The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album
The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album
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Book Information
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The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album (ISBN 0-06-096582-7) is a 1991 book, written by Matt Groening, that mimics a family album that the Simpson family would have. Among the things it reveals is the birth date of Bart Simpson, as well as the family trees of the Bouvier and Simpson families. Despite the fact that these family trees have never been directly contradicted in the show, their canonicity is still unknown.
Contents
Contents[edit]
The album is narrated by Marge. It begins with photographs and memorabilia from the ancestors of the two families, and then progresses with baby photos of Homer and Marge, and then profiles them as they grow up and fall in love. Finally it shows photographs and memorabilia from Bart's, Lisa's and Maggie's childhoods.
Marge and Homer's childhood[edit]
The first part focuses on Marge Bouvier's childhood and youth, her family's eccentric past, childhood memories with her sisters Patty and Selma, and milestones like her first book, The Fuzzy Li'l Gnome. Later, it shows her teenage years: family road trips to the World's Largest Tire, creative photography attempts, and the day she straightened her hair at age 13. There's also her first boyfriend, Bruce Udelhofen, and her award-winning dramatic performance at Springfield High School, where she lost to Artie Ziff.
The following pages turn to Homer's side of the story, beginning with Abe's army days, his wedding to Mona Simpson, and Abe's first-ever letter of complaint, directed to the Springfield Shopper. Baby Homer appears as a chubby infant and "Grandpa's 7,587th oyster". Following that, Homer's rough school years are showcased: poor grades, lazy excuses from Abe, and his aversion to military school. There's also a glimpse of Homer's childhood friend Barney Gumble, and an early woodshop project where he never finished carving his initials.
Marge and Homer's teenage years and early romance[edit]
The next section opens with Marge's senior prom, where she wears her iconic up hairstyle for the first time. She attends the dance with Artie Ziff, to later eat at Cap'n Reno's Creamed Seafood Steam Table Restaraunt. Nearby, Homer dressed in an ill-fitting blue tuxedo, is shown as her real true love, marking the night they first connected. The pages include memories like prom tickets, and receipts from Homer's suit rental at Mario's Dapper Den.
The following pages show their high school and young adult milestones: movie dates, Marge's brief experiment with cigarettes, Homer's clumsy love poems, and a playful photo booth strip. A "handwriting analysis" humorously contrasts Marge's free spirit with Homer's laziness. Graduation memories follow, featuring Marge and Homer in their caps and gowns. Finally, their post-graduation adventures show the couple at bonfires, discos, and mini-golf dates at Sir Putt-A-Lot's Merrie Olde Fun Centre, surrounded by pop culture references from the 1970s.
Marriage times[edit]
Marge and Homer had their Las Vegas–style marriage at the Lucky 7 Wedding Chapel (Shotgun Pete's). Surrounded by dice, poker chips, and neon signs, Marge and Homer are shown as a young, excited couple. The page includes keepsakes like their marriage certificate, Marge's lace garter belt, and Homer's romantic vows. The setting pokes fun at cheap weddings — complete with slogans like "No shoes, no shirt, no service!" and a nearby roadside attraction, The Tomb of the Unknown Hitchhiker.
The next pages jump ahead to their early married life. Marge is shown as a homemaker entering a gelatin mold contest in 1980 (winning third place) and writing a fan letter to Ringo Starr, while Homer begins work at the newly-opened Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. His employee evaluation highlights his laziness and lack of ambition, with the form humorously stamped "APPROVED". The contrast between Marge's sweet domestic efforts and Homer's comedic incompetence sets up the dynamic that defines their relationship throughout the series.
Early days of Bart and Lisa[edit]
Next, the pages show Marge discovering her pregnancy with Bart, using the Barnacle Bill's Home Pregnancy Test. There's a fake hospital letter humorously asking the Simpsons not to bring Bart back, and congratulatory cards like "It's a boy!" filled with cartoonish chaos. The following spread includes Bart's baby footprints, a hospital bill marked "FINAL NOTICE", and snapshots of Homer's first gray hair, and Bart's and Lisa's first haircuts.
Later pages include Lisa's infancy and intelligence. She's shown spelling "Bart" with blocks, playing music, and getting straight A's in kindergarten. Bart, meanwhile, is depicted with his first black eye and a mischievous streak. There's also a bittersweet touch with a drawing of Lisa's poem for the then recently deceased cat, Snowball I.
Maggie is born[edit]
Pictures of Marge being pregnant with Maggie and celebrating her first birthday are shown. There are family photos with Bart and Lisa, a comical hospital newspaper clipping, and a nod to Springfield's jazz scene with an article about Bleeding Gums Murphy, Lisa's future musical mentor, who is also playing at The Jazz Hole. Marge proudly notes Maggie was "such an easy child", while the inclusion of beer and jazz references humorously contrasts the chaos of family life.
Family trips and gatherings[edit]
Next, a page shows the family's disastrous vacation to the The Devil's Hell Hole, the hottest spot in the USA, a blazing desert tourist trap that, according to Marge, "Homer would rather forget". The family posed amid cacti, rattlesnakes, and visited roadside places like Bud's Reptile Village and The Big Wigwam. Marge tries to stay positive while Homer is attacked by a "harmless" snake, and Lisa enjoys the roadside jukebox that was filled with blues records.
The last pages move through more family trips: Bart carving "El Barto was here" into Mount Rushmore, Grandpa's grumpy letters to the editor, and Homer's hair-growing experiment using a Dimoxinil. We also see a family trip to Mt. Splashmore (where Homer gets stuck in a water slide) and chaotic holiday scenes at home. Lisa's Thanksgiving poem and art project contrast Bart's terrible report card and prank excuses, with Principal Skinner's exasperated notes closing the section.
Dedication to Snowball I[edit]
The last page dedicates the album to Snowball I, the first pet of the family, who was run over by a car. The dedication includes a picture of Maggie on the sofa that the cat shredded.
Family trees[edit]
The Simpson family tree can be found on the inside of the front cover, while the Bouvier family appears on the inside of the back cover. An interesting note is that Charles Montgomery Burns is included in the Simpson tree as Grandpa's fourth cousin via marriage. Homer is descended from Scandinavians and American Indians, which was even mentioned in the episode "Little Big Girl", while Marge is descended from the French. Another interesting note is that despite Amos Graycomb and Moselle Stemple marrying and having four children together, they are in fact second cousins.
In the family trees below, each character's portrait links to their corresponding article.
Simpson family tree[edit]
Bouvier family tree[edit]
Alternate versions[edit]
There are two different versions of The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album. One release has a picture of Bart on the cover, and another release has Homer on the cover.
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