The Simpsons took on Apple and its fanatics in last night's episode, which was absolutely classic. And accurate.
The USPS delivers Lisa's iPhone bill. "It's a gift from Apple!"
Some favorite moments:
Skewering the retail religion
Lisa [gazing in wonder on the Apple Store]: "It's so ... sterile!"
Skewering Apple's product promotion style
Apple Store employee: "Our iCube ... is fuel by dreams and powered by imagination!"
Skewering the ridiculous blinking light on Apple hardware
Apple Store employee: "Sir, it's not even on yet."
Homer: "But it's glowing."
Apple Store employee: "That light confirms that it's off."
Skewering Apple's prices
Lisa: "I can't afford any of your products."
[Even fake iPod headphones--iPhones--cost $40.]
Skewering the ubiquity of being different
Lisa: I'm an Apple person!
Apple Store employee: We're all Apple people.
Lisa: Sorry.
Skewering the Steve Jobs God complex
Customer: "He's a genius!"
Customer: "He's like a god that knows what we want!"
Steve Jobs: "[Here's] an announcement that will completely change the way you look at everything!"
Crowd [pulling wads of cash out of wallets and purses]: "oohh!!!"
Skewering Apple fanatics
Bart, as Steve Jobs, to Apple customers: "You're all losers. You think you're cool because you buy a $500 phone with a picture of a fruit on it? Well, guess what? They cost $8 to make and I pee on every one! I make a fortune off you chumps and I've invested it all in Microsoft!"
Apple Store employee: "Who dares question the boss we fired ten years ago and then brought back? ... Flay him with your ear buds!"
Bart: "Stupid angry mob, chasing me because I shine a harsh light on society."
There's so much more: A skewering of iPod volume problems, the size of people's iPhone bills ("it's a gift from Apple!"), the holy nature of Apple's headquarters, and how Apple is really just a money-craving corporation and not a way of life. It's all good stuff, and again, devastatingly accurate. You gotta love the Simpsons.
Thanks to everyone who wrote in about this.