Well hey howdy hello out there all you tapa-tapa-tappers. Wooking popping in on the “airwaves” with another WDTCF post for your reading enjoyment. I’d say listening pleasure but of course that would mean you’re hearing voices in your head and that’s a whole different subject. Does make me wonder what folks think I sound like but I’ll save that rambling for later.
This post is about the Level 9 Friendship Prize, KBBL Radio. I for one am super stoked this building is finally in our game. Heck, I’ve been jabbering about it in at least three different posts, one all the way back in November of last year.
While I know EA probably doesn’t listen to this fuzzball, I’m thrilled to finally have one of the iconic buildings of Springfield even if I gotta find space for it. It’s a sweet 6×7 building and a little squatter than I imagined it would be in TSTO but that’s ok. It generates money and XP for you based on the jobs you set for it. Let’s take a quick look at those jobs.
Those are all so cool and one of my goals in this post is to not only show you some cool appearances of this building, but also why these jobs make sense. So let’s look at KBBL.
No we’re not talking about the Killer Brigade Bergisch Land, the Indiana basement basketball league or the defunct TV station out of Springfield, Missouri, we’re talking about the hilarious radio station from The Simpsons. KBBL broadcasts on FM (102.5) and AM (580, 640 and 970). They do everything from talk radio to public service announcements to ball games and disc jockeying. Basically when a character of the Simpsons is listening to the radio, it’s probably KBBL radio.
When you’re dealing with a radio station, it’s only natural that your first appearance will be audio rather than an actual outside view of the building. In “Some Enchanted Evening” (S1:E13), poor Marge is left alone and feeling unappreciated. Is it any surprise she would turn to KBBL’s therapist of the airwaves, Dr. Marvin Monroe? We also hear KBBL stands for K-Babble because it’s all talk 24 hours a day. After she dials 555-PAIN, we do get a look at the control booth though.
Another audio appearance is in “Bart Gets an ‘F’” (S2:E1). After Bart prays for a miracle, it actually snows overnight. We hear Bill & Marty doing their show (two grown men who can’t get enough of each other) announcing closures due to the snow.
For folks who can’t stand just inside views or audio, we finally get to see KBBL in “Like Father, Like Clown” (S3:E6). It’s a night view but definitely our new friendship prize.
Every Sunday night, KBBL does a radio call-in show featuring Reverend Lovejoy, Monsignor Daley & Rabbi Krustofski called “Gabbin’ About God”. In order to keep their broadcasting license, KBBL devotes Sunday night dead time to public service shows of limited appeal. Also cool that there are posters on the wall for the Larry Davis Experience and Bleeding Gums Murphy on the night DJ’s walls.
One of the episode highlights of “Homer Alone” (S3:E15) is when Bill & Marty crank call a man over the radio and tell him his wife is dead after she walked through a plate-glass window. Pranks apparently are part of their schtick.
When I think of KBBL Radio, the first episode I always remember is “I Love Lisa” (S4:E15). The beginning of the episode is so great with this dialogue from Bill & Marty.
Marty: Doin’ the “Monster Mash” with ya on this beautiful Valentine’s Day.
Bill: Marty, why’d you play that song today? There must be thousands of love songs.
Marty: Well, it’s… it’s kind of a love song. All the monsters, enjoying each other’s company… dancing… holding their evil in check.
Bill: You played the wrong record, didn’t you?
Marty: Why are you doing this to me?
Whenever I do the 24 hour task to play classic hits, this is the song I plan on imagining. Well, either that or “Baby Elephant Walk”. Also good to note this episode gives us a daytime view of KBBL.
“Bart Gets an Elephant” (S5:E17) – We definitely love KBBL Radio for this episode. Bart wins Stampy in the “KBBL is gonna give me something stupid” contest. I know I’d have been the boy who’d have picked a fully grown elephant over $10,000. Those kind of decisions just make sense when you’re 10.
For the origin of the 60 minute TSTO task, we head to “Sideshow Bob Roberts” (S6:E5). (Nerd Note: This is also where we hear one of KBBL’s slogans: “No sports, no rock No information For mindless chatter We’re your station KBBL talk radio.”) At KBBL, we get our first glimpse of Right Wing KBBL Radio Announcer Birch T. Barlow IV. Author of “Only Turkeys Have Left Wings”, he appears in a later episode of the show seemingly addicted to prescription drugs when Marge has a yard sale (We’re on the Road to D’ohwhere, S16:E11). I’m sure most of us can guess who this is making fun of.
