Entertainment Monopolies Are Zombifying Mass Culture
Mass culture is becoming a museum dedicated to itself, its artifacts curated by an ever-narrowing family of conglomerates. Nowhere is that clearer than in the decline of The Simpsons, whose groundbreaking satire was killed by monopoly capitalism.

Homer Simpson and Goofy in The Simpsons in Plusaversary. (Disney+)
On November 12, subscribers to Disney+ were treated to a five-minute short film billed as The Simpsons in Plusaversary as part of a “special event” designed to mark the streaming service’s two-year anniversary. If you’re a fan of the golden era of The Simpsons that roughly spanned its run during the mid-’90s, it’s positively nauseating to watch — the premise being a party at Moe’s Tavern where all of your favorite Disney characters-qua-properties have been invited.
After waiting in line, Homer, who has somehow been left off a guest list that includes Ant-Man, Thanos, and Jabba the Hutt, is admitted as Goofy’s plus one. The short subsequently offers up a string of crossover bits that must be seen to be believed: Darth Vader drinks a beer at the bar; Buzz Lightyear arm wrestles the Mandalorian; Barney performs the Heimlich maneuver on Donald Duck; Bart arrives as a hybrid version of himself and Mickey Mouse.
Plusaversary’s centerpiece, however, is a faux tongue-in-cheek advertainment ode to the streaming platform itself — sung by none other than Lisa Simpson — which, among other things, seems to invite viewers to invest in Disney stock: