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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2018}}
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{{Infobox Simpsons episode {{Infobox Simpsons episode
| episode_name = Homer's Barbershop Quartet | image = Homers Barbershop Quartet.PNG
| image_size = 200
| image = ]
| alt = Four barbershop quartet singers, with one handing an award to a mustached man in a suit
| episode_no = 82
| caption = Promotional artwork for "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", featuring David Crosby
| prod_code = 9F21
| airdate = ], ] | season = 5
| episode = 1
| show runner = ] & ]
| writer = ] | director = ]
| director = ] | writer = ]
| production = 9F21
| blackboard = "I will never win an ]"
| airdate = {{Start date|1993|09|30}}
| couch_gag = The family "performs" three different couch gag takes.
| guest_star = ] as himself<br>] as himself<br>] as the singing voices of "The Be-Sharps". | guests = * ] as himself
* ] as himself
* ] as some of the singing voices of the Be Sharps.
| blackboard = "I will never win an ]"<ref name="book">{{cite book |last=Groening |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Groening |editor1-first=Ray |editor1-last=Richmond |editor1-link=Ray Richmond |editor2-first=Antonia |editor2-last=Coffman |title=] |edition=1st |year=1997 |location=New York |publisher=] |lccn=98141857 |ol=433519M |oclc=37796735 |isbn=978-0-06-095252-5 |page= |ref={{harvid|Richmond & Coffman|1997}} }}.</ref>
| season = 5
| couch_gag = The family rush into the room, crash into each other, and shatter like glass. Then, on take 2, the family morph into one disfigured creature. Finally, on take 3, the family run into each other and explode.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season5/page1.shtml |title=Homer's Barbershop Quartet |access-date=April 12, 2008 |author1=Martyn, Warren |author2=Wood, Adrian |year=2000 |publisher=BBC |archive-date=February 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205195538/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season5/page1.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>
| commentary = ]<br>Mike Reiss<br>Al Jean<br>Jeff Martin<br>]<br>]<br>Mark Kirkland
| prev = ]
| next = ]
}} }}
"'''Homer's Barbershop Quartet'''" is the first episode of the ] of the American animated television series '']''. It originally aired on the ] in the United States on September 30, 1993. It features the Be Sharps, a ] founded by ]. The band's story roughly parallels that of ]. ] and ] guest star as themselves, and ] partly provide the singing voices of the Be Sharps.


The episode was written by ] and directed by ]. It begins with the Simpson family attending a swap meet. There, ] and his sister ] notice a picture of their father, Homer, on the cover of an old ]. Homer explains to his family that he, ], ], and ] recorded a barbershop quartet album eight years earlier in 1985, which catapulted them to national fame. He tells his family the story of how the band formed, became famous and successful, and eventually disbanded.
"'''Homer's Barbershop Quartet'''" is the first episode of '']''<nowiki>'</nowiki> ]. It features the Be Sharps, a fictional ].


In its original American broadcast, "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" finished 30th in ratings, with a ] of 12.7. Both critics and viewers praised the episode.
==Synopsis==
{{spoiler}}


==Plot==
It's the day of the Springfield Swap Meet. ] and ] notice an album cover with ] on it. They ask Homer when he recorded an album. Homer answers that he recorded an album in ]; every afternoon at ], ], ], ], and he would get together and sing.
At the ] Swap Meet, ] and ] notice ] on the cover of an ]. Homer tells the story of how he, ], ], and ] recorded a ] album in 1985, which catapulted them to national fame.


In 1985, Homer, Skinner, Apu and ] entertain nightly at ], which was then called ]. An agent named ] offers to represent the group, but only on the condition that ]; Homer does this by abandoning Wiggum in a forest. The band holds auditions for a fourth member but have no luck until they hear Barney singing in a melodious ] ] voice in the men's room. After their first show as a foursome, they decide to name themselves "The Be Sharps."
The crowd liked the singing. Homer says that his group was a ], which was popular everywhere, even at ]. The group initially started in ], but quickly found national fame. Their career parallelled that of ] in many ways. This development came after an agent, Nigel, approached them and said everyone in the group could sing, except Chief Wiggum, who was too "]." The group got people to audition, with ] (who does a swing version of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm"), ], ], and ] (disguised as ]) all making unsuccessful attempts. When the barbershop trio returned to Moe's, they heard ]'s singing in a beautiful ] voice, and are amazed. However, after Barney is chosen as the new member, people still liked Chief Wiggum. Eventually, the audience warmed up to Barney, so fast in fact that Moe thought Nigel paid them to support Barney.


Homer has little luck as a songwriter until Marge buys a "]" bumper sticker, inspiring Homer to write a song called "Baby On Board". The song appears on the group's first album, ''Meet the Be Sharps'', and becomes a hit. The Be Sharps perform at the ]'s ] and win a ] for Outstanding Soul, Spoken Word, or Barbershop Album of the Year. At the ceremony, Barney meets his hero ] and Homer meets ] of ], though Homer is more interested in the brownie that Harrison is eating. That night, Homer calls home to talk to Lisa and Marge and realizes how much they miss him. Disillusioned, he gives his award statuette away as a tip to the unimpressed bellhop.
The group considered various names, finally calling themselves "The Be Sharps." They had decided their name should be witty initially, but should become less funny each time you heard it.


