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Boing Boing pal David Silverman, who shares the classic Simpsons sketch above, says, "23 years ago today on March 23rd, 1987, we had a meeting with Matt Groening. And then Wes Archer, Bill Kopp, and I started animating the very first Simpsons short for The Tracey Ullman Show, in a studio on 729 N. Seward Street. We all thought it was pretty funny." [And we do too, David.—XJ]

  • dancentury

    Married with Children came out in April of 1987 — so maybe they didn’t get the idea for the Simpsons from that show like people say.

  • Dolnor

    I believe I got this link from an old boingboing mention.

    Where it all began: Tracey Ullman Show – Simpson Shorts
    http://www.simpsoncrazy.com/ullman-shorts

    TQQdlesâ„¢,

    Dolnor Numbwit
    Eternal Newbie

  • TheFirstMan

    Dammit, Dolnor. I was about to go to sleep.

  • Spikeles

    Oh, i thought December 8th would have been an even more special day. The day when The Simpsons were granted “person” status by an Australian court.

  • zgz

    I still remember the night when i first watched the first short on Tracy Ullman, I was hooked since then… for 23 years!

  • apoxia

    Well where I’m from we didn’t have the Tracy Ullman show. I did, however, begin to watch the simpsons from the very first episode at the tender age of seven. I remember that I was one year younger than Lisa. It’s slightly scary to think how much the simpsons influenced by life. In a good way though :)

  • SKORPIO

    What’s to celebrate? The show had 2 1/2 years of excellence, then it became The Flintstones. Pull the plug on this stinkfest aleady.

    • travispulley

      @skorpio – turning your nose up at a hugely influential piece of pop culture impresses me that you are quite the sophisticate. And from what I’ve heard from various talent agents about acts performed by the sophisticates, I can see how you would be unimpressed by the simpsons.

      Also, I can’t help but think of Hank Scorpio in the brilliant episode “You only move twice” from the 8th season.

  • jfrancis

    The streetview is funny. Bunch of guys in a car watching the google car go by.

  • Duve

    Thank you for showing up to that meeting, David, and for all the beautiful, amazing work you’ve done since then.

  • Trent Hawkins

    Oh… I was hoping that it finally got canceled.