Behind the Laughter Written by Tim Long & George Meyer & Mike Scully & Matt Selman Directed by Mark Kirkland ============================================================================== Production code: BABF19 Original Airdate on FOX: 21-May-2000 Capsule revision A (22-Apr-2001) ============================================================================== > "TV Guide" Synopsis {bg} ============================================================================== [TV Guide Close-Up] In the sharp 11th-season finale, the Simpsons are studied in a Behind the Music-style documentary depicting their rise to stardom -- and the "private hell" that followed. VH1's Jim Forbes narrates their story, beginning with the evolution of The Simpsons TV show, from Homer's original idea called "My Funny Family." The series took off, but the physical comedy took a toll on Homer, bringing an addiction to painkillers. Wild spending, bad investments and tax problems ensued, leading to an incident at the Iowa State Fair that split them up, and prompted solo projects -- until Willie Nelson stepped in. [TV Guide ad] When the Camera Stops ... Who Are the Real Simpsons? Tonight, see a side of them you've never seen before! Bart: Eat My Shorts? I'd never say that! Homer: Be quiet! And take your anti-growth hormones. ============================================================================== > Title sequence ============================================================================== Blackboard: I WILL NOT OBEY THE / VOICES IN MY HEAD I WILL NOT OBEY at cutoff Couch: The family runs to the couch, which has a coin box on the side labeled, "MAGIC FINGERS." Bart drops a coin in the box, and it starts vibrating with such vigor that it jiggles right out of frame. ============================================================================== > Did You Notice... ============================================================================== Matthew Anscher: ... CBS isn't considered a "major" network? ... the clip that HRH Queen Elizabeth was watching was not from an actual Simpsons episode? ... bubblegum recordings like "Simpsons Christmas Boogie" are considered Thrash Metal by the National Association of Radio Arts and Sciences? ... the producers actually admitted that some of the past plotlines were "gimmicky" and "nonsensical"? ... Dr. Hibbert apparently attended Baylor University with Willie Nelson? ... Woody Allen's skin is a lighter shade of yellow than all the other yellow-skinned people in the Awareness Awards audience? ... the considerable amount of name-calling in this episode; calling Grandpa a "coot," Dr. Hibbert a "meddler," and Gloria Allred "shrill"? Nathan DeHoff: ... this is the first time anyone has referred to Homer strangling Bart as child abuse? Don Del Grande: ... the "Times Square" big screen TV was a Sorny? ... the picture that Meryl Streep spat upon didn't have Maggie? ... the painting behind Flanders is a print of "The Last Supper" ... Lenny and Carl's last names aren't listed? ... Comic Book Guy's first name isn't listed? ... "Sir" Gary Coleman? ... Joan Jett's star had a typewriter? ... "Krustophenia" is an LP, not a CD? ... the limousine everyone ignores has Santa Claus, the Pope, and an astronaut? ... Homer says "frosty chocolate milkshakes", a catchphrase he hasn't used in quite some time? ... at the Iowa state fair, Maggie wears Lisa-style shoes? ... at the thanksgiving dinner, Maggie and Grandpa are at the "kid table"? ... Homer explains why Lisa (and, presumably, Bart and Maggie) didn't get older despite the show lasting longer than one year? ... they didn't explain a few things, like how Maggie always falls? Darrel Jones: ... Mr. Burns' lawyer also works for Marge? Joe Klemm: ... the picture of the Last Supper behind Flanders? ... the hard time that Homer and Rupert have signing the contract suggests that they are left-handed? ... the Iron Giant statue behind CBG? [Eric Sansoni notes that "Iron Giant" was directed by "Simpsons" alum Brad Bird -- Ed.] James Reisdorf: ... this is the first time the opening "Simpsons" caption has ran twice in the same show (excluding the "Thompsons" intro from "Cape Feare (9F22)")? ... the little flashing words that show on the BTM "flash screen" are different in the 3 times it shows up? ... Moe's name is misspelled as "Syzlak"? (Like who didn't notice that?) ... Nelson Mandela has a race car on his star? ... Homer not only takes Hammer's home, but takes on his look? ... Tom Kite and Stephen Hawkins are considered "trendy"? [{ma} adds Butch Patrick to the list -- Ed.] ... Willie Nelson himself has been a subject of a BTM? ... the "Parade" cover looked like a big book? ... for the first time in awhile, there were complete full screen credits? Benjamin Robinson: ... apparently, even Maggie made more money than Lisa? ... when Homer throttles Bart by the lakeside, Lisa closes her eyes and puts her fingers in her ears? ============================================================================== > Voice Credits ============================================================================== - Starring - Dan Castellaneta (Homer, Krusty, Ozzy Osbourne, Kodos, Abe, Woody Allen) - Julie Kavner (Marge) - Nancy Cartwright (Bart) - Yeardley Smith (Lisa) - Hank Azaria (Director, Moe, Carl, Comic Book Guy, Chief Wiggum, Apu, Bobby (Renegade's Partner), Lawyer) - Harry Shearer (Lenny, Principal Skinner, Second Director [?], Kang, Dr. Hibbert) - Special Guest Voice - Gary Coleman (Himself) - Jim Forbes (Narrator {jr}) - Stephen Hawking (Himself) - Willie Nelson (Himself) - Marcia Wallace (Edna Krabappel) - Special Guest Appearance [Non-speaking roles] - Buzz Aldrin (Himself) - Tim Kite (Himself) - Butch Patrick (Himself) - Also Starring - Tress MacNeille (Queen Elizabeth II, Richie Rich, Actress, Woman Partner, Gloria Allred) - Karl Wiedergott (Jimmy Carter, Huckleberry Hound) ============================================================================== > Movie (and other) references ============================================================================== + "Behind the Music" (TV series) - title a spoof - story plot similar to show [See "Comments" for more -- Ed.] - the opening title sequence and commercial "bumpers" were borrowed from the show - Jim Forbes does the announcing for the parody, like he has for all the BTM's. (Except for one of them, which, ironically enough, was Hammer's BTM) {jr} - "The E! True Hollywood Story" (TV series) {jc} - episode is thematically similar to this falling-Hollywood-star show - "Entertainment Tonight" (TV series) {jr} - ET runs weekend specials that also expose TV shows, some that take the name "Behind the Laughter" ~ David Letterman's stint as Oscar host {bjr} - Like Lisa's, his turn at hosting was thought by many to be ill-advised + "The Mod Squad" (TV series) {bjr} - one of the family's favorite shows is "The Dreck Squad" ("dreck," or "drek" is the Yiddish equivalent of "sh_t") + "Sheriff Lobo" (TV series) {bjr} - "Sheriff Lowbrow" a spoof + "Ozzie and Harriet" (TV series) {bjr} - entertainer and his family make a sitcom about the lives of the entertainer and his family + Sam Peckinpah (director) {bjr} - announcer calls Homer a "penniless Peckinpah" + "I Love Lucy" (TV series) {bjr} - Homer's original demo tape similar in tone and setup - Marge has that scarf tied around her head -- isn't this a "Lucy" trademark? + Beatlemania - the girls' reaction in the "hysteria room" mimics the reaction to the Fab Four - the Beatles' "Twist and Shout" plays in the background, for those who didn't get the point + "Peanuts" (comic strip) {jk} - Charlie Brown's trademark saying, "Good grief," becomes T-shirt fodder for Bart + "Laugh-In" (TV series) {bjr} - "you bet your sweet bippy," a catchphrase on this show + abortion debate {dp} - a Bart T-shirt reads "LIfe begins at conception, man" + yellow fever (disease) {bjr} - one of the trade papers' headlines was, "Yellow Fever," referring to the Simpsons + "Quadrophenia" (album) - "Krustophenia" a take-off of this Who album - the cover is similar, too {dp} + "The Partridge Family" (TV series and recording group) - music (not very good music at that) is sold to tie in to a TV show {ma} - "Lovely to Love Your Lovin'" sounds like something they would have recorded {ma} - clothes at the Iowa State Fair show - "The Brady Bunch" (TV series) {dp} - a sitcom family puts out albums + David Geffen/Geffen records (record producer and his company) {dp} - it's mentioned that Geffen released the Simpsons' albums; Geffen did release "The Simpsons Sing the Blues" + "Boogie Oogie Oogie" (Taste of Honey song) {jr} - it's what the Simpsons songs are based on + the Grammies (music industry awards) {bjr} - have made some controversial musical decisions. See "Personal Comments & Observations" for more + Ozzy Osbourne (musician) {dj} - bites the "head" off the Grammy trophy, the way he bit the head of a bat [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] - "American Beauty" (movie) - shot of roses cascading about Simpsons is just like the famous scene in this movie {jr} - the black-and-white "shot" of the bag blowing the wind was an imitation of a similar shot in the movie {ah} ~ "Friends" (TV series) {bjr} - Bart pays Carl and Lenny to kiss; Rachel and Monica kiss so Chandler and Joey will swap apartments with them - Encyclopedia Britannica {jk} - Encyclopedia Self-Destructica + "Who's Who in Springfield" ("Simpsons" souvenir poster) {ndc} - poster appears when the narrator is talking about the quantity of characters (it's the last one, with yellow