Lisa Simpson

Lisa Marie Simpson is a main character of the animated series The Simpsons and the second child of the family of the same name. In the original she is spoken by Yeardley Smith, in the German version Sabine Bohlmann lends her her voice. Comic book artist Matt Groening created her because he was commissioned by James L. Brooks to create a short-form series based on the comic strip Life in Hell. Groening named it after his younger sister Lisa. After running the short series for several years on The Tracey Ullman Show, the first episode of the standalone series aired on December 17, 1989.

Lisa is eight years old (* around August 2, 1984; compare the episode In the Beginning Was the Word, with May 9 marked as Lisa's birthday on the calendar in the episode Lisa Laughs) and thus the second child of Homer and Marge, the younger sister of Bart and the older sister of Maggie. She is highly intelligent, plays baritone saxophone (tenor saxophone in older episodes), became a vegetarian during the course of the series, and converted to Buddhism. Furthermore, she is also interested in politics, for example she campaigns for human rights in Tibet. In addition to the series itself, Lisa also appeared in video games, the Simpsons movie, the Simpsons Ride, comics and numerous merchandise products.

Yeardley Smith initially auditioned for the role of Bart and Nancy Cartwright for Lisa. Since the producers considered Smith's voice too high for a boy, she became the voice of Lisa and Cartwright the voice of Bart. In the short episodes, Lisa was a sort of "female Bart", but later she was given her own character traits and portrayed as an intellectual character. Because of her unusual haircut, she is considered the most difficult character to draw in the series.

The character Lisa received several awards: TV Guide placed her and Bart eleventh on its list of the "50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time." The series also won the Genesis Award and the Environmental Media Award for Lisa's efforts to protect the environment. The U.S. animal rights organization PETA included Lisa in its list of the "most animal-friendly television characters of all time." Her voice, Yeardley Smith, won a Primetime Emmy Award for her work in 1992. In 2000, The Simpsons received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Role in The Simpsons

The Simpsons uses a timeline where characters do not age, so Lisa is eight years old in all episodes. Episodes are usually set in the year they first aired. In In the Beginning was the Word, which was released in 1992, her birth year was given as 1984. However, according to The Wild 90s, Homer and Marge did not have children in the 1990s. Lisa loves music, especially jazz, and plays the saxophone. Her idol and friend is jazz musician Toothbleed Murphy, who encourages her when she is depressed.

Over the course of the series, she is friends with several boys, including Ralph Wiggum and Nelson Muntz. Milhouse van Houten is in love with her; however, Lisa does not reciprocate. In the Simpsons movie, she befriends an Irish boy named Colin.

Lisa is the most intellectual member of her family and is often at the center of those episodes that focus on moral or philosophical issues. In terms of her political beliefs, she is liberal; for example, she supports the freedom of Tibet. Although she was raised Christian, she decides to become a Buddhist in Alone She lacks faith after learning about the noble eightfold path.

Reception

Awards

Lisa was a popular character since the beginning of the series. She and Bart were ranked #11 in the list of "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time" published by TV Guide. Yeardley Smith won several awards for the role of Lisa, including a Primetime Emmy Award in 1992. In addition, numerous episodes won Emmy Awards starring her. In 2000, she and the rest of the family received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Furthermore, Lisa's sense of environmentalism has been recognized several times: in 2001, the character received an Environmental Media Award. In addition, the episode Lisa as Vegetarian won both an Environment Media Award for "best episodic comedy on television" and a Genesis Award for "best television comedy series, sustained effort". Other episodes in which Lisa advocates for animal rights have also won Genesis Awards, including 1994's The Snake's Nest, 1995's Bart Wins Elephant! , 2007's Corrida de Toro, and 2009's Mad Cow.

Cultural influence

Jonathan Gray, author of Watching the Simpsons, thinks Lisa "is possibly the best and certainly the most long-term feminist character to come out of television. She is the heart of the show and she challenges gender politics quite often." Christopher Blade of The Toledo Blade newspaper wrote, "Has there ever been a female TV character as complex, intelligent and emotional as Lisa Simpson? Meet her once and she seems cocky and, in a word, a nosey. Get to know her and she's as well-rounded as anyone you've ever met in the real world."

According to PETA, Lisa was one of the first vegetarian characters on mainstream television. The animal rights organization named her in its 2004 list of the "most animal-friendly TV characters of all time." Environmental website The Daily Green honored Lisa's role in The Simpsons Movie with one of its "Hearts-of-Green" awards, which "recognize those who have helped bring green into the spotlight." The site justified its decision by saying that "young Lisa Simpson inspired a generation to wear their hearts on their sleeves and become educated and involved regarding global issues, from justice to feminism and to the environment." Japanese broadcasters reversed the show's viewers' distaste by directing the show's marketing toward Lisa. Lisa's well-intentioned but ill-fated struggle to be a voice of reason and a good force in her family and society touched Japanese audiences. Mario D'Amato, a specialist in Buddhist studies at Rollins College in Florida, described Lisa as "open-minded, thoughtful, moral, and interested in bettering herself in various ways while continuing to maintain a childlike sense of innocence. These are all excellent qualities supported by many Buddhist traditions."

The series also influenced English-language expression. The disparaging term "meh" used by Lisa and made famous by the series was added to the Collins English Dictionary in 2008. The New York Times published an article in 1996 that Lisa inspired children, especially young girls, to learn the saxophone.

Merchandising

Lisa appeared in many Simpsons publications, toys, and other marketing products. The 2006 Lisa book by Matt Groening describes her personality and characteristics. Other products include dolls, posters, t-shirts, and boxer shorts. She has also appeared in commercials, including for Domino's Pizza, C. C. Lemon, Kentucky FriedChicken, Ramada Worldwide, Ritz Crackers, Subway, and Butterfinger.

On April 9, 2009, the United States Postal Service unveiled a five-piece stamp set featuring portraits of the family to commemorate The Simpsons' 20th anniversary. The Simpsons thus became the first television series to receive this honor while still in production. The stamps, designed by Matt Groening, went on sale in May 2009.

Lisa also appeared in the Simpsons comics alongside the television series. The comics feature the more naive incarnation of her from the first seasons. She also plays a role in The Simpsons Ride, which opened at Universal Studios Florida and Hollywood in 2008.

In 2000, Lisa and the rest of the Simpson family received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.