Irish Simpsons

The Irish love the Simpsons, so much so the movie was released there before here. I saw the show in several locations and saw much Bart Simpson merchandise. I have to admit that I took some time from being in Ireland to see the movie. Was this a waste of time to see an American movie while in Ireland? Perhaps, but I was tired from drinking several days in a row. And with the size of the crowd, it might as well have been an Irish movie. A little kid next to us enjoyed the movie so much that he laughed and talked to the screen to the point of being annoying. Also I think he may have crapped himself. The thing I found most interesting about the Irish enjoyment of the Simpsons is it was the only TV show that people watched. Usually the TV was occupied with football (read soccer), hurling, cricket, or some other Irish sport, but rarely was a non-Simpson scripted show on. Television in general does not seem to be a very big part in Irish culture (other than sports). Only in one of our four guesthouses had a working TV. We weren't planning on watching very much TV but it made me think about the unpleasant reaction a non-functioning TV would get in the US.