Difference between revisions of "Simprovised/References"

Revision as of 03:46, November 8, 2016

Cultural references

• The episode title is a play on the word "improvised."
• "22nd City" is a reference to famous improvisational group The Second City, which refers to Chicago but here shows how far down Springfield is on the improv list.
• When the leader of the improv class answers Homer's questions with "Yes! Annnd?" he is demonstrating the two primary rules of improv: always agree with the premise; then extend it.
• Homer references Webster's Dictionary.
  • The same night the episode aired, in the episode of Family Guy, Chris Griffin quoted Webster's Dictionary in a speech too.
• Homer dreams of ALF.
• Homer and Marge reference Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein.
• Homer holds a copy of Truth in Comedy: The Manual for Improvisation by Charna Halpern, Del Close and Kim "Howard" Johnson.
• Lisa and Moe mention Barbra Streisand.
• Homer wants Meryl Streep to play him in a movie.
• Springfield Fringe Festival is a reference to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
  • Comic Book Guy is dressed as Henry VIII.
    • He is holding a turkey drumstick in his left hand, a reference to the urban legend that there exists a portrait of Henry VIII holding a turkey drumstick.
  • His companion is dressed as Elizabeth I.
  • The stand "Luigi's Medical Marinara" is a reference to medical marijuana.
  • The stand for "Blue Bronco Energy Drink" is a reference to Red Bull.
• The person seated next to label "Philosophy: Objectivism" is Ayn Rand.
• On the cover of "Treehouse Beautiful" magazine (a reference to "House Beautiful" magazine), Ralph is dressed as Tom Wolfe, in white suit.
• The music heard as Bart looks through the spyglass at the neighbors is the Flower Duet from the opera Lakme by Leo Delibes.
• The treehouses shown as part of the Historical Treehouse Preservation District:
  • A gleaming metal curvilinear treehouse designed by Frank Gehry.
  • A treehouse in the style of a medieval French Gothic cathedral, with rose window and flying buttresses.
  • The house from Up, which appears to be floating in air like in the movie, is shown to be suspended from a tree by a rope.
• The music heard over the historical treehouses is "The Great Gate of Kiev" from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Moussorgsky.
• When Homer finds the cookies Marge has discarded next to the tree and he says "The Keebler elves are real" he is referring to cookies made by the Keebler Company, whose advertising claimed they were made by elves living in a hollow tree.
• "Down-N-Out Burger" is a parody of In-N-Out Burger.

Homer Live

• During the segment, Homer answered questions from fans asked by three ways:
  • #HomerLive on Twitter.^[1]
  • The show's Facebook page.^[2]
  • The number to call during the live segment, 1-888-726-6660.^[3]
• The tweets were answered before and after the live segments directly on Homer's Twitter @HomerJSimpson.^[4]
• The questions on Facebook were answered before and after the live segments directly on the Facebook page.^[2]
• The Latin American airing of the segment, in some regions, went with no audio, with only subtitles.
• The on-hold music for callers is the opening cutscene music from Treehouse of Horror XXIV, put together by Chris Ledesma.^[5][6]

Both airings

• Homer mentions that this is the last episode of the show, only to say it was a lie and that that the show will never end right after.
• Homer says that the cast of Empire will answer the next questions Wednesday night and that somebody should be on the phone or will let them know.
• Homer says that after the show fades someone call Uber.

Pre-animated gags

• Lisa holds a sign saying "We parked on Bill O'Reilly's spot".
• Nelson holds Martin by his underwear in a yo-yo wedgie.
• Maggie spells "All Now" with cubes, and then corrects it to "Call Now".
• Mr. Burns catches a blue butterfly with a net, but it flies away carrying him.
• Apu holds a basket with his Octuplets and a sign saying "Free to good home".
• Bart enters behind the desk and steals Homer's pants.
  • At the end of the episode, Homer asks for his pants back so he can get out but Bart refuses to.(East Coast version)
• Kang holds a sign saying "Don't blame me I voted for Kodos". ("Treehouse of Horror VII")
• Bender holds a sign reading "Bring back Futurama (again)".
• Bart knocks down the Fox Studios Secret Bunker walls, revealing it's on the Simpson House's living room.

East Coast / Central airing

• Homer mentions Drake being terrible on Saturday Night Live from the day before the airing.
• Homer says that Joel's call was a planted call with a planted question, this is confirmed by Al Jean on Twitter saying that it was Joel H. Cohen calling.^[7]
• Homer references having been an astronaut. ("Deep Space Homer")

Questions

• Hannah: Hi there, Homer, my quest... my question for you is: Who do you like more? Lenny or Carl? And why?

