The beloved animated series, “The Simpsons,” has once again embraced the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in its annual Halloween special, “Treehouse of Horror.” The show playfully pokes fun at the digital trend that has captured cultural attention.
In this imaginative episode, Marge embarks on a journey through the blockchain to rescue Bart, who has been transformed into a living NFT by none other than Homer. The episode’s first chapter, titled “Wild Barts Can’t Be Token,” cleverly weaves in numerous references to NFTs, highlighting the hype and sometimes exorbitant prices in the NFT market.
The show doesn’t shy away from featuring well-known NFTs, including creations by Beeple and the Bored Ape Yacht Club, while contrasting them with lesser-known picture for proof collections (PFPs). This juxtaposition underscores the volatile nature of the NFT market and the speculative fervor surrounding it.
Homer humorously quips in the episode, “Remember how we were always saying we wish Bart was less fungible,” as he showcases Bart’s NFT worth, pegged at an astounding $1.5 million.
This isn’t the first time “The Simpsons” has dipped its toes into the world of cryptocurrency and NFTs. In the 2020 episode “Frinkcoin,” featuring Jim Parsons, the series introduced its audience to cryptocurrency and blockchain concepts. A distributed ledger made a musical appearance, crooning, “Each day I’m closer to being the cash of the future, not in your wallet, I’m in your computer!”
In October 2022, in the episode “The King of Nice,” “The Simpsons” also made a playful reference to NFTs. Krusty was portrayed as being forced into taking undesirable gigs after losing his money in “NFTs,” humorously redefined as “Non-Funny TV shows.”
Interestingly, the influence of “The Simpsons” extended to the cryptocurrency space, with the “Homer Simpson meme coin” (SIMPSON) experiencing a staggering 30,000% surge within a 24-hour period in July. The coin’s price has continued to rise steadily throughout the year, demonstrating the enduring impact of the show’s humorous take on the world of digital assets.