10 Things You Didn't Know About The Making Of The Simpsons

4. There Is A Clause In The Creators' Contract That Means Fox Can't Give Notes, Intervene Or Make Cuts To Any Episodes Of The Show

Have you ever wondered how The Simpsons has gotten away with making digs at 20th Century Fox across the span of its lengthy run? Perhaps you think they're just super chilled over at Fox? A casual network filled with laid back executives who can just take joke after joke at their expense without so much as batting an eyelid? Um, not exactly... The real reason is because they can't do a thing about it when The Simpsons decides to turn on its own network. The original contract that James L. Brooks drafted up with Fox all the way back in 1989 includes a clause that outright prevents the network from interfering with the show's content. They're not allowed to offer notes, intervene or make cuts. And all this time you just thought they were good sports! Nope: they're just powerless to get involved with the show on a creative level, which means that there have been some really great - and at times biting - gags aimed at the network over the years. Rather hilarious.