Homer: Let's see. I like Lenny, because he's the black guy, and... wait a minute, no. Carl's the... Wait. Let me get back to you when I figure out who's who.

• Amanda: I was wondering if you give me any tips or tricks for making it look like i'm hard at work but really I'm relaxing and taking a nap?

Homer: Always wear glasses with eyes glued to them.

• George: Hello Homer, so my question is pizza related. You prefer Chicago deep-dish or New York-style?

Homer: Pizza? Let's see, I prefer... Chicago deep-dish cause I like Italian better than Chinese.

• Joel: Homer, how are you doing?

Homer: I'm doing all right. Is that your question?

Joel: I was wondering what kind of car do you drive?

Homer: A Sa- oh, uh, I drive a hybrid, which is a combination of old and terrible.

• Chris: My question is, what's your favorite job? What was your favorite job?

Homer: My favorite job would have been being an astronaut, because everything was done for me. And also I could give away from the boy.

West Coast airing

• Homer mentions the Texas Rangers beating the Toronto Blue Jays by a technical knockout.
  • Hours before the episode aired, Rangers second baseman, Rougned Odor punched Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista in the face during the 8th inning of the game.
• Homer says that Zachary's was a planted call with a prepared question.
• The first caller's name, Steven, was changed to William in the youtube video.
  • Due probably to editing the video to change the name, the youtube video, and probably streaming and reruns version, doesn't have the credits for the episode.
    • Homer still says that they're flashing on screen, as that's how it aired on TV.

Questions

• Steven: How are you Homer?

Homer: I'm good, is that your question?

Steven: No, no, my second question is, if Donald Trump becomes the president, are you going to move out of Springfield and possibly move to Canada?

Homer: Well, there are a lot of people that want me to move out of Springfield already. So-- but I don't think Canada will want me to, will welcome me. But you know what? That's why I'm for Bernie Sanders. I love his chicken but out of respect we should refer to him as the Colonel.

• Michelle: Hey Homer, I was wondering, after all this years, how would you finally get rid of Patty and Selma?

Homer: The best way is not to bathe. And I've been doing that for a month. But they smoke so much it seems to cover up the odor. But I've to say, I'm getting a lot of time to myself.

• Kathy: Hi Homer, I drunk too much this weekend.

Homer: You drunk too much this weekend?

Kathy: Yes, I drunk too much this weekend. What's your best hangover cure?

Homer: The best hangover cure is to sleep on the lawn and stay there, till Marge stops being angry.

• Zachary: What's your favorite song?

Homer: What's my favorite thong? My favorite thong is that Brazilian one that-- that doesn't pinch too tight around the waist.

International / Streaming version

The live segment was replaced with a pre-recorded sequence for non-live international and streaming viewers (except for sites that made available both airings like FOXNOW or Hulu), though only temporary till they get clearance from the callers required by legal^[8]. After Homer makes a joke about this being the last episode of the Simpsons, he then says, "If you're seeing this, something has gone horribly, horribly wrong. Or, you're watching the international version!" He then goes on to fill 2 minutes and 10 seconds by announcing his candidacy for president, making several outrageous campaign promises, then withdrawing his candidacy and making a joke about where Springfield is located.

Videos

The Family Introduces Homer / East-Central

West / International-Streaming

UK apology / Latin America apology

Continuity

• The Treehouse of Horror series is referenced in Ralph's treehouse (Treehouse of Horrors: The Complete Collection is shown on a shelf).
• Marge's carpentry skills are also put to use, and subsequently undervalued. ("Please Homer, Don't Hammer 'Em")
• Bart's treehouse gets a makeover. ("Old Yeller-Belly")

Trivia

• In the last three minutes of the episode, Homer was "Live-voiced" (by Dan Castellaneta) and answered questions fans asked him on the phone. During the show, Homer answered live on Twitter and Facebook to fans posts too.
  • In the season 8 episode "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show", June Bellamy says "very few cartoons are broadcast live". Ironically, 19 seasons later, part of "Simprovised" was broadcasted live.
• The UK airing of the episode, scheduled to air at the same time as US' was pulled at the last minute.^[9]
• This is the 2nd consecutive episode in which the house from Up appears, having appeared in the previous episode a week before.

Goofs

• At the Springfield Fringe Festival, Lisa's tie changes from gray to blue, and later back to gray.
• At the dining room, when Homer ask Maggie to pass the gravy, and pour on his food, his neck is animated behind his shirt collar and his left arm behind the sleeve.
• There are two Luanns in the crowd at the Springfield Fringe Festival.

References