D'oh-in' in the Wind Written by Donick Cary
Directed by Mark Kirkland and Matthew Nastuk
==============================================================================
Production code: AABF02 Original Airdate on FOX: 15-Nov-1998
Capsule revision B (26-Feb-2000)
==============================================================================
> "TV Guide" Synopsis
==============================================================================
(Canadian) Homer tries to discover what's in a name when he enlists hippies
(guest voices Martin Mull and George Carlin) to uncover the reasoning
behind his middle initial. {hl}
(United States) At his mother's former commune, newly dropped-out Homer
gets both remaining members (voices of George Carlin and Martin Mull) to go
on an "old-time freak-out" {af}
==============================================================================
> Title sequence
==============================================================================
Blackboard: NO ONE CARES WHAT MY \ DEFINITION OF "IS" IS
Couch: The family runs in to sit on the couch, which now has a safety
bar attached to it. When they sit down, the bar lowers,
locking them in place. Then, the Simpsons take a wild ride
around their own living room.
==============================================================================
> Did You Notice...
==============================================================================
Brad Bizzolt:
... Homer keeps wiping his face with the poncho, even after he's warned
about what's on it?
... Homer's got his Fondas all mixed up (Peter played the Hippie, Henry is
dead)?
Anthony Dean:
... no one thought of looking up Homer's birth certificate or hospital
records to find out what his middle initial is?
Don Del Grande:
... hippie Homer had curled hair?
... Homer tried to get hippie lessons from someone who not only supported
the war but entertained troops there?
... the "hippies" were playing Hackey Sack, which became popular long after
the 1960s? [{pt} writes, "It was popular among the 'second generation"
hippies at my high school. I figure the real hippies probably picked
it up about the same time."]
... Homer was wearing a "The Cat in the Hat" hat when he entered
Springfield Elementary?
... Homer managed to survive skull penetration by a daisy? (Then again,
this is Homer's brain we're talking about)
Jordan Eisenberg:
... Smithers' voice was particularly grainy?
Joe Klemm:
... the safety bar bends Marge's hair in the couch gag?
... Homer doesn't think he's the oaf the hippies were talking about?
Ondre Lombard:
... even *more* new people have joined the staff of the show? (Tom Martin,
Caroyln Omine)
Brian Rawson-Ketchum:
... despite being a millionaire, Burns brought a sack lunch?
... Homer's mother was voiced by Tress MacNeille [as opposed to Glenn
Close] in this episode?
... several businesses from past episodes can be seen during Homer's freak
out? [See "FFF" section for more]
Benjamin Robinson:
... despite his vast wealth, Burns apparently can't afford to buy one of
those rubber twisty jar openers?
... after attempting to open the pickle jar, Homer's hair is disheveled?
... Homer pokes himself with the writing end of his pen? (Lucky for him,
it didn't leave a mark on his shirt.)
Matt Rose:
... "Smithee" is very close to "Smithers", despite Alan Smithee being an
actual pseudonym?
... the two hippies' dog "Ginsberg" looks a lot like "Rover Hendrix"?
Paul Tomko:
... Seth and Munchie had an awfully large "personal" vegetable garden?
Could they be selling weed on the side?
==============================================================================
> Voice Credits
==============================================================================
- Starring
- Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Abe, Krusty, Brockman, Groundskeeper Willie,
Barney, Skeleton [?], Rolling Stone Lips [?][there's a credit you
don't expect to see])
- Julie Kavner (Marge)
- Nancy Cartwright (Bart)
- Yeardley Smith (Lisa)
- Hank Azaria (Carl, Bob Hope, Chief Wiggum, Lou)
- Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns, Smithers, Lenny, Ned Flanders, Principal
Skinner, Jasper, Eddie, Hibbert)
- Special Guest Voice
- George Carlin (Munchie)
- Martin Mull (Seth)
- End Titles Music by
- Yo La Tengo
- Also Starring
- Tress MacNeille (Mrs. Simpson, Hippie Chick #1, Hippie Chick #2, Jill St.
John [?], Phyllis Diller)
- Maggie Roswell (Maude Flanders, Fergie [?])
==============================================================================
> Movie (and other) references
==============================================================================
+ "Blowin' in the Wind"
- title of the episode spoofs this Bob Dylan song
- "Dust in the Wind" {bo}
- title might also have spoofed this Kansas song
+ President Clinton's deposition {bjr}
- Bart's blackboard punishment references this. See "Personal Comments
& Observations"
- "Yellow Submarine" {bjr}
- sound of lunch whistle and smoke from cooling towers similar to noise
and smoke from factory near beginning of this movie
+ "Alan Smithee" films {jr}
- this is the traditional pseudonym used by directors who didn't like
the way a film turned out
~ "Rocky and His Friends/The Bullwinkle Show" {ddg}
- both Rocky and Bullwinkle have middle initials "J," to honor creator
Jay Ward
- [This is the real-life reason Matt Groening gave Homer and Bart the
"J" middle initial -- Ed.]
- "Woodstock II" album {dg}.li little naked Homer reminiscent of the little
naked kid on the cover of this album
+ Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream {sb}
- two hippies turned capitalists with profits of all-natural food going
to charities
- and the close-up of the label on their juice looks like the Ben &
Jerry label
+ Fruitopia {bjr}
- natural juice marketed with a feel-good Sixties slant, but produced by
serious businessmen
+ Alan Ginsberg {mr}
- dog at commune named in honor of the beat poet, who reached the peak
of his renown during the late Fifties and early Sixties
+ The Chicago Seven
- Homer uses a similar naming scheme for Marge's breasts, a.k.a. "the
Springfield Two"
- Wavy Gravy {dj}
- a hippie whacking out like Homer during the "road trip"
+ Dr. Seuss, "Cat In The Hat" {bb}
- Homer wears the hat popularized by this children's book and later Gen
X'ers
+ Buckingham Palace {bjr}
- Yuk-Ingham Palace a spoof of the English landmark
+ "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," by James Brown {bb}
- Homer asks Marge what's in her brand new bag
+ "Good Morning, Starshine" {jk}
- Homer uses this song title when greeting Munchie
- "Dumbo" {nd}
- the pink elephant in Barney's hallucination
~ "Reefer Madness" {ddg}
- everybody who drank the marijuana-laced juice had immediate visions,
which is the message the movie "Reefer Madness" tried to spread -
never mind how accurate it is)
+ Grateful Dead
- the dancing bears and skeletons Flanders hallucinates are emblems of
this band
+ Pink Floyd
- walking hammers associated with this band
- [{bjr} writes, "Uh, guys? Weren't the hammers first shown on album
art for "The Wall"? That album's from 19_7_9." {dga} answers, "Plus
the animation of the hammers comes from the Gerald Scarfe animation in
the movie version which came out in the early 1980's ..."]
- [Dave Sibley notes the walking hammers are shown during the "Run Like
Hell sequence -- Ed.]
+ The Rolling Stones
- the famous lips icon used
+ "Beavis and Butt-head"
- Abe and Jasper act just like these two, sitting on the bench and
laughing like morons
+ Kent State {bjr}
- Homer pokes daisies in the policemen's guns, the way the protestors at
Kent State did with the National Guardsmen (It did not work any better
for them, sadly)
- "Star Trek: The Original Series" {dj}
- Dr. Hibbert's comment about "I'm a doctor, not a ..." at Homer's
flower problem is similar Dr. Bones McCoy's signature phrase
- "Love You To," by the Beatles {sm}
- the opening sitar-ish notes similar
+ "Tomorrow Never Knows," by the Beatles {jf}
- the drum beat and the melodic variation around the theme are obviously
inspired from the psychedelic song from the 1966 "Revolver" album
+ The "Strawberry Fields" rumor
- "I buried Flanders" references this. Details in "Personal Comments &
Observations"
==============================================================================
> Previous episode references
==============================================================================
- The Springfield Chamber of Commerce {bjr}
- [8F19] The Corpulent Cowboy
- [1F21] Broken-Home Chimney Repair.li [3F14] Neat & Tidy Piano Movers
- [1F21] Painful Memories Party Supplies
- [4F05] Springfield Costume Shop
- [4F15] Heinrich's Monocle Shop
- [5F17] Yuk-Ingham Palace
- Hippie/Beatnik References {hl}
- [9F09] Dr. Nicks' college dorm filled with hippies and junkies
- [1F08] Hippie gives proposal to Burns' casino
- [1F09] Homer imagines dropping an A-bomb on some beatniks
- [1F16] Burns sabotages a Greenpeace ship
- [1F18], [4F07] Ned's parents are beatniks
- [1F22] Bart reads MAD's "The Lighter Side of Hippies"
- [2F02] Barlow says "this town is under the stranglehold of a few tie-dyed
tree-huggers who would rather play hackey sack than lock up the
homeless"
- [3F06] Pretty much everything to do with Homer's mother
- [3F10] Color wash off school uniform to reveal tie-die colors
- [3G02] Fruitopia! The iced tea brewed by hippies, but distributed by a
heartless, multi-national corporation!
