Stuff for [HABF20] "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"

Stuff for [HABF20] "Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em"

(Review at bottom.)

DYN: ... the Shakespeare poster in the book store? ... Santa's Little Helper wandering out of the huge castle-kennel back to his regular one, unimpressed? ... complete jibberish in Bart's medical records?

References: + "Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em" (1990) by MC Hammer [album] - inspiration for episode title.

+ "Donkey Kong" [1981 arcade game] - "Monkey Kong" game in the arcades. (see Misc.)

+ "Star Wars" (1977) [movie] - "Triangle Wars" in the arcade uses the same font, or one intentionally similar. - The "Cosmic Wars" poster in the Android's Dungeon also uses the same font and effect. - Yoda and Chewbacca models in the Android's Dungeon.

+ "The Absent-Minded Professor" (1981) / "Flubber" (1997) [movies] - "Why don't you go inside and stir your Flubber while I get to work?" Homer says this to Professor Frink. Flubber is a jelly/rubber-like substance developed by a professor in these movies (and other related media over the years).

+ Planters [snack-food company] - Mr. Peanut, the company's mascot, appears in Skinner's nightmare.

+ "Lord of the Rings" trilogy [novels/movies] - Bilbo Baggins action figure that Skinner has to breast-feed for Bart's amusement.

+ "Star Trek" (1966) [cult TV series] - A model of the Starship Enterprise is hanging in the Android's Dungeon.

+ "The X-Files" (1993) [cult TV series] - A poster of Mulder and Scully hangs on the wall in the Android's Dungeon. - There is a sign reading "Fight the Future", too, which is the name of the X-Files movie (1998).

+ "Dilbert" [comic strip] - One of the "rollercoaster weirdos" wears a "Dilbert's Flying Cubicle" t-shirt (Dilbert is set in an office environment).

Other mentions: - "Peanuts" [comic strip] (in Bart's lunchbox). - "Remington Steele" (1982) [TV series] (arcade game). - "Rocky III" (1982) [movie] (arcade game).

Meta-references: - The book store "Rock Bottom Remainders" is a reference to a rock & roll band that Matt Groening plays in of the same name. (See Miscellaneous for more info.) - Marge carves a "The Simpsons (c) 20th Century Fox" sign, using the classics Simpsons logo. - Skinner doing the blackboard gag in a role reversal.

Previous episode references:
- [7G06] The arcades, and a boxing video game.
- [7G11] Bart uses the "Homer" bowling ball.
- [7F02] Smirking "I've got you now!" while looking through
         somebody's personal file in a dark room.
- [7F04] Bart is unimpressed with dated video games.
- [9F15] "Smiles of Ireland" cf. "The Big Book of British
         Smiles".

Freeze frame fun: Another FFF-heavy episode.

Inside the couch gag vending machine: Homer / Marge / Maggie / Lisa / Bart Moe / Lenny / Carl / Petty[*] / Apu Mr. Burns / Smithers / Nelson, Mrs. Krabapple / Krusty [*] Or Selma.

Stores in Springfield Mall: - 1987 CALENDARS!!! - YESTERDAY'S PUPPIES (covering "PET SHOP") - DUKAKIS CAMPAIGN H.Q. - JCPenney's - ROCK BOTTOM REMAINDERS

Nabil's latest CD: Uma Shang Shang The Flower Song (Cover art features Nabil holding a burning American flag and holding a bunch of flowers.)

Toothache cream: Sunni Smile

The arcades: CAPTAIN BLIP'S ZAPATERIA

Games in the arcades: - CLICK CLACK - UNIPEDE - REMINGTON STEELE THE GAME - ROCKY III VS. CLARA PELLER - DEVIL'S ADVOCATE - MONKEY KO[cutoff - probably ends with NG] - SPACE-TAC-TOE - POLYBIUS - TRIANGLE WARS

Books in the book store: - Wisconsin From Above - Veteran's Day Parades - Smiles of Ireland - The Kansas City Royals - Forever Champions - Drink Your Own Blood and Save (Oprah Reccommends: "Buy Three Copies!") - I, Scoundrel - The How, Why, and Huh? Book of Weather

Marge's flyer:

   SIMPSON
  CARPENTRY
   -------
 YES, WE'RE
 UNLICENSED!

(Stubs have "KL5-0123" written on them.)

