The Simpsons have now joined Barbie as targets of an Iranian crackdown, putting one of the iconic blonde doll's biggest critics on the same blacklist as her. Citing some kind of vague moral opposition to The Simpsons, Mohammad Hossein Farjoo (who Reuters awesomely describes as the head of an agency that "oversees what Iranian children can play with") said authorities would crack down on sales of toys based on the series and its characters.
That means Lisa Simpson, who famously campaigned for a less sexist Malibu Stacey (the show's thinly veiled version of Barbie), now joins Barbie as a threat to Iranian morals. Barbie dolls have been banned in Iran for years because of their shapely figures and revealing clothing, and Iranian authorities recently announced a renewed crackdown on the toys. The Reuters report carrying the news of The Simpsons ban said that "it was not clear in what regard the irreverent Simpsons family had offended Iranian regulations." Perhaps the Iranian authorities also believe The Simpsons jumped the shark a long time ago? It would make sense, but we doubt it.
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