ABSTRACT
The Simpsons, a leading proponent of the adult cartoon wave on television in 1989-1990, was a product of the warped genius of Matt Groening. Following in the footsteps of his father, who was a cartoonist and filmmaker, Groening began drawing cartoons himself during grade school classes; a practice, he observes, which resulted in occasional visits to the principal's office. He then developed an animated cartoon, The Simpsons, which appeared in 15 to 25 second vignettes on the Fox Network's The Tracy Ullman Show. That program's executive producer, on the lookout for animated segments to integrate into the series, thought of Groening while looking at a Life In Hell cartoon on his wall. A rock/rap album, The Simpsons Sing the Blues, complete with the characters' trademark voices, also reached the Top Ten album charts during 1990-1991.
