In the episode where they go to Australia the man with the giant boot is wearing shorts and a leather jacket with no shirt underneath. He also has slick parted hair. Is he just meant to look bizarre or is this a direct reference to something or someone else?
Crocodile Dundee?
I thought he was supposed to be This guy
This guy had black hair, slicked and parted.
From reading online I see that the man is meant to be the Prime Minister. I still don’t understand the garb.
Well, then he’s definitely not the Energizer guy.
Or Crocodile Dundee, as he’s blonde too.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that Simpson’s episode.
I always got the feeling that it was a combination of a Mad-Max-like look with a generic redneck (they have them in Australia, right?).
Joe
Jocko and Crocodile Dundee get their due in the episode, but in different parts- Jocko appears in the slideshow about the rift in Australio-Americanian relations, and Crocodile Dundee’s famous “that’s not a knife…” scene is parody with “I see you’ve played knifey-spoony before.”
Yes, but we call rednecks bogans down here.
The only thing I can think of is it’s a reference to John Howard - Wikipedia who was sometimes referred to as Jackboot Johnny.
I doubt that’s it though.
I don’t think so. The prime Minister is the one in the lake, floating naked on an inner tube, who says “What’s the good word?”
Joe
It could hardly look less like JH, though. I remember Harry Shearer being out here doing media around the time that episode came out (on The Panel, etc), and he couldn’t stop apologising.
Hmm fair point on the JH appearance not matching up.
After having seen the episode I dont blame him for apologising, it was a pretty crap episode IMO*.
*Not based on the Aussie bashing, I just felt the jokes fell flat for 99% of the episode.
I don’t think so. That episode was first shown on 19 February 1995. John Howard did not become Prime Minister until March 1996.
I enjoyed that ep. Every time I think of a bullfrog, I want to call it a chazwozza.
Paul Keating was PM in 1995. However, I don’t remember the PM in the Simpsons episode having any resemblance to Keating, or to any other Australian prime minister, living or dead.
That sort of kills my theory in total then doesn’t it 
Seriously? Even with Bart mooning mobbing Ausies with “Don’t tread on me” written on his butt? Even now, I look back on that as being one of the defining moments of television comedy genus in my childhood. I’d say it’s one of the top 10 episodes no question.
And again, I am driven to ask: why did they (apparently) use cockneys to do the Australian voices? It’s not as if the US acting scene is short of genuine Australians who could have done it (probably for nothing).
Because that’s how the seppos think we sound, probably.
Want a fake Aussie accent? Just don’t move your top lip when you speak. I’m serious - try it. It’s not very good, but better than most attempts at our accent.
Edit: Oh, I still love this ep, BTW. The amount of Aussie bashing that goes on is nothing compared to the America bashing that goes on in every episode. Plus, it’s funny.
“I’m gunna report this to me member of Parliament.”