DIY warehouse:

BUILDER'S BARN TELL MOM YOU LOVE HER - COPY HER KEYS

Complete jibberish in Bart's medical records: - Asu rure urir - gui tdu rou

Sign:
   THAI FOOD
    FACTORY
FORMERLY PETCO

T-shirts worn by out of town rollercoaster weirdos: - NEWTON'S REVENGE - DILBERT'S FLYING CUBICLE - VOMIT MOUNTAIN

Captions available on Marge's camcorder: - VACATION MEMORIES - ANNIVERSARY FUN - HUSBAND'S PUBLIC HUMILIATION

Goofs: = Homer's shadow disappears when Marge walks in with the laundry. * Homer and Marge's bedroom usually has carpet, unless I just haven't been paying enough attention over the past few seasons. * Milhouse has cried many times without ever having an allergic reaction in the past. - The toy fire truck (that squirts water) literally appears out of nowhere (ie. isn't animated into the shot, but visibly appears from one frame to the next as Homer reaches for it). = Bart and Skinner's flushed cheeks go back yellow in the next shot in the peanut shrimp container. ! There is practically no background noise or people talking at Homer's rollercoaster unveiling. = The red sheet covering the rollercoaster disappears after being pulled down. = Skinner and Bart get their shrimps and peanuts out of nowhere in their hospital beds.

Soundtrack for [HABF20]:
1. "We Will Rock You" (1977) by Queen
   Homer, Lenny and Carl sing it, and imitate the
   famous drum beat.

Miscellaneous Notes:

- Dukakis Campaign The "Dukakis Campaign HQ" as seen in Springfield Mall further illustrates how neglected the Mall is, since (Michael Stanley) Dukakis ran for president in 1988. I'm sure someone here can elaborate further.

- "He like Bruce Springsteen, the Boss, ya?" "The Boss" is rocker Bruce Springsteen's nickname.

- Remington Steele: The Game Remington Steele was a detective TV series starring a young Pierce Brosnan, running from 1982-1987.

- Monkey Kong "Monkey Kong" is one of the games seen in the arcades. For years, an urban legend claimed that the intended name for "Donkey Kong" (the 1981 arcade classic) was "Monkey Kong", but some wires got crossed between Japan and America and it ended up as Donkey Kong in the states. This has never been confirmed by Nintendo, and creator Shigeru Miyamoto (all hail) has claimed he used the name "Donkey" because "donkeys are stubborn".

- The Rock Bottom Remainders The book store "Rock Bottom Remainders" is a meta reference to a rock & roll band that Matt Groening plays in of the same name. The band consists mostly of writers and the like (Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Mitch Albom, Matt, Stephen King, Dave Barry, Amy Tan, Ridley Pearson, James McBride, Greg Iles, Roy Blount Jr. and Scott Turow). They get together for a week each year.

- Half-assed history lesson When Groundskeeper Willie says "...just like the English took our sheep and our women in 1291!" he's probably referring to possible events resulting from Scottish nobles acknowledging England's King Edward I's authority in 1291 after five years of having no monarch.

Review: A ridiculous episode. Another pointless scheme to add to the list, but what really bothered me about this episode was the recurring underlying feminist theme; nobody taking Marge seriously because she's not male, Groundskeeper Willie saying "a principal can be a man or a woman these days," and Lisa saying "dad, put aside your selfish male ego and tell the truth!" I mean, what's the deal? One minute Homer's part in the whole scheme is passive, he's just doing it because Marge says so and the praise rolls off his back and the next minute he's caught up in a Homer vs. Marge dichotomy without any plot development besides him suddenly changing his mind? It's truly dire. Jokes akin to children's cartoons (like Homer eating the huge roll of candy in one go), jokes that simply aren't funny (eels in the photo booth, Homer turning Marge on by reading), and some plain weird moments like Homer crying over his model rollercoaster and later saying "the truth is that I'm perfect, and everything that I touch is perfect!" Where did that come from? Homer isn't Peter Griffin, I wish the writers would realize that. The only saving grace was Kent Brockman's brief appearance. (D)

Harry Michaels

On 25 Sep 2006 07:57:40 -0700, "harry.michaels" wrote:

Just as a side note, "Polybius" is the title of an urban-myth arcade game, one that supposedly caused anyone to play it to (depending on the version of the story you hear) die, have seizures, disappear from the face of the earth, etc.

-lugnut

The premise of Remington Steele was that private eye Laura Holt finds that potential clients are unwilling to hire a female private eye, so she invents a fictitious male superior named Remington Steele, and Pierce Brosnan's character assumes the role of Steele. So was the Remington Steele arcade game an in-joke, referring to the similar plot involving Marge's carpentry?

