performance as Homer in "Mr. Plow". The fourth season was released on DVD in Region 1 on June 15, 2004, Region 2 on August 2, 2004, and in Region 4 on August 25, 2004.

<i>Planet Simpson</i>

Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Documented an Era and Defined a Generation, also abbreviated to Planet Simpson: How a Cartoon Masterpiece Defined a Generation, is a non-fiction book about The Simpsons, written by Chris Turner and originally published on October 12, 2004 by Random House. The book is partly a memoir and an exploration of the impact The Simpsons has had on popular culture.

"You Kent Always Say What You Want" is the twenty-second episode of the eighteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 20, 2007, as part of the one-hour season finale, alongside the episode "24 Minutes". It was the milestone 400th episode of The Simpsons and was written by Tim Long. The episode guest starred Ludacris as himself and Maurice LaMarche as the Fox announcer.

"Trust but Clarify" is the fifth episode of the twenty-eighth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, and the 601st episode of the series overall. It aired in the United States on Fox on October 23, 2016, making it the first episode to air in October the week after the annual Treehouse of Horror. The title is based on the phrase "Trust but verify", used in relation to nuclear verification. This episode was written by voice actor Harry Shearer and directed by Mike Frank Polcino.

References

  1. ↑ "Simpsons #25: Marge Attacks!" Simpsons Comics on Parade,p. 45(May 19, 1998).Retrieved on April 14, 2024.
  2. ↑ Groening, Matt (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1st ed.). New York, NY: HarperCollins. p. 41. ISBN   0-06-095252-0.
  3. ↑ "[1F03] Marge on the Lam". Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  4. ↑ Krusty Gets Busted, BBC.co.uk . Retrieved on December 30, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Krusty Gets Busted". The Simpsons.com. Retrieved on December 31, 2008.
  6. 1 2 Groening, Matt; Jean, Al (2003). Commentary for "Homer Defined", in The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  7. ↑ Bird, Brad; Wolodarsky, Wallace (2001). Commentary for "Krusty Gets Busted", in The Simpsons: The Complete First Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  8. ↑ Woo, Stephanie (December 2004). The Scoop on The Simpsons: Journalism in U.S. Television's Longest Running Prime-Time Animated Series (PDF). pp. 5–8. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  9. ↑ Turner 2004, pp. 293–294.
  10. ↑ Hornshaw, Phil (April 19, 2017). "The Simpsons 30th Anniversary: 12 Best. Memes. Ever. (Photos)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  11. ↑ Sarmiento, Rafael (August 9, 2020). "10 Best Scenes From The Simpsons That Became Memes". Screen Rant . Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  12. ↑ Britton, David (July 19, 2024). "Here are some of the all-time greatest Simpsons memes". The Daily Dot . Retrieved November 7, 2024.
  13. ↑ Turner 2004, p. 403.
  14. ↑ Turner 2004, p. 69.
  15. ↑ "The British government welcomes our new insect overlords". New Scientist . June 5, 2007. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
  16. ↑ "End food truck wars". Houston Chronicle . February 10, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  17. ↑ Melissa Maerz (February 16, 2011). "Watson wins 'Jeopardy!' finale; Ken Jennings welcomes 'our new computer overlords'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 17, 2011.
  18. ↑ Zimmer, Ben (February 17, 2011). "Is It Time to Welcome Our New Computer Overlords?". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  19. 1 2 Turner 2004, p. 400.
  20. ↑ Turner 2004, p. 402.
  21. ↑ Semel, Paul. "The Best & Worst TV News Anchors". MSN. Archived from the original on January 21, 2008. Retrieved December 30, 2008.
  22. ↑ Canning, Robert. "The Simpsons: "You Kent Always Say What You Want" Review: Number 400 delivers a classic". IGN . Retrieved December 30, 2008.
  23. ↑ "Series 5". The Simpsons Action Figure Information Station. Retrieved December 31, 2008.[ permanent dead link ]
Bibliography
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.