background) + "Teen Wolf" and "Teen Wolf Too" (movies) {dp} - Bart agrees to make "Teen Wolf III" + "Richie Rich" (comic book character) {ddg} - Bart's "replacement" - The Gap (chain of clothing stores) {jr} - The whole "Swing/Rock" sequence mirrors the Gap's khaki ads that pay homage (or is that mock?) to "Westside Story" + Everly Brothers split-up {vp} - singers Don and Phil Everly split during an infamous concert at Knott's Berry Farm in 1973 [See "Comments" section for more -- Ed.] + Habitat for Humanity (charitable organization) {bjr} - at the state fair, Jimmy Carter's act is "Habitat for Hilarity"; in real life, he works with this home-building group + "Looney Toons" (cartoon shorts) {bjr} - after the fair, the Simpsons are written off with, "THAT'S ALL, FOLKS," a Looney Toons catchphrase + "keeping it real" (phrase) {bjr} - "Simpsons" replacement show called, "Peepin' It Real" + "Rent" (play) {bjr} - Homer's sequel called, "Rent II: Condo Fever" + "Renegade" (TV series) {jc} - Bart replaced Lorenzo Lamas as the star of this syndicated action show + "I Shot the Sheriff" (song) {dj} - Marge does the lounge-act version of this song - Latoya Jackson (singer) {jk} - Lisa writes a tell-all book that's against the family + Sammy Hagar leaving Van Halen (a rock band) {jc} - Willie Nelson is trying to get Sammy and Van Halen to get back together + Pippi Longstocking (children's novel) {dj} - the shot of Willie Nelson's ponytails on the magazine cover similar to the cover of this book ============================================================================== > Previous episode references ============================================================================== - Clips in "Behind the Laughter" opening credits {bjr} - [8F11] Shot of Bart falling down well - [8F18] Shot of Maggie tossing pacifiers to babies (also in the bumpers) - [8F22] Shots of Bart swiping the Homer's change - [2F21] Shot of Marge as cop - [4F11] Shot of Homer near toy shelf - [5F20] Shot of Homer wrestling the lard hose (also in the commercial bumpers) - Homer gets punished {bjr} - [7F06] Homer fails to leap Springfield Gorge - [2F02] Homer stops wrecking ball - [5F10] Bart hits Homer with chair - [5F17] Wild ride in cherry-picker (in quad screen) - [5F19] Para-sailing ride (in quad screen) - [5F20] Homer fights Willie (in quad screen) - [BABF04] Homer skis down mountain (in quad screen) - Guest stars they've trotted out {bjr} - [1F13] Buzz Aldrin - [3F11] Tom Kite - [4F23] Seymour Skinner - [AABF18] Stephen Hawking - [BABF03] Butch Patrick - [BABF07] "Sir" Gary Coleman - Clips used at the end of the show {ddg} - [9F12] Bart hits Homer with a chair - [9F12] Homer beat up in the street - [3F21] Homer gets a cannonball in the stomach - [4F11] Homer being attacked by reindeer - [5F12] Homer tries to steal a car - [5F17] Homer in a "cherry picker" - [5F20] Willy attacks Homer - [AABF04] Homer hit by a car from a delivery truck - [AABF11] Homer upside-down in a plane - [BABF04] Homer skiing - [7F01] flying spit in slow motion {ddg} - [1F01], [AABF19] Jimmy Carter appears {dj} - [1F13] Buzz Aldrin appears {ddg} - [2F02] An "anonymous", and easily identifiable, tipster is seen {dj} - [3F11] Tom Kite appears {ddg} - [3F20] Simpsons spoof those "musical family" shows {am} - [3F21] the roadie holding Marge at the Iowa Fair looked like the roadie from Hullabalooza {gc} - [4F03], [4F15] The aborted couch gag is similar to the one actually used before these eps {dj} - [AABF20] Woody Allen appears {ma} - [BABF03] Butch Patrick appears {ddg} ============================================================================== > Freeze frame fun ============================================================================== - Simpson Clips during the Behind the Laughter commercial ends {jk} Bart Friend Falls In Love: Indiana Bart Lard of the Dance: Homer getting sucked by vacuum cleaner A Streetcar Named Marge: Maggie returning all the confiscated pacifiers to the babies The Springfield Connection: Marge's target practice ???: Lisa playing the sax - Magazines the Simpsons appeared on {bjr} "TV Guide," "Rolling Stone," "Coin Laundry News," and "Short Hair Ideas" - Words appearing in the bumpers {bjr} Act I: SUCCESS FAME BEER CANDY Act I -> II: SEX FAME BEER MILHOUSE Act II -> III: LAWSUITS REDEMPTION HORMONES GRAPHICS - Highway signs {bjr} Hollywood Hollywood 90 miles 500 miles - T-shirt sayings {bjr} GOOD YOU LIFE GRIEF, MAN. BET YOUR BEGINS AT SWEET BIPPY, CONCEPTION, MAN. MAN. Each is in a speech balloon, with Bart as the speaker - More newspaper headlines {bjr} YELLOW FEVER BUMPTIOUS BROOD BOFFO! - Simpson estate gates, before ... {bjr} HAMMERTIME - ... and after modification {bjr} HO MERTIME - Simpson albums {bjr} Simpsons Lovely to Love Simpsons Boogie Your Lovin' Christmas Boogie [family] [family] [family] THE SIMPSONS - They don't get no respect {bjr} Santa Claus The Pope Astronaut Driver [front of car] - Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame {bjr} MILTON BERLE [TV] JOAN JETT [typewriter] NELSON MANDELA [race car] THE SIMPSONS [TV Victrola] [inverted Olympic] [ rings ] - Tax evasion headline {bjr} FEDS TO SIMPS: PAY UP! - CHARACTERS IN THE PICTURE (the one immediately following the one with just the Simpsons) {ddg} - Back Row: Troy McClure, Dr. Hibbert, Chief Wiggum, Groundskeeper Willy, Radioactive Man, Reverend Lovejoy, Lunch Lady Doris, Snake, Bumblebee Man, Captain McAllister, Dr. Nick Riviera, Lionel Hutz, Professor Frink, Sideshow Bob, Mayor Quimby - Middle Row: Homer, Patty, Selma, Comic Book Guy, Otto, Krusty the Clown, Apu, Moe, Barney, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, Mrs. Krabappel, Marge - Front Row: Bart, Maggie, Nelson, Dolph, Kearny, Jimbo, Mr. Burns, Smithers, Ralph Wiggum, Hans Moleman, Lisa, Grandpa, Milhouse, Itchy & Scratchy, Santa's Little Helper, Snowball II - Bart Simpson's mug shot {bjr} SIMPSON, B. 9LF2149 - Iowa state fair poster {bjr} IOWA STATE FAIR [wheat ear] PRESENTS [wheat ear] THE [picture of] SIMPSONS [the family] LIVE -------------------- OPENING ACT -------------------- JIMMY CARTER'S HABITAT FOR HILARITY - Another newspaper headline {bjr} THAT'S ALL, FOLKS! - Marge's marquee {bjr} JUST MARGE (AND FRIENDS) - Lisa's book {bjr} WHERE ARE MY RESIDUALS? [ angry Lisa in ] [directors' chair] LISA SIMPSON - "Parade" cover {bjr} PARADE [FAMILY] They're Back! ============================================================================== > Animation, continuity, and other goofs ============================================================================== * In this "history", Homer and Marge lived in the house before Bart was born, but in "actuality", when Bart was born, they lived somewhere else? {ddg} * Home Improvement, one the shows the family watched before they made their own show, didn't premiere until 1991, one-and-a-half years after the Simpsons. * Bart the Daredevil premiered in December, thus it is very doubtful that they filmed it in April. * The "aborted couch scene" looks like the one first used in 4F03, which first appeared in November of 1996, yet the caption said it was first attempted in 1992. {ddg} c When OFF are doing the "aborted couch gag", The aliens say they have ballet tickets, but in the captioning, they have theater tickets. {tpl} = When Bart was getting his pedicure, where did his shoe and sock go? {gc} + This episode gets the order of episodes out of whack. Wiggum appeared long before the Captain. {jd} c When the family are eating Thanksgiving dinner, Marge calls Lisa a little snitch, but in captioning, she calls Lisa a little (bleep). {tpl} ============================================================================== > Reviews ============================================================================== Wilson Banswell: The writers addressed some strange things in this episode. Such as why there are so many crappy weird tripped up episodes. And why Homer must be crushed, squished, pounded, and destroyed in every episode. You would think this episode would suck because of all the meta refs, but to a hard core fan, it was great. I loved how the writers told us what we knew all along, that the guest appearances are crammed down their throats! And the ending was great. My expectations were high, but they were exceeded. One final note, all those metaphors were great! (A+) Arup Baral: A truly excellent episode. Not only did it leave me ROTFL, its self-parody was so thick that it very much defines season 11 or the show itself for that matter. The Acts I and II were the strongest, but the whole episode was the most solid in many a season. The fact that they recognize the zany plots of recent seasons (Principal and the Pauper) and the use of guest stars to boost ratings. Without a doubt, the best of the season. If this were my last meal (last episode of the series), I would tell the warden to bring on the electric chair! (A+) Nate Birch: Well I didn't think the current batch of writers could do it, but they've actually managed to produce a truly classic episode. The whole concept of having a behind the scenes episode of the Simpsons was great, but the writers managed to take it and do more with it than I could have imagined. While watching this episode it really felt like I was watching a "behind the scenes" show you might see on E! or something, and the episode never strayed from that. Despite the different format the family was all nicely in character, and this episode was funny as hell. It had a great mix of both slapstick and more intelligent humor and was filled with tons of great META