At a parenting class, Homer confesses to strangling Bart and receives the ultimate punishment - a strangling by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Because of this, Homer becomes afraid of Bart at the fear of being killed by Abdul-Jabbar. So Marge has to find a way to set Homer straight.
Full Story
Homer goes into therapy, thanks to Marge, after humiliating Bart in front of a stadium crowd. While there, Homer confesses to Dr. Zander to stranglingBart. Shocked by this, Dr. Zander tries to talk some sense into Homer, but Homer doesn't think it is a big deal until Dr. Zander brings in basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to employ a role-play move to make Homer feel what it's like to be like Bart when Homer is strangling him. It works and Homer can no longer strangle his son; however, it turns out that Homer's excessive punishments were all too necessary in keeping Bart's worst tendencies in check. Without Homer to punish him, Bart goes on a spree of doing whatever he likes without any consequences.
Marge returns to Dr. Zander, who is now dirt poor along with all the other luxury businesses, and pays him to help Homer and Bart. Dr. Zander tries to get Bart to show love towards his father but fails to do so. At his wits end, Dr. Zander gets Homer to put his life in danger in the hopes that Bart will save him. However, when all Bart does is make light of the situation, making fun of it and even ignoring it so show off his belching Dr. Zander snaps and starts strangling Bart himself. Homer pulls him off and sues Dr. Zander for all he has, which since he's broke amounts to a home in a hollowed out tree.
Behind the Laughter
Production
Paul Rudd guest starred as Dr. Zander (which physically resembles him) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also guest starred as himself.
