The death of George HW Bush has prompted many to remember the former US president for his part in one of The Simpsons’ finest episodes.
Bush died at the age of 94 on Friday evening, having served as president from 1989 to 1993. He presided during the collapse of the Soviet Union and the final months of the Cold War.
But many also remember him for his appearance in Two Bad Neighbors, a 1996 episode of The Simpsons in which Bush and his wife Barbara – who passed away earlier in 2018 – move opposite Homer and his family.
RIP George Bush, I’ll forever remember you as Homer Simpsons enemy pic.twitter.com/5V4qwVv5it
— Brandon W. Griswold🎅🏻 (@HeyBeardMon) December 1, 2018
In the episode, Bush clashes with the Simpson family after spanking Bart for bad behaviour, prompting a back-and-forth battle between the two houses which ends with Homer fighting the former president in a sewer.
My fondest memory of George H.W. Bush was the time he fought Homer Simpson in the sewers
— Alex Smith 🍕🤤 (@hiimalexsmith) December 1, 2018
President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush on The Simpsons.
RIP George Bush #RIP41 #Remembering41 pic.twitter.com/u4uDXKgKrN
— Cameron Grant (@coolcam101) December 1, 2018
The episode followed a number of exchanges between the Bush family and the makers of the Simpsons.
In 1990, Mrs Bush labelled the show “the dumbest thing I had ever seen,” in an interview, which prompted the showrunners to write her a letter from Marge.
Mrs Bush apologised to Marge, writing back: “Clearly you are setting a good example for the rest of the country. Please forgive a loose tongue.”
.@TheSimpsons Letter to Marge from the late Barbara Bush… pic.twitter.com/ujDdhSG3fx
— Al Jean (@AlJean) April 18, 2018
It didn’t end there, however. During a campaign stop in 1992 Bush told a crowd: “We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons.”
Bush failed to secure re-election and years later Two Bad Neighbors was aired, complete with all the biting satire the show was known for.
Remembering The Simpsons episode which has George H.W. Bush finishing his memoirs 'And since I achieved all my goals as President in one term, there was no need for a second. The End'
— Joe Oliver (@joe_oliver) December 1, 2018
Even so, fans of The Simpsons remember the former president’s part in the episode fondly, with some deciding to re-watch the season seven classic after the news of Bush’s passing, while Simpsons writer Al Jean posted this tribute.
.@TheSimpsons We will miss you neighbor. pic.twitter.com/cdkWuEhtN8
— Al Jean (@AlJean) December 1, 2018