refs and inside jokes for us more informed Simpsons fans. Explaining the low quality of recent episodes as being a result of cast problems and Homer's painkiller addiction was brilliant. Hopefully at least a few of the season 12 episodes will be this good. (A+) Nathan DeHoff: I'm kind of surprised that it took this long before "The Simpsons" did the "What if the characters were portrayed by real actors?" thing, which has become sort of a cartoon tradition by this point. Overall, they did this quite well, complete with hilariously pathetic narration, and lots of amusing gags. In a way, though, it suffered from standard Season 11 narration, in that the writers seemed to want to go in every possible direction with the idea. For instance, I wish they would have focused a bit more on "behind-the-scenes" moments for actual episodes, which they did quite well for "Bart the Daredevil" and "The Principal and the Pauper." Instead, however, they decided to throw in some moments from "episodes" that never really existed. Sure, they were funny (Richie Rich as Bart was great), but I kind of wish they had concentrated their focus a little more. (A-) Don Del Grande: one of the best episodes in the series, and I believe it's because they weren't stuck with the "usual rules of Springfield" that they can bend in Halloween specials as well. Of course, this could be a real sign that they're really starting to run out of ideas ... (A) Tony Hill: What the hell was that? Why do they expect us to take them seriously when they no longer do so themselves? As a parody of the documentaries about old TV which is now the rage, this was passable, but as a canonical episode of OFF this was an abomination. When has it ever been suggested that the Simpsons are actors playing themselves on TV? This treatment of the Simpsons cast is not faithful to the dramatic context. I give it an (F) Darrel Jones: Season Eleven, which was a great year, is closing out with a bang. Let's hope they can come up with more wonderful, original concepts for Season Twelve. Several great moments and gags; Taco's tribute to Falco will become an all-time classic gag. 9/10 (A) Adam Long: Well, I was expecting this one to be the best of the season, and it was by a longshot. This episode far outshone most episodes of the past two seasons, with the possible exception of Simpsons Bible Stories. The phony off-screen life of OFF was creatively woven, with laughs coming non-stop. In fact, I'd say this was arguably the funniest episode ever. The little "Behind the Music" touches added a lot as well. And I don't think any of us were expecting the location of Springfield to be given away, but that didn't upset me, since there are only so many "Where is Springfield" gags you can do, and the fact that they've been hiding it for 11 years, then just come right out and say it gets points for sheer shock value. I was a little worried after last week's episode, but this one got me looking forward to Season 12. (A+) Paul Melnyk: As many put it, a bizarre and unique episode. This being the 5th clip show, I think it's definitely one of the fresher ones. One main reason this episode was good was because they didn't do the show at all. There was some great effects work for the "Behind The Music" parody, and the animated clips representing metaphors were very amusing. I do wish they could have done more references on the actual show itself though, but none the less, a good finale. (B) Michael Nusair: I don't know what to say about this episode. I just really don't like the idea behind it. For me, the idea that OFF are actually actors portraying themselves on a fictional show takes away something from the rest of the episodes. I know that this is an off-continuity episode, like "The Simpsons Spin-off showcase," but it still seems wrong to me. As it stands, "Behind the Laughter" was essentially just a string of loosely connected gags, most of which didn't really work for me. I did laugh a couple of times, but I still think that this wasn't a good idea for an episode. When I watch an episode of the Simpsons, I don't want to think of OFF as fictional characters playing fictional characters in a fictional show for other fictional characters and real people, and ... Ummm ... This isn't making much sense. But I think you know what I mean. Let's just say I didn't like it, and leave it at that. (D+) Damian Penny: I thought this episode was the most brilliant half hour of television I have ever seen, Simpsons or otherwise. This show is often at its best when it pokes fun at its own popularity, and this one does that well -- not to mention jabbing at "biography" shows like "Behind the Music". And there are simply too many big laughs to list here, but ... "Momma Mia", "Simpsons Christmas Boogie" playing over the closing credits, Richie Rich replacing Bart for 9 episodes, "Krustophenia" ... the only downside to this episode is that, when the show eventually airs its final episode, it will somehow have to top this one. Grade: (A+) Abhi Ray: Too bad this episode didn't reach the high level of meta-humor and wit from "138th Episode Spectacular." This episode should have had more comments about past episodes instead of made-up episodes, and the idea of the Simpsons being actors kind of confused me. Nevertheless, this was a funny enough episode, with a great Behind the Music parody, and I really enjoyed the painkillers joke. (B) Eric Sansoni: This episode's concept is almost irresistible. The energy level is high, and some devices like the past episode tie-ins work great. But the satire doesn't approach the "138th Episode" or "Spin-off Showcase" level. Lots of shots are too perfect to fit the documentary style and many of the gags, like Jimmy Carter breakdancing, don't exactly rock. The rise to fame, reminiscent of The Monkey's Paw, is enjoyable. But the breakdown and reunion of the family, which should have been the emotional center, feel obligatory and underdeveloped. "Behind the Music's" goal is to reveal the humanity behind the celebrity. Here the writers go overboard projecting celebrity onto these familiar humans, obscuring the most involving aspect. (B+) Robin Steinmann: A nice seasons final in which they took OFF out of their usual reality to fool around a bit for a quite enjoyable spoof. Not really a classic episode, but still better than a lot of S11. I'm quite sure it wasn't meant to be taken serious, it was just a lightweight good-bye for the summer. (B) Yours Truly: "Behind the Laughter" exhibits one of the strongest blurrings of fantasy and reality that we've seen on "The Simpsons," and does a pretty good job of it, too. All the bases of the Hollywood exposé form are covered, from Homer's painkiller addiction, to family bickering, to Lisa's tell-all book, to the hilariously over-the-top metaphors. In fact, there's so much material, some of the plot points get the short shrift. Sketchy presentation aside, "Behind the Laughter" is an enjoyable episode. As the announcer might say, we may never look at the Simpsons in the same way again. Or will we? Yes, we will. (B) AVERAGE GRADE: B+ (3.37) Std Dev.: 1.1536 (21 reviews computed) ============================================================================== > Comments and other observations ============================================================================== >> Meta-reference corner Damian Penny: The episode mentions the more outrageous plots the show has come up with, and as an example shows "The Principal and the Pauper", voted worst episode of all time in an a.t.s. poll. Benjamin Robinson adds these: The announcer claims that the cast has ballooned over the years. In the real-life Ullman shorts, there were few people outside the core family shown. Now, it's a cast of hundreds. The show also "trotted out" a bunch of "trendy guest stars." This, too, is a source of complaint. In her tell-all book, Lisa claims Homer slipped her anti-growth hormones. This explains why the kids never age! The Sunday strip is mentioned. Bart mocks its quality, as many people on the newsgroup did. >> Behind the scenes Benjamin Robinson: "Tell-all" exposés revealing the secrets of movie stars, recording artists, and television actors have been a cottage industry for almost as long as we've had movie stars, recording artists, and television actors. One trendy series in this mold is the VH-1 network's "Behind the Music," which traces the rise and fall formerly popular musical acts. I'll confess to only seeing part of one "Behind the Music," but really the format of this show doesn't differ much from its brethren. An [actor | group of actors on a TV series | musician or group] scores big with a new [movie | song | series]. A quick ride to the top brings fame and riches, but also trouble in the form of [drugs | booze | loose spending | bad management | internal strife]. As the subject's fame evaporates, he or she goes through [rehab | divorce | the morgue]. Assuming the subject hasn't died, he or she moves on to [home life | related career in production | unrelated career | undefined]. Curiously, despite the similarity in plotlines, people never complain about plot recycling, the way they do on, say, "The Simpsons." Shows like this remain a sure bet for popularity, partly because the tawdry underside of celebrity is strangely fascinating, and partly to reassure ourselves that our idols are as human and vulnerable as us unknowns. James Reisdorf adds: The popularity of BTM spawned its own little brother, BTM2 (using the "trendy" initials), which generally profiles current/recent artists whose