Today I Am a Clown
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Today I Am a Clown" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons' fifteenth season. The episode aired on December 7, 2003.
[edit] Synopsis
Maggie is locked in the bathroom and she is eventually freed, thanks to Lisa trying their rescue solution a second time. The family hears the doorbell, finding Dr. Hibbert, who says that Santa's Little Helper had impregnated his poodle, Rosa Barks, and he turns over the puppies to the Simpson family and making them their problem. Although Lisa reads a Simpsons episode guide that says that Homer was taking Santa's Little Helper to have him neutered, Homer was never able to complete the deed. Bart and Lisa give out puppies to people, including Krusty, who takes him for a walk to his old neighborhood.
However, when Krusty returns to his old neighborhood, and finds that his star is not on the Jewish Walk of Fame, he goes to complain and finds out he did not have a bar mitzvah, which means he is not a Jewish man. Bart and Lisa take Krusty to see his father, who agrees to help Krusty achieve his goal. But with this happening, Krusty cannot do shows on Saturday (the Sabbath); therefore, he must seek a replacement, and gets Homer to replace him for the day. Homer's replacement show is a talk show, featuring Moe, Lenny (later replaced by Barney and Disco Stu), and Carl as panelists. The show becomes a success in its own right; meanwhile, Krusty continues to learn his Jewish traditions.
Homer's show is a surprising success, so much that Krusty's show is eventually cancelled by Channel 6. Lisa suggests that Homer put his power to good use after listening to Lisa's advice, but ironically, ratings decline and Homer's show is also cancelled. Krusty, after being fired by Channel 6, pitches his bar mitzvah to the Fox network (knowing that they'll "take chances on crap"). When his bar mitzvah ("Krusty the Klown's Wet 'n' Wild Bar Mitzvah"), featuring Mr. T as a guest, airs, it becomes a ratings smash, drawing "Raymond rerun good" ratings, but the spectacle disappoints his father. To impress him, Krusty arranges to have a true and (almost) serious bar mitzvah in a synagogue.
[edit] Trivia
- The premise for this episode is technically false; bar mitzvahs ceremonies are largely arbitrary, and not having one has no bearing on a Jewish male's standing as a "real" Jew.
- The book that Lisa reads to discover that they got S.L.H neutered because of the last time he had puppies is 'The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family', where she must be reading the 'Two Dozen and One Greyhounds' page.
- The dog neutering clinic which Santa's Little Helper is taken to is called Nuts Landing, a reference to Knots Landing.
- Its is implied in this episode that Krusty has a Cocaine problem: He is shown putting a finger on his nostril and inhaling, to then claim to Bart and Lisa, who he realizes are staring at him, "You know, (nervous laugh) sniffing flowers. (Depressed) Such expensive flowers. Filled with remorse."
- A racial joke is made when the black Dr. Hibbert shows the Simpsons a picture of Rosa Barks, who turns out to be a "purebred" white poodle.
- Comedian Jon Stewart is mentioned.
- The popular Johnny Cash song Ring of Fire is played at the episodes beginning.
- Lisa has an imaginary friend named Rachel Cohen who goes to Brandeis University.
[edit] External links
