'Simpsons' episodes pulled after quake

LOS ANGELES, March 28 (UPI) -- An executive producer of "The Simpsons" says he understands why some TV networks are pulling episodes of the U.S. show that refer to nuclear disaster.

Numerous installments of the long-running animated series feature jokes about the nuclear power plant where character Homer Simpson works.

"Simpsons" producer Al Jean told EW.com he gets why some networks are yanking certain episodes from their lineups in the wake of the nuclear power plant crisis in Japan, which was devastated by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

"We have 480 episodes, and if there are a few that they don't want to air for awhile in light of the terrible thing going on, I completely understand that," Jean told EW.com. "We would never make light of what's happening in Japan."

Twentieth Television, which syndicates the show, has provided U.S. stations that air "The Simpsons" with a list of episodes featuring potentially sensitive material, so the stations can determine whether to air them, EW.com said.