pasts aren't storied enough to warrant them a spot on the original BTM. Several past musical guest stars on the Simpsons, like Willie Nelson, have been on BTM's before. >> Yeah, but I hear he's got a really sweet mansion for sale Benjamin Robinson: MC Hammer (real name: Stanley something-or-other) might make a good "Behind the Music" subject, if he hasn't been on the show already. [Rich Bunnell points out that Hammer was the subject of "Behind the Music's" second episode -- Ed.] He had a big hit in "Can't Touch This," a rap/hip-hop tune that sampled a bass line from Rick James' "Superfreak." In the video, he wore these amazingly puffy pants, that resembled the bottom half of a skydiving suit, only with sequins. Bart models these, and does some Hammer dance moves, when the family takes over his old house. With that out of the way, Michael Nusair asks the important question: What happened to MC Hammer, anyway? ... and Daniel L. Dreibelbis answers: from what I remember, after the phenomenal success of his PLEASE HAMMER DON'T HURT 'EM album, he then managed to commit every possible mistake in the book when it came to his career. For instance, his follow-up recording: when it was charged he was a musical lightweight who just used other people's riffs, he responded with the two-record 2 LEGIT TO QUIT in which he wrote all the songs himself with no samples. The result was one of the biggest jinxes since the second Knack album. He then further alienated his audience by doing a blatantly sexy video for the next release which featured a male dancer who was, well, check out the unit on that one. Last I had heard, several months ago he filed for bankruptcy due to some bad investments. Lord Thistlewick: And, I believe he is now a minister of some sort. Andrew Levine: Newsweek says he's coming out with a new album. Here's to hoping it'll blow Vanilla Ice's second album completely out of the water. >> Speaking of one-hit wonders Darrel Jones does just that: Taco and Falco are both one-hit-wonder acts from the 1980's. The Indonesian Taco's one hit was a synth-heavy remake of the 1930's song "Puttin' on the Ritz". Austrian Falco, who is indeed dead (killed in an auto accident a couple years back), will forever be remembered for his tribute to a more famous Austrian, "Rock Me Amadeus". The later song was parodied in the "Dr. Zaius" song from [3F15]. >> Art imitates life Joe Klemm writes about the Simpsons' real-life albums: Before the two official Simpsons soundtracks, OFF did an album called "The Simpsons Sing the Blues." Released in late 1991, the album features such bits as raps songs by Bart, cover songs by the family, and an extended version of the "Moaning Lisa Blues" (from Moaning Lisa). The album was a success, and it was followed by "The Yellow Album," though it would be years before it would be released due to long delays. >> "Nine out of ten heavy-metal rockers engage in crazy antics" Darrel Jones writes: Ozzy Osbourne is the former lead singer of metal gods Black Sabbath. As a solo act, he's attracted a wide following. At one of his gigs, he bit the head off of a bat, thinking it was dead and stuffed. In fact, it was very much alive, and worse still, was also poisonous. This little incident (which the biting of the Grammy referred to) has earned a permanent blotch in Ozzy' career. >> Life imitates Art The Simpsons on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Nah, it couldn't be. Or could it? Joe Klemm explains: In 2000, Fox will be having a major celebration to commemorate the Simpsons 10th anniversary. To kick off the festivities, the city of Hollywood, on the exact day the show premiered ten years ago, added the family to the Walk of Fame, a Hollywood feature where the names of celebrities are seen on the stars that make up the sidewalk of Hollywood. The Simpsons now joined such famous animated characters as Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny in being part of the Walk of Fame, thus showing that they have something very special. >> Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Susan B. Anthony! Benjamin Robinson writes: Susan B. Anthony was a famous women's rights activist. Today, she is probably more famous for being on the Anthony silver dollar of 1979-80 than for her suffragist activities. The dollar was a big fiasco for the Mint, partly because people preferred the traditional paper dollar, and partly because it the coin too closely resembled a quarter. (It may be mean, but it's true: Anthony's portrait closely resembled President Washington's.) The "Susan B. Anthony Man" comic shows the hero holding a shield that resembles the Anthony dollar coin. >> The man with no name Kay Eliz asks: Why does everyone on the show keep calling Captain McAllister "the sea captain"? Okay, only two times that I've noticed, but I haven't heard him called Captain McAllister since the first episode he was in. Did the writers forget that he has a name or do they think that since he's not a really regular character, it's easier for the audience to recognize who they're talking about if they just refer to him by what he is? Or are they trying to forget that he ever had a name because they think it's more fun for him to not have one, like Comic Book Store Guy? Nathan DeHoff responds: I really don't know, but they do similar stuff with Bumblebee Man, who was identified as "Pedro" in "Team Homer." >> The Not-Quite-Forever-ly Brothers The Simpsons aren't the only family to suffer a messy public breakup, as Darrel Jones explains: The Everly Brothers, real-life brothers Don and Phil Everly, were a rockabilly (think early Elvis) act that was widely popular in the late 1950's and early 1960's. By the end of the 1960's, though, they were reduced to performing on the "has-been" circuit. Tensions were also building between the two. In a performance at Knott's Berry Farm in 1973, one of the two suddenly stormed off the stage in the middle of a performance. Similar to OFF's disastrous Iowa State Fair gig, the two spent the next decade apart. But in 1983, Don and Phil reconciled in public, and have been together ever since. >> Continuity Nathan DeHoff: I think this episode was MORE out of continuity than the Halloween episodes, in that the Halloween ones have the characters act essentially the same way, but in far-out situations. Also, the first few had "framing" sequences that COULD have fit into regular continuity. "Behind the Laughter," on the other hand, portrayed the Simpsons as typical celebrities who just ACTED like their regular selves when the cameras were running. While obviously not within regular series continuity, I think this one could possibly be considered consistent with one other episode. That would be "The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase," which also treated the characters as real people. One could possibly also make a case for "The 138th Episode Spectacular" as another episode to fit this continuity, but it seemed like only Troy McClure was considered "real" in that one. >> Those Eternal Threads. Or are they? - Where is Springfield Brad Forman asks: Is that true? Do you think they finally revealed where Springfield is located? Or is that just where "the cast" of the show is from? What do you all think? John Obenauer does some serious sleuthing: To see whether Kentucky is the only state to have both a Springfield and a Shelbyville, I wasted lots of valuable time checking MapQuest for every state that had these two cities. The results are AR [Arkansas], IL [Illinois], IN [Indiana], KY [Kentucky], MI [Michigan], MO [Missouri], TN [Tennessee], and TX [Texas]. Then I looked up which states allow first cousin marriages (which supposedly Shelbyville was founded to allow). 31 states forbid these marriages, and surprisingly, Kentucky is one of them. States that have no prohibition against first cousin marriages are AL [Alabama], AK [Alaska], CA [California], CO [Colorado], CT [Connecticut], FL [Florida], GA [Georgia], HI [Hawaii], MD [Maryland], MA [Massachusetts], NJ [New Jersey], NM [New Mexico], NY [New York], RI [Rhode Island], SC [South Carolina], TN [Tennessee], TX [Texas], VT [Vermont], VA [Virginia], and DC [District of Columbia] (if you count DC as a state). The overlap in these lists are Texas and Tennessee, interestingly enough. But maybe Kentucky allowed them at the time Shelbyville was founded. I don't remember what year they said Jebediah founded Springfield (and his partner founded Shelbyville), but first-cousin marriages were ruled illegal in Kentucky in 1868. References, for those who want to similarly waste their time: Kyle Noskoviak: In addition to Springfield and Shelbyville in KY, there is a town called "Simpsonville" not 10 miles down the road from Shelbyville. Stewart Askew adds: The Simpsons from Northern Kentucky?!? I like the fact that they only mentioned it in passing so that only the attentive would catch it. And of course, if you look, there is a Shelbyville right north of it, a Hogdenville (close enough to Ogdenville) just west, and a Simpsonville not far from Shelbyville! My only question is ... Where the hell is North Haverbrook? Jesse Cook: Lets just hope there isn't a 742 Evergreen Terrace or someone will be covered in calls from crazy fans after tonight. Not a problem, writes "Doomsdave": According to Mapqust.com, there is no 724 Evergreen Terrace in Springfield Kentucky. It [also] shows that Springfield, KY is 42 miles from Shelbyville, KY with 2 towns between them! not exactly neighbors, but KY may be the only state that contained both in close proximity. No Capital