- [4F07] Homer asks SLH "What is it, boy? Fire? Earthquake? Hippies?"
- [4F17] Uriah Heap retro-dude
- [5F12] Moe has a big rubber hippie daisy on his car
- [7G09] Homer sticks his hand in a bee hive {ol}
- [7F01] Homer curls his hair {dj}
- [7F06], [9F09], [9F17], [4F17] Episodes that end with Homer in the hospital
{ol}
- [7F12] Marge protests wearing a bra {je}
- [7F16], [2F07], [3F06] Homer's Mom appears {af}
- [7F22] Homer's blood is drained {dj}
- [7F22], [1F04] Burns needs fresh blood {je}
- [8F19] The Corpulent Cowboy is seen {dj}
- [8F21], [3F21] Rock and/or roll concert scenes {mr}
- [8F22] Homer gets shot (In Marge's imagination when she considers getting
Homer a "Hostage Negotiator" self-help tape for a second) {af}
- [9F01] Jimi Hendrix seen {hl}
- [9F01] Jimi Hendrix makes an appearance {mr}
- [9F11], [3F24] Hallucinogenic substances ingested {ad}
- [9F12] Homer goes outside naked, and a Flanders notices {ol}
- [9F14], [4F21] Episode ends in dental office, which is a kind of medical
facility {je}
- [9F18] Willie comes across a lass {hl}
- [1F04] Martin embarrassed about his Wang Computers T-shirt {hl}
- [1F10] An episode that ends in the hospital {ol}
- [1F20] Broken Home Chimney Repair is seen {dj}
- [2F07] Grampa and Homer sell love tonic {hl}
- [2F07] Grandpa's sex life mentioned {ad}
- [2F12] Krusty steals the "Seven Words You Can't Say on TV" bit from George
Carlin {hl}
- [2F13] Someone's throwing idea boomerangs on him {je}
- [2F20] Ends with Burns in the hospital {bc}
- [2F21] "John Williams must be rolling around in his grave" {bc}
- [3F06] Homer's mother appears
- [3F14] Neat & Tidy Piano Movers is seen {dj}
- [3F21] Someone is called a Narc {je}
- [3F21] Homerpalooza - A rock band plays the closing theme {mr}
- [3F21] The word "narc" is used {mr}
- [3F21] 60s era dog shown {hl}
- [3G01] "Good morning starshine" {mr}
- [3G02] Someone requests a "line" {bb}
- [3G03] An episode title with the word "D'oh" (or "annoyed grunt") in it
{ad}
- [3G03] Hair theme played {hl}
- [4F05] We're made to believe that Homer has been shot to death when he
actually is still alive {ol}
- [4F05] Marge finds a discolored area on the wall instead of her couch {je}
- [4F17] "That just the kind of far-out gimmick/radical thinking we need"
{je}
- [4F18] Homer attacked in face by vermin {hl}
- [5F07] "Jesus must be spinning in his grave" {bc}
- [5F10] Krusty ties his hair in a rubber band a la George Carlin {hl}
- [5F17] Yuk-ingham Palace {je}
- [5F18] Homer is naked outdoors {je}
- [5F18] A Simpson is a demon/dynamo in the sack {je}
- [5F21] Bart is obsessed with bodily functions {je}
- [5F22] Homer does a "Barney Burp" {je}
==============================================================================
> Freeze frame fun
==============================================================================
- Film credit {je}
an
ALAN SMITHEE
film
- Homer's SAG application {bjr}
[SAG ] SCREEN ACTORS GUIL [logo] MEMBERSHIP CONTR
NAME _HOMER___J._____SIM
First Middle
ADDRESS _742_Evergreen
_Springfield__U._S._A
_KL5-2226_
(Missing letters were obscured by his fingers, or just cropped out
of the picture)
- Sign at the commune {bjr}
GROOVY GROVES
NATURAL FARM
- Juice label {bjr}
SETH & MUNCHIE'S
GARDEN
BLAST
- Springfield's business district {bjr}
HEINRICH'S YUK-INGHAM NEAT & TIDY SPRINGFIELD
MONOCLE SHOP PALACE PIANO MOVERS COSTUME SHOP
THE PAINFUL MEMORIES BROKEN-HOME
CORPULENT COWBOY PARTY SUPPLIES CHIMNEY REPAIR
==============================================================================
> Animation, continuity, and other goofs
==============================================================================
= Mr. Burns' cheesesteak disappears. {ss}
+ [Homer's age being off isn't really a goof. See "Comments" section for
more.]
+ Homer's mother was never a hippie during her life with Grampa and Homer, as
this episode shows. {ol}
+ Homer's mother had left him and Abe in January of '69; it wouldn't make
sense for her to drag them to Woodstock seven months later. {brk}
+ Homer acts surprised that Grampa went to Woodstock, even though HE was
there. {rb}
+ At Woodstock, Homer grooves to Hendrix by imitating the guitar with his
voice, but his voice is his adult voice. Also, couldn't Homer sing better
when he was young, as shown in "Oh Brother, Where Are You? (7F16)" {mm}
+ Mrs. Simpson was still living with Abe when she was forced to go on the
lam; she didn't get to run off to a commune with Homer. {bjr}
= Lisa's dinner plate moves between shots. {bc}
* The Frisbee would have caused the machine to jam before they left on their
"freak-out", so somebody should have noticed the problem as soon as it
started. {ddg}
= Homer wasn't wearing shoes before he went into the barn, but he was when he
entered it. {ddg}
+ The camouflaged garden didn't appear until after Homer admitted to taking
the "vegetables" from there. [Must have been really good camouflage --
Ed.] {brk}
c When Homer harvests the "personal vegetables," the audio is "Time of the
Season," but the captions are for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's
"Woodstock." {sb2}
* It's unlikely that Homer would be able to add peyote to Seth & Munchie's
Garden Blast. [See "Comments" section for more] {jg}
* Also, what is Barney doing drinking juice? He doesn't seem like a juice
type. {dt}
==============================================================================
> Reviews
==============================================================================
Dale G. Abersold: Two inspired scenes (the hallucinations and the
"freak-out"), a few pretty funny ones, and a few too many plot tangents in
the beginning for the episode's own good. What the hey, it made me laugh.
I'll give it a "B." Now if you'll excuse me while I kiss the sky ... (B)
Brad Bizzolt: For me, The Simpsons has always been about ridiculous humour
based on jabs at popular culture (or in this case, counterculture). Having
said that, I loved this episode. Normally, when Homer tries to act "hip,"
it's painfully embarrassing (and usually intended to be that way -- ref.
