Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens and Gays
"Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens and Gays"
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Episode Information
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"Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays" (also known by its alternative title Marge vs. Everyone) is the eighth episode of The Simpsons Season 15. After Lindsay Naegle forms an anti-children group, Marge fights back with a group led with Mr. Burns' power.[1]. The episode originally aired on January 4, 2004. It was written by Jon Vitti and was directed by Bob Anderson.
Contents
Plot
When Bart and Lisa fight over which show they should watch, they accidentally change the channel to a show hosted by a children's entertainer named Roofi. This does not appeal to Bart and Lisa, but Maggie likes it so much Marge buys her a Roofi CD to be played everywhere, 24 hours a day without end, much to the annoyance of Bart, Lisa, and Homer who's obvious dislike of the song is second to Maggies like of it to Marge. Marge goes as far as to even buy tickets to Roofi's concert, which is to be held at Cletus Spuckler's farm. However, thanks to the person who promoted the concert, it ends up packed and begins to rain causing all the babysa diapers to become wet. Soon, a riot ensues with the babies referred to as "Tot Offensive".
In a response to the disaster, all the childless adults of Springfield, outraged at paying high taxes for the damages the babies have caused are revolted. Lindsay Naegle arrives to form an anti-youth group named "Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples And Teens And Gays Against Parasitic Parents" (SSCCATAGAPP) to lobby and deprive Springfield of all child-friendly things. Lindsay's group goes successfully at first; the Squeaky Voiced Teen goes as far as to lose his squeaky voice "to become a man".
A furious Marge lobbies to get an initiative: "Families Come First", as she lobbies "Proud Parents Against Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens and Gays" (PPASSCCATAG). Her lobbying efforts do poorly at first, but fair support grows after Mr. Burns loans his signature on Marge's petition because he cares about children (or, more correctly, their "supple young organs").
Other Springfield residents follow with him and Marge, and the proposition (Proposition 242) gets on the ballot. Homer tries to help with the campaign but screws up badly on the campaign advertisement and the bumper stickers which he never handed out. Bart and Lisa soon concoct a plan. When everyone goes to the voting polls, they are stopped in their tracks by the infectious hugs of children. All opposition to Proposition 242 falters, staggers, and Lindsay's group finally collapses.
Similarities to Woodstock and Altamont
The concert is a spoof of the Woodstock Festival and Altamont Music Festival. Like Woodstock, the event was held on a farm (owned by Cletus Spuckler) and caused expensive damage to the property, and more people showed up at the concert than intended. Babies are also seen cavorting in stereotypical hippie fashion; passing around pacifiers like bongs and dancing naked. Like Altamont, the outcome of the concert turned into a public-relations disaster for a certain group (in Altamont's case, the hippie counter-culture; in the Roofi case, for parents with children). The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" is played over scenes before the concert; likely a reference to the concert movie Gimme Shelter which documented the Altamont festival.
Cultural references
- The Roofi character is an obvious parody of children's entertainer Raffi.
- When Bart and Lisa fight over the control of the remote, they accidentally switch over to King of the Hill, where Hank Hill can be heard in the background saying, "Bobby, I've got propane in my urethra." which pokes fun at Hank's character (Hank has a son named Bobby, sells propane and propane accessories, and was diagnosed with a narrow urethra).
- At the beginning of the episode, Bart watches TV. The program is called The Gator Baitor. It's an obvious parody of the Crocodile Hunter, complete with a Steve Irwin-esque host, he meets his end at the mouth of a crocodile.
- When Maggie has the long handled pliers and grabs Homer by the nose, he rolls over and screams out just like Curly Howard.
- The news report on the baby riot is accompanied by a graphic which reads "The Tot Offensive," a reference to the 1968 Tet Offensive.
- At the end of the episode, the members of Lindsay's group are defeated by the hugs of children ("God's lowliest creatures"). This is a reference to The War of the Worlds, in which the Martians are defeated by bacteria ("God's lowliest creatures").
- After the adults go on their rampage, a tearful Milhouse (with a blubbery lip and arched eyebrows) watches Moe reverse the "Я" in the Toys "Я" Us sign. His expression is a parody of a famous World War II photograph of a Frenchman witnessing his country's capitulation to the Nazis.
- The toppling of the Itchy and Scratchy statue scene resembles the toppling of the Saddam Hussein statue.
- The sentence pronounced by Lisa upon having defeated the voters is a reference to the final sentence of the movie based on The War of the Worlds which identify the defeat of a threat at the hand of infinetely smaller creatures ("The humblest things that God in his wisdom has put upon the earth").
Reception
This episode earned FOX ratings of 6.7/10.[2]
Soundtrack
- Jefferson Airplane - "White Rabbit"
- Rolling Stones - "Gimme Shelter"
- The Who - "My Generation"
- Five Man Electrical Band - "Signs"
References
- ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0763034/ IMDB: Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples, Teens and Gays
- ↑ http://www.simpsonschannel.com/news/monthly-archive-1-2004.html SimpsonChannel: January 2004 Monthly Archive
