Homer vs. Dignity

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = Homer vs. Dignity


image_caption = Mr. Burns with his new prank monkey, Homer.
episode_no = 253
prod_code = CABF04
airdate = November 26, 2000
show runner = Mike Scully
writer = Rob LaZebnik
director = Neil Affleck
blackboard = "I was not the Sixth Beatle"
couch_gag = There’s a ramp leading to the couch. Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie successfully do skateboard tricks off the ramp and onto the couch. Homer, however, falls off the ramp and, adding injury to insult, gets hit on the head with his own skateboard.
guest_star = Leeza Gibbons as herself
season = 12

"Homer vs. Dignity" is the fifth episode of the twelfth season of "The Simpsons". It aired on November 26, 2000.

Plot

For doing an astronomy quiz, Bart gets his first "A", and goes to the Singing Sirloin restaurant (as seen in "Life on the Fast Lane") for a dinner, but Homer's credit card is rejected. Eventually, he and Marge realize that the family is in financial trouble, so they see Lindsay Naegle, who suggests that Homer ask Mr. Burns for a raise. Homer is promoted to the spot of Executive Assistant in Charge of Recreation, which is, in Burns' words, "better yet, my prank-monkey". Burns pays Homer cash every time Homer entertains Burns, like throwing pudding at Lenny, eating a rare "Spider-Man" comic in front of Comic Book Guy, and making "boom-boom" in a diaper and asking strangers to change him.

It reaches the extreme point when Homer is asked to don a panda suit and be friends with a real panda at the Springfield Zoo. However, the panda becomes romantically interested with Homer. After all these rough times, Homer, who learns from Lisa that dignity is more important than money, quits his job. In response, Homer becomes an actor portraying Santa, and participates in the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Suddenly, Mr. Burns shows up to tell Homer that he can get $1,000,000 if he pulls another prank. Homer refuses, and Mr. Burns does the prank on his own by throwing fish guts onto the parade spectators.

Cultural references

*The plot of this episode is similar to "The Magic Christian".
*The scene where the citizens are attacked by seagulls spoofs the 1963 film "The Birds".
*The parade features a Funky Winkerbean float and another with the Noid.
*The Lindy Hop was a popular African American dance of the 1920s.
*Homer sings "Spanish Eyes" by Al Martino.
*This episode coined the term "retirony", which is a reference to the cliche that cops will get killed only days from retirement.

External links

*snpp capsule|CABF04
*imdb episode|id=0763031|episode=Homer vs. Dignity