I just caught an episode on TV from season 8, The Principal and the Pauper.

It's the one where the real Sergeant Seymor Skinner makes it to Springfield to expose the Skinner we all knew as his war protege Armin Tamzarian.

Seeing the episode reminded me of a question that always stuck in my head. When the fake Skinner reveals his real name -- Armin Tamzarian -- everyone gasps in surprise -- that is, everyone but Bart, who laughs to himself.

My question is, why does Bart laugh?

The way Bart laughs to himself while everyone else in the scene displays shock makes me think that this is some inside joke on the part of the writers of the show. Those guys are notorious for sneaking in little nuggets of inside humor into the show.

So what does "Armin Tamzarian" mean?

This has been bugging me ever since the episode first aired, which was several years ago. If anyone knows what's behind the name, if anything, please let us in on it. If not, then I'll assume it's either meaningless, or so "inside" that no one except Matt Groening himself knows.

Cheers,

Seymorkayoss

It's Just an odd name, that all.