[3F12] Bart the Fink
Bart the Fink Story by Bob Kushell
Teleplay by John Swartzwelder
Directed by Jim Reardon
=======================================================================
Production Code: 3F12 Original Airdate in N.A.: 11-Feb-96
Capsule revision E, 28-May-96
"TV Guide" Synopsis {sp}
Bart inadverently alerts the IRS to tax fraud by Krusty the
Clown, who can't bear to live "like a schnook" after the
government sells his possessions. Bob Newhart has a cameo.
Opening Sequence
COUCH SCENE
A ringing sound is heard as the couch spits up a picture of
OFF in sitting position like a FAX machine, which then slides
under the couch.
(Recycled from 2F17.)
Did you notice...
... Hans Moleman at the Krusty Burger?
... the "Mad About You" ad on the bus?
Ricardo A. Lafaurie Jr.:
... the couch scene stops before the paper slides under the couch?
... it seems the new Simpsons font is a permanent fixture.
... Grieg's "Morning" plays after the haunted house scene?
... Hans Moleman is white in this episode?
... the bus ad was for a competing television program that we are
missing right now? [See Freeze Frame Fun]
... Krusty calls Bart "kid"?
... Rainier Wolfcastle at the funeral?
... Krustofsky's middle name is Shmoikel? (cf. "Springfield's
Most Wanted" back when 2F20 first aired)
... McClure spoke Krusty's full real name but introduced Melvin
van Horne as "Sideshow Mel"?
... Corporal Punishment is bawling like a baby?
... Handsome Pete looks like Krusty but that he's shorter and
his face is properly distorted as it looks from McAllister's
POV?
... one of the bad checks is from Tim Bailey, layout artist?
... Krusty's white face "ain't makeup"? (cf. 9F09)
... Krusty's nose really is red?
... Krusty fakes his death _twice_?
... Bart, Lisa, and Krusty nearly get hit by flaming wreckage?
Dale G. Abersold:
... funeral guests included Sideshow Luke Perry, Sideshow Raheem,
David Crosby, and Don King (not to mention the usual Krusty the
Klown show staff).
Haynes Lee:
... the initials of the Bank of Springfield is B.S.?
... Milhouse is getting even crazier?
John Murray:
... Bart was able to get a checking account at 8?
... stuff at the IRS building Food Court, Probate Court?
... Marge's gambling debts from last year was $700?
... Hans Moleman lives and waited 6-8 weeks for his food?
... Homer wishes he was dead?
... Krusty's yellow color washes off in the water?
... Krusty's hair changes color and moves after yellow comes off?
Benjamin Robinson:
... Bart doesn't write a check for more than 75 cents?
... Don King shows up for the funeral?
... although Lisa objects to cable theft, eating meat, and abusing
disability programs, she has no problem with insurance fraud
(or, for that matter, tax evasion)?
Rick Diamant:
... Hans Moleman risking his life once again by eating a Krusty
Burger?
... a cross on a tombstone in the cemetary? Wouldn't Krusty be
buried the Jewish section?
Jason Hancock:
... the comic book man likes "Dr. Who?"
... OFF arrives at the bank at 11:35 am?
... the checkbook confirms that OFF lives at 742 Evergreen Terrace?
... Bart writes a postdated check to Milhouse, even though it is
illegal to do so?
... Sideshow Mel has his own parking space?
... the Krusty water fountain on his estate, complete with seltzer
bottle?
... Krusty drinks Coca-Cola?
... Skinner's mother is named Agnes?
... Chief Wiggum assumes that Krusty is dead without checking the
scene for any further wreckage?
... Kermit the Frog is at the funeral?
... Marge admired Lyndon Johnson?
... the Crazy Old Man and Mrs. Glick in Dr. Hibbert's office?
... the Etch-a-Sketch in Lisa's room?
Don Del Grande:
... when they leave the haunted house, Maggie stretches her arms
along with the others?
... Maggie didn't get her $100?
... the taco restaurant sells tacos for $1 each, whereas, for
example, Taco Bell sells them for 59 cents each?
... Bart signed the forms for his bank account by himself despite
being only 10 years old? (Maybe Marge co-signed it later; Bart
has to sign it so the bank has a record of his signature)
... Bart's checks are bound so the ones he writes first are the
ones that are last in the Hindenburg explosion?
... Bart's checks are numbered "1 2 21100 2449 095" at the bottom?
... Bart's checks have the year filled in as "1996" already?
... Bart's check to Lisa is dated January 3, made out to "Lisa",
and is written in pencil?
... Krusty stamps his check "Cayman Islands Offshore Holding
Company", but it doesn't say which one?
... Apu spells his last name "Nahasapeemapetilan"? (No more
arguments)
... Bart's check to Jimbo is for "Services Rendered"?
... Krusty is popping Jiffy Pop when he's arrested?
... Krusty wasn't at Bart's birthday party in 8F11?
... this time, Springfield is not in the Central time zone as "Mad
About You" is on at 7 PM there?
... Bart wasn't at an auction of Krusty memorabilia?
... when the Simpsons watch Krusty's plane at night, Maggie is in
a lavender baggie and her hair ribbon matches the color?
... Sideshow Raheem, Sideshow Luke Perry, Mr. Teeny, Tina
Ballerina, and Corporal Punishment were at the funeral?
... Lisa has an Etch-A-Sketch in her room?
Michael Stein:
... the taco restaurant that has the "100 Tacos for $100.00" looks
like Taco Bell?
... Krusty STILL doesn't know who Bart is?
... the IRS Burger has such names for their sandwiches as "The
IRS-Wich", parodying similar "thematic" foods at McDonald's,
Burger King, et. al.?
... customers at IRS Burger have to fill out forms for their
orders, then wait 6-8 weeks?
... Bart feels so guilty for what he's done, he wants Krusty to
punch him?
... Mrs. Glick, the woman who Bart once did chores for, appears
in the waiting room of Dr. Hibbert's office?
... Mrs. Glick doesn't have any recollections of Bart?
... Luke Perry is one of the many "Sideshow"-type sidekicks to
attend Krusty's funeral?
... Sideshow Mel points out that Sideshow BOB is the only former
Krusty sidekick not available?
