$pringfield: Or How I Learned... vs Much Abu About Nothing
Posted: Tue August 16, 2016 12:44 pm
$pringfield: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Leagalized Gambling
The economy of Springfield is in decline, so Mayor Quimby listens to suggestions from citizens on how to improve it. Principal Skinner states that legalized gambling has helped rejuvenate run-down economies, and that it can work for Springfield as well. Everybody, even Marge, likes the idea. Mr. Burns and Mayor Quimby work together to build a casino, where Homer gets a job as a blackjack dealer. The casino is designed by Mr. Burns himself, as the proposals he received were not to his liking. While Marge waits for Homer's shift to end at the casino, she finds a quarter on the floor and uses it to play a slot machine. She wins and almost immediately becomes addicted to gambling. Meanwhile, since Bart is too young to gamble at Burns' Casino, he starts his own casino for his friends to play in his treehouse, and intercepts Robert Goulet to perform there. Burns also grows even richer, but in the process becomes a Howard Hughes-type hermit, developing a profound fear of microscopic germs, urinates in jars, and wears tissue boxes instead of shoes.
Due to her addiction, Marge spends every waking moment at the casino and neglects her family. For instance, she forgets to help Lisa make a costume for her geography pageant. Enraged, Homer bursts into the casino and barges around searching for Marge. The security cameras capture Homer's rampage, and when Burns sees him he demotes him back to his old job at the power plant. After realizing how much he misses the plant, Burns decides to return. Homer confronts Marge with her behavior, and she finally realizes that she has a problem. Lisa does win a special prize in the geography pageant, as Homer's poor costume design gives Lisa the appearance that she did the work all by herself. Ralph Wiggum receives the same prize, as his costume is simply a note taped to his shirt that reads "Idaho".
Much Abu About Nothing
On an ordinary day, a brown bear strolls onto the streets of Springfield, frightening the town. The bear is eventually subdued by the police, who tranquilize it (despite the bear being relatively docile). Homer convinces Springfield that something needs to be done to protect them from bears, and the town takes their complaint to Mayor Quimby, who gives in easily. Soon, the Bear Patrol is created. Homer is then shocked to see taxes have been raised five dollars to maintain the patrol, and this warrants another visit by the town to the Mayor's office. To appease them, Mayor Quimby blames the high taxes on illegal immigrants. He then creates Proposition 24, which will require all illegal immigrants in Springfield to be deported.
Springfield starts to harass and hate all immigrants. At the Kwik-E-Mart, Apu confides in Homer that he is an illegal immigrant. Apu explains that if Proposition 24 passes, he will have to leave the United States, as his visa expired many years earlier. Apu is forced to go to Fat Tony to obtain a false United States citizenship, and on Fat Tony's advice, he starts acting American, by doing things like speaking with an American accent. However, feeling guilty and embarrassed about taking the fraudulent route and forging documents (Apu is shown remembering his parents bidding him farewell, telling him to "make us proud, son," as he set forth his journey to the USA, for his education and eventual Ph.D), he realizes he has disgraced his parents by turning his back on his Indian heritage, and tears up the fake passport.
After Homer sees how devastated was Apu about being deported, he changes his mind about the immigration proposition and vows that he and his family will help Apu. Lisa discovers that Apu will not have to leave if he can pass a United States citizenship test. Homer agrees to be Apu's tutor to help prepare for the exam. Apu demonstrates excellent knowledge of the United States, but Homer is a terrible tutor and replaces Apu's knowledge with false information. Apu falls asleep while studying Homer's notes, but forgets it all when he wakes up which Lisa says is good. Apu then goes to take the test, and because he originally knew a lot about the history of the United States, he passes the test and becomes a citizen of the United States. At a congratulatory party, Homer tells his guests how terrible it would be if immigrants were deported, explaining they make the United States thrive. He inspires them to vote no on Proposition 24, but it still passes, with 95% of voters voting yes. After the ballot is passed, the only person deported is Groundskeeper Willie.
