Superstar Celebrity Microphone

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The Superstar Celebrity Microphone is a toy microphone that can be used to send voices over the radio. Homer gives one to Bart as a birthday present.

Description

Bart's birthday is approaching, and Homer doesn't know what to get him. Then he sees the Superstar Celebrity Microphone advertised on TV, becomes enthralled with it, and orders one for Bart. Bart, however, is less than enthusiastic about the microphone, not even taking it out of the box but instead using it to prop his window open. When Homer sees this, he gets the microphone out and demonstrates it, singing off-key and talking loudly, which makes Lisa cover her ears, elicits howls from Santa's Little Helper, and confuses Marge because the feedback and distortion make it impossible to understand Homer. Bart is disappointed in Homer's demonstration, and Homer is even more disappointed, thinking that the microphone gift was a complete flop.

However, Marge gets an idea: She also tries using the microphone, speaking in a much quieter voice, and Bart is impressed with the results, even though Marge is surprised at how she sounds. Bart then plays a series of pranks with the microphone, thoroughly enjoying it until the last one backfires.

Bart's Pranks

Bart plays the following pranks with the Superstar Celebrity Microphone:

• Making Homer think that Martians have invaded Earth. (Homer first gets mad, then is touched when he realizes that Bart actually enjoys the gift.)

• Making Marge think that Maggie is talking (by hiding a radio under Maggie's pillow).

• Eavesdropping on Lisa's conversation with one of her friends by placing the microphone under her bed and listening to the radio in another room.

• Placing a radio under Mrs. Krabappel's chair and making farting noises when she sits down.

• Posing as God for the benefit of Rod and Todd Flanders (Bart sees them listening to the radio and goes into action): Making Rod attempt to walk through the wall and making both of them take all the cookies from their kitchen and leave them on the Simpsons' porch.

• Placing a radio down an old well near Springfield Elementary School to make Groundskeeper Willie (and, as it turns out, the whole town) think that a little boy named Timmy O'Toole had fallen into the well. (The prank backfires when Bart figures he's about to be caught, tries to retrieve the radio, and ends up falling into the well for real.)

Behind the Laughter

• The Superstar Celebrity Microphone and its TV ad are parodies of Ronco's "Mr. Microphone" and its advertising, often seen on TV during the 1970s.

Appearances

• Episode – "Radio Bart"