The hated, vile, fascist, so-right-wing-they-make-Darth-Vader-look-like-Ralph-Nader, Fox Channel is threatening to sue the Simpsons because they can't take a joke.

The row centred on a parody of Fox News' rolling news ticker, which included headlines such as "Do Democrats cause cancer?"

Mr Groening said the news channel backed down because it would have caused Fox to bring a lawsuit against itself.