The Otto Show

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = The Otto Show


image_caption = Otto with Bart in the Simpsons garage
episode_no = 57
prod_code = 8F21
airdate = April 23, 1992
show runner = Al Jean & Mike Reiss
writer = Jeff Martin
director = Wes Archer
blackboard = “I will not spin the turtle”
couch_gag = Santa’s Little Helper growls at the family as they enter, forcing them to retreat slowly.
guest_star = Spinal Tap
Christopher Guest
Michael McKean
commentary = Matt Groening
James L. Brooks
Al Jean
Mike Reiss
Dan Castellaneta
Jeff Martin
Wes Archer
season = 3

“The Otto Show” is the 22nd episode of "The Simpsons"’ third season.

Plot

Bart and Milhouse attend a Spinal Tap concert, but it turns into a comedy of errors and degenerates into a riot started by Snake. Nonetheless, Bart is impressed by the aging heavy metal band and wants to become a rock guitarist. Homer and Marge decide to buy Bart his own electric guitar, but Bart struggles to learn how to play it. The next morning on the school bus, Bart tells Otto he thinks his guitar is broken, and Otto - with the bus still stopped in traffic - wows his passengers with an impromptu concert, to which he thoughtlessly clogs up traffic by not moving the bus. However, Otto loses track of time and is forced to drive recklessly to school. The bus runs Spinal Tap’s bus off the road (causing it to crash and burst into flames, presumably killing Spinal Tap), and causes other chaos before turning over onto its side in the town square. Thankfully, no one else is hurt.

Numerous people call Springfield Elementary School to report the incident, earning Otto a reprimand from Principal Skinner. However, when Officer Lou asks for Otto’s driver’s license to complete his report, Otto is forced to admit he doesn’t have a license (or wear his own underwear). Otto is Suspended without pay, and Skinner takes over his route. Skinner finds driving the bus hard going, being a less aggressive driver than Otto, and ends up being trapped at a busy intersection for an entire day. At first he takes an insulting song the children sing (called "Hail to the Bus Driver") with good humour and even sings along, but after being stuck at the intersection, he becomes irritated and snaps at Ralph Wiggum when he tries to continue singing.

Meanwhile, things quickly go downhill for Otto. He fails his driver’s test at the Springfield DMV (not helped when he mistakes the examiner, Patty for a transsexual); he is also unable to find a new job, and therefore cannot pay his rent and is evicted from his apartment (although it could also mean the landlord wanted to kick Otto out due to his lackadasical attitude, as evidenced by Otto's entire inventory of possession being a couple of "Psycho" magazines and a jar of mustard). Bart finds him living in a dumpster, and agrees to let him live in the Simpson's garage. Homer and Marge disapprove of this, and Bart tries to convince them that Marge in fact "has" agreed to let Otto stay, presenting a tape recording where she did so; in reality though, it features Bart doing a poor impression of his mother. Marge is not fooled by this (although Homer is), but reluctantly agrees to let him stay.

Otto quickly makes a nuisance of himself. He becomes comfortable laying around, playing Bart's guitar at high volume, and hogging the bathroom. When he clogs up a sink with hair while washing in it, Homer begins to lose patience with him. However, Marge convinces him that at least Otto is good with the kids. At that moment, Otto terrifies Lisa with a scary story, and her scream startles everyone. This is the final straw for Homer, and he demands that Otto be sent on his way. Otto is now uncertain about his future, even considering faking his own death. Marge and Bart, however, encourage him to give the driving test one last try. Otto goes to the DMV to take the test again, saying that he has something to prove to Homer. This quickly changes Patty's demeanor out of spite for her brother-in-law. Despite performing even worse in his second test, Patty grants Otto his license anyway, allowing him to regain his job. Otto proudly shows off his license to Bart, which has a big red stamp of "PROBATIONARY". As Otto drives off into the sunset running two stop signs, with the children singing "Hail to the Bus Driver," Skinner proudly remarks, "Yes, hail to the bus driver, bus driver man."

Production

On the commentary, the crew states that Otto is one of their least favorite characters to use. Also Harry Shearer stated that Otto's is the most irritating voice to do on the show. The song, 'Spanish Flea'; was very hard to get rights to until writer Jon Vitti, who is related to the drummer of the band, could finally get rights to it at the last minute.

Cultural references

*Homer makes a comment on their situation with Otto, saying “This is not "Happy Days" and he is not The Fonz!” Otto then walks in and says to Homer, “Heeeeeyy, Mr. S,” much like many of the teenagers address Howard Cunningham as “Mr. C” in the long-running situation comedy.
*The rock band is reunited from the mockumentary, "This Is Spınal Tap". Harry Shearer plays bassist Derek Smalls in the movie (and in this episode) and provides many of the voices on "The Simpsons", including Otto.
*The song that Spınal Tap opens the concert with is "Break Like the Wind".
*The song Homer sings along with in the car is "Summer Samba".
*While riot police enter the arena to calm down the rowdy crowd, Homer listens to "Spanish Flea" performed by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. He also sings the lyrics.
*The title is a pun on auto show.
*Homer finds a can of Billy Beer in his old jacket. This is a reference to the beer endorsed by Jimmy Carter’s brother, Billy Carter. "We elected the wrong Carter," exclaimed Homer as he drank the decade-old can of beer. Homer does not seem to mind (or realize) that beer has a shelf life, and beer from the Carter administration would likely be past its prime.
*Otto's statement that he'd prefer to be sleeping in a Dumpster brand trash container over the one he's in alludes to the word's status a registered trademark for a brand of large trash containers.
*When Otto leaves the bathroom (after Homer says that he has to go), Otto refers to Homer as "Poppin' Fresh", the nickname for The Pillsbury Doughboy. Homer would later be referred to as Poppin' Fresh by Mr. Burns (who, like Otto the bus driver, is voiced by Harry Shearer) in the season seven episode Team Homer.
*The song Otto plays on the school bus is "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
*Bart has trouble playing Polly Wolly Doodle. Nelson meets him at the bus stop & criticises it as "Polly Wolly Crappy".

External links

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