A Simpsons Writer Busts Guns N' Roses' Bizarre Duff Beer Myth
When we think of fully realized fictional worlds, we tend to think of fantastical genre places like Middle-earth or the "Star Wars" universe. These are settings with intricate history and mythology; places not of our world.
One location we don't normally consider to be as intricate is Springfield. Plenty of sitcoms have fleshed-out worlds with characters the audience gets to know and care for over time, but few shows have as intricate a world with as much detail as "The Simpsons."
Sure, Springfield doesn't have fantasy elements or mythological creatures (most of the time), and it doesn't need them. This is as thoroughly constructed and fleshed out a world as "Dune," or Discworld, with its own unique history of deception, an abundance of colorful side characters like the enigmatic Dr. Marvin Monroe, a corrupt system of power, unique institutions, and more.
Before you light up your torches, think about how much we know about Springfield. Despite its "real" location being a mystery for decades, we still know when and how it was founded, we know the myth of the city's founding and the history of Jebediah Springfield, we know plenty of legends, fun facts, and traditions, like the history of the Springfield lemon tree and the tying of onions to belts. There are places, companies, and brands that are as well-known as real-world ones. Like Duff Beer.
Homer Simpson's beer of choice, Duff is more than just a fictional brand, it is an icon, named by Time as one of the most influential fictional companies of all time. Like most things in "The Simpsons," there are myths around the creation of Duff, like the belief that Duff was named after Guns n' Roses bass guitarist Duff McKagan.
Can't get enough of that wonderful Duff
"The Simpsons" has always grabbed inspiration from real-life, whether it's Bumblebee Man being inspired by a Mexican hero, or Dr. Hibbert's name being a cheeky "SNL" reference, but Duff beer? It's complicated.
The beer's connection to Guns n' Roses actually comes from Duff McKagan's own autobiography, "It's So Easy (And Other Lies)," where he described being introduced in a 1988 MTV concert as "The King of Beers." Shortly thereafter, the production company behind an animated show reached out to McKagan and asked if they could use "Duff" for their beer brand. MMcKagan wrote: "I laughed and said of course, no problem." Though McKagan thought this was a low-rent project, he soon came to see the name Duff everywhere.
But that's not how "The Simpsons" writers see it. For years, "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening called the claim "absurd," and in the book "Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons," writer Mike Reiss recalled how the name Duff came to be.
"We needed a name for Homer's favorite beer, and Jay Kogen came up with Duff. No, it was not named after Duff McKagan, bassist for Guns N' Roses," Reiss wrote, and went on to call out McKagan's version of the story: "It's a cute and fake story that McKagan tells in his aptly named memoir."
"The Simpsons" may seem like an overnight success, but it came after a lot of hard work by not just one person, but many unsung heroes. Even 35 years after its premiere, "The Simpsons" just keeps growing, with more legends, gags, and backstories that make Springfield even bigger and more fleshed-out, with new episodes just as good as the golden age of the show.