... when Troy begins his speech, he goes from sad to glad in almost
an instant?
... Kent Brockman wearing some sort of earpiece?
... Patty and Selma use Krusty's briefcase to bathe their feet in?
... Handsome Pete looks almost like Krusty, except that he's
shorter?
Frederic Briere:
... OFF's civic number is now 742?
... there is no state abbrev. or zip code on the checks?
... Jimbo asks for a measily dollar?
Mark Richey:
... the tellers at the bank are wearing antlers when Bart complains
about Krusty's stamp?
... Krusty is arrested within five minutes of Bart showing the
check to the teller?
... the TV photo is courtesy of Homer Simpson?
... Krusty thinks Sideshow Mel is a "frill"?
... Krusty is now living in a mansion, complete with a Krusty bush
sculpture and a Krusty fountain?
... Bob Newhart talks exactly the same way in real life that he
does in his act?
... Bart's black armband?
... the crazy old man, Jasper, and Mrs. Glick at Dr. Hibbert's
office?
Jose Lafaurie:
... Jimbo's real name is Corky?
... Krusty cashed a check for a measly 25 cents?
... Bart's eyes roll outward at the end of Act I?
... a silhouette of Marge's hairdo is visible through the window at
the "IRS Burger"?
... the garbage bins in the IRS Burger are marked "Gross Refuse"
and "Net Refuse"?
... no check is made out to any "McAllister", but instead read "Sea
Cap'n"?
Veronica Marquez:
... after the auction, someone carts off a large package marked
"TO JAPAN"?
... Bob Newhart is the only non-Sideshow funeral guest not wearing
black?
... Rory Bellows sounds somewhat like Ernest Borgnine?
... the words "roary" and Bellows both have to do with loudness?
Cast
Starring
- Dan Castellaneta (executor, Homer, Krusty, Cayman Islands guy,
Sideshow Mel)
- Julie Kavner (Marge, Selma, Patty)
- Nancy Cartwright (Bart)
- Yeardley Smith (Lisa)
- Hank Azaria (comic store guy, IRS guy 2, puberty boy, auctioneer,
phone bidder proxy, Moe, Apu, Chalmers, Chief
Wiggum)
- Harry Shearer (clerk, new account opener, Kent Brockman, IRS guy
1, Jasper, Skinner, Hibbert, McAllister)
Also Starring
- Pamela Hayden (Milhouse, Jimbo)
- Tress MacNeille (Agnes Skinner, Mrs. Glick)
Special Guest Voice
- Phil Hartman (Troy McClure)
- Bob Newhart (himself)
Movie, Music, and other References
~ "Barton Fink" (Film by Joel & Ethan Coen) {dga}
- title of the episode sounds like the movie title
+ "Psycho"
- haunted house looks almost exactly like the one used in film
+ "Fotomat" drive-through film developers {jh}
- "Tacomat" restaurant similar (location in parking lot)
+ Hindenburg Disaster
- the series set is called "Oh, the Humanity", which is what
a reporter on the scene uttered when the crash occurred
+ Willie Nelson {hl}
- had similar tax problems
+ Enola Gay, the plane that bombed Hiroshima
- "I'm-on-a-rolla Gay" a parodied name
- Haynes Lee {hl} says it looks more like the Spirit of St. Louis
+ Pickfair, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford's estate {jh}
- Krusty lived at "Schtickfair"
+ "That's Amore"
- the Dean Martin song Krusty is talking about
Elvis Presley
- rumors of faking his own death
- the voting of the Krusty stamp
+ Buddy Holly {hl}
- he died in a plane crash
+ Dan McLean's "American Pie"
- "The Day the Local Laughter Died" pun on "The day the music
died", a line in the song
- the song was a tribute to Buddy Holly (see above)
"The Muppet Show"
- Troy introducing Bob Newhart and running back applauding him
like Kermit used to do
+ "Vertigo" (Film by Alfred Hitchcock) {dga}
- Bart looking for the dead Krusty like James Stewart looking for
Kim Novak.
- music used in the episode sounds like Bernard Herrman's score
+ Moby Dick
- "Call me back, Ishmael" is rephrasing of first lines "Call me
Ishmael."
~ "Friends" {mar}
- earlier this season, it was revealed that Chandler had a third
nipple just like Krusty's
"Batman" (1989 film by Tim Burton) {dga}
- Krusty wears flesh-colored (well, yellow) makeup, like the Joker,
to cover his grotesque appearance.
+ "Sailor's Hornpipe"
- Handsome Pete plays this
Freeze Frame Fun
Law Office
THE LAW FIRM OF
D E W E Y , C H E A T H A M ,
H O W E , & W E I S S M A N
Sign in Bank
YOU'LL GO APE
OVER OUR CAR
LOANS
Ordering Slip
BANK OF SPRINGFIELD
TIME TO REORDER
CHECK STYLE NO. 9 "Oh, the Humanity!"
Name and Address Check Order
Bart Simpson ???
742 Evergreen Terrace ???
Springfield, USA ???? ???
Sign in New York
OUR INTEREST RATES
ARE THROUGH THE
R O O F!
IRS Plaza
PROBATE COURT
<-----------
FOOD COURT
--------->
Sign on bus {ddg}
ARE YOU MISSING MAD ABOUT YOU RIGHT NOW?
NBC -- MUST SEE TV -- Sundays at 8
Some people in crowd after plane crash (left to right) {jh}
Ruth Powers
Ned Flanders
Milhouse
Janey
OFF
At the funeral
Rainier Wolfcastle and Maria Shriver-like wife
Don King
Luke Perry
Kermit the Frog
David Crosby (Brian Henson?)
Mrs. & Mayor Quimby
Cast members at funeral (left to right) {jh}
Corporal Punishment
Tina Ballerina
Mr. Teeny
bearded lady?
Luke Perry
Sideshow Raheem
Sideshow Mel
The memorial sign
_______________________
| S e e 'y a r e a l |
| s o o n k i d s ! |
|_______________________|
_____________________
| |
| HERSCHEL KRUSTOFSKY |
|_____________________|
Wreath {ddg}
KRUSTY - YOU CAN NEVER BE REPLACED
LAF(FO) - 369-3064 (see below)
At the docks
The Sea Cap'ns
Bait 'n Barg'n B'n
C'mon 'n,
we're op'n
On the side of the cash register
DO NOT Accept
Checks from
These Buccaneers
Checks from: Tim Bailey
Pay to the order of _The Sea Cap'n_
Three dollars
???
