The Simpsons Beat South Park’s Scientology Episode for Best Animated Series

The Simpsons is television’s longest running sitcom in history, but has never won an Emmy for Best Comedy. However, as of last night The Simpsons have won nine Emmy awards for Best Animated Series. Number nine was especially interesting as the show was poised against South Park’s controversial Scientology episode that made fun of Tom Cruise. At the time it aired, Cruise still had enough clout in Hollywood to get the show pulled. After his bizarre behavior regarding his girlfriend’s pregnancy, his misinformed opinions regarding the effectiveness of psychiatry and anti-depressants, and worst of all, the underperformance of Mission Impossible III, Tom Cruise is no longer quite the golden child he once was. Although certainly not experiencing the free fall that Mel Gibson is experiencing, one must doubt that simply a word from Cruise would be enough to get an episode of a television show pulled at this stage.

Al Jean, longtime Simpsons producer who accepted the award for the show last night, acknowledged the controversy when he said, “This is what happens when you don’t mock Scientology.” He should know. Or so goes the rumor. It has been floating around that Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson and a Scientologist herself, refused to read a line that, well, mocked Scientology.

The episode that earned The Simpsons their Emmy award was The Seemingly Never-Ending Story, an innovative episode that featured flashbacks within flashbacks within flashbacks. The episode featured the kind of intricate development that you don’t get in shows such as Friends, Will & Grace, Ally McBeal or Everybody Loves Raymond. Each of which won a Best Comedy Emmy award the same year that The Simpsons was aired, but was never even nominated.