Bart Gets Famous
From Simpsons Wiki
"Bart Gets Famous" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons fifth season, which originally aired on February 3, 1994.[1] It was written by John Swartzwelder, and directed by Susie Dietter.[1] Bart becomes a one-line comedian with the catch-phrase "I didn't do it". Guest starring Conan O'Brien as himself.[1]
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Plot
Bart goes on an exaggeratedly dull class field trip to the box factory. However, Bart gets bored with the tour and escapes from the class to go to the Channel 6 TV studio nearby, where he wanders by a beach scene and Bumblebee Man. With his absence, Skinner calls Homer who arrives, thinking that Bart was killed in one of the box-making machines.
Meanwhile, Bart meets up with Krusty, who is angry that he doesn't have his Danish. Because of this, Bart steals a Danish from Kent Brockman and gives it to Krusty who becomes grateful and asks him to become his assistant. (Krusty has forgotten all the other times Bart has helped him out, from saving his career to renewing Krusty's relations with his father.) When Bart returns home, Homer is relieved that he doesn't have to tell Marge that Bart was killed in a box accident. Afterwards, Bart continues his work as Krusty's assistant, though soon he gets tired, in that the cast members don't treat him well, and he doesn't get credited for his work helping the show. However, before Bart decides to quit, Krusty offers to let him say one line in a sketch. Bart messes up his lines and destroys all of the props on the stage. When the crowd's focus comes on him, he tries to get out of it, saying, "I didn't do it", which causes the audience to laugh and applaud. Seeing this, Krusty immediately uses Bart and his "I didn't do it" catch phrase in later sketches, and eventually creates a franchise out of it.
As Bart continues with his "I didn't do it" catch phrase, he begins to fear that the fad will wear off, so he tries to act intelligent (as during his interview on Conan O'Brien's show). Eventually Bart's catch phrase loses its humor and Bart loses his fame.
Marge gives Bart a box of items she kept during his stint, and gives it to him to help him remember his time there. When Homer accidentally breaks the Simpsons' lamp, it sets off a number of memorable catchphrases. However, Lisa isn't amused and says "If anyone needs me, I'll be in my room." As she goes upstairs, Homer asks, "What kind of catchphrase is that?!"
Production and broadcast notes
- Bart's catchphrase in this episode is an intentional call back to an episode in the first season of The Simpsons where it was the catchphrase of Krusty the Klown.[2]
- This episode was shown on the UK's Channel 4 shortly after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. As a result, the references to a tidal wave from Kent Brockman and Bumblebee man were cut out. As of January 2007, these lines are still omitted from airings of this episode. Because of this, Bumblebee Man is seen to take the news script off Kent Brockman, then fall straight over without saying anything.Template:Fact.
- During the production of this episode, the Late Night with Conan O'Brien had not begun filming and Conan O'Brien had only auditioned for the job, but a scene involving a version of the Conan O'Brien Show was written into the episode anyway. At the point of recording the dialog, O'Brien had got the part as presenter of the talk show, but believed it would have been cancelled by the time that the Simpsons episode would air.[3]
- The design of the insides of the box factory featured in this episode was discussed at great lengths by director Susie Dietter and Executive Creative Consultant Brad Bird. Bird wanted the design to be more lively but Dietter wanted it to be more boring to go with the story. Dietter's design was used in the finished episode.[4]
- An intentional reference to a list published by TV Guide of worst theme songs is made near the start of the show. Bart is whistling the Simpsons theme tune and Marge tells him not to whistle "that annoying tune". The Simpsons theme was named by the readers of TV Guide as the most annoying theme ever.[5]