'The Simpsons' Joke Video Game 'Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge' Is Now Real, And Playable

One of the most memorable Simpsons gags is Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge, a throwaway joke about an impossibly nerdy video game that no one wants to play. The game itself wasn't real – until now. Someone went ahead and made a real, playable version of Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge, and it's just as comically boring as the game shown on The Simpsons all those years ago.

Anytime I write about The Simpsons, I feel I need to add a disclaimer stating that The Simpsons was actually very funny once upon a time. For a while, I'd even go so far as to say it was the funniest show on TV. Those days are gone, however, as the show enters what I believe is its 400th season (I could be wrong). But for its first few years, you just couldn't beat The Simpsons.

Now, as Simpsons writer Bill Oakley points out, you can now have some very boring fun with a real, playable version of Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge:

And in case you've never seen the Simpsons episode that features the game, here's a clip.

The game pops up in the season 7 episode "Marge Be Not Proud", where Bart badly wants a copy of the Mortal Kombat-like video game Bonestorm for Christmas. Unfortunately, he's unable to talk his parents into getting him the game. When he tries to rent a copy he's informed that all rentals are currently out-of-stock – but there are plenty of copies of Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge available. In that game, you play as (fictional) golfer Lee Carvallo, where you are prompted to simply putt a golf ball. If you choose to long-drive the ball, you instantly lose. It's very silly and funny amusing.

Later in the episode, Bart tries to shoplift a copy of Bonestorm, only to get caught. It throws his entire life out of whack, and makes him believe his mother, Marge, no longer loves him. Eventually, all is set right in the world. And, as one last gag, Marge reveals she bought Bart a videogame for Christmas after all. Bart excitedly unwraps the gift, thinking it's going to be Bonestorm. But of course, it ends up being Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge. Roll credits.