City though. Don Del Grande wonders: But since when is Kentucky in "the heartland"? Sam Alexander: The Simpsons' beach is an OCEAN BEACH. It not only has whales in it, it also (in several episodes) is used as a transportation/trade route. Remember the shipment of Hot Pants in the "soul mate" episode? Remember the time Willy was deported because of the illegal immigrant laws? The fact that there's a rocky shoreline and a lighthouse (even one operated by E.A.R.L) clearly shows oceanfront. There (for the geographically impaired) is NO OCEAN in Kentucky. [In addition,] there's no Evergreen Terrace (nor Evergreen St., Ct., Ave., Blvd., etc) in Springfield KY. And Texas is only 1200 miles away from Springfield KY, not 2000 like Hank Hill said during his cameo in the "football" episode. Not so fast, says Kieran Murphy: My atlas must be wrong. It doesn't show Kentucky with a coastline on the pacific. Which it obviously does if a submarine can sail from Springfield harbor to Russia across the Pacific. So it's Washington, Oregon or California if I know my geography. But of course it isn't. IT'S NOT REAL. David Levy agrees: This wasn't a regular episode! Kang and Kodos were featured, for goodness sake! Do you take the Halloween episodes seriously? The Simpsons do NOT live in northern Kentucky. The "actors" who portray "the Simpsons" do. This is very simple: There is no state that fits the all of various characteristics which have been exhibited over the years. The Simpsons live in Springfield, U.S.A., an amalgam of our entire nation. Like many of the recent jokes (including several in this episode alone) one of the main purposes was to rile up the show's rabid fans. Guess what? It worked. So does Benjamin Robinson: Although I resolved not to read the reviews before seeing the episode, I couldn't help but notice the activity about Springfield, Kentucky. Okay, I heard it, you heard it, and everyone else heard it, so I won't belabor the point here. I will say this episode is non-canonical. (Note that, among other things, it flatly contradicts the other non- canon behind-the scenes episode, "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular (3F31).") Any "facts" you heard here, including the Simpsons' home state, are suspect. Besides, don't you think the producers would have made a bigger deal of this? Look at all the hoopla surrounding the revelation of Homer's middle name, which was a "smaller" mystery. I predict the "Where is Springfield" crowd will be debating the Simpsons' location for years to come. Don Del Grande points out some inconsistencies with the Kentucky location and past episodes: 5F03: It's less than 2000 miles from "Springfield, KY" to "Arlen, TX" regardless of where Springfield can be in Kentucky or Arlen is in Texas BABF08: Every place that's 12 miles from Kentucky is in the USA Dr. Trole Ling: The writers had the same motivation as trolls with that little Northern Kentucky ... they knew there was a 'slight' argument for the Simpsons to live in Kentucky. But their real motivation was just to stir things up and get people talking ... Just like those damn trolls! Jeremy Vitrano: it also shows how none of you can take a JOKE!!! This whole episode was a JOKE!!! The Simpsons are not really actors!!! I now HATE the state of Kentucky!!! IT'S IN REVELATIONS, PEOPLE!!! I've had my moment. Eric May: God, everyone is just obsessed with the joke about Kentucky. If you actually listened and looked at where they were talking about ... you can see they were talking about there NEW HOME. They moved to Kentucky!!!! There NEW HOME is in KENTUCKY! Not the town. Jeremy Vitrano agrees: Since they said it at the end I took that as meaning that they (the "actors") ended up moving there later. So where the original house was in "real life" was left unnamed. Bill McNeal: Just because I'm a New Yorker doesn't mean that I'm from New York. The title just _describes_ me without referencing where I live. Eric Sansoni: I don't understand the uproar over this Kentucky thing. Were people not paying enough attention to the show to realize the whole point was to reveal who the Simpsons were behind the scenes of their show, not on it? Just because Kentucky is where the real-life Simpsons live, does not mean that is where their show is set. The vast majority of films and shows are recorded in locations that do not match the fictional location they represent. For example, Rumble in the Bronx was filmed in Canada. Michael Nusair: Yeah, but I'm pretty sure they said that they filmed the "show" in the same house they actually lived in. I guess later they moved into MC Hammer's house, but that was still in plain view of their other house -- the one they filmed the show in. "The Incarnate": No, they only said they did that for Homer's 'My Funny Family'. I think that if they got a show, they would build them a house set on the studio lot or whatever, since they sure couldn't build all the other sets they needed for the show inside the house. Plus, it only said that they were "a Northern Kentucky family". Not that the show was set there, and not even that they (the Simpsons actors) still lived there. That could mean that they used to live in Kentucky, and moved somewhere else before they even started the show. Eric Sansoni: But my point is it doesn't matter where they filmed it. It could still be in their original house in Kentucky. But that doesn't mean that's the same place they call the setting of their fictional universe. They might film some gritty New York drama in Chicago. If Luke Skywalker never named the planet he lived on, you wouldn't assume it's Earth just because you found out the show was filmed on the Tunisian desert of Earth. So The Simpsons might film a story about a quirky town in Oregon back at their home in Kentucky. Just because they've never told us if it's Oregon or something else doesn't mean you should assume it's set in Kentucky, just because behind-the-scenes you found out it's filmed there. Adam Long looks at the bigger picture: You know, after reading all these posts I've come to realize that the Kentucky thing is the greatest "Where is Springfield?" gag ever, since this time it's not arguing if the suspected state fits topographically, but rather it's arguing whether the episode was "real" or not, which is even more pointless. The writers sure do know how to shake this group up. Tony Garossino: Yes that's right people OFF does not live in the real world. There is no five corners in the real world, there is no way the Simpsons could live in a town that switches from the east to the west coast weekly. They don't live in Kentucky, they live in Springfield. Springfield represents any town America, it's not located at any specific place because it's not real. Saying they live in Kentucky is like saying that the entire family is inside out because of a Halloween episode. The season finale was not in continuity, got it? A lady named Gina argues: There was never an intentional real-life location of Springfield from the shows inception, there is no "master plan" for the Simpsons so like everything else you see in the show, facts are dependent on the writer who pens each individual episode -- and after that, each "fact" is just another fictional segment of a fictional series which, however creative its beginnings and whatever satire and wit has been injected into it, still exists only to expose you to about 10 minutes of advertising per week. Dale G. Abersold answers: Okay, here's the deal, Gina. On the one hand, you score highly for perceiving that the "Where is Springfield" thing is a running gag written by many different hands over the course of the years. On the other hand, your powers of observation have served you less well as far as reading the collective minds of Simpsons fandom. You have missed the fact that the "Where is Springfield" thing is something that people actually do for fun. Eric Endres: After the nonchalantly wonderful way that KY was revealed as Springfield's state, whether you think of last night's ep as being out of continuity or not (and I don't think it has to be thought of that way, in the way the Halloween eps are ...), I think they should stick with KY as the state. I mean, it's been 11 seasons now. There are, or should be, other running gags to explore and expand. And they can probably even get a good gag or two out of swinging the opposite way with the whole thing now and then; i.e. Kentucky signs 'suddenly' seem to be everywhere, the school kids sing a big ode to Kentucky during an assembly, etc. All as part of the background of whatever else is going on, but noticeable enough to be yet another subtle extension of the whole gag. David Levy: This was "Behind the Laughter", a documentary. Right? Even if you refuse to accept that last night's episode took place outside of the program's regular continuity, how about these possibilities: (occurring within the fictional storyline) The Simpsons are tired of being swarmed by fans, so they requested that the announcer deliberately mention the incorrect state. OR the announcer (or the typist of his script) simply made a mistake. I'm done being reasonable! Now I'm playing your game, people! It feels good to be stubborn! :) Eli K. Eldridge theorizes: It was all a clever deception. The Simpsons are not from Springfield, KY or ANY Springfield in the US of A at all. They are in fact from Wilmington, Delaware. You see, the mention of vacationing there was just a clever ruse to explain their presence if they are ever detected. Tongue (presumably) in cheek, "Hoff" contributes: hi, i'm logged in from a salt mine in khazakstan. i'm seven hundred feet below the surface, and a three-day uphill snowy trek from the nearest electrical socket. but, i just heard that the Simpsons live in Kentucky ... da? nyet? Ben Kruse: I though the Kentucky line was hilarious and knew that some people would take it as fact. Don't, it's a bit. In fact, let's rest the whole "Which State" debate all together, there is no answer. I would like to recommend the following debates to take its place: Will this show ever end seeing that the writing is still Grade-A verbal art? How does Rupert Murdoch put up with this abuse? Who does Ted Turner think he is? Reasons a Simpsons movie is a bad idea. Why won't the Emmy's let "The Simpsons" into the Outstanding Comedy Series category? Professor Frink, Man or Super-Man? Dale G. Abersold has the last word: I maintain that there is no such place as Kentucky. - No, really. Where *is* Springfield? Dino Scoppettone: The bet here is that in one of the first episodes next season, there will be a throwaway line that completely contradicts the "Behind the Laughter" line. [Actually, we didn't even have to wait that long. For the repeat airing on July 12, the voice-over changed to, "Southern Missouri family" -- Ed.] Maximilien Robespierre points out: It's dumb for the writers to think anyone would believe they are from Missouri, considering Springfield Elementary was moved from there brick by brick. Not only that, but Abe will be deep in the cold ground before he recognizes Missourah! Rebekah Garringer: When they first played Behind the Laughter I laughed so hard at the Kentucky line. I thought that the writers threw it in to keep everyone at ATS buzzing all summer long. Now that they have changed the line to Missouri, I'm sure of it. I can just see them laughing at all of us and thinking we need to get a life. Arup Baral: Ahh, somehow they switched it up on us. I knew it wasn't Northern Kentucky. I think it'll change every rerun. Chris Palm: Something tells me when it goes into syndication there'll be different lines for each individual state. For instance, when it airs in Boston, it may very well be eastern Massachusetts. Bill McNeal: Yes, it will change EVERY time it's aired. Which means that the episode can only be aired 48 more times for the rest of eternity, right? Don Del Grande writes: It'll probably be like "Lisa the Greek" -- when it makes it to syndication, it will go back to "northern Kentucky". And when the Season 10 DVDs come out (probably sometime between 2005 and 2010), they'll probably have two audio tracks where the only difference is that one says Kentucky and the other Missouri From the Great White North, J. C. White reports: Canadian Global network affiliates and NTV Newfoundland aired the original "Northern Kentucky" ending of the Behind the laughter episode last night. So far, I've seen the "Southern Missouri" ending only on Fox. R. M. Crusoe has what might be the best answer: Personally I think Springfield is just a state of mind. Springfield is all around you. How many times have you gone into a Kwik-E-Mart and paid Apu for a Squishee? Can anyone really say that Edna Crabapple was never their teacher in grade school? Everybody has listened to Bleeding Gums Murphy, or met Barney Gumble, or had a run-in with Chief Wiggum. And there is certainly a little Bart in all of us. Look around ... Jebediah Springfield is probably immortalized in bronze somewhere in your town, even of the name on the plaque is different. Who was Bozo? Why, just a cheap-ass wannabe Krusty imitation. Didn't you watch Itchy and Scratchy on TV when you were a kid? Sure you did. Your mind is just playing tricks on you, trying to tell you that the names were "Tom" and "Jerry". Now really ... what the hell kind of names for a cat and a mouse are THOSE? Look around you, fellow Springfielders. You ARE wherever you perceive yourself to BE. >> Miscellaneous, Etc. Eric Sansoni reports this episode scored a 9.0 (and a 15 share) Neilsen ratings. He goes on to say, "Despite the season finale hype, these ratings are about average for the year, and in many cases lower than other episodes this year." Damian Penny: Telemundo [is a] Spanish-language US television network. ============================================================================== > Quotes and Scene Summary {jp} ============================================================================== % We pass through the "P" in the Simpsons logo again and go to a still shot % of OFF on the couch in the "ta-da" pose. A narrator talks. Narr.: They were the first family of American laughter... [Magazine covers featuring the Simpsons] ...surfing a tidal wave of hilarity... [A crowd of people in a street guffaws at a projected image of Marge vacuuming] ...onto the sands of superstar bay. But behind the chortles, this funny fivesome was trapped in a private hell. [A photo of the Simpsons driving on the Simpsons driving on the beach turns negative and black and white, then burns] Homer: [interviewed backstage] Everybody wanted a piece of us. Marge: [interviewed on the lawn] They told us what to wear, how to dress, which clothes we should put on. Bart: [interviewed at the playground] The cops found me driving on the sidewalk. Lisa: [interviewed in her room] I had no business hosting the Oscars. After the show, Meryl Streep spit on me! [Slow motion shot of Meryl Streep's spit flying through the air; spit hits a picture of Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa on the Simpsons' fireplace; it falls to the floor and breaks into four pieces, one with each person] Narr.: Tonight: the Simpsons as you've never seen them before, on "Behind the Laughter". [A hammer comes in from offscreen and breaks each fragment of the picture further] -- "Behind the Laughter" % The theme song for "behind the Laughter" comes on, which is the theme from % VH1's "Behind the Music". Negative tinted monochromatic clips from The % Simpsons are shown: Marge shoots a pistol from "The Springfield % Connection", Homer stares blankly from "Homer's Phobia", Homer vacuums his % eyeball from "Lard of the Dance", Bart runs from Homer down the stairs from % "Bart's Friend Falls in Love", Lisa plays her new saxophone from "Lisa's % Sax", Maggie doles pacifiers to waiting babies from "A Streetcar Named % Marge", and Bart falls down a well from "Radio Bart". % % Bird's eye view of Springfield, as the narrator identifies this as the % site of the family's journey into show business. As he introduces the % children, we see old home movies of what they were like as babies. % Young Bart puts a water hose in car's gas tank; Marge yanks it out. % Sometime during the winter, young Lisa walks out on the snow's surface, % then sinks into it; Marge digs her out. Finally, Maggie scribbles with % a marker all over Homer, who is sleeping on the couch; Marge runs over, % but, indifferent, lets it continue. Marge: Nobody told us how tough it is to raise kids. They almost drove me to fortified wine. Homer: Then we figured out we could park them in front of the TV. That's how I was raised, and I turned out TV. Ned: [interviewed on his couch] I'd see 'em sitting on that couch all day long, just staring at that Hollywood hogwash. Homer: Our favorite show was "Hollywood Hogwash", but we also loved "The Dreck Squad"... Marge: ..."The Malarkeys", "Dumbin' it Down"... Lisa: ..."Sheriff Lowbrow"... Bart: ..."Home Improvement"... Homer: ...but we never saw people like *us* on TV. Bart: TV families were always hugging and tackling issues. Marge: Homer kept saying he could do a more realistic family show. Finally I said, "So do it. Either [bleep] or get off the pot." Narr.: And [bleep] he did. Using his home as the studio and his family as the cast, this penniless Peckinpah shot a crude five minute video. -- "Behind the Laughter" % Footage of the film. It is shot in black and white in the foyer, facing the % dining room. Homer: My Funny Family, take 1. [claps clapboard, runs out front door] And ... action! [comes in again] Honey, I'm home. The boss is coming to dinner and I need a clean shirt. Marge: I haven't done the laundry yet. Homer: Mama mia! Now I'll have to do it! [walks over to a washing machine in the hallway and pours detergent in] Lisa: Dad, that's too much detergent-- Homer: Not now, I'm busy turning on this washing machine. [suds flow from the top of the machine and start filling the room; Maggie makes a shocked expression as the suds surround her] Bart: [comes in the front door wearing a fake mustache and a sash labeled "Boss"] Simpson! Where's my dinner?! Homer: Mama mia! -- "Behind the Laughter" Lisa: It was amazing how fast Dad betrayed his vision of a realistic show. Marge: Okay, the material was a little corny, but Homer and I had real chemistry onscreen. Homer: Every day I thought about firing Marge ... you know, just to shake things up. -- The family discuss their early film test, "Behind the Laughter" % Homer drives to Hollywood, but discovers from the destination road signs % that his distance is increasing. He makes a U-turn across the highway % median. % % Things don't get much easier when Homer finally arrives in Hollywood. % ABC, NBC, and Telemundo all reject the Homer's pilot. As luck would % have it Marge's hairdresser was also the Fox network's president. % He evidently agrees to hear Homer's pitch, and Fox likes it enough to % order thirteen episodes. Footage shows Homer and Rupert Murdoch's % hands signing their first names on a Perpetual Service Agreement form. % Mr. Murdoch needs a little coaching