"Homerpalooza" and "ISP Show"). This time, he was just plain funny to me,
and he did so without being overtly stupid or mean-spirited. As far as
Homer-centric episodes, this one ranks at the top for me. The episode was
packed with excellent gags from the other minor characters as well, and
thus earns it the lauded A+ grade. I'm sure others who aren't quite as
amused by the hippie culture (or its blatant commercialization in recent
years) were disappointed, but they at least reached out and touched this
one person, and isn't that what counts? (A+)
Rich Bunnell: The episode had some great jokes in it, like the whole "Uptown
Girl" thing and Grampa & Jasper's Beavis & Butthead routine, but the plot
was utterly retarded (Oh boy, Homer gets obsessed with ANOTHER stupid
thing) and it had a fart joke in it which is another step towards South
Park humor. Still, by my law, I cannot hate an episode, and I honestly
didn't -- the jokes, even within the plot were pretty funny (aside from the
fart joke) and Grampa at Woodstock sitting on a chair in a business suit
was utterly hilarious! (B-)
Ben Collins: Despite some of the problems typical of recent episodes (not
much of a plot, gags don't pull the punch they used to), this episode is a
fun, innocent romp through "the lighter side of hippies." Homer isn't
nearly as obnoxious or off-putting as he was in, say, "When You Dish Upon a
Star," and the great George Carlin gave a very convincing performance
(after all, he is the "Hippy Dippy Weatherman"). Not a deep or even
memorable episode, but sweet and charming; it's nice to see some good,
low-calorie fun once in a while. If only they could get Glenn Close,
though ... (B-)
Nathan Mulac DeHoff: This was another episode based primarily on gags, rather
than plot. What plot we did have wandered quite a bit, with the only real
unifying element being Homer's trying to live the life of a hippie.
Overall, it started out fairly well, with the SNPP recruitment film and
Homer's quest for his middle name, but did not really build up to a
conclusion. There were some excellent scenes, however, like the freak-out
and the hallucination bits. The music was well-done, and the "Uptown Girl"
running gag was quite amusing. The relatively high laugh factor was enough
to pull a weak plot up to a (C+)
Anthony Dean: Another mediocre episode. While seeing the jar bit was funny
("because it's true"), along with the revelation of what Homer's middle
initial stood for, the rest of the episode felt flat for me (especially the
third act). (C-)
Don Del Grande: "Homer the Hippie" just wasn't different enough to be funny,
and the "reefer madness" sub-plot wasn't much of a replacement. At least
we know what Homer's middle name is ... unless somebody else wrote the
inscription and misunderstood "Homer J." for "Homer Jay". (B-)
Yuri Dieujuste: Many may disagree with me but this episode was horribly
written. I never laughed during the whole episode. If this was the 5th
season, this would have been really bad but since this was the 10th season,
I will let this slide. The continuity was horrible. IMHO, the idea to
bring in Homer's middle name was very cheap and lame. Could this be the
start of revealing every secret? (D)
Jordan Eisenberg: A lot of funny lines, and some good plot twists, but it was
mostly "Been there. Done that." Homer gets a crazy idea, takes it to the
extreme, uses his quote-unquote "intellectual abilities" to change the idea
to fit his own personality ... please, we need some original plots.
Everyone was characterized pretty well (except Mr. Burns), but the two
guest stars didn't really do anything for me. The animation was its usual
for nowadays: muddy colors and rigid gestures, with only the brief
"trip-out" scenes giving us anything interesting to look at. Not as good
as I'd hoped, yet better than it could have been: (B)
Alex Foley: Not bad, but not great. The episode suffered from a weak
premise, but thankfully Homer wasn't as idiotic as he was in last week's
episode. The hallucination and the ending credits raise this one from a C+
to a (B-)
Darrel Jones: Another Season Ten classic! Homer as a hippie did not
disappoint, and the hallucination scene was just CLASSIC! And who'd have
thought that "Homer J. Simpson" could be his full name, after all? This is
a great season so far! (A)
Haynes Lee: The episode had no real focus and meandered all over the place.
The opening company film was a non-starter and middle initial mystery
should have been revealed at the end, not during the first act. (C)
Jake Lennington: A bizarre episode that had one of the funniest third acts
I've ever seen on The Simpsons. The only downer was the second act and
Homer's weird "jester/hippie" dialog. (B)
Ondre Lombard: Boring, average-for-recent-years schlep with Homer's wandering
attention span being sucked into some wild, crazy and unfunny idea, and it
annoying others. Even Homer (murdering) Uptown Girl apparently didn't save
this one. I've come to the point that I don't even care about any episodes
centered around Homer anymore. They seem to all have something obnoxious
in common. (D)
Liz McAuley: I liked this episode! Not among the top twenty for me, but
plenty of laughs, and plenty great sight gags (the hallucinations, Jasper &
Abe a la Beavis and Butthead). Being from a University & town that prides
itself on being stuck in the 60s (well, it used to at any rate), Homer's
conversion to hippiedom was especially hilarious. I would've liked to see
bigger parts for Bart & Lisa, and some more of the minor characters
hallucinating (ya, I know -- sick, sick!) but overall a very good effort.
(B)
Brian Rawson-Ketchum: This episode is mediocre as far as OFF goes, the only
overly amusing scene was the one where Burns got Homer, Lenny, and Carl to
do his talkie. Other than that, nothing else was that hilarious. Still, I
have to admit it was an interesting story, even though it wasn't as filled
with good jokes as I expected. Specifically, I wanted more from Skinner's
scene (something along the lines of "No, don't listen to them, children.")
On the other hand, I'm glad that Homer J. Simpson can now be known as
Homer, eh, *Jay* Simpson. (C)
Abhi Ray: I felt that this episode was average. The plot was nothing more
than Homer doing something dumb, unintentionally, and messes things up when
he tries to make up. However, the whole setup of Homer deciding top be a
hippie was well done, but the ending was too abrupt. The hippie jokes were
a mixed bag, with some insightful jokes, but also many pointless contrived
references (the Bob Hope tape). Some funny bits, but the plot was weak,
and the hippie jokes soon grew tiresome. (C+)
Matt Rose: Well, this is acceptable I guess for a Homercentric episode. I
think Homer's stupidity wasn't a factor this week like it seemed like it
was every week. He acted for reasons and only wanted to do good, instead
of being a totally deplorable character. Some very good moments,
particularly little Homey (aww, he's so cute) and all of the hallucinatory
segments, particularly Jasper and Butt-head. However, this episode had an
overall zaniness to it that bothered me. Still, I've seen two AABF's and
both are heaps better than the two 5F's I've seen this season. I see
potential for better episodes than this, but they are going in the right
direction at least - which is up. (B)
Jason Rosenbaum: This episode was great. After last week's stinker, this is
a huge surprise. The trailers for this ep made it look like Homerpalooza
II (in my opinion, the worst episode ever), but it was actually nothing
like I've ever seen before. The Alan Smithee gag cracked me up (for those
who don't know who he is, I suggest seeing the awful Burn Hollywood Burn),
the plot was good. The whole Homer becoming a hippie thing was really well
done. The ending was abrupt though. (A)
Samuel Sklaroff: I loved this episode. First, Donick Cary is a great (but
underused) writer, having written "The Last Temptation of Krust" and "In
Marge we Trust". The biggest laugh was the fact that Mr. Burns' commercial
was "an Alan Smithee production", although I probably think that because I
was stoned at the time (ha-ha). The Beavis & Butthead parody was pretty
funny, but it was sort of a rake scene (the kind that drags on, not the
scene in this ep with Willie, which was really hard to watch). The ending
was also funny, I would never have suspected that the flower would get
stuck in Homer's head. My only complaint is that they could have done a
good joke about Otto and his drug habits, but overlooked that possibility.
Bravo! (A-)
Yours Truly: Well, it's better than the brown acid, but this episode never
seems quite as funny as it could be, and ends with a few too many loose
threads. Guest appearances by George Carlin and Martin Mull as two aging
hippies help lift this episode, as do an intra-coprorate movie (at the
beginning) and some hallucination scenes (near the end). Also noteworthy
are the excellent psychedelic credits, and the Yo La Tengo cover of the
"Simpsons" theme. (B-)
AVERAGE GRADE: B- (2.64) Std Dev.: 0.9203 (30 reviews computed)
==============================================================================
> Comments and other observations
==============================================================================
>> Musical References
This episode featured several songs, but because they weren't parodied, they
don't belong in the "References" section. Instead, they will be listed
here.
