The Simpsons is Older Than My Kids -- and What That Means for Pop Culture references in Your Novel
The Simpsons has been renewed for its 27th and 28th Seasons.
This means Bart Simpson is older than my kids and my marriage. I actually remember when they were Life in Hell, a comic strip in (among other places I’m sure) Miami New Times.
This is a lesson in using references in one’s novels: The best way to get something that will have longevity is to choose something that’s already been around a while - or something so obscure enough that no one will notice it’s dated. In my first novel, Breathing Underwater, I mentioned Gloria Estefan, Madonna, and Insane Clown Posse. All still hold up.
In 2003, I was writing my novel, Nothing to Lose. There’s a scene at the beginning where Michael walks by a wall of posters, used as prizes in the carnival games. He lists out the faces on the posters, and I wanted to choose people who’d be around for a while, in case the book was in print many years later.
After intense debate, I listed the posters thusly: Elvis or Bart Simpson, Britney Spears or Jesus.
Nothing to Lose (HarperCollins, 2004) is still in print, and Bart is still around too. Also Jesus.