I'd imagine so, it seems like too much of a parallel to be a coincidence. In any case, it's most likely just a clever treat thrown into the background. That's one good thing I can say about these new episodes, there's a lot of freeze frame stuff for those willing to look for it. And it's nice to know they chose something old AND relevant to the episode over just picking an 80s show out of a hat.

Harry Michaels

"harry.michaels" wrote in message news:[email]...

You guys are missing all the other obvious references to the episode.

Click Clack = the sound of carpentry

Unipede = "one foot" = unit of measurement on carpenter's measuring tape

Rocky 3 vs Clara Peller = the eternal struggle between the brutish male vs. the civilizing force of woman

Devil's Advocate = the desire of some people (Marge) to excuse and explain another's (Homer's) bad behavior

Monkey Kong = ref. to Donkey Kong, where the Mario climbed platforms much like Skinner and Bart did

Space-Tac-Toe = played on a grid, much like carpenters use to lay out new designs

Triangle Wars = Triangle ~ carpenter's triangle; War ~ Skinner & Bart fighting

Polybius = a game that exists in urban legend, said to originate in Portland, OR (MG's home town). The game was said to cause players nightmares, insomnia, and perhaps even suicide - IF it ever existed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polybius_%28game%29) (and lugnut beat me to it)

-- R Flowers

But we appreciate your making something out of nothing style of humor.

huh?

As opposed to a spoof of "Centipede", the 80s video game?

Or the eternal struggle to find two 80s references and stick them together? This Rocky vs. Clara Peller thing would have been the best fight since Mike Tyson vs. Secretariat ("The Slaughter in the Water").

Don't forget the barrels. Donkey Kong had lots of barrels, and Skinner and Bart were climbing over enormous vats in the Chinese Food factory. Not much different from the rickety walkway over the "lava" in the "Happy Smile Super Challenge Family Wish Show" (thank you , www.snpp.com/episodes/AABF20).

Both 80s references.

Wasn't there an 80s video game called "Mobius"?

Didn't Bart and Skinner form a great dramaturgical dyad in this episode?

Mr. Museum

wrote in message news:[email]...

<etc>

Jeez, your pretty uppity for a guy who constructs entire posts out of others' misspellings. *

Oh, yeah - I went there.

-- R Flowers ---- * The first part of this sentence is a reference to a line in a previous episode. Know which one?

I thought you weren't being serious. I certainly wasn't. BTW, are you the guy who responded to the misspelling posting with "GO FUCK YOURSELF"?

Mr. Museum

wrote in message news:[email]...

No, I wasn't being serious, and I thought you probably weren't either.

My sense of humor is dry enough as it is. Then put it into the confines of an email or post, and I have real problems. So, ANYONE here, please don't take offense at any seeming insult. (Unless, of course, you know it's supposed to be good-natured ribbing and you *still* get mad...)

I am not the guy that tells you that when you post. That's [email], and that ain't me. Apparently, purposeful misspelling is one of his hot-buttons.

-- R Flowers

I AM YOU. WE ARE THE SAME. TOUCH MY GONADS.

wrote in message news:[email]...

Uh-oh! It's out of its matrix! Nobody move!-- R Flowers

It's a shame that the geniuses who dream up all these subtle nuances make flagrant continuity errors left and right. Someday I will sperak to them about it.

Mr. Museum

"We play music as well as Metallica writes novels." -- Dave Barry

Part of me wants to hear them, but the other part dreads hearing them. But I suppose that's the whole point!

Harry Michaels

In article , "harry.michaels" wrote:

they're actually supposed to be good. And not in a trainwreck sort of way. I've heard some cuts on a CD a few years ago, including Amy Tan's S&M take on "These Boots Were Made For Walking" ("you've been BAD! >whip crack<, REAL BAD! >whip crack<"). Still want to hear Stephen King's "Last Kiss" ("when I woke up she was lying there/I brushed her liver from my hair")

Groening does perform with the band, but not as a player - in a book the band put together, Matt admits he can't play an instrument, and he can't sing, and he can't dance. But that doesn't stop him from getting onstage and having fun. (His chapter in the book is gut-bustingly funny, BTW)

It was a miniaturized Notre Dame Cathedral.

Mr. Museum

Is Marge pregnant ?, the last shot of the Maternity Ward sign is really long without a joke.

Oh, *that was* supposed to be a joke. Don't worry, I didn't find it funny either. And quite a foolish way to end an episode with so many feminist undertones.

Harry Michaels

Bart has shrimps on his plate, which he most likely put on the plate by himself because OFF were at a brunch buffet, in GABF01 and throws them at Lisa.