to get the job done. % % The show is an immediate hit. A bunch of girls scream hysterically at % a television showing Bart skateboarding ... in a hysteria ward. Some % workers come in with giant hoses and blast them with streams of water. % % Bart figures he know the show would be a hit when he saw a kid at % school wearing a Bart Simpson T-shirt (emblazoned with one of Fox's % clever slogans.) Lisa is suddenly invited to the other kids' birthday % parties, whether she knows the birthday kid or not. Narr.: "The Simpsons" was a smash. Viewers couldn't get enough of the show's fractured take on the modern family. Bart: The funniest stuff came right out of real life. [Rehearsal footage: Homer and Bart sit on the front couch] Homer: Son, let's go out for frosty chocolate milkshakes. Bart: Cowabunga, dude! Director: And, cut. Bart: Dad, I've never said "cowabunga" in my life! Your script sucks! Homer: Why, you little...! [chokes Bart] Director: Hey, that's funny! [Homer and Bart think for a moment, then continue the strangling as an act] Homer: And that horrible act of child abuse became one of our most beloved running gags. -- "Behind the Laughter" % A conveyor belt transports figurines of Homer throttling Bart through % a factory. Narr.: With Simpson merchandise selling like crazy and Simpson gin wetting whistles worldwide, the money was pouring in. [The Simpsons, their dog, cat, and fish roll around in the cash filling the living room] Marge: We were using fifty dollar bills as toilet paper, and toilet paper as dog toilet paper. [A cement mixer fills the Simpson house with caviar and the whole family throws it around and eats it] Narr.: Convinced that the good times would never stop rolling, the Simpsons moved out of their trademark house and into M.C. Hammer's. [The house is lowered by helicopter onto a hill; using a mallet, Homer changes the sign on the gate from "HammerTime" to "Ho merTime"] Bart: We found a secret room that was filled to the ceiling with parachute pants. I'm wearing some now! [moonwalks and splits while beatboxing] Narr.: But pants or no pants, the Simpsons were flying high. -- The Simpsons enjoy good times, "Behind the Laughter" Krusty: [interviewed in his dressing room] Yeah, I've seen all the overnight sensations -- Brad Hall, Rich Hall, Rich Little, Little Richard -- but the Simpsons blew 'em all away. They even had a hit record, meanwhile Krustophenia sits on the shelf! Lisa: None of us had ever sung before, but Mr. Geffen believed in us. All Simpsons: [playing tambourines in recording studio and singing] We're gonna groove tonight We'll make you feel alright Simpsons Boogie Narr.: "Simpsons Boogie", "Lovely to Love Your Lovin'", and "Simpsons Christmas Boogie" went mega-platinum and swept the Grammys. [Grammy Awards ceremony] Ozzy Osbourne: Right, and the award for best hardcore thrash metal goes to [opens envelope] "Simpsons Christmas Boogie"?! [The Simpsons get up to accept their 16th or so award as the audience applauds; Osbourne bites the funnel off the award and its base squirts blood] -- Simpsons musical endeavors, "Behind the Laughter" % Lisa, Marge, Homer, Bart, and Maggie lie in a grassy field as roses fall on % them. Narr.: For America's favorite family, everything was coming up roses ... but those roses contained ready-to-sting bees. When we come back-- Homer: I want to set the record straight -- [deliberately] I thought ... the cop ... was a prostitute. [nods] Narr.: When "Behind the Laughter" continues. -- "Behind the Laughter" % [End of Act One. Act Time: 7:08 Running Time: 7:08] % % After one season on the air, "The Simpsons" is a smash both in America % and abroad. Even the Queen of England is amused by the family's % antics. % % A parade is arranged for the family. Crowds in the street cheer as the % Simpsons pass by in a convertible; the enthusiasm stops when they pass % by and the pope, Santa Claus, and an astronaut come by. Narr.: But behind the streamers and confetti, storm clouds were gathering. [Storm clouds block the sun] *Figurative* storm clouds. [The clouds leave] Moe: [interviewed in the bar] Oh, Homer was spending money like a teenage Arab -- heh. He bought me a Rolex and, uh, Cashmere jeans. I felt kinda guilty 'cause I was always trying to score with his wife. So, when do we start filming? [looks at camera] ...Oh. Lenny: [interviewed on the curb outside Moe's alongside Carl] Even Bart was throwing dough around. He paid me and Carl a thousand bucks to kiss each other. Carl: Hey, did we ever get that money? Narr.: But reckless spending and interracial homoeroticism were just volume one of the Encyclopedia Self-Destructica. [The book explodes] -- The start of money trouble, "Behind the Laughter" Narr.: Even more harrowing were the events of one April afternoon. [An April calendar pops out of a jack-in-a-box] Bart: The script originally called for *me* to jump the gorge, but I had been up all night paying people to kiss, so Dad volunteered to do the stunt. Homer: [watching the gorge jump from "Bart the Daredevil"] Everything was going great at first; I felt like I was king of the world. Homer: [on tape] I'm king of the world! Whoo-hoo! Whoo-hoo! Homer: Right about here I realize something's wrong. Yup, there I go. [rolling down the cliff] Then came the rocks -- jagged rocks, hitting me with their jags. Narr.: The sequence became an instant comedy classic, but what the audience didn't see was the unfunny aftermath. [In the hospital, Homer, with many casts, tries to walk using handrails but snaps his other leg. He collapses to the ground screaming, but when the nurse dumps pills in his mouth, he stops] Somehow, Homer became addicted to painkillers. It was the only way he could perform the bone-cracking physical comedy that made him a star. ["Little Big Mom": Homer gets hit in the crotch with mounds of snow when skiing; "Lard of the Dance": Willie pounds Homer in the vent; "When You Dish Upon a Star": Homer falls through a skylight; "Lost Our Lisa": mayhem in the cherry picker; "Sideshow Bob Roberts": Homer rams into the chimney clinging to a wrecking ball; "A Milhouse Divided": Bart breaks a chair on Homer] Homer: Why did I take much punishment? Let's just say that fame was like a drug, but what was even more like a drug was the drugs. -- Homer's drug addiction, "Behind the Laughter" % In spite of the behind-the-scenes issues, the family's star kept rising % "like a plastic bag caught in an updraft." Speaking of star's the % Simpsons are awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, near Milton % Berle, Nelson Mandela, and the Cheerios Honey Bee. % % Although the awards kept rolling in, the Simpson's earnings kept % rolling out. Comic Book Guy reports that when Lisa tried to buy a % rare comic at his store, the check "bounced higher than Rubber Girl." Narr.: Where did the money go? Marge lost much of the family fortune investing in birth control products. Marge: I learned something -- when people reach for their diaphragm, they don't want to see my picture. -- Some lessons are easier than others, "Behind the Laughter" Narr.: As the Simpsons' money dwindled, their expenses soared. From the original group of five, the cast ballooned to dozens, then hundreds. Wiggum: [interviewed outside his police car] I'd never acted before in my life, but, uh, if the sea captain could be in the show, why not me? I've even got a catch phrase -- N'yeah! Wah! Wah-wah-wah! No, I lost it. Narr.: Then, another bombshell: an anonymous tipster alerted Uncle Sam that the Simpsons were evading their income taxes. Apu: [interviewed in a shadow in the Kwik-E-Mart] Yes, I finked on Homer, but, you know, he deserved it. Never have I seen such abuse of the take-a-penny/leave-a-penny tray. Narr.: The tax men were merciless. [IRS men vacuum Homer's gold jewelry off him; another tows away the mansion with a tractor. Homer: Hey, they can't take our house; my potbellied pig is in there! [sobbing] Oh, Mr. Porky.... -- The money trouble worsens, "Behind the Laughter" Narr.: Inevitably, the behind-the-scenes turmoil took its toll on their TV series. Director: And action! [aborted couch gag: OFF sits down on the couch in western clothes, but Bart is missing] Hold on, cut. [the family grumbles] Bart, if it's not too much trouble.... Bart: [being massaged and having his toenails files, he talks into a cellular phone] Fine, I'll do "Teen Wolf Three". I've got fair weather friends to feed. [high fives man holding the phone] Lisa: Dad, I want to go to bed. Aren't there child labor laws? Homer: [defensive] Who told you about those laws? Was it Marge? Marge: Hey, you've been riding me all day. Why don't you poop in your hat? Kang: Are you going to need us tonight? Kodos: I have ballet tickets, not that they'll do much good now. -- Trouble on the set, "Behind the Laughter" % The family's troubles took their toll on the show. Plots became more % gimmicky and outlandish, as in "The Principal and the Pauper." Trendy % guest stars, like Stephen Hawking, Butch Patrick, and Gary Coleman % appear in a bid to boost the ratings. % % But that wasn't all. Bart judges a Miss Hawaiian Tropic beauty contest % at the Sheraton Haleakalualea. On the way home, he gets into a scuffle % with the flight attendants on a Hawaiian Airlines jet. He's led off the % plane in handcuffs, covering his face in shame. While cools his heels in % rehab, his friend Richie Rich substituted for him on TV. Ratings for % the show plateau, then sharply plummet. Narr.: Desperate to polish their tarnished image, the family agreed to a live appearance at the