Pay to the order of _The Sea Cap'n_
Six dollars for a ship in bottle
Rory B. Bellows
Pay to the order of _H Pete_
$12.67
Technical Credits (if you care)
Overseas Animation: Rough Draft {ddg}
Assistant Director: Klay Hall
Animation Timer: Michael Polcino
Previous Episode References
- Similarities between 3F12 and 7G12 ("Krusty Gets Busted") {fb}
- Krusty gets involved with the law
- File photo looks the same {rd}
- "The Day the Laughter Died" {jh}
- His show gets off the air
- His face makes national news
- Bart & Lisa conduct their own investigation until they find out
what's going on
- Previous references to Elvis Presley:
- 7G07: Blackboard scene "I did not see Elvis", with final line
reading momentarily "I did see Elvis"
- 7F04: One of the tombstones read "Elvis"
- 7F24: Bart when Homer says MJ is in the mental health clinic says
"And is Elvis with you?"
- 8F07: There's an "Elvis section" in the VHS Village
- 8F09: Burns has a photo of him with Elvis, and imitates him
- 8F13: Ozzie Smith visits Graceland
- 8F19: Homer buys a suit especially designed for Elvis (compounded
that this is a parody of Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis' manager)
- 8F22: An ad for an Elvis doll in the back of Lisa's magazine
- 9F05: Photo of Burns and Elvis seen
- 9F07: Elvis sightings when Homer flips through the wad of bills
(they were fake sightings, though. Surprise, surprise)
- 9F16: Elvis lookalike shoots TV at the end of "Little Barbershop
of Horrors"
- 9F21: Wiggum shoots TV like Elvis
- 1F04: Tombstone reads "Elvis -- Accept it"
- 2F15: Lisa Marie reference to Elvis' daughter, who got married
to Michael Jackson (and divorced him)
- 3F12: Rumors of Elvis faking his death and that he lives on the
sea; Krusty/Elvis stamp
- [7G12], [8F24], [9F09] Krusty's pacemaker scars are seen/mentioned
{jh}
- [7F09], [8F05], [9F19] Corporal Punishment appears
- [7F10] Great-Aunt Hortense is mentioned {jh}
- [7F17], [1F14] "You must spend one night in a haunted house"...
- [8F01] One of the OFF staff's phone number is seen (Wesley Archer in
8F01) {jl}
- [8F03], [1F05] Legitimate Businessman's Club {ddg}
- [8F05] Gina Ballerina appears
- [8F05], [1F21], [SC#3] Teeny the monkey appears
- [8F05], [2F20], [3F04] Krusty's real name is given
- [8F11] Bart's birthday at a pizza restaurant {ddg}
- [8F24] Krusty's superfluous nipple and pacemaker scar {dga}
- [9F02] Kent has problems with his studio team {fb}
- [9F09] Krusty's white face "ain't makeup"
- [9F09], [2F10], [3F11] Homer is seen with reading glasses
- [9F11] A relative we have never heard of before dies {dga}
- [9F13] Sideshow Raheem appears
- [9F14] Troy acts downcast then perks up and says "Hi, I'm Troy
McClure..." {vm}
- [9F19] Sideshow Luke Perry appears
- [9F19], [2F16] Mayor Quimby's wife appears {hl}
- [9F20], [9F21] David Crosby appears {hl}
- [1F03] Someone cares about public broadcasting {fb}
- [1F04] Shemp (of the Three Stooges) is referenced
- [1F08] Marge's gambling problem
- [1F12] OFF gets their heritage {fb}
- [1F19] Rainier Wolfcastle's wife appears {hl}
- [2F14] Krusty trying to run away (cf. Homer running away on "Park")
{fb}
- [2F14], [2F19] Bank of Springfield appears
- [2F32] Homer fails to console Lisa/Bart about BG Murphy's/Krusty's
death {jl}
- [3F01] Pier 1 is mentioned {jm}
- [3F08] Krusty does his show without any resources {fb}
Animation, Continuity, and other Goofs
- The animation in the first minutes of Act I was a bit off.
= Some envelopes that were on the executor's desk disappears in
the shot of Homer saying there's no such thing as ghosts. {jl}
c When the family arrive at the haunted house, CC reads "(shutter
banging)" but no sound is heard ('cept for the lightning)
+ Marge actually contributed money to the CPB in 1F03; why would she
be against it now? {jh}
= The Tacomat is farther away in the first shot than it is in the
second. {jl}
= There are more people in the bank in the interior establishing shot
than anyplace else. {jl}
= There are 5 or 6 people in line in the bank, but Marge and the kids
go straight at a counter. {fb}
= Maggie isn't in the car when the family drives away from the bank.
{jl}
* The "time to order new checks" blank should be the last stub, not
the first. {hl}
c After Bart looks at his flip check book, he says "Cool!", but CC
credits the line to Lisa.
* The one-cent check to Lisa is supposed to be written out as "Only One
Cent", not "One Cent and No/100 Cents". {ddg}
+ Bart's check to Jimbo was a $1 check dated January 4, but the check
returned to him was a 75-cent check dated January 6. {jh}
+ Apu doesn't accept checks (see 3F03).
+ The digits in Bart's checks begin as normal digits, but later appear
as the square kind of digits normally on the bottom of checks. {ddg}
+ All of Bart's checks are numbered "001" in the book. {ddg}
+ All the checks are written out January 5th or 6th of 1996, except
for the check written to Krusty which is dated 1995. {wtc}
= The pen at the teller's desk is gone when he calls New York. {jl}
+ There's a photo of Krusty at Bart's birthday party, but Krusty says
in 2F12 that he doesn't do birthday parties. {ddg}
- The IRS Plaza is sloppily drawn. {jl}
* Doesn't Bart get 10% of the money the IRS got from Krusty? {ddg}
+ Didn't Marge get over her gambling problem in 1F08, 2 years ago, not
one? {jm}
* Schedule B is for reporting dividends and interest; a gambling loss
would be listed on Schedule A, and (a) no more than any gambling
winnings listed on the 1040 and (b) only those losses you can prove.
