{{About|the episode of The Simpsons|the [[In Living Color]] sketch|Homey the Clown}} {{Distinguish|Like Father, Like Clown}} {{Good article}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox Simpsons episode | image = Homie the Clown.jpeg | caption = [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Legs and Louie|Legs]] (left) is baffled by the similarities between [[Krusty the Clown]] (middle) and [[Homer Simpson]] (right). In order to make a clearer distinction between the latter two characters, [[David Silverman (animator)|David Silverman]] enhanced the lines around Krusty’s eyes and reshaped his beard line. | season = 6 | episode = 15 | director = [[David Silverman (animator)|David Silverman]] | writer = [[John Swartzwelder]] | production = 2F12 | airdate = {{Start date|1995|02|12}} | guests = * [[Dick Cavett]] as himself * [[Johnny Unitas]] as himself * [[Joe Mantegna]] as [[Fat Tony (The Simpsons)|Fat Tony]] | blackboard = "Next time it could be me on the scaffolding"<ref name="book">{{cite book |last=Groening |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Groening |editor1-first=Ray |editor1-last=Richmond |editor1-link=Ray Richmond |editor2-first=Antonia |editor2-last=Coffman |title=[[The Simpsons episode guides#The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family|The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family]] |edition=1st |year=1997 |location=New York |publisher=[[HarperPerennial]] |lccn=98141857 |ol=433519M |oclc=37796735 |isbn=978-0-06-095252-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/simpsonscomplete00groe/page/174 174] |ref={{harvid|Richmond & Coffman|1997}} }}.</ref> | couch_gag = The Simpsons sit down in midair; the couch builds itself on top of them.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season6/page15.shtml |title=Homie the Clown |access-date=2008-03-27 |last1=Martyn |first1=Warren |author-link1=Gary Russell |last2 = Wood |first2=Adrian |author-link2=Gareth Roberts (writer) |year=2000 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> | commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<br />David Mirkin<br />[[Mark Kirkland]]<br />David Silverman | prev = [[Bart's Comet]] | next = [[Bart vs. Australia]] }}
"'''Homie the Clown'''" is the fifteenth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 6|sixth season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It originally aired on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] in the United States on February 12, 1995.<ref name="book"/> In the episode, [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] becomes a [[Krusty the Clown]] impersonator, but is mistaken for the real Krusty by the [[Springfield Mafia]]. [[Joe Mantegna]] returned as [[Fat Tony (The Simpsons)|Fat Tony]], while [[Dick Cavett]] and [[Johnny Unitas]] guest starred as themselves.
The episode was written by [[John Swartzwelder]] and directed by [[David Silverman (animator)|David Silverman]]. Swartzwelder's script required very little rewriting and Silverman considers this one of the best episodes he has directed. He later used it to help him when directing ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''. One dropped storyline for ''The Simpsons'' saw Krusty being revealed as Homer's secret identity and this episode allowed writers to comment upon the similarity of the two characters' design. The episode features references to ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'', ''[[The Godfather]]'', and ''[[The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)|The Maltese Falcon]]''.
==Plot== [[Krusty the Clown|Krusty]]'s gambling debts and reckless spending land him in deep trouble with the [[Springfield Mafia]]. To make more money, he launches a training college for clowns. After seeing a billboard advertising it, [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] enrolls. After graduating, he [[impersonate]]s Krusty at events that the real Krusty deems beneath him, such as children's birthday parties and the unveiling of a new sandwich at [[Springfield (The Simpsons)#Krusty Burger|Krusty Burger]].
The stress of impersonating Krusty makes Homer consider quitting. He soon discovers his uncanny resemblance to the clown has its benefits: [[Chief Wiggum]] rips up a speeding ticket when he mistakes Homer for Krusty, [[Apu Nahasapeemapetilon|Apu]] gives him a discount at the [[Springfield (The Simpsons)#Kwik-E-Mart|Kwik-E-Mart]], and he and his family are given preferential treatment at [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Luigi Risotto|Luigi]]'s restaurant.
Later, Homer realizes that impersonating Krusty also has its pitfalls. When Krusty flees abroad after betting against the [[Harlem Globetrotters]] and losing, and still in debt to the Mafia, Homer is kidnapped by the Mafia when they mistake him for Krusty. Don Vittorio DiMaggio tells Homer he will kill him unless he performs a loop-the-loop on a tiny bicycle, the only trick Homer never mastered at clown college. After he fails to perform the stunt to DiMaggio's satisfaction, the Mafioso is deeply offended.
Soon the real Krusty arrives and the confused DiMaggio forces them to perform the stunt together on the same tiny bicycle. They succeed and their lives are spared, but DiMaggio still requires Krusty to pay off his gambling debt – which proves to be a mere $48.
