Collapsing the show's usual three-or-four-year window on capturing the pop culture zeitgeist down to a mere one or two, TV Line reports that The Simpsons has drafted Portlandia stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein to voice characters in an episode set to debut sometime next fall—ideally just in time to build anticipation for the third season of Portlandia’s promotional campaign, which should begin just a few months after that. According to executive producer Al Jean, Armisen and Brownstein will play The Simpsons’ umpteenth new neighbors in the revolving door real estate that is Evergreen Terrace, heading up a “cool family” that moves from Portland to Springfield. Their coolness spurs Homer to attempt to befriend them by straining to be cool himself, while Marge remains “skeptical that being cool isn’t all it’s cracked up to be”—all part of the continuing, regrettable amnesia that causes the Simpsons family to forget lessons they’ve already learned, such as everything Homer had realized about being “cool” by the end of “Homerpalooza.” I mean, what are we to believe—that this is some sort of magic xylophone?
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