Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


The Simpsons episode
"Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?"

Herb returns as a poor man
Episode no.	59
Prod. code	8F23
Orig. Airdate	August 27, 1992
Show Runner(s)	Al Jean & Mike Reiss
Written by	John Swartzwelder
Directed by	Rich Moore
Chalkboard	"I will not fake seizures"
Couch gag	The family cartwheels onto the couch
Guest star	Danny DeVito as Herb Powell, Joe Frazier as himself
DVD commentary by	Matt Groening James L. Brooks Al Jean Nancy Cartwright Rich Moore
SNPP capsule
Season 3 September 19, 1991 – August 27, 1992
Stark Raving Dad Mr. Lisa Goes to Washington When Flanders Failed Bart the Murderer Homer Defined Like Father, Like Clown Treehouse of Horror II Lisa's Pony Saturdays of Thunder Flaming Moe's Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk I Married Marge Radio Bart Lisa the Greek Homer Alone Bart the Lover Homer at the Bat Separate Vocations Dog of Death Colonel Homer Black Widower The Otto Show Bart's Friend Falls in Love Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?
List of all Simpsons episodes...

"Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?" is the 24th episode of The Simpsons' third season. It was originally supposed to be the opener for season four, but FOX decided to air it earlier to promote the series premiere of Martin; thus, it became the finale of season three.

1 Synopsis
2 Trivia
3 Cultural references
4 External links

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Homer J. Simpson "wins" the First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence, a fictional $2000 prize awarded by Montgomery Burns. The name of the "award" was hastily concocted by Burns on the spot in an attempt to convince Homer to sign a waiver freeing the nuclear plant of all liability for Homer's recently discovered sterility. Joe Frazier is the host of the award ceremony, which features extraordinary extravagance (including a lengthy opening) but only the one $2000 prize awarded to Homer. Despite planning on using the money for a vibrating chair- the Spinemelter 2000, Homer agrees to loan the money to his bitter half-brother Herb Powell who, ruined by Homer previously, is now a hobo. Herb's idea to become rich again is by making a machine to translate a baby's words into actual English. Using Homer's money to develop his invention, which is an instant money-making success, Herb becomes rich once again. Along with returning the money to Homer, he buys several gifts for the Simpson family, including a washer-dryer for Marge, an honorary membership to the NRA for Bart and a subscription to the Greater Books of the Western Civilization for Lisa. Herb then tells Homer that his gift to him is that he forgives him for ruining him in the first place, and he and Homer re-establish a brotherly relationship. Finally, Homer is rewarded for his generousity and faith when Herb has a truck pull in with Homer's vibrating chair.

[edit] Trivia

The fight between Barney and Joe Frazier was originally going to have Barney victorious, however, Frazier's son objected.
Even though Homer eventually got the Spinemelter, it was never seen again in the series. However, it does appear in the games Virtual Springfield and The Simpsons Hit And Run.
So far in the series, this is the last major appearance of Herb. The next time he's even mentioned is thirteen years later in the episode "The Heartbroke Kid", where Homer questions who else would need to lose weight, the last person he mentions being "my seldom-seen half-brother Herb", quickly going to a shot of a picture of him on the wall.
The song played during the opening of the "First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence" is referred to as "The Field of Excellence" on the album Go Simpsonic with the Simpsons and is track 14.
The couch is undamaged in the end of the episode, even though Bart destroyed it at the beginning of the episode, but no explanation is given. (It may be the "something nice" that Herb got for Maggie.)
Marge's very shaky washing machine and dryer, which was taken away when Herb bought her a new washer-dryer, are being used as "racers" at Moe's Tavern.

[edit] Cultural references

The episode title is a play on the Great Depression-era tune "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?". (Mr. Burns sang this song in the second season episode "Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish"). Additionally, "two dimes" is gambling slang for two thousand dollars, which is the amount Homer lends Herb.
One of the men that sits with Herb by the fireplace in the beginning of the episode looks very similar to Charlie Chaplin's character The Tramp. The Tramp also eats a boot in the Chaplin movie The Gold Rush.
The images Homer sees when sitting in the Spinemelter chair parodies 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Homer reminisces about sitting on the couch while watching Dallas (specifically Kristin's revelation that she shot J.R. Ewing), the Hands Across America charity event, and the Berlin Wall coming down, which he switches over to Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C..
When Herb is sitting on the park bench, a character similar to a bearded Tom Hanks from Forrest Gump can be seen in the background on another bench.
Homer's line "excuse me while I kiss the sky' originates from the Jimi Hendrix song "Purple Haze".(It also happens to be a play-on on the episode 'Scuse Me While I Miss The Sky.