==Production== [[File:John Swartzwelder Brighter Sharper.jpg|left|thumb|[[John Swartzwelder]] came up with the idea and wrote the script for the episode.]] The episode was written by [[John Swartzwelder]] and directed by [[David Silverman (animator)|David Silverman]]. Swartzwelder came up with the idea and his script required very little rewriting.<ref name="Mirkin">Mirkin, David (2005). Commentary for "Homie the Clown", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> The episode is one of Silverman's favorites and he was pleased to direct it, after enjoying Swartzwelder's script.<ref name="Silverman">Silverman, David (2005). Commentary for "Homie the Clown", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Silverman felt he himself "brought a lot to the party on [this] one", and although "people didn't like [Swartzwelder's script] at the read-through", Silverman thought "the script was really funny, and I had an idea for the opening and presented it with a lot of circus music that inspired the music they used for it. It was great fun."<ref>{{cite news |title=Simpsons super-sized |date=2007-07-27 |work=[[Reno Gazette-Journal]] |author=Merrie Leininger |page=01E}}</ref> He used it, along with "[[Three Men and a Comic Book]]", to help him when directing ''[[The Simpsons Movie]]''.<ref name=silvermaninter>{{cite news|url=http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2280 |title=Interview: 'Simpsons Movie' Director David Silverman Loves Making D'oh |access-date=2007-07-31 |date=2007-07-31 |author=Peter Brown |work=iF Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181153/http://www.ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=2280 |archive-date=2007-09-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[Brad Bird]] also helped Silverman, particularly with Krusty's design.<ref name="Silverman"/> An early idea for ''The Simpsons'' saw [[Krusty the Clown]] being revealed as [[Homer Simpson]]'s secret stage identity. This storyline never developed, but this episode allowed writers to comment upon the design similarity of the two characters. Krusty's appearance and design is just that of Homer's, with clown make-up.<ref name="MTV">{{cite news|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1565538/simpsons-trivia-from-swearing-lisa-to-burns-sexual-smithers/ |title='Simpsons' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers |access-date=2022-01-16 |date=2007-07-26 |author=Larry Carroll |publisher=[[MTV]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220140402/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml |archive-date=2007-12-20 }}</ref> Silverman enhanced the lines under Krusty's eyes, and reshaped his beard line in order to make a clearer distinction between the two characters.<ref name="Silverman"/>
Homer beating up the [[Estonia]]n [[dwarfism|dwarf]] (who first appeared in "[[Burns' Heir]]") was a joke [[Matt Groening]] "had trouble with". [[David Mirkin]] wanted the scene to be violent, but Silverman stated that he thought he had animated the finished product to be too realistic. However, nothing was changed.<ref name="Mirkin"/><ref name="Silverman"/><ref name="Groening">Groening, Matt (2005). Commentary for "Homie the Clown", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> [[20th Century Fox|Fox]] objected to the mafia buying ammunition from a [[Big 5 Sporting Goods]] until Mirkin pointed out that Big 5 sold ammunition.<ref name="Mirkin"/> The second act break was, up until the [[Storyboard#Animatics|animatic]], after [[Fat Tony (The Simpsons)|Fat Tony]]'s line "cancel the world search".<ref name="Silverman"/>
[[Joe Mantegna]] returned as Fat Tony. Mirkin said Mantegna is a joy to direct and that Mantegna loves the role so much, he wishes to voice him "even if he only coughs".<ref name="Mirkin"/> [[Dick Cavett]] guest-starred as himself. Mirkin commented that Cavett's part was probably the "meanest" they had ever been to a guest star. Cavett often told stories involving himself and other famous people and Mirkin decided to make light of that. Cavett did not have any objections.<ref name="Mirkin"/>
==Cultural references== [[File:Homie the Clown Maltese Falcon.png|thumb|right|160px|Silverman inserted a low-angle shot of Fat Tony sitting in a chair as a tribute to a similar shot of [[Sydney Greenstreet]]'s character in ''[[The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)|The Maltese Falcon]]''.]]
