# A Star Is Born Again > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/A_Star_Is_Born_Again > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/A_Star_Is_Born_Again.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Star_Is_Born_Again > Source revision: 1348212464 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Not to be confused with [A Star Is Burns](/source/A_Star_Is_Burns). 13th episode of the 14th season of The Simpsons "A Star Is Born Again" The Simpsons episode Episode no. Season 14 Episode 13 Directed by Michael Marcantel Written by Brian Kelley Production code EABF08 Original air date March 2, 2003 (2003-03-02) Guest appearances James L. Brooks as himself Helen Fielding as herself Marisa Tomei as Sara Sloane Marcia Wallace as Edna Krabappel Episode features Couch gag The Simpsons are marionettes, who fail to reach the couch when they get caught up in each other's strings. The camera pans up to reveal Matt Groening as the puppet master, who throws down his marionettes in frustration. Commentary Al Jean Brian Kelley Ian Maxtone-Graham Matt Selman Dan Castellaneta Michael Marcantel Mike B. Anderson David Silverman Episode chronology ← Previous "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can" Next → "Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington" The Simpsons season 14 List of episodes "**A Star Is Born Again**" is the thirteenth episode of the [fourteenth season](/source/The_Simpsons_season_14) of the American animated television series *[The Simpsons](/source/The_Simpsons)*. It first aired on the [Fox network](/source/Fox_Broadcasting_Company) in the United States on March 2, 2003. The episode was written by [Brian Kelley](/source/Brian_Kelley_(writer)) and directed by [Michael Marcantel](/source/Michael_Marcantel). In this episode, Ned Flanders begins dating a movie star who is in town to film a movie. [Marisa Tomei](/source/Marisa_Tomei) guest starred as Sara Sloane. Writer [Helen Fielding](/source/Helen_Fielding) and *Simpsons* executive producer [James L. Brooks](/source/James_L._Brooks) appeared as themselves. The episode received positive reviews. The episode owes much of its plot to *[Notting Hill](/source/Notting_Hill_(film))* (1999). While that film is about an actress finding happiness with the owner of an [independent bookstore](/source/Independent_bookstore), the episode features Hollywood movie star Sara Sloane ([Marisa Tomei](/source/Marisa_Tomei)) falling for [Ned Flanders](/source/Ned_Flanders) after visiting the [Leftorium](/source/Leftorium). The episode title doubles as a reference to the film *[A Star Is Born](/source/A_Star_Is_Born_(1976_film))* and being [born again](/source/Born_again_(Christianity)), meaning a person who has converted to Christianity, particularly in American evangelism. This is the only *Simpsons* episode in which the same person has been accredited with two different names, where [James L. Brooks](/source/James_L._Brooks) is credited as the Executive Producer and Executive Creative Consultant, and again as Jim Brooks as a Special Guest Voice. ## Plot During the annual Jellyfish Festival, which welcomes back the Stinging Red Jellyfish to the shores of Springfield, [Ned Flanders](/source/Ned_Flanders) becomes depressed because he is alone. The other adults have partners with whom to spend a romantic evening at the Jellyfish Cotillion, and this is Ned's first festival without his wife [Maude](/source/Maude_Flanders). Ned returns to the Leftorium to work on his taxes and take his mind off things. A woman comes in, looking for a pair of left-handed eyelash curlers. After chatting with Ned, she asks him out on a date. After she leaves, Ned notices a movie poster with her face on it; she is Sara Sloane, a movie star. Sara and Ned hit it off, with Sara loving Ned's simple, quaint lifestyle and honesty. They go on several dates, though they encounter some problems, especially from tabloid reporters following them. Also, Sara is much less inhibited than Ned, causing some tension. When her movie wraps, Sara asks Ned to return to Hollywood with her. Ned has a horrible dream about the bad things of Hollywood in a sequence that includes a cameo by series producer [James L. Brooks](/source/James_L._Brooks), and also the ["Hollywood" sign](/source/Hollywood_Sign) reading "Hollyweird", and refuses. Sara therefore tries staying in [Springfield](/source/Springfield_(The_Simpsons)), to be with Ned. She slowly starts settling in with the locals, joining [Marge's](/source/Marge_Simpson) book club hosted by author Helen Fielding and going shopping with Ned. At a concert, to which Sara wears a low-cut dress, Sara tells Ned she wants to have sex with him. Ned eventually relents, but insists on marriage if they are to continue a sexual relationship. Sara is unwilling to get married, and they break up and she returns to Hollywood. She gets a quickie marriage and divorce to [Bob Balaban](/source/Bob_Balaban). Ned finds that he is now more attractive to women because of his famous relationship. ## Production [Marisa Tomei](/source/Marisa_Tomei) guest starred as Sara Sloane.[1] Writer [Helen Fielding](/source/Helen_Fielding) appeared as herself. Fielding was the partner of *Simpsons* writer and producer [Kevin Curran](/source/Kevin_Curran_(writer)) at the time the episode aired.[2] ## Cultural references - This episode is largely a parody of the film *[Notting Hill](/source/Notting_Hill_(film))* (1999).