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| | == Behind the Laughter == | | == Behind the Laughter == |
| − | *Leavelle appears to be based upon, and probably named after, Detective {{W|Jim Leavelle}}, who was tasked with protecting {{W|Lee Harvey Oswald}} when the Texas State Police were transporting him to the county jail after the {{W|John F. Kennedy assassination|assassination}} of [[John F. Kennedy|President Kennedy]]. In the photograph of Oswald's murder, Leavelle is the large man in a white cowboy hat handcuffed to Oswald. The picture was taken just as {{W|Jack Ruby}} shot Oswald, mortally wounding him. The photo won a {{W|Pulitzer Prize}} and achieved iconic status, due in part to the shocked expression on Leavelle's face. | + | *Leavelle's design is based on Texan detective {{W|Jim Leavelle}}, as he appeared when escorting {{W|Lee Harvey Oswald}} when Oswald was shot by {{W|Jack Ruby}}. Leavelle trains the bodyguards by pretending to shoot their protectee from a grassy knoll on a cart. This is a reference to the grassy knoll at the site of [[John F. Kennedy|President John F. Kennedy]]'s {{W|John F. Kennedy assassination|assassination}}, Dealey Plaza and a scene from the Kennedy assassination film Executive Action (1973). |
| | *In the DVD commentary for the episode, Mark Hamill admitted that he really enjoyed doing the voice of Leavelle; voicing himself, not so much. | | *In the DVD commentary for the episode, Mark Hamill admitted that he really enjoyed doing the voice of Leavelle; voicing himself, not so much. |
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At the Bodyguard Academy, Leavelle's teaching style is based on constantly berating the cadets, as seen when Homer took the training course. In the end, Leavelle let them pass, and rewarded the entire graduating class by singing for them an impromptu rendition of "I Will Always Love You", the theme song from The Bodyguard. However, he sang it so badly that the students all left, apparently interpreting the song as an indication that it was time for them to go.
