Judd Apatow reveals 22 year old plot of a Simpsons episode that will be made next year

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Who better to talk to about writing an episode of THE SIMPSONS than Conan O’Brien. While O’Brien only served as a writer on the show for year, I wonder if he sat on an episode plot for nearly 22 years. Okay, obviously not, but that is what happened with Judd Apatow.

During a conversion with Conan on his new web show, SERIOUS JIBBER-JABBER, Apatow talked with the host about the episode in question. Earlier during a Q&A at Film Independent for THIS IS 40, Apatow went into the plot more deeply (via IndieWire):

The first thing I ever wrote was a spec episode of The Simpsons. After only five Simpsons episodes aired, I sat down and tried to write one when I was in my early twenties. And what it was about was they went to see a hypnotism show and at the hypnotism show, they made Homer think he was the same age at Bart. And then the hypnotist had a heart attack. So now Homer and Bart became best friends and they spent the rest of the show running away because Homer didn’t want responsibility and didn’t want to be brought back to his real age. So I basically copied that for every movie I’ve made since.”

Since mentioning the spec script, Matt Groening and company have decided to give him a shot. I’m sure it also helps that he’s more of a household name now than he was 22 years ago. Apatow’s episode of THE SIMPSONS will debut next year.

If you’d like to hear the conversation between Conan and Apatow, check it out below. It’s a good watch if you have the time on your hands.