[1] - A billboard depicting Los Angeles personality [Angelyne](/source/Angelyne) can be seen during Ned Flanders' Hollywood dream sequence. - When [Helen Fielding](/source/Helen_Fielding) runs around being chased by [bobbies](/source/Police) and a man in a gorilla suit following the book club meeting and the end of the episode, it is an homage to the British sketch comedy *[The Benny Hill Show](/source/The_Benny_Hill_Show)*. The music featured in the sequence is "[Yakety Sax](/source/Yakety_Sax)", the music used in that series. - [Debussy](/source/Debussy)'s "[Arabesque No. 1](/source/Arabesques_(Debussy))" and "[Clair de Lune](/source/Clair_de_lune_(Debussy))" were used as the background music for several scenes. - After Sara asks Ned out on their first date (when she is leaving the Leftorium), Ned sings a version of [America's](/source/America_(band)) "[A Horse with No Name](/source/A_Horse_with_No_Name)" referring to the date. ## Reception ### Viewing figures The episode was watched by 14.56 million viewers, which was the 22nd most-watched show that week.[3] ### Critical response Colin Jacobson of *DVD Movie Guide* liked the contrast between Flanders and Sara and thought the plot "feels less contrived".[4] On *Four Finger Discount*, Guy Davis and Brendan Dando were "surprised by the sexy in this episode" and highlighted the performance by Marisa Tomei.[5] In a 2008 article, *[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)* named [Marisa Tomei](/source/Marisa_Tomei)'s role as Sara Sloane as one of the sixteen best guest appearances on *The Simpsons*.[1] ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-EW_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-EW_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-EW_1-2) ["Springfield of Dreams: 16 Great 'Simpsons' Guest Voices"](https://ew.com/gallery/springfield-dreams-16-great-simpsons-guest-voices/). *[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)*. May 11, 2008. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080514192211/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20049408_6,00.html) from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved January 28, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Roshanian, Arya (October 25, 2016). ["Kevin Curran, Emmy Winner and Longtime 'Simpsons' Writer, Dies at 59"](https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/kevin-curran-the-simpsons-dead-at-59-1201900138/). *[Variety](/source/Variety_(magazine))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190313065310/https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/kevin-curran-the-simpsons-dead-at-59-1201900138/) from the original on March 13, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 24-March 2)"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/41429600/the-los-angeles-times/). *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. March 5, 2003. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230601052626/https://www.newspapers.com/article/41429600/the-los-angeles-times/) from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023 – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Jacobson, Colin (December 16, 2011). ["The Simpsons: The Complete Fourteenth Season \[Blu-Ray\] (2002)"](http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonfourteen.shtml). *DVD Movie Guide*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120823020618/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonfourteen.shtml) from the original on August 23, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2024. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Davis, Guy; Dando, Brendan (November 12, 2021). ["A Star Is Born Again (S14E13)"](https://fourfingerdiscount.podbean.com/e/a-star-is-born-again-simpsons-podcast-review/). *Four Finger Discount (Simpsons Podcast)* (Podcast). Event occurs at 2:10. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241109202536/https://fourfingerdiscount.podbean.com/e/a-star-is-born-again-simpsons-podcast-review/) from the original on November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 9, 2024. ## External links Wikiquote has quotations related to ***["A Star Is Born Again"](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Simpsons/Season_14#A_Star_is_Born-Again)***. - [The Simpsons portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:The_Simpsons) - ["A Star Is Born Again"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0701046/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) v t e The Simpsons episodes Seasons 1–20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Season 21–present 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 Season 14 "Treehouse of Horror XIII" "How I Spent My Strummer Vacation" "Bart vs. Lisa vs. the Third Grade" "Large Marge" "Helter Shelter" "The Great Louse Detective" "Special Edna" "The Dad Who Knew Too Little" "The Strong Arms of the Ma" "Pray Anything" "Barting Over" "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can" "A Star Is Born Again" "Mr. Spritz Goes to Washington" "C.E.D'oh" "'Scuse Me While I Miss the Sky" "Three Gays of the Condo" "Dude, Where's My Ranch?" "Old Yeller-Belly" "Brake My Wife, Please" "The Bart of War" "Moe Baby Blues" See also Treehouse of Horror list The Simpsons episode guides "The Simpsons Guy" Category --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [A Star Is Born Again](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Star_Is_Born_Again) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Star_Is_Born_Again?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.