"Bart Carny" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons' ninth season and originally aired on the Fox network on January 11, 1998.^[2] Homer and Bart start working at a carnival and befriend a father and son duo named Cooder and Spud. It was written by John Swartzwelder, directed by Mark Kirkland and guest stars Jim Varney as Cooder the carny.^[1]

1 Plot
2 Production
3 Cultural references
4 Reception
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Plot

When Marge unsuccessfully tries to get the kids to clean up the backyard, Homer runs into the house to exclaim to the family that the carnival is in town. After trying some rides, Bart gets himself into trouble by crashing a display of Hitler's limousine into a tree. Trying to repay the loss, Bart and Homer become carnies.

They meet up with carnies Cooder and his son, Spud. Cooder asks Homer to run his fixed game, but Homer fails to bribe Chief Wiggum, and Cooder's game is shut down. Feeling guilty, Homer invites Cooder and Spud to stay at the Simpson residence, much to Marge's dismay.

To express their gratitude, the Cooders give the Simpsons tickets on a glass-bottom boat ride. When the Simpsons return, they find that the locks have been changed, the windows are all boarded up and the Simpsons' name is crossed off the mailbox and replaced by "The Cooders". The Cooders have tricked them and taken their house. After Chief Wiggum ignores Homer's pleas for help, the family is forced to take up residence in Bart's treehouse.

Homer proposes to Cooder, that if he can throw a hula hoop onto the chimney, they get their house back. If he misses, he will sign the deed over to Cooder. Cooder agrees and steps onto the lawn to watch Homer's attempt. Homer stretches and warms up, as if about to throw, but instead he and his family suddenly rush into the house, leaving Cooder and Spud dumbfounded in the street. Homer has outwitted the Cooders and the Simpsons have their house back.^[3]

[edit] Production

The carnival in this episode is based on the The Eastern States Exposition (currently known as The Big E) fair.^[4] As a child, Mike Scully went to the fair, and had hoped one day to be a carny.^[4] He thought carnies were the coolest people. This is the only episode that Mark Kirkland did not tell his parents to watch.^[5] This is due to Bart's line "Out of my way, I'm Hitler". Kirkland's stepfather was a lieutenant in World War II and was injured while in combat. Cooder was modeled after David Mirkin, who helped write The Simpsons Movie and is the executive producer for two episodes in the ninth season.^[6] Spud's head shape is modeled after Bart's head. The "fisheye effect", when Cooder is looking through the peep hole was drawn by hand, not optically by Mickey Henson. Matt Groening said they had several endings worked out, one where Homer made the hula hoop over the chimney.^[4]

[edit] Cultural references

When Homer and Bart talk through their teeth, while holding the chickens, it is a reference to Bob Hope and Bing Crosby movies.^[6] Some of the prizes for the ring toss game are a Def Leppard mirror,^[6] a Rubix Cube and a Magic 8-Ball.^[7] The song being played, at the end when Homer fixes his "ass groove" is "Groove Me" by King Floyd.^[6]

[edit] Reception

The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called it "one of the most dismally unfunny episodes ever, lifted only by the brief appearance of a talking camel and Homer's clever way of getting Cooder and Spud out of his home. Whereas most of the series's politically incorrect moments are funny and well-observed, this episode seems to be saying that fairground folk and travelers really are deeply unpleasant criminals who are both irredeemable and unworthy of help. Nasty-taste-in-the-mouth time."^[1]

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). Bart Carny. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-11-05.
^ Bart Carny. The Simpsons.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-01.
^ Gimple, Scott M. (December 1, 1999). The Simpsons Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family ...Continued. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0060987633.
^ ^a ^b ^c Scully, Mike. (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Bart Carny" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^ Kirkland, Mark. (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Bart Carny" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d (2006). The Simpsons The Complete Ninth Season DVD commentary for the episode "Bart Carny" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
^ Richmond, Ray; Antonia Coffman (1999). The Simpsons Forever!: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family ...Continued. Harper Collins Publishers, p. 25. ISBN 0-06-098763-4.