Behind the Laughter/References

Episode	References	Gags	Appearances	Gallery	Quotes	Credits

◄ It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge

Behind the Laughter

Treehouse of Horror XI ►

Trivia/Cultural References

• Homertime Mansion and the dance that Bart does when he finds the pants is a parody of the famous dance and lyrics from MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This".
• Simpsons Christmas Boogie is played in the closing credits.
• The entire of the closing credits also features clips of Homer getting hurt from various episodes, The credits text is on the adjusted left while the clips are on the right.
• The episode's format is a parody of the VH-1 show Behind the Music.
  • VH-1 allowed the crew to modify Behind The Music's visual graphics package for use throughout the episode.
  • The name of the episode is also what inspired the name of the Behind the Scenes section of SimpsonsWiki called "Behind the Laughter."
• A scene depicted Homer and the cast looking at an episode they just completed in which the family talk about visiting Delaware. Homer mutters to the director, "This'll be the last season." The whole quote is used by the family when they're in the airport in the Season 12 finale, "Simpsons Tall Tales".
• Queen Elizabeth also appears in this show, laughing at the Simpsons on TV. The Queen was also worked into "The Regina Monologues" four seasons later, albeit in conflict with the Simpson family.
• While living in MC Hammer's mansion, Homer has a pot-bellied pig named Mr. Porky; Homer would get a second pig in The Simpsons Movie named Plopper, who is referred to as his "summer love" in a contemporary couch gag.
• The narrator states that the Simpsons are a "Northern Kentucky" family, finally ending the age old question of the show and it makes sense according to the other clues. This was meant to give a sense of conclusion as this was the last episode of the season and many fans and even show runners thought the show was on its last leg.
• Bart states he never said "Cowabunga, dude!" in his life, before joining the show. This is a reference to the line being a catchphrase for Bart even though he only said it once in a season 1 episode.
• In Lisa's tell-all book, she revealed that she is given anti-aging hormones. This is mostly likely a joke referring to how despite the many years the show has gone on they have yet to age. However, the intent was a barb at Gary Coleman, who had sued his parents claiming they secretly dosed him with anti-growth drugs in order to prevent his body's natural growth.
• When the screaming fans are shown watching Bart skateboard, there is a "Hysteria Ward" sign shown, but the joke would require the sign to be inside the room, instead of outside-leading-in as most signs are displayed. Patients themselves would not need a sign telling them what room they're inside.
• On the "Behind the Laughter" title screen, the top-left repeatedly contains a clip of Homer wrangling the grease hose from Lard of the Dance with which he sucks his eyeball out of its socket.
• The big screen on the Times Square in New York is marked as Sorny. Sorny is a parody on Sony.
• Krusty's album "Krustophenia" is a parody of The Who's 1973 album Quadrophenia.
• Near the end of the episode, Huckleberry Hound is seen as Behind The Laughter's next week's spotlight.
• Actress Meryl Streep is shown spitting on Lisa.
• Lisa is at the Academy Awards or the Oscars.
• Homer mentions choking Bart and refers to it as child abuse.
• Bart is shown wearing parachute pants.
• Ozzy Osbourne is shown biting off the top of an award like he famously bit off a dove and bat's head.
• Buckingham Palace is shown.
• The Pope is shown riding in a car in a parade.
• Homer is shown watching a clip from the episode "Bart the Daredevil" where he is jumping the gorge.
• The stars of Milton Berle, Joan Jett, and Nelson Mandela are shown on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• A clip from the episode "The Principal and the Pauper" is shown.
• Actor Butch Patrick who played Eddie Munster on the sitcom the Munsters is shown.
• United States astronaut Buzz Aldrin (character) is shown.
• American professional golfer Tom Kite is shown.
• Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking (character) is shown.
• Comic book character Richie Rich is shown replacing Bart.
• Former United States president Jimmy Carter is shown breakdancing on stage.
• Marge is shown performing the Bob Marley song I Shot the Sheriff on stage.
• Willie Nelson is shown as a former fraternity brother of Dr. Hibbert and later his red hair braids stick straight up like Pippi Longstocking.
• Former child star Gary Coleman is shown.
• Bart is shown judging a Hawaiian Tropic contest.
• Bart is shown replacing Lorenzo Lamas on the television show Renegade.
• American civil rights lawyer Gloria Allred is shown as Lisa's lawyer at the dinner table.
• Musician Taco is shown performing a loving tribute to musician Falco.
• Actor Woody Allen is shown getting an award.
• The rock band Van Halen is shown and their dispute with former lead singer Sammy Hagar at an award ceremony.
• The Simpsons are shown on the cover of Parade magazine.

Goofs

The Blue-Haired Lawyer with black hair and red glasses

• The Blue-haired Lawyer atypically has black hair and red-framed glasses in this episode. Given the meta nature of this episode, he might use hair dye or a wig and a different pair of glasses for the series, compared to his "real world" appearance shown here.
• Most of the names in the opening credits are grouped by category (for example, co-executive producers grouped together, etc.), but when the "Produced By" credits appear, Richard Raynis and Bonita Pietila are grouped together, while Denise Sirkot and Richard Sakai's names are shown individually.
• Marge and Nelson beat up Bart by punching him in the eye to give him a black eye.