5. The UFC Parody/Domestic Violence Joke
The Simpsons should have known better on this one. In the season twenty-one episode "The Great Wife Hope" the show spoofs the UFC and mixed martial arts, portraying UFC President Dana White as a misogynist, ego-maniacal greed monger (okay, the latter part of that is probably true) named Englebrit, and the sport as nothing more than barbarism, calling it the "Ultimate Punch Kick and Choke Championships." Former UFC champion Chuck Liddell actually guest stars in the episode. While everyone is fair game, there was way more the show could have done than go down the "human cockfighting" road yet again. On top of that, having been branded as "dangerous" to American society once upon a time themselves (remember what Bush Sr. thought of the show?), you'd think the producers of The Simpsons would have a bit more understanding when it comes to how media portrayals can impact public opinion. That's the funny thing though - the Simpsons actually demonstrated pretty decent knowledge of the sport of MMA, showing submission manoeuvres like a triangle choke and armbar, but failed to get across that it's not actually just a bloodsport (boxing, hockey, and American football have far more serious health concerns attached to them). Beyond that though, the show inadvertently promoted the idea that MMA was about men beating on women, involving Marge in a bout against the spoofed Dana White character. This was just off the mark, and the show really blew it when it had Englebrit state "You're the only woman I've ever hit that I didn't love." Domestic violence jokes are never the way to go, especially for The Simpsons (leave the risqué stuff to Family Guy). The episode was also blatantly sexist (women's MMA is now extremely popular, and was really starting out at the time the episode was produced), ignoring female fighters and fans entirely.