{ddg}
= When Krusty is walking to his mansion, no sign of it is seen in the
background; in the next shot, the mansion is placed in such a way
that we should have seen it in the last shot. {jl}
+ Krusty changes houses yet again. {mar}
- Moe is sloppily drawn in the far shot. {jl}
= Selma has her arms to her sides except in close-up shots where her
arms are crossed. {jl}
* It would be impossible to get the cartons of pornography on the
stand so quickly. {jl}
* Moe goes to Krusty's bedroom unusually quickly.
= Krusty collapses on a couch that came out of nowhere. {jl}
- When Selma is soaking her feet, her right foot has five toes. {jl}
+ The van Houtens, Groundskeeper Willie, Apu, and Sanjay weren't in the
opening crowd shot of the auction, yet they all buy something. {ddg}
{jl}
+ Krusty mentions that he doesn't want to live in an apartment, but he
did live in an apartment in 9F19. {ddg}
+ A bike rack appears at the Kwik-E-Mart. {jl}
= Agnes' dress changes from blue to purple to blue to purple again.
{jl}
+ We've never seen that mountain behind Evergreen Terrace before. {jh}
= Homer and Bart are pretty close to where the funeral is being held,
but when Homer is talking about the dead "celebrities", they take
a rather long while to reach the funeral. {jl}
= In one shot at the funeral, Mayor Quimby looks black.
* There can't be a USA Krusty stamp until the tenth anniversary of his
death, unless he's elected President. {ddg}
= Bart is wearing a black armband when he sees Krusty for the first
time after his death, but when Bart runs home it's gone. {mar}
+ Krusty's pacemaker scar, birthmark, and superfluous nipple
disappeared in some episodes, most notably 9F19; now they are seen
again. {jh}
+ The cattle-skull birthmark and superfluous nipple disappear in some
scenes. {jh}
+ Wouldn't _somebody_ notice Krusty bailing out of the plane? And
wouldn't anybody be suspicious that there was no body? Of course,
this is Springfield... {mar}
= The way we see the crash, the shoes fall out of the plane right after
the crash, but they took some time to fall in the real crash.
= A lot of unusual camera angles are employed in the Rory Bellows/
Krusty scene that make it impossible for the boat to leave the slip
the way it did. {jl}
+ Krusty's illiteracy (originally mentioned in 7G12) is mentioned
again, but in other episodes (e.g. 9F08 and 1F16) he reads. {jh}
+ Krusty wore clown makeup in the past (cf. 7G12), but in 9F09 he said
his pale skin "ain't makeup." {jh}
Comments and other observations
Tax Evasion Through Creative Accounting
Benjamin Robinson says, "When you store some of your wealth in overseas
accounts, you are still supposed to report it to the IRS so they
can assess taxes on it. Most countries will cooperate with the tax
man when he asks about your overseas assets, so you theoretically
can't get away with saying you have no money stashed away in some
foreign land. Some nations, like the Cayman Islands, are notorious
for keeping your little secret. As a result, they've become havens
for money launderers, tax cheats, and the like. I don't recommend
trying this at home; people have been caught at it, and payback's a
bitch."
Celebrities in the Afterlife
Benjamin Robinson tells us about the infamous celebrities Homer wants
to join.
"John Dillinger was a notorious bank robber during the Depression.
Federal agents ambushed him in front of a movie theater and shot
enough holes in him to turn him into a colander."
"Ty Cobb was an early baseball player, recently immortalized in the
movie, `Cobb'. He was such an ornery cuss that he makes Monty
Burns look like a pussycat in comparison."
"Josef Stalin was the dictatorial ruler of the Soviet Union from
the '30's until his death in 1953. The title of `World's Most Evil
Ruler' is usually a tossup between him and Hitler."
He adds, "If these people are in Heaven, I'm booking passage for Hell."
Andre the Giant, We Hardly Knew Ye
Mark Richey says Andre Giant is "a former pro wrestler. He became
an actor and co-starred in `The Princess Bride'. He died about
five years ago."
Sitting Shivah
Benjamin Robinson says, "Shivah is a Jewish mourning ritual, sort of
like a wake, observed by the family of the recently departed.
Among other things, the family covers all the mirrors in the house
(mirrors are a sign of vanity), avoids pleasurable activities, and
basically drops out of civilization for a while. Relatives and
friends come over to comfort the surviving family members. Shivah
lasts seven days; the name comes from the Hebrew word for `seven.'"
Uhm, uh, heh, Bob, uh, that is, uhm, Newhart
Jason Hancock remarks, "Interesting choice for the producers to choose
Bob Newhart for a guest voice in an episode involving a bank. For
the last couple of years Newhart has been done commercials for
Norwest Banks, a Midwestern bank chain. In the ads he answers the
phone, "Hello, Norwest?" and stutters as he tries to explain what
Norwest offers to customers." Also, Marcia Wallace, who voices
regularly as Ms. Krabappel, was on "The Bob Newhart Show".
Unfortunately, she wasn't in this episode.
The number on the wreaths (or Let's Bug the Producers)
Dave Hall says, "For those who were wondering about the `369-3084'
number on one of the wreaths at Krusty's funeral, it's Bill
Oakley's office phone number." What area code, though? ... ;-)
"Mad About You", aka The Devil's Show
"Mad About You" is an NBC television show that competes with "The
Simpsons" for the 8:00 timeslot, and IMHO is inferior. Then again,
everything is inferior to "The Simpsons", with the possible
exception of "Rugrats"... nahh.
Dr. Who?
Veronica Marquez reports, "`Dr. Who' is a British program about a
man who travels through time. Fox made it into a made-for-TV
movie that aired May 14."
Reviews
Dale G. Abersold - It started out well and ended well, but had a
terrible second act. Bob Newhart's inspired cameo was a highlight,
but I was hoping for a Bob Newhart/Marcia Wallace reunion. I'm
sure some will hate this episode, but I give it a solid B.