"Uptown Girl," Billy Joel, 1983 -- Homer's choice in freak-out music {jk}
"Incense and Peppermints", Strawberry Alarm Clock, 1967 {dj}
"Hair," 1969 -- ... also played during the freak-out {jk} [{dj} says this
is the Cowsills' version, recorded in 1969]
"Time of the Season," The Zombies, 1969 -- heard while Homer makes more
juice at night {dj}
"White Rabbit," Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane, 1967 -- this song plays
while the town hallucinates {hl}
[Carl Abbott writes, "While I was watching the episode, I knew that at some
point they would have to play 'White Rabbit'. For whatever reason it
seems that any show, movie or documentary on the late 60's *must* play this
song at some point.]
"The Star Spangled Banner" -- Jimi Hendrix plays his classic rendition
{hl}
[{bjr} adds, "My understanding is that his set was one of the last, or
maybe the very last, one in the festival, which should give you some idea
when the scene with Homer's parents took place."]
The way Hendrix appears and is animated is very similar to the actual
performance. I have footage of him performing that "Excuse Me While I Kiss
the Sky" song ["Purple Haze"] and it looks very similar to his animated
"appearance." {ol}
>> AABF02, "D'oh in the Wind", by Donick Cary (story by Ondre Lombard >:)
Ondre Lombard: Go through DejaNews and you will find in Matthew Kurth's fake,
and hence supposedly "inferior" Upcoming Episodes List for Season Eight
(for April Fools Day, 1996), which I contributed to, and there will be an
episode entitled "Homer the Hippie" -- the one I submitted. Scary. No?
[You can save yourself some DejaNews (now Deja.com) searching by following
this link:
<http://x29.deja.com/[ST_rn=ps]/getdoc.xp?AN=145236233&search=thread&CONTEX
T=930286964.1880752135&HIT_CONTEXT=930286799.1807155231&HIT_NUM=69&hitnum=0
>. If your browser has trouble turning that into a link, do a power
search, specifying "Season Eight Revealed" in the "Subject" field,
"alt.tv.simpsons" in the "Forum" field, and "Apr 1 1996" in the start and
finish date fields -- Ed.]
Matt Rose: I hereby declare that Ondre receive royalties for tonight and
every time this episode this episode repeats in the future ;)
>> What's your definition of "troublemaker"?
Benjamin Robinson: Who says today's children don't pay attention to politics?
Bart's blackboard punishment, "Nobody cares what my definition of 'is' is,"
clearly shows the leader of the free world really is a role model for the
kiddies. A few months before "D'oh-in' in the Wind" aired, President
Clinton testified before a panel of investigators that he did not commit
perjury when he claimed, under oath, that he did not have sexual relations
with intern Monica Lewinsky. The problem was, Clinton =did= have sex with
Lewinsky. In an attempt at semantic hair-splitting that would impress even
Bart, Clinton tried to define his words and terms in a ridiculously narrow
fashion. At one point, Clinton literally asked what his questioner's
definition of "is" was. That's right, the word "is." That didn't go over
better with the investigators than with Mrs. Krabappel, but (so far)
Clinton hasn't had to repeatedly write anything on the chalkboard.
>> Cavalcade of stars
Haynes Lee discusses celebrities who appeared or were mentioned: (From SNPP
capsule [2F12]) GEORGE CARLIN was involved in a lawsuit that went to the
U.S. Supreme Court in the 1970s. The court upheld the FCC's ban on seven
words which may not be broadcast. The seven words were the centerpiece of
a hilarious monologue by Carlin.
(From SNPP capsule [3F16]) ALEX ROCCO "is your regular grumpy old man next
door type of actor. He did `The George Carlin Show', for which Sam Simon
produced. Rocco also voiced Roger Myers in `Itchy & Scratchy & Marge'."
MARTIN MULL first appeared in the 1976 demented TV satire serial "Mary
Hartman, Mary Hartman". He later went on to the satiric talk show parody
Fernwood 2-Night and then America 2-Night, whose wackiness was surpassed
only by the real life David Letterman in 1980.
BOB HOPE: Has not changed his material since the 50s.
PHYLLIS DILLER: Frequent guest star of Bob Hope specials and constantly
makes jokes on how ugly she looks.
JILL ST. JOHN: Best known as a Bond babe in "Diamonds are Forever".
PETER FONDA: Will always be remembered for Captain America in Easy Rider.
He is still alive.
BARBARA STREISAND: Her latest movie "Mirror Has Two Faces" which she has
produced, directed and starred in got lukewarm reviews at the box office.
Darrel Jones mentions someone Haynes Lee didn't: Dean Rusk was US Secretary
of State 1961-69, during the years Kennedy and Johnson were president.
>> But can he direct as well as Pound Foolish?
Charles Thompson: Alan Smithee is a name that directors and crew of bad
movies often tack onto a film when they're too ashamed to use their real
name.
In fact, there is a really bad movie called "An Alan Smithee Film Burn
Hollywood Burn" (just like that, with no punctuation) about an Alan Smithee
film director named Alan Smithee who has made a bad movie. Interestingly
enough, this film about a bad movie ended up so incredibly horrible the
real director took his name off the credits. So "An Allan Smithee Film
...." really was directed by Alan Smithee.
Ben Collins adds: The director was Arthur Hiller ("Love Story"), and the
writer was none other than Joe "Showgirls" Eszterhas, both bad-movie
veterans. I have a conspiracy theory about that movie, although I'll admit
I haven't seen it: perhaps these two, formerly well-regarded artists
notorious for their recent memorable flops, conspired to make a super-bad
movie as an "Up Yours" to the rest of Hollywood. [Michael Byron Baer
provides another reason, saying "Hiller removed his name from the credits
after the film's production company, Cinergi Pictures, preferred the cut
made by producer/writer Joe Eszterhas over Hiller's cut."]
Finally, Michael Byron Baer observes: "Alan Smithee" is an anagram for "The
alias men."
>> At least his parents didn't call him Homer Simpson II.na The notion of incorporating your middle initial in your everyday name (like, "David X. Cohen") goes back a ways, according to Haynes Lee
>> "You forgot a goof"
Eh, no we didn't. Anthony Dean points out the possible error: This episode
seems to keep with [3F06]'s portrayal of Homer as a young boy in 1969,
despite [9F03] presenting Homer as a teenager (and with Woodstock occurring
within weeks of the moon landing, no less ...), as well as Homer's 1974
high school graduation date in [7F12].
... And Benjamin Dreyfus explains why this isn't really a goof: Since the
Simpsons characters do not age in the present, their past has to move along
with them. Thus, if Homer is 35, then in 1991 his birthdate was 1956
(making him 18 in 1974), but now his birthdate is 1963 (making him 6 in
1969).
>> Three Days of Peace and Music
Joe Klemm: In 1969, in New York, the Woodstock concert took place. On the
weekend of the concert, many hippies attended this event featuring some of
the best rock and roll acts of the late '60's. It proved to be a success,
with the concert inspiring a Oscar winning documentary, the name of a
Peanuts character, and a follow-up concert event in 1994.
>> Bowser for President
Dan Gonigal: And in case anyone here doesn't know, (hey, we got some
young'ins among us),Sha Na Na were a novelty 50's nostalgia group, and
believe it or not, they actually were at Woodstock and even made it into
the film of the concert.
Benjamin Robinson: They even remained active after Woodstock, and popular
enough to have their own syndicated TV show (although I didn't watch it
that closely). Also, they were the band playing at the big dance in
"Grease," no?
>> The freak-out car for the modern hippie
Another Benjamin Robinson Car Watch (tm) item: Seth and Munchie drive a late-
model Saturn. Ordinarily, that wouldn't be interesting, but Saturn has an
interesting ad campaign. Instead of emphasizing the car itself, many of
the commercials focus on how nice the people who build and sell the cars
are. This grass-roots look at mass automobile production probably
resonates with people like Seth and Munchie, former hippies who have
largely entered mainstream society.