The economy of Springfield is in decline, so Mayor Quimby listens to suggestions from citizens on how to improve it. Principal Skinner states that legalized gambling has helped rejuvenate run-down economies, and that it can work for Springfield as well. Everybody, even Marge, likes the idea. Mr. Burns and Mayor Quimby work together to build a casino, where Homer gets a job as a blackjack dealer. The casino is designed by Mr. Burns himself, as the proposals he received were not to his liking. While Marge waits for Homer's shift to end at the casino, she finds a quarter on the floor and uses it to play a slot machine. She wins and almost immediately becomes addicted to gambling. Meanwhile, since Bart is too young to gamble at Burns' Casino, he starts his own casino for his friends to play in his treehouse, and intercepts Robert Goulet to perform there. Burns also grows even richer, but in the process becomes a Howard Hughes-type hermit, developing a profound fear of microscopic germs, urinates in jars, and wears tissue boxes instead of shoes.
Due to her addiction, Marge spends every waking moment at the casino and neglects her family. For instance, she forgets to help Lisa make a costume for her geography pageant. Enraged, Homer bursts into the casino and barges around searching for Marge. The security cameras capture Homer's rampage, and when Burns sees him he demotes him back to his old job at the power plant. After realizing how much he misses the plant, Burns decides to return. Homer confronts Marge with her behavior, and she finally realizes that she has a problem. Lisa does win a special prize in the geography pageant, as Homer's poor costume design gives Lisa the appearance that she did the work all by herself. Ralph Wiggum receives the same prize, as his costume is simply a note taped to his shirt that reads "Idaho".
Much Abu About Nothing
On an ordinary day, a brown bear strolls onto the streets of Springfield, frightening the town. The bear is eventually subdued by the police, who tranquilize it (despite the bear being relatively docile). Homer convinces Springfield that something needs to be done to protect them from bears, and the town takes their complaint to Mayor Quimby, who gives in easily. Soon, the Bear Patrol is created. Homer is then shocked to see taxes have been raised five dollars to maintain the patrol, and this warrants another visit by the town to the Mayor's office. To appease them, Mayor Quimby blames the high taxes on illegal immigrants. He then creates Proposition 24, which will require all illegal immigrants in Springfield to be deported.
Springfield starts to harass and hate all immigrants. At the Kwik-E-Mart, Apu confides in Homer that he is an illegal immigrant. Apu explains that if Proposition 24 passes, he will have to leave the United States, as his visa expired many years earlier. Apu is forced to go to Fat Tony to obtain a false United States citizenship, and on Fat Tony's advice, he starts acting American, by doing things like speaking with an American accent. However, feeling guilty and embarrassed about taking the fraudulent route and forging documents (Apu is shown remembering his parents bidding him farewell, telling him to "make us proud, son," as he set forth his journey to the USA, for his education and eventual Ph.D), he realizes he has disgraced his parents by turning his back on his Indian heritage, and tears up the fake passport.
After Homer sees how devastated was Apu about being deported, he changes his mind about the immigration proposition and vows that he and his family will help Apu. Lisa discovers that Apu will not have to leave if he can pass a United States citizenship test. Homer agrees to be Apu's tutor to help prepare for the exam. Apu demonstrates excellent knowledge of the United States, but Homer is a terrible tutor and replaces Apu's knowledge with false information. Apu falls asleep while studying Homer's notes, but forgets it all when he wakes up which Lisa says is good. Apu then goes to take the test, and because he originally knew a lot about the history of the United States, he passes the test and becomes a citizen of the United States. At a congratulatory party, Homer tells his guests how terrible it would be if immigrants were deported, explaining they make the United States thrive. He inspires them to vote no on Proposition 24, but it still passes, with 95% of voters voting yes. After the ballot is passed, the only person deported is Groundskeeper Willie.
