# The Simpsons - what's the reference? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2002, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935 "2002-07-20T04:50:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![knock\_knock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/22d042/32.png) [@knock\_knock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/knock_knock)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/1 "2002-07-20T04:50:33Z")
In the sugar pile episode, Homer says: “Sure, I might offend a few of the bluenoses with my cocky stride and musky odor. Oh, I’ll never be the darling of the so called “City Fathers” who cluck their tongues, stroke their beards, and talk about “What’s to be done with this Homer Simpson.”” This has to be a reference to something, right? ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/2 "2002-07-20T06:36:45Z")
It may be, but that’s not the impression I got, and I certainly don’t recognize it from anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/3 "2002-07-20T07:26:12Z")
It’s _almost_ sounds like a certain line from the end of _Cyrano de Bergerac_, at least in the tone and manner, but it’s different. So, in other words: “I don’t know.” Ranchoth ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/4 "2002-07-20T12:01:54Z")
Beats me, but then I’m still mystified by the stylized “shadow” moment during Homer’s frustration at the end of the Employee of the Week ceremony (when the inanimate carbon rod won instead of him). ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/5 "2002-07-20T15:19:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*Beats me, but then I’m still mystified by the stylized “shadow” moment during Homer’s frustration at the end of the Employee of the Week ceremony (when the inanimate carbon rod won instead of him). \*\* At first, it appears he’s hung himself. It turns out he’s really batting a piece of string. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/6 "2002-07-20T15:48:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mobo85 \* > \*\*At first, it appears he’s hung himself. It turns out he’s really batting a piece of string. \*\* What you’re describing is close to the final scene of [“Two Dozen and One Greyhounds”](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/2F18.html), where Homer bats at a basement light bulb. It has nothing to do with the scene I described, which happens early in [“Deep Space Homer”](http://www.snpp.com/episodes/1F13.html), and runs like this: Burns: Compadres, it is imperative that we crush the freedom fighters before the start of the rainy season. And remember, a shiny new donkey for whoever brings me the head of Colonel Montoya. [Smithers whispers to him] Hmm? What? Oh, and by that I mean, of course, it’s time for the “Worker of the Week Award”. I can’t believe we’ve overlooked this week’s winner for so very, very long. We simply could not function without his tireless efforts. So, a round of applause for…this inanimate carbon rod! [Everyone cheers] Homer: [growls] Ooh…inanimate, huh? I’ll show him inanimate! [stands perfectly still while his shadow elongates] Now, it’s possible that the joke is just supposed to be a play on the word “inanimate”, but the scene is so stylized, I thought it had to be from some movie. But now it just looks like Homer just stood there for a few hours holding perfectly still, which actually doesn’t seem quite as funny. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2002, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/7 "2002-07-20T16:46:45Z")
My mistake! I think he’s just being inanimate. ---
**Author:** ![Ripple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@Ripple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ripple)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2002, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/8 "2002-07-21T01:08:30Z")
**Knock Knock** , I hear ya. I’ve been wondering about that scene for a few years now, without even a hint of resolution. The episode capsule on SNPP doesn’t mention anything about it either. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2002, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/9 "2002-07-21T02:06:41Z")
Well I’ne been thinking of this for awhile and it does sound very familiar. But haven’t been able to place it. However knowing what I know of American cinema I would have to say that it sounds like something from a movie from the 50s or 60s, most likely a musical. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Harvey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@Max\_Harvey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Harvey)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2002, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/10 "2002-07-21T02:51:31Z")
Why does it “have” to be a reference to anything? I’m amazed by people who want to pick apart every joke in every episode because, you know, the writers can’t come up with stuff on their own. It’s just gotta be a reference to _something_. From the SNPP episode capsule on “Homer’s Triple Bypass”: > [@](#): > > - “Starsky and Hutch” {rl} > - Wiggum calls himself Papa Bear > - in the show, the special informant was called Huggy Bear [Moe] _WHAA-A-A-A?_ [/Moe] ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2002, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/11 "2002-07-21T06:15:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Harvey \* > \*\*Why does it “have” to be a reference to anything? I’m amazed by people who want to pick apart every joke in every episode because, you know, the writers can’t come up with stuff on their own. It’s just gotta be a reference to _something_. > > From the SNPP episode capsule on “Homer’s Triple Bypass”: > > [Moe] > _WHAA-A-A-A?_ > [/Moe] \*\* **Max** , it might very well not be, but the line _feels_ like its a reference. In other words, its too witty to be something that Homer could think up on his own, so it’s most likely a reference to something else that the writers slipped in. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Harvey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@Max\_Harvey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Harvey)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2002, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/12 "2002-07-21T06:43:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*In other words, its too witty to be something that Homer could think up on his own, so it’s most likely a reference to something else that the writers slipped in. \*\* It’s funny (to me anyway) _because_ it’s too witty for Homer. Why isn’t that enough? Same thing for the beekeepers. Sure, the really dramatic guy is probably a reference to Adam West, but it doesn’t “have” to be in order to be funny. I think it’s funnier when you _don’t_ compare him to Adam West. I love that the writers seem to enjoy inflicting mental pain on people who deconstruct the show and search for “purpose” in the tiniest areas. There are fanboys still trying to find the reference for Homer being “the first non-Brazilian to travel through time”, _years_ after the writer said it was just a non-sequitur! ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/13 "2002-07-21T16:01:47Z")
No it wasn’t. It was referring to Carlos Casteneda… ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2002, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/14 "2002-07-21T16:04:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Harvey \* > **Same thing for the beekeepers. Sure, the really dramatic guy is probably a reference to Adam West, but it doesn’t “have” to be in order to be funny. I think it’s funnier when you _don’t_ compare him to Adam West.** “To the Beemobile!” “You mean your Chevy?” “Yeah.” ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/15 "2002-07-22T19:00:01Z")
I have noticed as I have been making an effort to watch more classic films, that I have gone back and caught more Simpsons references. Sometimes, I know how the movie will end based on what happened in the episode! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/16 "2002-07-22T19:11:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Harvey \* > \*\*Why does it “have” to be a reference to anything? I’m amazed by people who want to pick apart every joke in every episode because, you know, the writers can’t come up with stuff on their own. It’s just gotta be a reference to _something_. People don’t pick apart Simpsons episodes because they think the writers aren’t original, they pick them apart because the writers _are_ original, as well as witty and smart enough to put in really obscure references that usually fit the scene perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/17 "2002-07-22T19:31:51Z")
And if I’m not mistaken, in the episode where the guys go to the Super Bowl (Sunday Cruddy Sunday) but get screwed out of tickets, end up racing around the nether regions of the stadium while Blur’s “Song 2” plays, it’s a direct ripoff not simply of a movie, but a reference to the trailers for “Starship Troopers.” ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-whats-the-reference/119935/18 "2002-07-22T19:32:40Z")
Hmm, I always thought that was a reference to “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” by Francis Ford Copala (sp?) when Dracula’s shadow stretched ominously towards Jonathan Harker.