Frederic Briere - I spent half an hour staring at the tube, wondering
what was wrong with the show -- or with me -- and the feeling
didn't go away on successive watchings of what seems like a Krusty
Gets Busted rerun. The plot felt as weak as Radioactive Man
(which, ironically, aired on the same night), without any good
satire. A few scenes, like Chalmers and Skinner, or seeing Hans
again, saved it from a total disaster; nontheless, it is still
painful to watch. Grade: D
Chris Courtois - "Bart the Fink" was another hit-and-miss episode.
There was a goldmine of clever details and touches for the Freeze
Frame/DYN crowd, a so-so but somewhat predictable story for the
rest of us, and what may be the most pointless and lame celebrity
cameo in the show's history. I guess it all balances out to a
C/C-.
Rick Diamant - Now that's more like it! Great plot that they stuck
with, characters stayed in character, lots of LOL funny lines,
scenes, signs, and DYN's. The only flaw was one of the all-time
worst cameos, by Bob Newhart. Because of that, I have to downgrade
to an A-, but only barely.
Don Del Grande - B-minus - not much of an opening, not much of a story,
and not much of an ending. Been there, done that. And I doubt
that I was the only person who saw the "Krusty fakes his death"
coming...
Jason Hancock - Not a bad episode -- better than the last two, but
still not on par with "Team Homer." I liked Troy McClure's
performance at the funeral, the auction scene, and Milhouse's
scaring the girls with Krusty's autograph. However, the Bob Newhart
appearance was lame. Grade: B.
Jose Lafaurie - You call that an episode? It should have been at least
a two parter because it had a very abrupt ending, and a not-so-hot
plot. So far what I've seen from the writers is krap for Krusty
and mush for Marge. They need to understand that these characters
are pretty inflexible. D-
Haynes Lee - A generally good show because Krusty carried it. However
the opening scenes should have been in a Treehouse of Horror
episode (what happened to Hutz?!!) and Bob Newhart guest appearance
was even more lame than Mel Brooks'. GRADE: B-
Adam Lipkin - Well, all in all not a bad episode. The beginning was a
little misleading in that it really gave no clue as to where this
was going (a haunted house? What the hell does that have to do with
Krusty?) Solid plot, good laughs. B+.
John Martin - Pretty good all around. Handsome Pete was hilarious!
("Arr! Not a quarter!") IRS Burger, the Haunted House, Taco Hut,
and Bart's checks ("Oh the Humanity") were also good. I'm still
laughing over Handsome Pete! A-/B+
Todd Morrell - When you are watching a good episode of the Simpson's,
not only do you laugh aloud, but there is a flow to the episode.
Last night, neither of these two sentiments were apparent. The
storyline was choppy and there were many incoherencies. It just
was a very poor episode. Definitely one of the ten worst I have
ever seen. It is like they did a first draft and went with it
without refining the story. I would give it a C, but C is average
and this episode did not come close to average. But since I can't
give a Simpsons episode an F, I'll give it a D. Maybe next week's
will be better.
John Murray - Grade: A- Finally the episode that is half decent.
After a very mediocre season it is nice to see an episode with some
good laughs that actually fit in and work well with the plot. The
whole haunted house thing was a great return to the unexpected
wackiness or lack thereof that makes the Simpsons great. Even
though this episode didn't have a well defined separate sub-plot,.
a staple of great Simpsons episodes, this episode still was great
Let's all hope the trend of better episodes continues.
Mark Richey - Oh, good. Just when I thought that the show was running
out of steam, they come up with a good episode. While not an all
time classic, the first act was hilarious. However, Act III, with
Bart and Lisa's trackdown of Krusty saggd a little. However, it
was far better than the past few weeks. Grade: B
Benjamin Robinson - An excellent chapter in the strange story of Krusty
and Bart's relationship. Deft references to previous episodes
highlight a full-throttle adventure. A good example of making
things unusual enough to be interesting, but not so strange as to
defy belief. (A)
Dan Ryazansky - Not the best of episodes, but a very solid one. The IRS
gags were pretty good, and so was Handsome Pete who dances for
nickels. For a season 7 episode, it is way above average. But for
regular Simpsons, it is just that. B-.
Michael Stein - Better than last week's episode, and some of the plot
elements are much more reminiscent of classic Simpsons episodes
than others. The ending almost dragged on too long, thus causing
Krusty to come up with an abrupt "solution" to his problem and join
Bart and Lisa for another typical Hollywood-style happy ending. To
paraphrase Bart's so-called "book report" on "Treasure Island", on
a scale of 1 to 10, I'll give this ep. a 5 - it's somewhere in-
between "good" Simpsons and "mediocre" Simpsons.
Christine Tiplady - I did not like this episode one bit. The Country
Club episode was much better. "Bart the Fink" was not funny, and
was just plain annoying. Krusty's voice was grating on me by the
end. It's always a bad episode when the featured character's voice
starts grating on me towards the end and I can't help dreading
every time he opens his mouth. I thought it actually approached
painful. [Give a letter grade, next time, though, 'kay? --ed]
Yours Truly - I hated this one for the same reason I hate Sideshow Bob
episodes: I don't find Bart and Lisa as a detective agency very
funny. (But that's just part of why I hate SSB.) I didn't peep in
Act One, I laughed once in Act Two, and by the end of the show I
felt like I would have rather taken the advice of the bus and
watched "Mad About You" instead. Just kidding. Still, this one
was too terrible to be giving anybody ideas. My Grade: D+
AVERAGE GRADE: C/C+ (2.39)
Quotes and Scene Summary {jl}
At the law firm of Dewey, Cheatham, Howe, and Weissman, an executor
and the Simpsons are seated.
Executor: May I offer my condolences on the untimely passing of your
Great Aunt Hortense. As her only living heirs, you stand to
inherit her entire estate.
Homer: [crying] Poor Aunt Hortense! [crying]
[weakly] Woo-hoo.
[crying] [weakly] Woo-hoo.
Executor: The only stipulation is that you spend one night in a haunted
house.
Marge: Isn't that somewhat unusual?
Executor: No, it's a standard clause.
-- Section 2, Paragraph 3, Clause 5, "Bart the Fink"
But Homer isn't worried, because there's no such thing as ghosts.
The family drives up to a particularly large and scary-looking house
right out of Psycho, in a lightning storm at that. But Homer is
still confident: "Yes, there's no such thing as ghosts." All seems
lost, but then a sweet, blissful morning comes around.
