Dear Johnny Fanboy,

In the Xmas Story episode of Futurama, Professor Farnsworth says that Fry's 20th-century notions about modesty are primitive. He even takes off his clothes to prove the point.

Why, then, do Amy and Leela get embarrassed when they lose their bathing suits in When Aliens Attack and Three Hundred Big Boys respectively? Furthermore, why do the characters make such a big deal about being allowed to strip off on Freedom Day in the episode A Taste of Freedom if nudity is permitted anyway?

Michelle Lawrence

Johnny Fanboy replies:

Here are the bare facts - boom, boom! It could be that Professor Farnsworth is just plain wrong in his belief that nakedness is no longer frowned upon. He is senile, remember. Note that according to Anthology of Interest I the Professor has been prosecuted for several transgressions of public nudity laws.

More likely it's the public aspect that makes the crucial difference. You will notice that Farnsworth strips off indoors during Xmas Story, whereas Amy and Leela are both in public places when they are accidentally denuded. So perhaps there is a more tolerant attitude towards nudity in the 31st century, so long as it takes place indoors in private or in certain designated areas.

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