Why does Farnsworth have a wheelchair?

Question

In "Lethal Inspection", Professor Farnsworth asks for his wheelchair:

• Farnsworth: I have pain in joints I had removed a century ago! Bender! bring me my soft chair with the wheels.
• Bender: Your wheelchair?
• Farnsworth: I don't need a wheelchair! The one with the wheels

But earlier episodes established that hover technology had made the wheel obsolete. For example, in "The Honking":

• Bender: Somebody tried to run me over. And not with a normal hover-car. It crept along the ground on round, rubber feet, like a wolf!

So, why doesn't Farnsworth have a hover chair (like in Wall-E) instead of a wheelchair?

Answer 1

Again, it's Matt Groening's view of humor. The stories are always in sync with each other and there's inconsistency between some stories. the same way it's with bender and his attachments to his body. He can do some things in one episode, and then doesn't have the same ability in later episodes.

The humor is based upon these and other similar events...but good question though :)