Homer left with Giant hangover
D'OH! Homer is so busy boozing he misses out on our top tourist attraction as the Simpsons rock Ulster tonight.
In a special St Patrick's Day episode, the beer-guzzling dad drags his dysfunctional family to Ireland for the first time.
Landmark
It is also the first time in the show's 20-year history that an episode will make its debut on screens over here before being shown in America.
But despite the grand occasion, slob Homer remains true to form and snubs our world-famous Giant's Causeway in favour of his favourite pastime.
Boozer
In an echo of Dr Johnson's famous comment: "The Giant's Causeway is worth seeing but not worth going to," the planet's favourite couch potato stays in the pub with his father and happily lets his family go without him.
Perhaps it's because the Causeway still doesn't have a new visitors' centre or pub to cash in on the hundreds of thousands of tourists who flock there every year.
Educational
When gravel-voiced Marge arrives in Ulster, she starts by reading out a tourist sign to Bart and Lisa.
"The Giant's Causeway is the result of a volcanic eruption," the blue-haired matriarch of the family says.
"Well kids isn't that an informational fact? …Kids?"
But Bart and Lisa are too busy bouncing over the famous hexagonal rocks to listen.
Marge shouts: "Come back here!"
Game
But as she runs after them she ends up bouncing up and down with the pair. Their leaps are accompanied by 'boing' sound effects mimicking a computer game.
So the Causeway, which drew in over 751,000 visitors last year, escapes the Simpsons' trademark insults against all things Irish.
Tourists
The whole family make it together to Dublin, Blarney Castle and the Guinness Brewery, encountering special guest stars such as Belfast-born actor Kenneth Branagh.
Titled In the Name of the Grandfather, the new episode features Homer and Grampa Simpson getting so drunk they end up buying – and destroying – O'Flanagan's bar in the village of Dunkilderry.
Simpsons producers James L Brooks, Al Jean and Nancy 'voice of Bart' Cartwright will be taking part in the St Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin on a Simpson's float.
The landmark episode airs at 7.30pm on Sky1 and Sky 1 HD.
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Weather for Belfast
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
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Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
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