Homer: Best night's sleep I ever had.
Lisa: Their tap water tasted better than ours.
-- The Simpsons spend the night in a haunted house, "Bart the Fink"
The executor gives them each $100 (except Maggie), and the rest goes
to Ann Landers, as was stipulated in Hortense's will. The family
look puzzled, and the executor realizes he must have kept on talking
after OFF left, and walks away laughing maniacally.
The family drive away from the "haunted" house.
Marge: What are you gonna spend your money on, kids?
Bart: There's a special down at the Tacomat: a hundred tacos for a
hundred dollars. I'm gonna get that.
Lisa: I'm going to contribute _my_ money to the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting.
Marge: Tacos? Public broadcasting?
-- Regretting your $30 contributon, eh?, "Bart the Fink"
Marge wants the kids to put their money in the bank. When they get
there, Bart spots the Tacomat and wishes he could get those hundred
tacos. The comic book guy comes out with a wheelbarrow full of tacos
for the "Dr. Who" marathon.
At the bank...
Marge: You'll feel better knowing your money's in the hands of
professionals.
Clerk: [in an ape mask] Uk, uk, are you folks ready to go ape?
Lisa: Mom...
Marge: A professional in an ape mask is still a professional.
-- At the First Tarzan Bank (of Springfield), "Bart the Fink"
Bart talks to the man in charge of new accounts.
Man: ... and you'll find that saving for your future is far more
thrilling than any roller coaster.
Bart: Really? Wow, I should have started a long time ago!
Man: Mm-hmm. Now sign these forms. I'm sure you'll find them more
interesting than a weekend with Batman.
-- Batbart signs Batforms, "Bart the Fink"
Later, in the car, Lisa tells Bart she got the new Thrifty Savers
Savings Account. A year from now, she'll have an extra nickel. Bart
got a checking account with free customized checks, choosing the "Oh
the Humanity" check design. Marge worries that Bart will not be able
to handle it, but he thinks he can. Then he gives Lisa a check for
one cent.
At school...
Milhouse: A million dollars? Gee, thanks Bart, I owe you one.
Bart: That's a postdated check, remember. Don't cash it 'til; the
year 10,000
Milhouse: Okay.
[checks his watch]
-- By then you might _be_ an ape, "Bart the Fink"
Bart gives Jimbo a check for a dollar, since Jimbo's holding him
upside down. Jimbo promises to let Bart go when the check clears,
and drags him along the ground.
Bart wants to get Krusty's autograph, but...
That's it, no more autographs. They're naming a burger after me at the
new restaurant.
-- Krusty, "Bart the Fink"
Milhouse got Krusty's autograph on his chest, and offers to press
bellies before the ink dries. But Bart has a better idea: slips a
quarter's worth check into Krusty's pocket. "If he wants this
twenty-five cents, he'll have to endorse the check by signing his
name on the back. Then, when I get my monthly bank statement, I'll
get the check back complete with autograph. No fuss, no muss..."
Milhouse thinks it's a good plan, but it won't impress girls. He
demonstrates by baring his belly to a bunch of girls, who are
revolted. Milhouse then laughs like an idiot.
A month later, Bart gets Lisa's signature, Apu's (?), and Jimbo's
(whose real name is Corky). But Krusty's stamped his check with
a Cayman Islands Off-Shore Holding Corporation stamp. Bart is
enraged, and takes it back to the bank so that they can make him sign
it. The clerk assures Bart that's it's perfectly legal, but there
seemed to be a tipoff (can anything be more suspicious than the
Caymans?) and, in the course of five minutes, Krusty gets arrested
for tax fraud.
[on phone]
Cayman Islands guy: [laughs] I'm sorry, but I cannot divulge
information about that customer's secret illegal
account.
[hangs up]
Oh, crap. I shouldn't have said he was a customer.
Oh, crap. I shouldn't have said it was a secret.
Oh, crap! I certainly shouldn't have said it was
illegal.
[sighs] It's too hot today.
-- Who cares?, "Bart the Fink"
But it takes until 5:00 for Bart to find out:
Clerk: Sorry, the bank is-- oh, kid. Gosh, I'm sorry, I meant to
tell you -- turns out Krusty is one of the biggest tax cheats in
history, and they nailed him, all thanks to you. Some might say
you're a hero, kid.
Not me, however, I love Krusty.
Bart: Ohh...
-- "Bart the Fink"
[End of Act One. Time: 5'36"]
Kent Brockman reports about Krusty's tax "avoision" (with a little
argument with his staff) and mentions that it would have never come
to light if it weren't for Bart.
Bart: Krusty's my hero. How could I do this to him?
Lisa: It's a tragedy for all us kids, but Bart, you can't beat yourself
up.
Bart: Yeah. There'll be plenty of people to do that for me at recess
tomorrow.
-- Krusty's tax avoision comes to light, "Bart the Fink"
At the IRS Plaza...
Krusty: I can't go to jail!! I got a swanky lifestyle. I'm used to
the best.
Man 1: Krusty, this is America. We don't send our celebrities to
jail. We're just going to garnish your salary.
Krusty: You're going to GARNISH my CELERY?
Man 1: Please, Krusty, no jokes!
Krusty: WHO'S JOKING?! Oh, I don't understand what you're saying,
it all sounds so crazy to me.
-- Boo yourself, "Bart the Fink"
Man 2: It simply means we'll be taking a small portion of your salary
until your debt is repaid. Say, 75% for 40 years.
Krusty: But I don't plan to live that long.
Man 1: All right. Better make it 95%.
Krusty: Ah! Oh! Oy...
-- I may or may not die young, "Bart the Fink"
The IRS present Krusty's new clown-related entertainment show, with
no sets, props, costumes, or Sideshow Mel. It's pretty much a
disaster.
Krusty Burger is now IRS Burger, and Homer orders lunch...
Homer: Lesse, I'll have four tax burgers, one IRS-wich, withhold the
lettuce, four dependent-sized sodas, and a FICA-ccino.
Kid: Fill out schedule B. You should receive your burgers in six
to eight weeks.
-- At the new IRS Burger, "Bart the Fink"
Homer does a little math and works in Marge's $700 gambling losses.
