Homer Simpson’s horrible act of child abuse has been one of The Simpsons‘ most beloved running gags for literally decades. But for a few days last week, it sounded like Bart would no longer have to fear getting strangled by his dad (the macing, however…). That’s no longer the case. Producer James L. Brooks cleared up the confusion, telling People, “Nothing’s getting tamed. Nothing, nothing, nothing… He’ll continue to be strangled — you want to use that awful term for it. He’ll continue to be loved by his father in a specific way.”