Iowa State Fair. Lisa: Right from the start I had a bad feeling about that gig. Narr.: It was an evening that none of them would ever forget ... or would they? No. [On an outdoor stage at the fair, the Simpsons come out wearing large ceramic heads of themselves [see comments section], then they take them off] Homer: Hello, Iowa! Does anyone have a doughnut? [uproarious laughter] Marge: Now Homer, this is no time to be thinking about food. Bart: Yeah, forget the doughnuts, we're here to *go* nuts! ...musically, that is. Lisa: What kind of songs should we play? Marge: Something that swings, with the beat of New Orleans. Homer: No, something that rocks! That's the sound of today! Marge: Swings! Homer: Rocks! Girls: Swings! Boys: Rocks! Narr.: Sadly, this argument was not part of the act. Homer: I'll kill you! Marge: You don't have the guts, little man! Lisa: [takes microphone] Folks, we're just having a little family tiff, if you'll just bear with us -- Bart: Oh, shut up! Always trying to act so mature! I'm glad you make the least money! Lisa: Oh, that's it! [tackles Bart] [The rest of the family starts fighting] Narr.: Before a riot could break out, Jimmy Carter came to the rescue with his comedy break dancing. Carter: [singing] Got a brother named Billy And my teeth look silly Break it down, now [break dances] [the audience cheers for Carter while security restrains the Simpson family; the ceramic Homer head rolls off the stage and smashes in slow motion] Narr.: The dream was over. Coming up: was the dream really over? Yes it was. Or was it? And Homer finds a new passion: dusting and polishing mixing boards. [Homer does] When "Behind the Laughter" continues. -- Tempers flare at the Iowa State Fair, "Behind the Laughter" % [End of Act Two. Act Time: 7:41 Running Time: 14:49] Narr.: The Simpsons' TV show started out on a wing and a prayer, but now the wing was on fire, and the prayer had been answered ... by Satan. After the state fair fiasco, none of the family were speaking to each other. Fox put the show on hiatus and replaced it with hidden camera footage from the dressing room at Ann Taylor. Homer: That slugfest at the state fair was really a blessing. It gave us a chance to pursue solo projects. I returned to my first love: the legitimate theater. [Rent II: Condo Fever: Two young women stand in front of a door] Artist: As a young female artist, I really love living in this east village loft. [knock on door] Oh, that must be our new landlord, Mr. Stingly. Homer: [comes through the door dressed in black, a cape, top hat and fake mustache; laughs evilly; sings] Where is the rent? I must have the rent. Dollars, dimes, and nickels -- I need them all right now! Homer: [holding a piece of fake wall with a bite out of it] I literally chewed the scenery. -- Homer's solo project, "Behind the Laughter" % The other family members also had solo projects. Bart replaced Lorenzo % Lamas on "Renegade." Marge created a nightclub act that featured % her rendition of "I Shot the Sherriff." She closes the song by telling % the audience, "the next time you see a sheriff, shoot him ... a smile!" Narr.: Lisa "sang", too, in a tell-all book blasting the family. [Lisa talks on a stage about her book "Where Are My Residuals"] Lisa: To prolong the run of the series, I was secretly given antigrowth hormones. [reporters gasp] Homer: That's ridiculous. How could I even get all five necessary drops into her cereal? [pause] What? -- Lisa's solo project, "Behind the Laughter" % Needless to say, the book does nothing to mend the growing divisions % between the family members. In fact, nobody really seemed to get along. % That Thanksgiving, everyone brought his or her lawyer to dinner. Even % the most innocuous comments brought the threat of lawsuits and counter- % suits. It was the best Thanksgiving ever. I mean, emotionally, it was terrible, but the turkey was so moist! --Homer's Thanksgiving with lawyers, "Behind the Laughter" Narrator: The carcass of the Simpsons' empire had been picked clean, but then came help from an unexpected source. Hibbert: [interviewed at his desk] I knew there was only one person who could reunite this troubled clan: my old fraternity brother, Willie Nelson. W.Nelson: [interviewed in his bus; robot arms braid his hair] I'd do anything for Kegmeister Julius, so I cooked up a phony awards show. [robot display reads "hair jam"] Not again! Time saver, my ass! Bart: When Willie asked me to be a presenter at the New Awareness Awards, I had to think about it ... for about a microsecond! Marge: You just don't say no to the redheaded stranger ... and when I heard that it was for awareness, that sealed the deal! Narrator: Would Willie's fence-mending eggs bear fruit? Or would his olive branch be torn apart by woodpeckers of mistrust? -- "Behind the Laughter" % At the New Awareness Awards presentation, Willie Nelson hosts. A man % finishes playing a song. Narr.: That night, fate wore a cummerbund ... of suspense! W.Nelson: Thank you, Taco, for that loving tribute to Falco. Now, to present the award for most violent rap group, Homer Simpson! [Homer walks on from left stage] And Marge Simpson! [Marge and Maggie walk on from right stage] Homer: What's she doing here?! W.Nelson: And Bart and Lisa Simpson! [Bart is lowered from a crescent moon and Lisa rises out of the floor] Lisa: Hey, what's going on? W.Nelson: Well, I'll be honest. The New Awareness Awards are all an elaborate sham. W.Allen: [in audience, with many awards] What? I knew it was too good to be true. [throws awards to floor] [The Simpsons turn their backs to each other] Lisa: So this whole thing was just a trick to get us back together. W.Nelson: Well, I'm also trying to patch thing up between Van Halen and Sammy Hagar. [In the audience, they humph and turn their backs] But the main thing is for you folks to stop this silly feud, isn't that right, people? [The crowd cheers, then chants "hug"; the Simpsons eventually do and the audience cheers again; Willie Nelson's two ponytails raise a la Pippi Longstocking] -- The Simpsons reunite, "Behind the Laughter" % The Simpsons sit on a grassy hill beside a pond. Narr.: The Simpsons' bitter past was forgotten, and now the future looks brighter than ever for this northern Kentucky (*) family. [(*) Replaced with "southern Missouri" on subsequent airings; see "Comments" section for more] Homer: We put all the craziness behind us, and now it's time to get back to what matters: the show ... and the Sunday comic strip. Marge: Which Homer writes himself. Bart: So you *know* it's great! [winks] Homer: Why you little...! [chokes Bart] Narr.: So whether choking their son or poking some fun, the Simpsons will keep on gagging for years to come. -- "Behind the Laughter" % The Simpson family watch a man editing an episode. On the monitor, they sit % in the living room. Marge: I can't believe it! We won another contest! Homer: The Simpsons are going to Delaware! Lisa: I want to see Wilmington! Bart: I want to visit a screen door factory! Homer: [to editor] This'll be the last season. [editor nods] -- Scene from next season of The Simpsons, "Behind the Laughter" Narr.: Next week, on "Behind the Laughter": Huckleberry Hound. H.Hound: I was so gay ... but I couldn't tell anyone. -- Preview for the next episode, "Behind the Laughter" % [End of Act Three. Act time: 5:21 Running time: 20:10] % % Over the credits, clips of Homer's stunts from past episodes are shown while % "Simpsons Christmas Boogie" plays. From "Brother from the Same Planet": Tom % beats up Homer. From "Homerpalooza": Homer takes a cannonball to the gut. % From "Homer's Phobia": reindeer knock Homer around as he holds Bart in the % air. From "Lard of the Dance": Willie strangles Homer with the hose. From % "Kidney Trouble": a car falls on Homer. From "A Milhouse Divided": Bart % breaks a chair on Homer as he bathes. From "I'm With Cupid": Homer hangs % from the plane and crashes into a bunch of stuff. From "Little Big Mom": % Homer skiing. From "Lost our Lisa": a drawbridge closes on Homer's head. % From "Dumbbell Indemnity": Homer jumps out of Moe's running car, rolls down % a hill, and back into the car, which falls off a cliff onto the water. The Simpsons: We're gonna groove tonight We'll make you feel alright Simpsons Christmas Boogie We're dancing to the beat We'll make you move your feet Simpsons Christmas Boogie Simpsons Christmas Boogie Simpsons Christmas Boogie -- Simpsons Christmas Boogie, "Behind the Laughter" % [Credits Time: 0:53] ============================================================================== > Contributors ============================================================================== {ah} Aaron Hirshberg {am} Arjun Minstrel {bjr} Benjamin Robinson {ddg} Don Del Grande {dj} Darrel Jones {dp} Damian Penny {gc} George Cutlip {jc} Jeff Cross {jd} Joey Denatsate {jk} Joe Klemm {jp} Jerry P. {jr} James Reisdorf {ma} Matthew Anscher {ndc} Nicolas Di Candia {tpl} T. P. Liang {vp} V. Paterno ============================================================================== > Legal Mumbo Jumbo ============================================================================== This episode capsule is Copyright 2001 Benjamin Robinson. It is not to be redistributed in a public forum without consent from its author or current maintainer (capsules@snpp.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 Quote and Scene Summary itself is Copyright 2001 Jerry P. This capsule has been brought to you by the producers of "Peepin' It Real!" 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.