Krusty laments his fate after getting off a bus...
They took my money. They wrecked my show, they buried a bunch of
stinking veterans in my family plot. But at least I got my memories.
Those are locked up safe in my fabulous mansion.
-- Krusty, "Bart the Fink"
But his mansion is being foreclosed, for cheap prices. Krusty loses
a handmade leather suitcase (to Patty and Selma)...
My Grandpa Zev would turn over in his grave if it wasn't filled with
some veteran.
-- Krusty when his mansion is foreclosed, "Bart the Fink"
... his pornography (to a bidder in Japan, beating out Jasper)...
Krusty: Oh, my beloved pornography! I can't watch this anymore.
I'm going to bed.
Auctioneer: How much for Krusty's bed?
Moe: Half a buck.
Auctioneer: Sold!
Moe: Good night everybody!
Everybody: Good night Moe!
-- Krusty's mansion is foreclosed, "Bart the Fink"
... and his private plane, I'm-on-a-rolla-Gay.
Krusty: But I love that plane! I used to fly to Vegas in it with
Dean Martin. One time we were flyin' in it, and the moon hit
his eye like a big pizza pie! We wrote a song about it!
But it ended up infringing on one he recorded years before.
-- That's Enole'?, "Bart the Fink"
Patty: Hey, Selma. That plane would go great with your suitcase.
Selma: Nah. I just bought it to soak my feet in.
[which she is doing right now]
Ohh, ohhh...
-- Krusty's mansion is foreclosed, "Bart the Fink"
The auction is complete, and Krusty sits by the curb. Bart comes
by and asks if he can sit down.
Bart: I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused you, Krusty, but you
know, my mom says God never closes a door without opening a
window.
Krusty: No offense, kid, but your mom's a dingbat! There's no silver
lining here. I was a big cheese. A _huge_ cheese! And now
look at me!
I got to ride the bus like a schnook.
I got to live in an apartment like an idiot!
I have to wait in line with a bunch of nobodies to buy
groceries from a failure!
Bart: It doesn't matter what you did wrong, though, as long as you're
on TV people will respect you.
Krusty: [spits] Bah. What good is respect without the moolah to back
it up. Everywhere I go I see teachers driving Ferraris,
research scientists drinking champagne.
I tried to drink a Coke on the bus, and they took away my
pass!
[breaks a bottle of scotch]
That's no life for a famous clown.
-- Ask Willie Nelson or Leona Helmsley, "Bart the Fink"
Bart tells Krusty he can punch him in the face if it'll make him feel
better, and Krusty considers it, but instead tells Bart to go home.
At the Kwik-E-Mart, Apu and Sanjay come out to some buzzing noise.
Shiva H. Vishnu!
-- Apu's expletive, "Bart the Fink"
They see Krusty bawling like a baby in his plane, waving goodbye.
Chalmers and Mrs. Skinner walk up to a house.
Chalmers: I must say I've had a lovely evening, Agnes. I don't suppose
I could come in for a cup of...
[Skinner opens the door and turns on the light]
Agnes: Seymour!
Skinner: Mother! [gasps] Superintendent Chalmers!
Chalmers: Skinner!
Skinner: What I wouldn't give for something to interrupt this awkward
moment.
[Krusty flies by bawling]
That'll do nicely.
-- "Bart the Fink"
The Simpsons come out of hiding to watch Krusty.
Lisa: You gotta hand it to Krusty.
Homer: Yeah. Even with all his problems, he's still willing to do
something unbelievably dangerous just to entertain his fans.
All: Wow.
Bart: Yeah, that's my Krusty. I got a feeling he'll be all right.
[Krusty crashes into a mountain]
-- I said ha-ha, "Bart the Fink"
Everyone stands around the site of the crash, where Krusty's shoes
fall down. Chief Wiggum invites everyone to get a load of the
wreckage, until he spots the tail wing with Krusty's face on it.
Ladies and gentlemen... Krusty the Clown... is dead.
-- Chief Wiggum, "Bart the Fink"
[End of Act Two. Time: 12'11"]
The Simpsons, among many other celebrity guests, have come to the
funeral.
Bart: I can't believe Krusty is really gone.
Homer: Don't worry, son. I'm sure he's in heaven right now laughing it
up with the other celebrities. John Dillinger, Ty Cobb, Josef
Stalin...
[sighs]
I wish I were dead.
-- Give me your money, your baseball, and your life, "Bart the Fink"
We are gathered here today to mourn the passing of Herschel Shmoikel
Krustofsky, beloved entertainer and dear friend... [perking up]
Hi, I'm Troy McClure! You may remember me from other show business
funerals such as "Andre the Giant: We Hardly Knew Ye", and "Shemp
Howard: Today We Mourn a Stooge"!
-- Troy McClure at the funeral, "Bart the Fink"
Troy introduces his first speaker, Sideshow Mel.
I'm going to miss you, Krusty. Me and all the other Sideshows...
except Sideshow Bob.
-- Melvin van Horne at Krusty's funeral, "Bart the Fink"
In the midst of our sorrow, we can take solace in the fact that your
elevated blood alcohol level probably helped you burn up quicker.
-- Melvin van Horne at Krusty's funeral, "Bart the Fink"
Sideshow Mel unveils a simple memorial to Krusty. Troy introduces
Bob Newhart, who mutters his way through a speech. Homer sheds
a tear.
Well, that's the funeral, folks. We'll be sitting shivah at the
friar's club at 7:00 and again at 10. You must be over 18 for the
10:00. It gets a little blue.
-- Troy McClure closes Krusty's funeral, "Bart the Fink"
Bart watches the news at home where Kent Brockman reports on the
unveiling of the new Krusty stamp, where people were asked to vote
on two different signs: one of his heartwarming smile, or of his
fiery death. They picked the first one.
Bart repeatedly pulls a string on a Krusty doll, which nets him
repeated groans from Krusty. (Eww...) Homer tries to console him.
Homer: Don't let Krusty's death get you down, boy. People die all the
time, just like that. [snap] Why, you could wake up dead
tomorrow.
[pause]
Well, goodnight.