>> The secret ingredient is ... peyote
Jake George: Peyote is a type of Cactus (Lophophora williamsii) that contains
the hallucinogen Mescaline. For one, true Peyote is hard to come by as it
is almost extinct ... though other forms of mescaline are available (San
Pedro for example). That's all frivolous detail but ... why would Homer
think of putting a cactus in a juice? It almost seemed as if the plants in
the background (when the camera pans to the "secret garden") were marijuana
plant looking ... not cacti (I can't remember for sure though). Though,
the idea of peyote being used is still quite hilarious!
Dave Sibley adds: [Peyote] causes much of what the episode showed us:
fantastic colors, hallucinations, etc. It is actually legal to use in the
US supposing you are the member of the right religion which I believe is
The Native American Church of Navajoland. Of course, I doubt that many of
America's hippies, including Seth and Munchie, were using Peyote for purely
religious purposes.
>> Maybe Garden Blast is sponsoring Pink Floyd's next tour ...
Under the influence of the supercharged juice, Ned Flanders hallucinates,
among other things, a set of walking hammers. The sight prompted Benjamin
Robinson to ask: Uh, guys? Weren't the hammers first shown on album art
for "The Wall"? That album's from 19_7_9.
Dale G. Abersold answers: Plus the animation of the hammers comes from the
Gerald Scarfe animation in the movie version which came out in the early
1980's ...
Dan Gonigal responds: ... Which is all beside the point, though. The Wall,
and the Marching hammers, deal with themes of hatred, isolation,
materialistic excess and eventual insanity. They have absolutely nothing
to do with the 60's chronologically or thematically.
>> Now here are some of your no-name bands ...
Yo La Tengo fan Brad Bizzolt tells us about the band behind the show's closing
music: If ever there was a band that defined the phrase "critic's
darlings," it would have to be Yo La Tengo. The band, a three-piece from
Hoboken NJ, have been playing their unique strain of rock for close to 15
years now, garnering a somewhat large cult following in the underground
and, more recently, attention from the commercial music industry as well (I
guess a spot on a national television show would solidify that, huh?). The
band's sound is an enigmatic mixture of the Beach Boys and the Velvet
Underground, with more recent releases harnessing the chaotic noise energy
of Sonic Youth. I don't know that I ever viewed them as a "psychedelic"
band before, but I think their rendition of the theme fit the mood quite
nicely.
I'm not sure of the specifics (someone here must know), but the band's name
comes from a book about Hispanic baseball players coming up into the
majors. "Yo La Tengo", in somewhat rough Spanish, translates to "I've got
it," i.e. what a fielder would shout when calling a fly ball.
For all those interested in checking out their music, I might recommend
picking up their album "Painful" (1993), or their most recent (1997)
release "I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One." Their energetic and often
humorous live show is not to be missed either. For the record, the band is
Ira Kaplan - guitar
James McNew - bass
Georgia Hubley - drums
On the records, all three share vocal duties, although husband & wife duo
Ira & Georgia sing on the bulk of the songs.
Someone named "pashko2": I think that "Yo la tengo" is from an early NY Mets
team. They had Richie Ashburn in centerfield and a Spanish Speaking
infielder. Ashburn would yell " I've got it" and the infielder wouldn't
understand him and they would collide, so they told Ashburn to say "Yo la
tengo". He yells this the next chance he has and gets run over by another
outfielder who doesn't understand Spanish. [Bob Wells confirmed this is
correct, and noted the men were: "Richie Ashburn, center field; Elio
Chacon, shortstop; Frank Thomas, left field."]
Finally, Brad Bizzolt offers this trivia tidbit: Apparently, Georgia Hubley,
YLT's drummer, has some ties with the animation business; her father worked
for UPA Animators, the company that created Mr. Magoo. He also worked on
the old children's program "The Electric Company" and even had Georgia do
some voices for the show if they needed a young child's voice for a part.
Mr. Hubley originally worked for Disney, but left during a company-wide
strike (for fear of being blacklisted) and joined UPA which had just
formed.
I wouldn't suggest that this is -why- the band got a spotlight on the show
-- it's obviously just a case of a writer/staff member being a big fan --
but it's interesting to see how things tie in together this way.
>> "Turn me on, dead man"
Benjamin Robinson: One of the flakier rumors of the late Sixties was that
Paul McCartney of Beatles fame was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1966,
and then secretly replaced by a double. (I'm sure that sounds much more
plausible after a few swigs of Seth & Munchie's Garden Blast.) Anyway, the
surviving members were supposedly leaving a trail of subtle clues to the
truth in the album art, the liner notes, and even the music itself.
According to the story, John Lennon sings "I buried Paul" in the "nonsense"
coda of "Strawberry Fields." Mr. Lennon, for his part, consistently
claimed he singing "cranberry sauce." Sure enough, if you listen to the
"Take 7" version on "The Beatles Anthology 2," you can hear that he was
telling the truth. Of course you could also notice that Mr. McCartney has
appeared in public countless times since 1966, but what's the fun in that?
Joe Klemm talks about how rumors get started: The whole "Paul is dead" thing
wasn't started the Beatles [as some have said -- Ed.], but by U. of
Michigan student who, after hearing a radio broadcast where a DJ talked to
someone who believe there's clues to Paul's death in the Beatles album,
deliberately expanded what was said on the radio show by saying there are
clues to Paul's death by mentioning some of the clues in his review of the
Abbey Road album.
>> Like, Miscellaneous, Etc. Can you dig?
The Haynes Lee alterna-title for this show is: Do'h! the Magic Dragon
Don Del Grande: BONUS TRIVIA -- Dan Castellaneta and Tress MacNeille voice
the grandfather and grandmother (well, one of each) of both Bart Simpson
and "Hey Arnold!"'s Arnold.
Alan Hamilton: Ex-hippies founding major corporations is fairly common, both
in jokes and in real life, so I don't know if that referred to anyone in
particular. Just as an example, Celestial Seasonings. It's named after
one of its founders (and no, she wasn't named Seasonings).
Dennis Handly: The correct way to open the jar is to turn it upside down and
pound it on a flat surface. You'll be surprised how often that works.
Benjamin Robinson: "The munchies" is what you have when you have a craving
for (usually) junk food. It's one of the canonical side-effects of
marijuana usage.
==============================================================================
> Quotes and Scene Summary {jo}
==============================================================================
% At the nuclear plant, a buzzer sounds and a stream of steam flies out
% of the cooling towers. In his office, Mr. Burns sits at his desk.
% Smithers stands nearby.
Burns: Ah, lunchtime! Well, let's see what I've packed for
myself today. One bullion cube ... one Concord grape
... one Philly cheese-steak ... and a jar of garlic
pickles! [laughs] No one will want to kiss me after
these, eh, Smithers?
Smithers: Well, it's their loss, sir.
Burns: [laughs uneasily] Yes.
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Grappling with the pickle jar, Mr. Burns finds himself too weak to
% open it. Smithers volunteers, but has just as much luck.
Smithers: It's no use, sir. Shall I send out for some Chinese?
Burns: No, those people are all gristle. I want this jar
opened!
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Moments later, Lenny tries to open the jar, but fails, joining some
% fellow workers off to the side, rubbing their strained arms. It's
% Homer's turn now; he spits into his hands and angrily goes after the
% lid, yet it still refuses to budge. Exhausted, he collapses to the
% floor.
Burns: Oh, for goodness sake! What we need around here is some
fresh blood.
Smithers: Would you like me to drain Simpson while he's passed
out, sir?
Burns: No, no. To attract the top grads, we'll need to make a
recruitment film. A picture that showcases our cutting-
edge technology.
Smithers: A "talkie", sir?
Burns: [gasps] Yes, brilliant! That's just the kind of far-out
gimmick we need.
