"Bart Gets Famous" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons' fifth season, first aired on February 3, 1994.

Synopsis

Bart goes on a class field trip to the box factory. However on the tour of the box factory Bart gets bored and escapes from the class to go to the Channel 6 TV studio nearby where he wanders by a beach scene and Bumblebee Man. With his absence, Skinner calls Homer who arrives, thinking that Bart was killed in one of the boxing machines.

Meanwhile, Bart meets up with Krusty who is angry that he doesn't have his Danish. Because of this, Bart steals a Danish from Kent Brockman and gives it to Krusty who becomes grateful and asks him to become his assistant (though he ironically forgets all the other times Bart has helped him out; from saving his career to renewing Krusty's relations with his father). When Bart returns home, Homer is relieved that he doesn't have to tell Marge that Bart was killed in a box accident. Afterwards, Bart continues his work as Krusty's assistant, though soon he gets tired in that the cast members don't treat him well and he doesn't get credited for his work of helping the show. However, before Bart decides to quit Krusty offers him to say one line in a sketch. Bart messes up his lines and destroys all of the props on the stage and when the crowd's focus comes on him, he tries to get out of it, saying, "I didn't do it", which causes the audience to laugh and applaud. Seeing this, Krusty immediately uses Bart and his "I didn't do it" catch phrase in later sketches and eventually creates a franchise out of Bart such as the "I didn't do it" music video.

As Bart continues with his "I didn't do it" catch phrase, he begins to fear that the fad will eventually wear off so he tries to act intelligent (as during his interview on Conan O' Brien's show). Even so, eventually Bart's catch phrase loses its humor and Bart loses his fame.

References

• The writing on the blackboard is a reference to The Fugitive
• Bart's line "Jahwohl, mein Mommerant" is similar to Sergeant Schultz's line to Colonel Klink: "Jahwohl, mein Kommandant" from Hogan's Heroes
• Krusty with a candlestick in the conservatory is a reference to the board game "Cluedo"
• Krusty's line "Hey kid!" is a parody of "Mean" Joe Greene's line from the Coke television commercial, which was recently voted the best commercial in Super Bowl history
• The set of "Match Game 2034" makes a reference to the Jetsons and Match Game
• The musical cue is a parody of the Batman television series
• Bart raps to Rick James' "Superfreak"/Hammer's "You Can't Touch This"
• Bart's album cover looks similar to the Kriss Kross rap duo
• In the beginning of the episode, Bart hums the Simpsons theme, then Marge tells him to stop whistling that annoying tune. This is a reference to TV Guide saying the Simpsons theme was one of the most annoying themes ever.

Quotes

• Lisa: I've got a weekend job helping the poor and I'm only eight
  Homer: That's not a job, it's a waste of time. What can poor people pay you? Nothing! What satisfaction you get from helping them? None! Who wants to help poor people anyway? Nobody!
• Krusty: Don't listen to him, kid. This is a dream factory, the birthplace of magic, an enchantment! Now I need you to go clean out my toilet.
• Bart: Damn TV, you've ruined my imagination, just like you've ruined my ability to... uh...
• Tour guide: That's just a TV studio where they film Krusty the Clown and other non-box-related programs.
• Homer: You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel.
• Homer: Whaddaya mean, you lost him? He might have fallen into one of these machines! (sees Bart's hat on a box) Oh, my God, that's his lucky red hat. He's a box! My boy's a box! Damn you, a box
• Lisa: If I ever become famous, I want it to be for something worthwhile, not because of some obnoxious fad
  Bart: Obnoxious fad?
  Homer: Aw, don't worry, son. You know, they said the same thing about Urkel -- that little snot boy! I'd like to smash that kid!
• Lisa: And now you can go back to just being you, instead of a one-dimensional character with a silly catch-phrase.
  Homer: (breaking a lamp) D'oh!
  Bart: Ay, carumba!
  Marge: (Groans)
  Maggie: (Sucks her pacifier)
  Flanders: Hi-dilly-ho!
  Barney: (Belches)
  Nelson: Ha, ha!
  Burns: Excellent! (long pause)
  Lisa: If anyone wants me, I'll be in my room.
  Homer: What kind of catch-phrase is that?
• Bart: I am waiting for a...whoa! (Krusty yells) (short pause)
  Bart: I didn't do it! (Crowd laughs and cheers very loudly)

Trivia

• It should be noted that Krusty the Klown used the catchphrase "I didn't do it" at least twice in the first season episode Krusty Gets Busted. Note that one of the times that Krusty used it was as a talking pull string doll, where Bart pulled the string on the Krusty doll and said "I didn't do it."
• Bart getting famous for one phrase might be a reference to 1930's comedian Joe Penner whose major claim to fame was his phrase "Wanna buy a duck?".

External links

Simpsons episodes