“The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace” (S10:E2) starts off with Billy and Marty’s 5 o’clock News Flush. Basically them riffing about silly news while using a lit of sound effects. Remind you of anyone around here minus the sound effects? (Note to Alissa: We need sound effects especially a flush, ooga horn and boing sound.)
“Make Room for Lisa” (S10:E16) – After the song “Safety Dance” finishes on KBBL Radio, Marty chimes in with this: “That was Men Without Hats… or as they’re known today, Men Without Jobs!” Just another example of KBBL playing music.
The origin for the 8 hour task at TSTO’s KBBL can be found in “Monty Can’t Buy Me Love” (S10:E21). Mr. Burns is trying to become a beloved billionaire and when raining silver dollars on helpless people and donating to charity don’t work, Lisa suggests he get his face out there or at least on radio. Burns’ remembers when Don Mclean and the Breakfast Club were popular, but in Springfield, the most popular program of the day is Jerry Rude and the Bathroom Bunch. Obviously a Howard Stern parody but the dialogue with Burns is funny. Honestly, this episode just makes me want Nessy for my Squidport.
Next up is “They Saved Lisa’s Brain” (S10:E22). KBBL Radio holds a “How Low Will You Go” contest sponsored by Grandma Plopwell’s Pudding. It’s basically a gross out contest where the winner gets to go to Hawaii. Bill & Marty are present to announce the festivities including the change of prize to New Hampshire. Otto shows up swallowed by a snake, Bart eats everything thrown at him as the human garbage disposal, Barney drinks a whole 6 pack at one go, Homer pops a popcorn suit, well… you get the idea. After Wolfcastle announces himself the winner for “being seen with you freaks” even though he was one of the judges, things turn ugly and a riot ensues.
“A Tale of Two Springfields” (S12:E2) – More Bill & Marty goodness. This time giving away tickets to The Who which is actually one of my favorite bands.
“The Parent Rap” (S13:E2) – Everyone listens to KBBL Radio, even Judge Constance Harm. How else would she have knowledge of the $40 prize awarded by the KBBL Party Penguin Prize Patrol? Gotta love a radio station with a wampam wagon, penguin antennae toppers and Blue Oyster Cult medallions.
“Poppa’s Got a Brand New Badge” (S13:E22) – Homer’s SpringShield service is so much more effective than the regular police, for once he’s actually the town hero for not doing dumb things. This leads to low crime and unsurprisingly, it irritates Fat Tony. Tony announces his intent to gun down Homer on Bill & Marty’s radio show.
“Fraudcast News” (S15:E22) – When Burns almost dies and realizes no one in Springfield cared and were in fact happy, he is bothered with Springfield’s “accurate representation” of him. To improve his image, there is only one thing to do so he buys every media outlet in town i.e. Channel 6, KBBL Radio and the Springfield Shopper. This of course means the firing of Bill & Marty.
Wowza…. So many episodes with KBBL stuff and this next one is no different. In “The Boys of Bummer” (S18:E18), the Springfield Isotots little league baseball game is broadcast by KBBL. It’s also broadcast in Spanish by Que BBL… hilarious. Also why we most likely got our 12 and 16 hour tasks for the station in TSTO.
Additionally, in this episode we also get to see the KBBL building looking a lot more like our new TSTO decoration, squatter than other views (guess it’s like taking a selfie from different angles). KBBL has become the official Bart Sucks Headquarters but at least we know Bill & Marty weren’t fired forever.
In “O Brother, Where Bart Thou” (S21:E8), Springfield is hit by another snow storm. The next morning, it’s no surprise that Bart is tuned to KBBL to hear the school closures. What is a surprise is that Super Nintendo Chalmers and Principal Skinner are doing the announcements.
KBBL just loves broadcasting little league because they do it again for the Isotots in “MoneyBART” (S22:E3).
The last episode I feel like mentioning is “A Tree Grows in Springfield” (S24:E6). Main reason is KBBL is moving into the modern age as evidenced by them having an app on Homer’s myPad.
Probably also important to note that KBBL Radio is part of KBBL Broadcasting Inc. and a sister network to Channel 6. KBBL is a callsign and would be used by AM, FM and TV. Also the K indicates it’s a network that broadcasts west of the mississipi. It’d be a W if it was east. There are exceptions but I think it’s interesting it all goes back to the days of the telegraph and some federal mumbo jumbo.
Well there you go. KBBL with Bill and Marty amazingness and explanations of how EA figured out the other tasks. I’m very happy with this new addition and even happier that it comes gratis provided you visit and are visited by good neighboreenos. I’m off to listen to my local hilarious DJs Kevin and Bean. Hope you have a smashingly good day and don’t forget to stay classy.
TTFN… Wookiee out!