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Burns, dressed in filmmakers' attire from seventy or so years ago,
% says "And ... action!" through a bullhorn. Lenny, Carl, and Homer
% walk onto the set, dressed in mortarboard hats and red sweaters with
% the letter "S" on them. Their acting is wooden at best.
Lenny: Wow! What a graduation.
Carl: I'll say.
Homer: But with college behind us, we'll need careers. And good
ones.
Carl: What about chestnut roasting? People always need chestnuts.
Lenny: Or begging! I know a place that'll saw your legs off.
Homer: Slow down, fellas. I've got a way we can keep our legs, and
still have a bright future.
Carl: Now you're dreaming.
Homer: Oh, am I?
[at that moment, the dorm room walls split open. The SNPP
cooling towers and some control panels come into view]
Lenny: Of course! Nuclear power!
Homer: It's the job of tomorrow. Today!
Carl: Really?
Homer: Well that settles it! For all those reasons and more, let us
choose an electrifying career in ... line?
Burns: [whispering] Nuclear power!
Homer: [imitating Mr. Burns] Nuclear power!
Burns: [rushing onto set, throwing script onto the floor] Oh, you
dunderheaded stooges are the worst bunch of ...
-- Wow, where do I sign up? "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% The words "The End ... An Alan Smithee Film" come on the Simpsons TV.
% Bart, Marge, and Lisa all applaud slowly, staring blankly at the
% screen.
Homer: Pretty good, huh?
Marge: Well, it's better than that last Barbara Streisand movie.
Lisa: I don't quite get the point of it, Dad. Why would Lenny want
someone to saw his legs off?
Homer: Well, there were script problems from day one.
Bart: Didn't seem like anybody even read the script.
Homer: That was the problem. The important thing is, after all
these years of paying my dues, I'm finally getting some
decent parts. [produces a form]
Marge: You're joining the Screen Actors' Guild?
Homer: I didn't choose to be a gifted actor, Marge. It chose me!
I'm merely a vessel through which genius flows. Now help me
make up some phony credits.
Bart: Fat Guy #3?
Homer: Good, good.
Lisa: Hey, Dad, it says they need your full name. You only put
down your middle initial.
Bart: Hey, what the heck is your middle name, anyway?
Homer: You know, I have no idea! Hey, Dad, what does the "J" stand
for?
Abe: How should I know? [Abe, at the bottom of the stairs next to
Bart's overturned skateboard, reaches for his cane,
straining. Finally, he gets up] It was your mother's job to
name you, and love you and such. I was mainly in it for the
spanking.
Homer: But I can't ask Mom, she's on the run from the law!
Abe: Serves her right for being a 'sixties radical! [fondly]
Though she was a demon in the sack! [giggles]
[Homer and Marge, as well as Bart and Lisa, give each other
uneasy side glances]
-- That was more than I wanted to know, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% This still leaves Homer with the problem of the form.
Bart: Uh, so Dad, regarding that form, why not just make up a
middle name?
Lisa: You might as well. You already made up a phony film credit.
Homer: No! Homer Simpson does not lie twice on the same form. He
never has, and he never will.
Marge: You lied dozens of times on our mortgage application.
Homer: Yeah, but they were all part of a single ball of lies. The
point is, I'm a grown man, and I deserve a middle name.
Abe: Hmm ... I know where we might find your missing moniker.
It's a bit of a drive, but on the way, we can have a nice
father-son chat.
Homer: Great! I'll go shoot myself for bringing this up.
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Homer and Grampa's trip ends at Groovy Groves Natural Farms, the
% commune where Homer's mom went after leaving Abe. Homer is
% immediately taken with the place, admiring the pond ("for skinny-
% dipping" and tire swing ("for skinny-swinging"). He can even feel the
% good vibes in the air, although that might just have been the bees
% from the hive he's leaning on.
%
% Grampa notices two middle-aged, casually dressed men playing hackey
% sack.
Abe: I remember them. Seth and Munchie. Look at those filthy,
lazy, flea-bitten ... [sees the two looking his way] Oh, hi
there!
Seth: Hey, check it out!
Munchie: Is that ... Abe Simpson? Jeez, man, we haven't seen you
since Woodstock.
Homer: You went to Woodstock?
Abe: Your mother dragged us both to that god-forsaken love-fest!
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Flashback to nearly thirty years ago; Hendrix, playing the national
% anthem on guitar, is on stage, and is being booed by Abe, who sits in
% a folding chair and wears a suit.
Abe: Boo! Bring on "Sha-Na-Na"! [he holds up a sign reading
"Bowzer For President"]
Mrs. Simpson: Woah, mellow out, Abe. Little Homer's trying to groove!
[camera pans to a very young Homer, wearing (only) a
headband and dancing in the mud, plays air guitar as
Seth and Munchie dance nearby. Abraham, having seen
enough, grabs Homer by the arm]
Abe: Shame on you, boy! Put some damn pants on, and then
pull 'em down! 'Cause it's time for a spanking!
Munchie: Get a load of Captain Bringdown! Woah!
Seth: Yeah, woah!
Homer: But I wanna play in the mud, and be a hippie!
Abe: Never! What you need's a good, long hitch in Vietnam!
There must be an enlistment tent around here somewhere!
-- Capt. Bringdown misses the point, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Back in the present tense, Abe lays down the bare facts for his son.
Abe: If I'd have left it up to your mother, you'd have
ended up in a hell-hole like this, just lying
around, never working, without a care in your head,
full of long, luxurious, hippie hair.
[Homer, drifting away into a daydream, imagines two
hippie chicks combing his long hair, as he plucks
at a sitar in a meadow full of flowers]
Hippie Chick #1: Oh, Homer J., how do you keep your hair so rich and
full?
Homer: Lather, rinse, and repeat. Always repeat.
Hippie Chick #2: Homer J., will you teach us to make love?
[the sitar-playing Homer smiles. Back to reality]
Homer: Wow. I could have lived like that?
-- No, you couldn't, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Seth and Munchie bring the conversation back to Homer's mom.
Seth: You know Homer, your Mom was a pretty groovy chick.
Munchie: And a demon in the sack! [the two snicker]
Abe: Oh, you heard about that, eh? [laughs]
[the two hippies look at each other quickly and laugh with
him]
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Seth says that he thinks of Homer's mother every time he walks past
% the mural she painted and points to a painting on the side of a shed.
% It's a picture of him as a young child, flying through outer space.
% It reads "Let Your Spirit Soar". Homer runs over to it, amazed his
% mother painted this for him. Examining the picture further, he sees
% an inscription. It reads, "With Love, To My Son Homer J-- Simpson",
% the missing letters of his middle name obscured by a small plant.
Homer: Oh my God ... my middle name is right behind that shrub!
I'll finally know what "J" stands for. From this moment
forth, I will be known as Homer ... [he pushes back the
shrub] ... Jay Simpson! [wipes away a tear] It's so
beautiful. What a magical gift for my mother to leave me.
Seth: She also left your old poncho.
[kneeling down, he pulls a cloth out from under a dog]
Seth: Get off of there, Ginsberg!
-- The dog is holy! The poncho is holy!, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Shaking off some fur, he hands Homer the poncho, who holds it
% lovingly to his face. Seth suggests washing the poncho, since the dog
% has skin and bladder problems, but Homer appears oblivious to this.
% Abe declares it's time to go, and tugs Homer back to the car.
%
% Homer, being pulled away by his father, stares back at his mother's
% mural. Abe's words about what his life would have been had his mother
% gotten her way echo through his mind ...
Abe: [voice in Homer's head] Just lying around, never working,
without a care in ...
Homer: ... my head full of long, luxurious hippie hair! I'll do it!
Abe: What?
Homer: I'm gonna be a hippie, just like Mom wanted! I'm gonna let
my spirit soar, and love all of God's creatures!
-- Someone warn the creatures, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Homer, holding the poncho beside him, sees that "Ginsberg" is lying
% on top of it. Yelling "Get off, you stupid dog!" Homer knocks him
% off and tosses the poncho over his head. The dog growls at him.
