James is a huge fan of The Simpsons. When he sees the clouds parting in the beginning of the opening credits he smiles and excitedly chirps "Homer, doh! Homer, doh!". I'm fairly certain the writers for The Simpsons don't have the toddler audience in mind when they're hacking away at their keyboards, but it's the one show James will watch in its entirety without boredom setting in. Although impossible (I think), it's almost as if he comprehends the subject material.
I suppose I'm to blame for this obsession. Since his birth he has been a witness to the joy this show brings me. By the time he was six months old I figure he had witnessed a solid 200 hours of Homer and the gang from Springfield. This, combined with the fact it is a cartoon, probably made his interest in the show inevitable.
Some would suggest I'm poisoning the boy by allowing him to watch a show centered around an overweight buffoon who is frequently found getting loaded in the local bar while his son causes mischief and mayhem. I've always believed that watching The Simpsons instills the exact values that make someone a healthy, well rounded adult. I see The Simpsons as the most moral show on television that teaches its viewers true life lessons. A recent article in the National Post agrees with me. Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University, is quoted as stating parents should be thankful their kids are drawn to The Simpsons. He even sees it as a "cause for some celebration". Finally, some validation. I may very well be father of the year.
