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Laughter is the Worst Medicine

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Laughter is the Worst Medicine
Laughter is the Worst Medicine.png
Comic Story information
Released: September 2002
Comic series: Simpsons Comics
Pages: 21
Written by: Ian Boothby


Laughter is the Worst Medicine is a Simpsons Comics story first printed in Simpsons Comics #74.

Synopsis

Krusty accidentally get's a doctors license and when all the town's doctors get sick, he becomes Springfield's only doctor and he does the job at the lowest prices ever. Meanwhile Homer loses his appetite.

Plot

Homer, Comic Book Guy and Chief Wiggum are competing in "The Gorge in the Gorge" binge-eating competition. Homer wins, after forcing himself to eat the last hot dog on his plate. However, as a result of the binge, Homer's brain has, "in layman's terms", exploded. Meanwhile, Krusty rushes off from the contest to Springfield University, where he is set to receive an honorary degree. However, when it gets to giving Krusty his diploma, the university has run out of honorary degrees, and so quickly hands him a substitute, which to Dean Peterson's surprise turns out to be a real doctors degree.

Meanwhile, at Springfield General Hospital, Dr. Hibbert tells the family that the damage to Homer's brain was isolated to a small area - the food pleasure center, meaning Homer will never enjoy food again. Hibbert is called away, to where Dr. Nick is trying to use a defibrillator to revive Ralph's goldfish. Ralph trips over the defibrillator's wires, and since they are already charged, the water from the fish bowl electrocutes both doctors.

At the Simpsons' home, the family are shocked to see Homer turn down dessert and drink Duff Lite, and when Homer's lack of interest is shown in public, Marge is worried that the other housewives are judging her. In the meantime Dean Peterson tells Krusty that he has an actual doctorate, and due to the other doctors being out of action, it's down to Krusty to treat the sick and wounded.

Unsurprisingly, Krusty is unable to treat the townspeople and is disgusted by some of the ailments. He soon learns that making the patients laugh works as a miracle cure and it becomes his only form of treatment. When Hibbert and Nick return to work, the townspeople refuse to accept them back, as they are more impressed with Krusty.

When Homer becomes severely malnourished, he is taken to see Krusty, whose jokes have no effect on him. Dr. Hibbert steps in and Krusty quits in favour of his clown work. Hibbert returns Homer's taste in food back to normal but at the expense of his taste in fashion.

Reprints

Comic issue Release date Country
Simpsons Comics #83 August 7, 2003 800px-Flag of the United Kingdom.svg.png
Simpsons Comics Beach Blanket Bongo January 26, 2007
April 10, 2007
800px-Flag of the United Kingdom.svg.png
Flag of the United States.png
The Best of The Simpsons #42 January 3, 2008 800px-Flag of the United Kingdom.svg.png
Simpsons Illustrated #8 October 2013 Flag of the United States.png
Simpsons Comics #54 September 29, 2022 800px-Flag of the United Kingdom.svg.png


The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to Laughter is the Worst Medicine.