* The episode's title is reference to the character [[Homey D. Clown]] from the sketch comedy show ''[[In Living Color]]''.<ref name="BBC" /> * Krusty lights a cigarette with an issue of [[Action Comics 1|''Action Comics'' #1]], the first appearance of [[Superman]], and one of the rarest comic books of all time.<ref name="BBC" /> * Homer forms his mashed potatoes into a circus tent in a parody of [[Richard Dreyfuss]]' character forming his potatoes into a replica of [[Devils Tower National Monument|Devils Tower]] in the film ''[[Close Encounters of the Third Kind]]'' (1977).<ref name="book" /><ref name="BBC" /> * The clown college has a sign reading "Formerly [[Willie Nelson]]'s House", a reference to the singer's tax problems. * The episode contains several references to films related to [[organized crime]], such as the notes played on the wine glasses during Homer and Krusty's bicycle trick forming those of the [[Speak Softly Love|theme]] from ''[[The Godfather]]'' (1972).<ref name="BBC" /><ref name="Mirkin" /> * Homer, having been kidnapped by the mob for resembling Krusty the Clown, attempts to explain that he's not actually Krusty with a fake name. Homer inadvertently stumbles upon [[Joe Valachi]]'s name, whom the mobsters instantly recognize as "The same Joe Valachi who squealed to the senate about organized crime." Homer claims to be [[Benedict Arnold]]; Legs asks "The same Benedict Arnold who plotted to surrender West Point to the hated British?" * Silverman inserted a low-angle shot of Fat Tony sitting in a chair as a tribute to a similar shot of [[Sydney Greenstreet]]'s character in ''[[The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)|The Maltese Falcon]]'' (1941), while Don Vittorio is based on actors [[William Hickey (actor)|William Hickey]] and [[Don Ameche]].<ref name="Silverman" /> * Krusty is threatened with a lawsuit for [[patent infringement]] by [[George Carlin]] regarding "[[Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television]]", with Krusty telling his accountant to pay $10,000 to settle it out of court, as well as a similar fee when learning that [[Steve Martin]] was calling him for what was implied to be another lawsuit relating to the use of his catchphrase "Well, excuse me!" when signing off.
==Reception== In its original broadcast, "Homie the Clown" finished 59th (tied with ''Behind Closed Doors II'') in the ratings for the week of February 5 to February 12, 1995, helping Fox to an overall [[Nielsen rating]] of 7.9. The episode was the fifth highest rated show on the Fox network that week.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nielsen Ratings |date=1995-02-16 |page=6 |work=[[The Tampa Tribune]] |agency=Associated Press }}</ref>
[[Gary Russell]] and [[Gareth Roberts (writer)|Gareth Roberts]],<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=http://doctorwho.org.nz/archive/tsv51/garyrussell.html|title=Gary Russell: From Peladon to Placebos|author=Preddle, Jon|date=June 1997|magazine=Time Space Visualiser|issue=51|access-date=20 August 2020|publisher=The New Zealand Doctor Who Fan Club|quote=I've just done my first non-fiction book, Oh No It's A Completely Unofficial Simpsons Guide for Virgin, co-authored with Gareth Roberts which has, to be frank, been more of a nightmare than it needed to be [the book was published as I Can't Believe It's An Unofficial Simpsons Guide, with Gary and Gareth writing under the pseudonyms Warren Martyn & Adrian Wood].}}</ref> the authors of the book ''I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide'', stated the episode was "notable for its scenes of Homer on trying to emulate Krusty's mini-trike loop the loops".<ref name="BBC"/>
Ryan Keefer of DVD Verdict felt it "features one of the more amusing stunts to cap an episode", giving it an A.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason6.php |title=DVD Verdict Review — The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season |last=Keefer |first=Ryan |date=2005-08-29 |publisher=DVD Verdict |access-date=2008-12-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225151101/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason6.php |archive-date=2008-12-25 }}</ref>
Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide said in a review of the sixth season DVD that the episode "offers a truly terrific show", and praised the "clever ''Close Encounters'' reference, and the ways that it ties together Krusty's mob connection with Homer", concluding "it's a real winner".<ref name=dvdmg>{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonsix.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Sixth Season (1994) |access-date=2008-12-02 |author=Jacobson, Colin |year=2003 |publisher=DVD Movie Guide}}</ref>
Mike Brantley of ''[[The Mobile Register]]'' named "Homie the Clown" the 48th greatest television episode of all-time.<ref>{{cite news |title=Timeless television |date=1999-12-31 |work=[[The Mobile Register]] |author=Mike Brantley |page=D01}}</ref> When ''The Simpsons'' began streaming on [[Disney+]] in 2019, former ''Simpsons'' writer and executive producer [[Bill Oakley]] named this one of the best classic Simpsons episodes to watch on the service.<ref>{{cite news |last=Katz |first=Mathew |title=The best classic Simpsons episodes on Disney+ |work=[[Digital Trends]] |date=2019-11-11|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/best-classic-simpsons-episodes-disney-plus/|access-date=2022-01-16}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_6#Homie_the_Clown|"Homie the Clown"}} {{Portal|The Simpsons}} *{{Snpp capsule|2F12}} *{{IMDb episode|0701128}}
{{The Simpsons episodes|6}}
[[Category:The Simpsons season 6 episodes]] [[Category:1995 American television episodes]] [[Category:Television episodes written by John Swartzwelder]] [[Category:Television episodes about clowns]] [[Category:Television episodes directed by David Silverman (animator)]]