%
% [End of Act One. Time: 7:49]
%
% Homer stands in his living room, wearing the (unwashed) poncho and
% holding a videotape. To be a real hippie he has to learn from the
% master -- Bob Hope. He pops the tape in the VCR; it's one of his
% topical comedy specials. Mr. "Flower Child" Hope and Jill St. John
% run through dialog apparently written by Eisenhower-era comics. St.
% John invites Hope to a love-in ... with Phyllis Diller. Eek. Homer
% enthusiastically takes notes.
%
% At the dinner table, Homer leans back in his chair and puts up his
% dirt-caked feet. Lisa glares at him.
Lisa: Dad, do you mind? Your feet are really close to my potato.
Homer: Your potato? You can't, like, own a potato, man. It's one
of Mother Earth's creatures. [he belches]
Marge: Homer! Excuse yourself!
Homer: No way, narc! Bodily functions are a natural thing.
Bart: No to mention hilarious. [makes farting noises with his
armpit]
Marge: You know, I really don't appreciate being called a narc. And
that poncho is filthy! Let me dry-clean it for you.
Homer: [whining] Why do you have to turn everything into one big
plastic hassle? Marge, you've got too many hang-ups. Like,
the whole shaving trip. Come on, I want to see those legs
all furry and gross!
Marge: That ain't gonna happen, bub.
Homer: Well, at least lose the bra. Free the Springfield Two,
Marge! Free the Springfield Two!
Marge: Mmm, I think you've had too much strawberry wine.
-- What do the Springfield Two think? "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Later, while Marge cleans the house, she discovers that the couch is
% missing, and at the same time hears Maude Flanders crying out in
% disgust. In the front lawn, she sees Homer, naked, tossing a Frisbee
% in the air, while Maude, gardening, hides her eyes.
Maude: My eyes have been soiled!
Homer: Come on, Maude, the human wang is a beautiful thing.
Marge: Homer, for God's sake, put your poncho on.
Homer: Okay, okay ... narc.
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% At the Groovy Groves, Seth and Munchie play hackey-sack, when Homer
% manages to hit them both in the face with a wildly thrown Frisbee.
% The two look down to see "Homer Jay" inscribed upon the disc.
Homer: Heads up!
Seth: Hey! It's Homer Jay!
Munchie: My man! You've gone granola!
Homer: Right on!
Seth: Join the hack!
[the two hippies kick it around a bit, then pass it to Homer,
who lofts it into the nearby pond]
Homer: That was cool. Think I'll stick around. We've got
everything we need right here. Good times, sunshine, free
love ... [makes purring noise]
[suddenly, the sound of a buzzer interrupts the peace]
Munchie: Okay, time to get back to work.
Homer: Work? But you're hippies!
Seth: Oh, we were on a break.
Munchie: Time is money, man!
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% The two open up the barn doors, revealing a complex bottling plant.
% Homer, watching a pink-labeled bottle fill with a greenish liquid,
% asks "What is this place?"
Seth: We are the largest organic juice company in Springfield.
Munchie: We grow our own vegetables and process them right here! And
we give half the profits to war orphans.
Homer: Profits, profits, profits! What kind of hippies are you?
Peter Fonda must be spinning in his grave.
Seth: We're just trying to pay the bills, Homer. I mean, we're
still hippies at heart.
Homer: Oh yeah, when's the last time you freaked out the
establishment? You guys are total sell-outs!
Munchie: Wait ... don't you work for a nuclear power plant?
Homer: Look, we can sit here all day, and play the blame game, or we
can start freaking people out. Come on, where's your freak
bus?
Seth: I drive a Saturn.
Homer: A Saturn?
Seth: We used to have a bus.
Munchie: In a way, the sixties ended the day we sold it. December
thirty-first, 1969.
Seth: Yeah, an old-time freak-out sounds tempting, Homer, but
[sighs] we've got a big order to fill.
Homer: Fine. I guess the juice business is more important than the
ideals our hippie forefathers refused to go to war and die
for.
Munchie: I suppose we could duck out for a couple hours.
Seth: Hey, we'll call it a business trip and write off the mileage!
Homer: Now you're freak flag's flyin'! Let the freak-out begin!
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Homer tosses his Frisbee in the air, becoming the wheel of the
% magnificently painted Saturn freak-out mobile in which the three
% drive, to the tune of "Incense and Peppermints."
Homer: Oh ... we're never going to freak anybody out with this
music. I brought something from my personal stash that'll
blow some minds!
[Homer pops in a tape of "Uptown Girl" by Billy Joel and
dances]
Seth: Um, could you turn that down just a little?
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Driving down a Springfield street, Munchie blows bubbles out the
% roof. Homer, spotting Ned Flanders, yells to him through a bullhorn
% to "expand your mind!" Ned thanks Homer for the advice.
%
% Back in the car, Homer puts on a jester's hat, sticks his head out
% the window, and declares the "cosmic fool" his here to blow the lid
% off our stuffy world. Krusty, riding a unicycle being pulled by a
% monkey on roller-skates, looks to the hippies and mutters "Weirdoes".
% Passing Marge carrying a bag of groceries, they come to stop.
Homer: Hi Marge. We're freaking out squares.
Marge: Oh, Lord ...
Homer: What's in your brand-new bag, momma?
Marge: Oh, it's that pair of Dockers you wanted. Forty-eight waist
with the balloon seat, right?
Homer: [panicking] Marge, not in front of the hippies!
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% ... who chuckle behind him. At Springfield Elementary, the three of
% them walk up to the cafeteria, where Bart and Lisa eat lunch together.
% Bart prays that Homer and company stay outside, but no such luck.
% Homer bursts in the door with Seth and Munchie behind him, and
% proclaims "this conformity factory" closed. The children in the
% cafeteria run gleefully out the door.
Hmmm. Fifteen years of loyal service, and this is how they tell me? A
jester with an invisible proclamation?
-- Principal Skinner, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Homer, Seth, and Munchie pull back up to the farm to the tune of
% "Uptown Girl" and get out, relatively satisfied. Seth is doubts
% anybody was actually freaked out, but Homer assures him that Marge
% was.
%
% Seth opens the door to the factory, and broken glass bottles spill
% out. The two hippies scream in frustration and disbelief. Seth finds
% the reason ... a Frisbee stuck on a tunnel at the end of a conveyor
% belt.
Seth: Your Frisbee jammed the juicillator, Homer!
Munchie: Our entire shipment is ruined!
Homer: [uneasily] Pretty ... uh, freaky, huh?
Seth: The only people who are going to be "freaked out" are our
stockholders!
Homer: I'm sensing some negative vibes here. But I promise
tomorrow's freak-out will go a lot smoother.
Seth: There won't be any more freak-outs. You're not a hippie, and
you never were!
Homer: Yes, but, but ... the poncho ...
Munchie: Please, Homer, just leave us alone.
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Seth and Munchie begin to clean up, while Homer walks away, staring
% at the mural his mother painted years ago. His boyhood image on the
% wall begins to speak with him with disgust.
Little Homer: How could you let me turn into you?
Homer: But, but, but, but ... the poncho ...
Little Homer: [mockingly] Buh, buh, buh, buh, the poncho ... hit the
road, square.
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Homer walks away from the barn and tosses his Frisbee away.
% Suddenly, it turns around in mid-flight and floats back toward the
% farm. "Uh, oh", Homer says, watching it as it flies into a window of
% the juice processing plant, shattering it. Munchie, from inside,
% yells, "Oh, for cryin' out loud!".
%
% [End of Act Two. Time: 14:53]
%
% At the residence of our favorite family, the news is on.
Brockman: Stunned league officials say point-shaving may have
occurred in as many as three Harlem Globetrotters'
games. And, in business news, Groovy Grove Juice
Corporation has announced it will miss delivery on its
third quarter shipment. A spokesman attributed the
production shutdown to a half-witted oaf.
