This weekend The Simpsons aired a new episode called “Panic On The Streets Of Springfield” that was inspired by Morrissey. Morrissey is not happy with how he was depicted on the show.

“Poking fun at subjects is one thing. Other shows like SNL still do a great job at finding ways to inspire great satire,” reads a post on the official Morrissey Facebook page. “But when a show stoops so low to use harshly hateful tactics like showing the Morrissey character with his belly hanging out of his shirt (when he has never looked like that at any point in his career) makes you wonder who the real hurtful, racist group is here.”

The plot of the episode centers on Lisa. After her Slapify algorithm recommends music by the band the Snuffs, she is enamored with its lead singer Quilloughby (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch). Lisa becomes imaginary friends with the younger version of Quilloughby, whose veganism inspires her to try and start a veggie-only day at Springfield High.

There are original songs by Flight Of The Conchords’ Bret McKenzie and all seems well, until Lisa decides to run away from home to see a modern-day Quilloughby concert. What she finds is an overweight, greedy racist eating a meat sandwich who has given up all his ideals.

“Shut your gobs, you wankers. Can’t you see this show is just a cash grab? I’m only here because I lost my fortune suing people for saying things about me that were completely true,” the older Quilloughby says on stage to boos from the audience. “You can jeer while I enjoy this pastrami on rye … I was [vegan], until I learned that veganism was invented by foreigners, of whom there are far too many on this planet. That’s right, I hate the foreign: coming to this country and taking our jobs and sleeping with our men.”

He’s condemned by the audience, while Lisa learns a valuable lesson about listening to others and not closing your mind off to new ideas.

Here’s Moz’s full statement:

Surprising what a “turn for the worst” the writing for The Simpson’s tv show has taken in recent years.

Sadly, The Simpson’s show started out creating great insight into the modern cultural experience, but has since degenerated to trying to capitalize on cheap controversy and expounding on vicious rumors.

Poking fun at subjects is one thing. Other shows like SNL still do a great job at finding ways to inspire great satire.

But when a show stoops so low to use harshly hateful tactics like showing the Morrissey character with his belly hanging out of his shirt (when he has never looked like that at any point in his career) makes you wonder who the real hurtful, racist group is here.

Even worse – calling the Morrissey character out for being a racist, without pointing out any specific instances, offers nothing. It only serves to insult the artist.

They should take that mirror and hold it up to themselves.

Simpson’s actor Hank Azaria’s recent apology to the whole country of India for his role in upholding “structural racism” says it all.

Unlike the character in the Simpson’s “Panic” episode…….

Morrissey has never made a “cash grab”, hasn’t sued any people for their attacks, has never stopped performing great shows, and is still a serious vegan and strong supporter for animal rights.

By suggesting all of the above in this episode…the Simpson’s hypocritical approach to their storyline says it all.

Truly they are the only ones who have stopped creating, and have instead turned unapologetically hurtful and racist.

Not surprising…… that The Simpsons viewership ratings have gone down so badly over recent years.

The full episode is on Hulu here. Here’s one of the Bret McKenzie-written songs, “Everyone Is Horrid Except Me (And Possibly You)”:

And some clips from the show:

https://twitter.com/TheSimpsons/status/1383982472010944528

UPDATE: An attribution to Morrissey’s manager Peter Katsis was added to the official Morrissey Facebook page’s post twelve hours after it was originally posted. (You can see the edit history on the original post.) Katsis has this to add: