Bart Simpson Becomes NFT Target as Simpsons Continues Crypto Critique

The Simpsons didn’t shy away from mocking the digital asset space in its latest Halloween special, weaponizing the beloved character of Bart Simpson to satirize non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and blockchain culture. During the Treehouse of Horror 34 episode that aired in late 2023, the iconic animated series delivered a sharp commentary on overvalued on-chain NFTs, with Bart himself becoming a centerpiece of the satirical narrative.

NFTs represent a unique class of digital assets enabling owners to authenticate and prove ownership of virtual or physical items through blockchain technology. The Simpsons’ creative team seized this technology as ripe material for comedy, exploring both the absurdity of the NFT market and broader cryptocurrency concepts that have captivated audiences for years.

Bart Simpson’s Digital Transformation and the NFT Critique

The episode titled “Wild Barts Can’t Be Token” presented Bart Simpson as a transformed NFT, setting the stage for multiple layers of satire. In the storyline, Marge ventures into the blockchain to rescue her son after his conversion into a digital collectible. Meanwhile, Springfield’s mayor announces plans to digitize the city’s art gallery—a move that encapsulates the episode’s central mockery of indiscriminate blockchain adoption.

The writers included appearances from well-known NFT collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Beeple, strategically portraying premium digital assets alongside worthless second-tier profile pictures. This visual hierarchy reinforced a pointed critique: the NFT market’s valuation mechanisms bear little correlation to actual utility or artistic merit. Noah Bolanowski, an NFT collector and adviser to Crypt Gallery, appreciated this nuanced approach, noting on social media that the episode elevated traditional art while relegating profile-based NFTs to laughable status. He observed that the show even depicted BAYC holders in menial positions, further undermining the perceived prestige of these collections.

Market Reaction and Digital Asset Floor Prices

The episode’s cultural impact translated into measurable market movements. Following the broadcast, Bored Ape Yacht Club experienced a modest uptick with floor prices rising 0.3% in the 24-hour window, while Mutant Ape Yacht Club saw more substantial gains of 2.9%. These movements occurred as ether experienced a 0.14% decline during the same period. Today, the broader crypto market shows renewed momentum, with ether trading near $2.06K (+9.42% in 24 hours) while Bitcoin approaches $68.17K (+5.06% daily gain), signaling renewed investor appetite despite macro headwinds.

The price action suggests that mainstream cultural commentary, even satirical in nature, continues to influence sentiment around major NFT collections—a phenomenon that underscores how closely digital assets remain tied to narrative and perception.

A Consistent Creative Pattern: Groening’s Crypto Skepticism

The Simpsons isn’t breaking new ground with this latest jab at crypto culture. Matt Groening, the series creator, has demonstrated consistent skepticism toward blockchain technology across his animated projects. In 2020, the episode “Frinkcoin” featured actor Jim Parsons delivering an educational breakdown of cryptocurrency mechanics, complete with a singing ledger book and cryptic references to Satoshi’s mysterious identity. Parsons’ character explained distributed ledgers and blockchain structure just before the COVID-related crypto downturn of March 2020.

More recently, in “The King of Nice,” Krusty the Clown faced financial ruin after squandering his wealth on NFTs, forced to seek work on the Cameo celebrity-for-hire platform as a result. Even Groening’s other series, Futurama, has joined the critique. The show’s episode “How the West Was 101001” delivered pointed mockery of cryptocurrency miners and the speculative culture surrounding digital assets. This pattern reveals a deliberate creative stance: Groening views blockchain technology and NFTs as fertile satirical territory, ripe with absurdity and cultural excess.

The Broader Crypto Market Amid Macro Uncertainty

While Simpsons characters grapple with blockchain concepts in fictional form, real crypto markets continue navigating complex conditions. Bitcoin’s recent attempted breach of $70,000 ended in retreat, highlighting persistent resistance at key psychological levels. The broader altcoin market, including Solana, Cardano, and Dogecoin, has significantly outperformed Bitcoin, signaling renewed risk appetite and capital rotation toward higher-volatility tokens.

However, analysts caution against excessive optimism. Fragile macroeconomic conditions, stagnant stablecoin supplies, and the persistent threat of cascading liquidations below $60,000 levels leave Bitcoin’s medium-term trajectory uncertain. The market remains vulnerable to external shocks, even as mainstream cultural voices like The Simpsons continue amplifying skepticism about the space itself.