“22 Short Films About Springfield” is one of the most legendary entries in The Simpsons, taking the opportunity to explore the stars of the series along with their supporting cast. To help prove how long the animated show has been running, this seventh-season entry is celebrating a major anniversary this week, and perhaps more importantly to fans, the celebration entails recalling the show’s greatest meme. “Steamed Hams” has become one of the most striking scenes from the animated series, recreated thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of times over the years, and fans are taking the chance to celebrate.
On April 14th, 1996, aka twenty-nine years ago, 22 Short Films About Springfield debuted on Fox. The seventh “short film” of this anthology episode saw Principal Skinner hosting a luncheon for his boss, Superintendent Chalmers, in which the head of Springfield Elementary has a tough time making sure the meal goes off without a hitch. The title of this segment, “Steamed Hams,” refers to how Skinner is forced to buy Krusty burgers after his cooking of steamed clams went awry. Stating that he misspoke when he was describing the clams, the meme was born and countless fan animators have recreated the segment in some wild ways.
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The Steamed Hams That Almost Was
In 2018, to help in celebrating the previous twenty-fifth anniversary of “Steamed Hams,” The Simpsons showrunner at the time, Josh Weinstein, shared the original draft for the episode. While much of the dialogue and events remain the same, it hilariously included a brief piece of dialogue from Chalmers, stating that he was set to give a speech for the Union of Amateur Astronomers. During said speech, the Superintendent would tell them of the Aurora Borealis he witnessed in Skinner’s kitchen, walking away as he did before while the Principal’s house burned. You can check out the original script from Weinstein himself below.
Attempting to convey just how many memes have been created for Steamed Hams would be nearly impossible. In the past, animators have recreated the meme in compilation videos, injected familiar pop culture icons into the mix, thrown everything upside down in the story structure, and in one wild video, even star Jeff Goldblum voiced the scene in his unique style. As the series marches into the future, we fully expect Steamed Hams to remain a part of the conversation for years to come.
The Simpsons’ Bright Future, Steamed Hams And All
Earlier this year, Fox and Disney confirmed that not only would The Simpsons return for a new season, it would return for many more. The animated series has been renewed all the way up until season forty, joining the likes of Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, and American Dad for multiple future seasons. At present, it has yet to be confirmed if season forty will be Springfield’s last, but it would make for quite the iconic place to stop.
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