Homer: Aww, it was sweet of those guys to blame an oaf. But
really, it was my fault. I just don't have the
discipline to be a hippie.
Marge: Ooh, does this mean you're going to start showering
again?
Homer: Perhaps, in time.
Bart: Aw, cheer up, Dad. You make a great hippie.
Homer: Aw, you're just saying that.
Bart: No, really. You're lazy and self-righteous ...
Lisa: ... and the soles of your feet are jet black!
Homer: Well, I do walk through pretty much anything. Oh, you
kids are sweet.
Marge: I know you feel bad about the juice incident, but I'm
sure you can make up for it somehow.
Homer: That's it! Somehow!
-- Eh, that's your answer for everything, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% That night, Homer sneaks about the Groovy Grove Natural Farm.
% Peeking into the window, he sees Seth and Munchie asleep. He promises
% to set things right while they sleep.
%
% Getting to work, Homer begins harvesting carrots and processing them,
% quietly and secretly, though getting attacked by gophers several
% times. When morning rolls around, Homer greets his hippie friends
% just outside the front door.
Homer: [to Munchie] Good morning, starshine! [to Seth] Seth.
Munchie: [gasps] What's going on?
Seth: What happened to our crops?
Homer: I picked 'em, juiced 'em, and delivered 'em to every store in
town. Your business is saved!
Munchie: But there weren't enough vegetables left to fill that order!
Homer: Eh! That's what I thought at first. But then I found the
other garden behind the barn! The one with the camouflage
netting!
Munchie: Uh, oh.
Seth: Homer ... those were our =personal= vegetables.
Homer: Well, now the whole town can benefit from their nutrients.
-- More than they know, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Groundskeeper Willie, at the elementary school, tosses back a bottle
% of the hippie juice. Opening his eyes, he sees Fergie, leaning
% against a purple tree while stars float by. He drops the bottle in
% disbelief. Fergie beckons Willy to come closer, and the two embrace
% passionately. In reality, Willie, walking over to a regular tree, has
% a rake in his hands, which he uses to claw up his face, sighing
% contentedly.
%
% Elsewhere, Barney Gumble stands next to his refrigerator and guzzles
% a bottle, causing him to see a greyish goblin dancing menacingly upon
% his couch. Panicking, he tosses back a Duff, at which point he is
% saved by a large pink elephant that comes through his front door,
% crushing the creature.
Thanks, pinkie! You've always been there for me!
-- Barney, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% The elephant tips his hat and winks. On one of Springfield's nicer
% looking streets, Ned Flanders drives his car while drinking a bottle
% of Homer's juice. Stopping at a crosswalk, he stares in shock as
% Grateful Dead bears walk by, a skeleton tips his hat (skull attached)
% to wish him good morning, the hammers from Pink Floyd's "The Wall"
% march by, and the Rolling Stones' lips fly at him. He screams.
%
% Meanwhile, on a park bench somewhere, Abe and Jasper sit laughing
% stupidly and uncontrollably, each with a bottle of the vegetable
% drink.
%
% Down at the police station, Chief Wiggum looks over to see one of his
% officers spinning in a chair, laughing dreamily, holding a bottle of
% Homer's beverage.
Wiggum: Lou! Lou, are you all right?
Lou: The electric yellow has got me by the brain banana ...
Wiggum: I ... see.
[Chief Wiggum takes the bottle from Lou's hand and dabs his
finger with it, giving it a taste]
Wiggum: My God, it's nothing but carrots and peyote.
Eddie: Damn longhairs never learn, Chief.
Wiggum: Eh, it's time for an old-fashioned hippie ass-whomping!
-- Any time's a good time for that, "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Moments later, three squad cars and a police truck and tank pull up
% to Groovy Grove. Wiggum addresses the house's inhabitants with a
% bullhorn.
Wiggum: Attention hippies! Come out peacefully so we can smash your
drug mill and all your worldly possessions!
Seth: Officer, please. We can explain.
Homer: Not so fast, pig. We're making a stand! A freaky stand!
You can smash this drug barn all you want, but first you'll
have to smash our heads open like ripe melons!
Munchie: This man does not represent us.
Wiggum: All right, boys, set your nightsticks on "whomp".
Eddie: Uh, mine's ... stuck on twirl.
Wiggum: Oh, for the love of ... [sets baton] there. Now let's crack
some skulls.
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% The cops advance on them, anxious to crack a few skulls, when Homer
% puts his arms around his juice-making associates.
Homer: Seth, Munchie. They can destroy our bodies and our ponchos,
but they can never silence our song of protest! [singing]
Uptown girl, she's been living in her white-bread world ...
come on, guys!
Wiggum: Forget the clubs, just shoot 'em!
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% The police officers each hold up a rifle, cocking them loudly; Homer
% makes his final stand.
Homer: Look at yourselves! Pointing guns at your fellow man.
Hatred is a cage that keeps us from soaring free. Yes, the
sixties may be dead and gone, and its spirit long since
extinguished, but it's ideals live on!
[gathering a handful of daisies, he places a flower into the
barrels of each officer's rifle; with every one, he invokes
the names of those ideals]
Freedom! Love! And peace.
[as he places the last flower inside Chief Wiggum's rifle, he
screams "D'oh" when the gun goes off]
-- "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Later, at the Springfield Cemetery, a small group gathers for a
% funeral.
%
% Elsewhere, at the Springfield Hospital, Homer lies in a hospital bed
% with a flower stuck in his forehead. His family and Dr. Hibbert look
% on.
Marge: Doctor, will he be all right?
Hibbert: Yes, he was lucky. If that had been a gladiola, he'd be dead
right now.
Bart: Why don't you just pull it out?
Hibbert: [laughs] I'm a doctor, not a gardener!
Homer: Can't you just prune some of the leaves so I can watch TV?
Hibbert: What did I just say?
-- I'm a doctor, not a gardener, dammit! "D'oh-in' in the Wind"
% Instead of the normal credits, we see a psychedelic background, as
% the Simpsons theme is played on sitar. Homer sings a few lines from
% "Uptown Girl," over the credits. When the Gracie Films logo is shown,
% he murmurs, "I buried Flanders".
%
% [End of Act Three. Time (including credits, up to Gracie Films
% logo): 21:11]
==============================================================================
> Contributors
==============================================================================
{ad} Anthony Dean
{af} Alex Foley
{bb} Brad Bizzolt
{bc} Ben Collins
{bjr} Benjamin Robinson
{bo} Bryan Osborne
{brk} Brian Rawson-Ketchum
{ddg} Don Del Grande
{dg} Dan Gonigal
{dga} Dale G. Abersold
{dj} Darrel Jones
{dt} Dan Tropea
{hl} Haynes Lee
{je} Jordan Eisenberg
{jf} Jean Fontaine
{jg} Jeremy Gallen
{jk} Joe Klemm
{jr} Jason Rosenbaum
{mm} Michael Morbius
{mr} Matt Rose
{nd} Nathan DeHoff
{ol} Ondre Lombard
{pt} Paul Tomko
{rb} Rich Bunnell
{sb} Steve Bev
{sb2} Simon Byrd
{sm} Scott Miller
{ss} Samuel Sklaroff
==============================================================================
> Legal Mumbo Jumbo
==============================================================================
This episode capsule is Copyright 2000 Benjamin Robinson. It is not to be
redistributed in a public forum without consent from its author or current
maintainer (capsules@simpsonsarchive.com). All quoted material and episode summaries
remain property of The Simpsons, Copyright of Twentieth Century Fox. All
other contributions remain the properties of their respective authors. The
transcript itself is Copyright 1998 John Ogan. This capsule has been brought
to you by Groovy Groves Natural Farms.
This work is dedicated to Raymond Chen, James A. Cherry, Ricardo Lafaurie,
Frederic Briere, and all of those who made episode capsules what they are
today.
Many thanks to Frederic Briere, who provided me with alt.tv.simpsons archives
when needed. This capsule wouldn't be as complete without his invaluable
help.