-- Aw, I messed up again, "Bart the Fink"
Bart, while walking, spots a pickup truck carrying nets, and someone
with a similar appearence to Krusty. He runs home and talks to
Marge.
Bart: Mom, I just saw Krusty!
Marge: Yes, dear, in your mind.
Bart: No, on the street.
Marge: On the street in your mind.
Bart: Why won't you believe me?
Marge: Sweetheart, sometimes when people die, you just want them to
be alive so badly you see them everywhere. I went through the
same thing when Lyndon Johnson died.
-- Who the hell is Lyndon Johnson?, "Bart the Fink"
At the hospital, Bart sees the same man walk out of Dr. Hibbert's
office, with prescribed pills for queasiness.
Bart: Dr. Hibbert, who was that man?
Hibbert: [chuckles] Why, Bart, telling you that would violate the
patient-doctor privilege, just as if I were to tell you
that Jasper here has five seconds to live.
Jasper: What did he say?
Mrs. Glick: He said I'm next!
-- Jasper Moleman?, "Bart the Fink"
Bart spots the same man scuba diving for lobsters. He talks to Lisa
about it.
Lisa: Bart, you're seeing Krusty everywhere because you want to tell
him you're sorry for causing his death. Would it help if I told
you you're not responsible for Krusty's death.
Bart: Yes. Yes, it would.
Lisa: Well, I can't. You'll just have to learn to live with your
mental problem.
-- Heartless Lisa, "Bart the Fink"
Bart, however, deduces that if he saw Krusty carrying nets, motion
sickness pills, and scuba diving, it can only lead to one thing.
He and Lisa head for the docks.
McAllister: Arr, I've got some customers. Call me back, Ishmael.
-- "Bart the Fink"
Bart blows up a balloon of Krusty and asks "Have you seen this man?"
McAllister recognizes it as Handsome Pete who dances for nickels.
A short guy with a Krusty-like face comes in and plays "Sailor's
Hornpipe". But Lisa says, "No, we're looking for this man: Krusty
the Klown." "Narr, narr, narr," McAllister responds.
It's no use, Bart. We've looked up and down these docks, from Pier One
to that Pier One by Pier 17.
-- Lisa, on the search for Krusty, "Bart the Fink"
But Bart spots something: a bounced check from a man with the exact
same signature as Krusty, Rory B. Bellows, slip eight. Bart gives
Handsome Pete a quarter. McAllister responds "Arr, not a quarter!
He'll be dancin' for hours." Bart and Lisa run to slip eight.
Lisa: Are you Rory B. Bellows?
Rory: Yes.
Bart: How about Krusty the Klown?
Rory: Sorry, I don't do impressions.
Bart: Well, if you're not Krusty, how come you have the exact same
signature as him?
Rory: I'm Rory Bellows, I tell you! And I got some real corroborating
evidence, over here, by the throttle!
[turns the ship up to full throttle and tries to get away,
but his ship is still tied to the dock]
You know, you kids coulda said something instead of letting me
make an ass of myself.
-- You don't need _us_ to do that, "Bart the Fink"
Rory has a pacemaker scar and a third nipple just like Krusty. He
says he is Krusty, but he doesn't want to be anymore, and that's
why he faked his death. Krusty bailed out just before the plane
crashed and jumped into a carefully placed net (well, he hit the
wall first).
Bart: Well, now that we've blown your cover, I guess you gotta come
back and do your show again!
Lisa: Or kill us...
[they both nervously giggle]
-- Way to go Lise, "Bart the Fink"
Krusty: I won't be coming back, kids. I got a sweet life here. The
sea air is cleaning my lungs. The sun is toasting my pale skin
a healthy brown, and most important, I learned that I don't
need money to be happy. All that high living just distracted
me from my true calling in life: salvaging sunken barges for
scrap iron. Sorry, kids, there's nothing left for me on dry
land anymore.
Bart: But, Krusty, what about all the kids who depend on you to
brighten up their afternoon. Are you gonna turn your back on
them?
Krusty: Yes!
-- Good answer, "Bart the Fink"
Krusty sails off, but Bart and Lisa follow him, saying a bunch of
stuff to make him covet his old life. When he sails away, Bart and
Lisa call after him.
[Krusty sails out of view]
Lisa: What about the great feeling you get from knowing you're better
than regular people?
Bart: What about being an illiterate clown who's still more respected
than all the educators in the country put together!
[Krusty throws down his anchor]
Krusty: Yeah! I'm not gonna let those guys hog all the respect while
I'm out here in this stinking tub.
[dives into the water and swims to shore]
That's just what those eggheads want! Well, forget it
poindexter, 'cause Krusty's back in town!
B+L: Yay!
-- Forget those PC thugs, "Bart the Fink"
Krusty shakes off his yellow paint, fake beard, and fake nose (looks
like his real nose is red), then puffs back out his hair. He, Bart,
and Lisa walk off together.
Bart: So, Krusty, what are you gonna do about your tax problems?
Krusty: Don't sweat it. The life of Rory B. Bellows is insured for a
surprisingly large amount.
[far off, Rory's boathouse blows up]
B+L+K: [laugh]
-- Rory B. Bellows: We Are Richer For Having Lost Him, "Bart the Fink"
Bart and Lisa laugh while the credits show up, and Krusty lets slip
one of his goofy laughs.
[End of Act Three. Time: 21'19"]
Contributions
{dga} - Dale G. Abersold
{fb} - Frederic Briere
{wtc} - Wu Tang Clan
{ddg} - Don Del Grande
{rd} - Rick Diamant
{jh} - Jason Hancock
{jl} - Jose Lafaurie
{hl} - Haynes Lee
{vm} - Veronica Marquez
{jm} - John Murray
{mar} - Mark Richey
{sp} - Serge Polishchuk
{bjr} - Benjamin Robinson
Legal crud
The above compilation of observations, quote summaries, statistics, and
other miscellaneous information copyright 1996 Chips-Fey Productions.
Not to be used in a public forum without explicit permission from the
author (Ricardo A. Lafaurie Jr.) or his brother Jose Lafaurie.
Any quoted material above remains property of the original authors;
mainly, quoted material and episode summaries remain property of The
Simpsons, and copyright to Twentieth Century Fox. The compilation is
copyrighted to Jose Lafaurie. So don't sue.