Lemon Of Troy (with Brent Forrester)
Lemon Of Troy (with Brent Forrester)  
Podcast: Four Finger Discount (Simpsons Podcast)
Published On: Thu Sep 10 2026
Description: This podcast is a part of us all... a part of us all... A PART OF US ALL! That's right, this week we're hopping into Flanders' RV and taking a trip to Shelbyville as we revisit "Lemon Of Troy". However, it would be foolish to partake in this endeavour alone, so we've summoned a burly protector to save us from the barrage of married cousins, the writer of the episode, Brent Forrester!We discuss the "lemon face" scene and how it's developed its own life in meme culture, the reason so many fans have a nostalgic connection to the story, how the episode was originally pitched and so much more.Plus we get a crash course in comedy writing, as we delve into Brent's career working on hit shows such as King of the Hill, The Office, The Ben Stiller Show, Late Night with David Letterman and Mr. Show,  just to name a few.Subscribe to Brent's YouTube channel at youtube.com/@ProfessorBFoSupport the show on Patreon at patreon.com/fourfingerdiscountListen on Spotify - spoti.fi/4fDcSY0Listen on Apple Podcasts - apple.co/4dgpW3ZCHAPTERS:01:56 - Why “Lemon of Troy” Still Connects with Audiences4:00 - The Origin of Springfield vs. Shelbyville6:39 - “Behaviour Over Banter” and Grounded Comedy9:35 - Inside The Simpsons Writers’ Conference14:14 - Pitching the Lemon Tree Story20:00 - Roman Numerals, Movie References and Joke Construction24:05 - The “Lemon Face” Meme and Comic Contradiction28:00 - Springfield Pride, Shelbyville and Childhood Adventures34:00 - The Episode’s Title, Childhood Memories38:38 - Brent’s Early Comedy Career: The Ben Stiller Show and Originality43:00 -  Learning from James L. Brooks, Judd Apatow, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross49:05 - The Office, King of the Hill and Leading a Writers’ Room56:30 - Showrunning, Rewrites and Making Great TV Under Pressure01:03:00 - Comedy, Networks and King of the Hill01:10:20 - Disappointing Conan O’Brien, Late Night and Creating “If They Mated”01:18:44 - Brent’s Comedy-Writing Class and Creating Your Own Script01:21:00 - Homerpalooza, Voice Actors and What Makes a Line Land01:26:00 - Writing for Performance and the Science of Funny Words01:30:00 - The Simpsons Season 6–7 Writers’ Room01:32:57 - Brent’s Favourite “Lemon of Troy” Moments01:35:00 - “Squozen,” Cousin Love and the Brilliance of Animation01:38:30 - Brent’s Ultimate Five-Episode Simpsons MarathonCHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS:Goin' Down To South Park - spreaker.com/show/goin-down-to-south-parkThe Movie Guide with Maltin & Davis - themovieguidepodcast.comThe One About Friends - spreaker.com/show/the-one-about-friends-podcastTalking Seinfeld - spreaker.com/show/talking-seinfeldSpeaKing Of The Hill - spreaker.com/show/speaking-of-the-hill-a-king-of-the-hill-The Office Talk - spreaker.com/show/the-office-talk-podcastBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/four-finger-discount-simpsons-podcast--5828977/support.