As a long-time enthusiast of The Simpsons, I can’t help but marvel at the sheer ingenuity that lies behind each episode, especially when it comes to crafting those iconic moments that have stood the test of time. One such instance is the unforgettable “Dr. Zaius” musical number from the Planet of the Apes parody. You may recall Troy McClure’s mesmerizing performance in this masterpiece, a role he carried with panache, following his stellar appearances in classics like “P is for Psycho!” and “The Presidents Neck is Missing.”
The golden age of The Simpsons is chock-full of memorable moments that have since cemented themselves in pop culture. One such moment is the iconic (yes, iconic) musical number “Dr. Zauis,” which comes as part of the Planet of the Apes musical starring Troy McClure. You may remember him from such cinematic classics as “P is for Psycho!” and “The Presidents Neck is Missing.” While you would think that the Dr. Zaius gag was a slam dunk from the start, what with its catchy lyrics and perfect mockery of everything from stage productions to the original Planet of the Apes, writer Josh Weinstein has now revealed how it was the result of not one, not two, but five separate pitches.
Weinstein recently took to social media to reveal some interesting insight into how the Planet of the Apes musical number was created, and how it works a perfect learning tool for aspiring writers.
In my years as a writer and creative thinker, I’ve learned a valuable lesson that I picked up from watching The Simpsons: never dismiss an idea, no matter how outlandish or nonsensical it might seem at first glance. Instead, embrace it wholeheartedly. This rule has served me well in my career, as it has led to some of my most successful projects and breakthroughs.
The musical adaptation of “Planet of the Apes,” cleverly named “Stop the Planet of the Apes: I Want to Get Off!”, was showcased in the seventh season’s episode titled “A Fish Called Selma“. In this episode, Weinstein explains the five pitches that resulted in the popular chorus, a performance that many consider McClure’s best role, excluding the character of “The Contrabulous Fabtraption of Professor Horatio Hufnagel“, of course.
1) Steve Tompkins initially proposed, “Could we create a musical based on Planet of the Apes?” Some might think it’s absurd or foolish, but there was an undeniable spark that intrigued us all. So, I suggested we delve into this idea and find out if it could develop into something remarkable…
2) I’ve been in a room without watching the movie, but I’m familiar with some aspects of it such as the statue of liberty symbolizing “it was earth all along,” the “get your hands off me” line, and a character named Dr. Zaius. I then questioned the room about this and compared it to the Falco song.
Josh Weinstein Story Is the Perfect Example of How a Classic the Simpsons Joke Evolved
Following numerous discussions, a idea emerged to incorporate cheesy and vaudevillian humor into the event, and just as the story goes with our simian friends, events rapidly escalated from that point on.
As a film enthusiast, I can’t recall the exact sequence of events, but George Meyer proposed an intriguing idea: “Let me share this thought with you…” He suggested we intersperse our songs with old-fashioned, corny vaudeville-style joke breaks, similar to the piano gag. This idea was agreed upon. We were ready to give it a try.
5) As a devoted film enthusiast, I might rephrase it like this: “Since I’m a doctor’s assistant, let’s have the script start with me calling out to Dr. Zaius, ‘Oh, help me, Dr. Zaius,’ even if there isn’t one in the movie.”
5) Another individual (my apologies for not recalling all names involved) proposed incorporating numerous breakdance moves into this musical piece, as breakdancing was quite popular and trendy in many flashy Broadway productions at the time.
One intriguing way to rephrase this sentence might be: “The ‘Dr. Zaius’ musical scene is one of the many iconic, frequently referenced instances in The Simpsons, and it’s captivating to discover how such comedic ingenuity sprang from the writers’ creative space.”
Currently, “The Simpsons” can be streamed on Disney+. Later this year, it will start its 36th season. Until then, you can check out Josh Weinstein’s entire Twitter thread here.
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2024-08-08 19:04