Homer Badman (27 Nov. 1994)

Homer and Marge hire college co-ed Ashley Grant to baby-sit the kids while they go to a candy convention. While driving Ashley home, Homer shows poor tact when he attempts to retrieve a ... See full summary »

Director:

Jeffrey Lynch

Writers:

Matt Groening (creator), James L. Brooks (developer),

Stars:

Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Dan Castellaneta	...	Homer Simpson / Fox Night at the Movies Announcer / Reporter #2 / Grampa Simpson / Squeaky-Voiced Teen / Groundskeeper Willie / Mayor Quimby (voice)
Julie Kavner	...	Marge Simpson (voice)
Nancy Cartwright	...	Bart Simpson / Ashley Grant Actress (voice)
Yeardley Smith	...	Lisa Simpson (voice)
Hank Azaria	...	Apu Nahasapeemapetilon / Professor Frink / Wax Lips Spokesman / Security Guard / Farmer / Ben Teamster / Moe Szyslak / Bumblebee Man / Comedian / Penny Farthing Cyclist (voice)
Harry Shearer	...	Candy Con Announcer / Gummi Venus de Milo Spokesman / Man Rocking Homer / Waylon Smithers / Godfrey Jones / Rock Bottom Disclaimer / News Reporter / Ben Announcer / Kent Brockman / Reporter #1 / David Letterman (voice)
Dennis Franz	...	Himself as Homer Simpson (voice)
Pamela Hayden	...	Woman Rocking Homer / Woman in Gentle Ben Audience #2 (voice)
Maggie Roswell	...	Ashley Grant / Protesting Woman / Woman on Chat Show / Woman in Gentle Ben Audience #1 (voice)
Tress MacNeille	...	Chat Show Host (voice)

Storyline

Homer and Marge hire college co-ed Ashley Grant to baby-sit the kids while they go to a candy convention. While driving Ashley home, Homer shows poor tact when he attempts to retrieve a piece of Gummy Venus that became stuck to the back of Ashley's pants. Things are blown way out of proportion when Ashley interprets Homer's innocent actions as a sexual advance, prompting her to mount a huge anti-harassment campaign against Homer. Several attempts to exonerate himself - most notably, a totally inaccurate segment on the tabloid TV show "Rock Bottom" - only make things worse. As the media coverage intensifies, his friends turn against him and his name becomes comedy fodder, Homer becomes resigned to his tarnished reputation. Finally, after Lisa produces a segment for a cable-access TV show (where Homer defends himself), Groundskeeper Willie finally produces evidence to exonerate the Simpson patriarch.

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Plot Keywords:

tabloid journalism | babysitter | 2d animation | penny farthing bicycle | false accusation | 

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Family

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 November 1994 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Gracie Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The only episode where Professor Frink's eyeballs are visible through his thick glasses.

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Goofs

When Marge's pocket breaks up and the candies fall to the floor, there is a big pile of candies. In the next scene, the pile is gone.

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Quotes

Marge: Somebody had to take the babysitter home, then I noticed she was sitting on her sweet can. I grab her sweet can. Oh, just thinking about her can. I just wish I had her sweet, sweet, s-s-s-sweeet can.

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Connections

Spoofs A Current Affair (1990)

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Soundtracks

"Underwater Wonderland"
Music by Alf Clausen
Lyrics by Greg Daniels
Performed by Dan Castellaneta

User Reviews

"Homer Badman" is the Definition of Awesomeness... and why the news can't be trusted.

This is definitely one of my all-time favorite episodes. Homer is shunned and hated after being accused of sexual harassment by the babysitter after driving her home. She accused him of trying to grab her buttocks... this was of course not what he intended at all. In fact, he tried to grab for a gummy candy that was stuck to her behind after she got up to leave the car. The whole town... and pretty much everyone in it... ends up hating Homer and making accusations against him (as well as spying on his house with news cameras). He is made a mockery of and a documentary is made to show how he acted like a sexual perverted lunatic who craved sex acts. This was insanely wrong but hilarious due to his reaction. The episode also shows how much of the American public will believe just about anything that is shown on television and will automatically assume the worst about anyone. It also shows how news will try to come up with worse things about a guy once they get a hold of him by any chance. For example, in one scene, Homer comes out of the shower and is caught nude by a chopper spying on him as he falls to the ground. Of course, the news portrays him as having sexual perversions in his shower. This is greatly falsified information but people believe it regardless due to the fact that it's on the news. In the end, with a very clever writing twist, Groundskeeper Willie comes to the rescue with a tape recording of how Homer grabbed the gummy (saving him). This damns Willie in the process as he is shown on television as a spy and stalker. However, even after Willie saved Homer's life, Homer still puts him down due to the fact that television stated it. This episode also proved that no matter what happens in real life... people will always be deceived by television... and that Homer is definitely an idiot. This episode is pretty much the depiction of how a perfect episode should be written.