In the present, Homer looks through a box of Be Sharps merchandise, including ]es, mugs, and posters, as well as their second album, '']''. Bart and Lisa ask why the band is not popular anymore, and Homer tells the end of the story.
Back in modern times, leaving the swap meet, Homer says he sold a spare tire, but unfortunately, a tire on the car blows out, and Marge has to take a long walk to a gas station. Homer tells the rest of the story: he looked at ideas for a new song, and they failed, until Marge got a "]" sign, and Homer wrote his "Baby on Board" song inspired by the ]; the group sung it in studio and put it on their first album, ''Meet the Be Sharps'' (the album found by Bart and Lisa at the start of the episode). The song became a number one hit. The group arrived in America in ] to perform at the centennial of the ]. The Be Sharps also won a ] for "Outstanding Soul, Spoken Word, or Barbershop Album of the Year", and Homer met ] (the greatest thrill of his life: Harrison directed him to "a big pile" of ]). Meanwhile, Wiggum's singing career (now dead) was being mocked by numerous talk show hosts.


Creative disputes arise within the group when Barney begins dating a ] who monopolizes his time and drives the Be Sharps away from their barbershop roots. Eventually, an issue of ]'s "What's Hot and What's Not" notes that the band is "not"; the Be Sharps split up. Skinner resumes his position as principal of ], Apu returns to his job at the ], Barney takes his girlfriend to ], and Homer returns to the ], where his job had temporarily been covered by a ].
Homer explains that the Be Sharps were on merchandise items - such as lunch boxes, mugs, posters, etc. When Lisa pulls out a bottle of Be Sharps Funny Foam, Homer says that it was pulled off the market when it was discovered to be ]. He goes on to voice his disapproval of that by remarking that, "...if you ask me, if you're dumb enough to eat it, you deserve to die." He turns and finds Bart spraying the bottle into his mouth.


Bart and Lisa ask several more questions about Homer's time in the Be Sharps, but he sends them to bed without giving them answers. Feeling nostalgic, Homer calls Skinner, Apu, and Barney. The next day, the Be Sharps perform "Baby on Board" on the roof of Moe's. Pedestrians stop and listen to the performance, including Harrison, who dismissively remarks, "]," and Wiggum, who prepares to release ] on his former bandmates.
The name of their second album was ''Bigger than Jesus''. Unfortunately, while the Be Sharps were becoming popular, Marge had problems raising the children, and the Be Sharps also had their own problems. They had creative disputes, and Barney left the group in all but name. Barney's girlfriend was a ]ese ]; the two recorded a song in which the girlfriend repeatedly says "Number 8" over ]s of Barney's belches. The group lost its popularity and split up, with Principal Skinner returning to ], and Homer returned to his job at the ] after a ] named Queenie took his place. He ate the chicken.


==Production==
After Homer takes another look at the album, the group reunites to perform a rooftop concert at Moe's singing the number one hit "Baby on board".
]


One of the writers for ''The Simpsons'' suggested that they should create an episode that focuses on Homer in a ] and is "a big parody of the Beatles." The episode was written by ], who was an "obsessive" Beatles fan, making him "a natural to write ."<ref name="Martin">{{cite video|people=Martin, Jeff |date=2004 |title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> ], a "huge" Beatles fan, directed it and ensured that the Beatles references were accurate. Kirkland enjoyed directing "Homer's Barbershop Quartet," and unlike other episodes he directed, he did not experience any trouble animating it. The animators liked creating the Beatles gags and enjoyed the barbershop music. After the animators synchronized the audio track, music and animation, they "just fell in love" with it. They also enjoyed working on the ] of the Be Sharps and trying to match the characters' movements with the music. They were inspired by the 1970 Beatles film '']'', including the shots of the band in the recording studio where they decide to break up. Kirkland did not think there was anything "spectacular" in the episode's animation, but he and his animation team "just loved" working on it.<ref name="Kirkland">{{cite video |people=Kirkland, Mark |date=2004 |title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
==Trivia==
* This was ]'s second appearance on the show.
* The note "B sharp" (B#) is ] the same as the note "C". They are often said to be the same note, but in proper ] this is incorrect.
* The famous ] barbershop quartet, ], provided the singing voices for the Be Sharps.
* Apu's new name (de Beaumarchais) is (incorrect) ] for 'of the good market' (the real French syntax is "du beau marché"), or, very creatively mangled, 'of the convenient store', an obscure reference to the ]. It is also the name of ], French politician and play-writer, most famous for the three Figaro plays.
* The Take One couch gag shows The Simpsons running into each other and shattering into pieces; this gag was reused in "]" and "]". The Take Two couch gag shows The Simpsons running into each other again and melding into a blob; this gag was reused in "]". The Take Three couch gag shows The Simpsons once again colliding; this time they explode. The Take Three gag was reused in "]" and "]". In ], only the Take One gag is used.
* A deleted scene of this episode showed Skinner going back to his mother. She asks him if he was with a woman, he says no, then she asks for a bath, followed by mad laughing and a close-up of their '']''-parody house.
* This is the first episode to be dedicated in memory of someone.
* This was not originally going to be the season premiere, but this was changed because ] was the guest star.
* When Comic Book Guy lifts up The Melvin and the Squirrels album behind it is a ] record. Also, Spinal Tap is later seen in the room where Homer meets George Harrison. ], one of the show's voice actors, starred in Spinal Tap.


]
==Cultural References==
* Principal Skinner recognizes an old prison helmet of his from Vietnam with the number '24601'. This is also the prison number and alias of ] in '']''. The same number is also ]'s prison number in the episode "]". The huge bomb in the background is a replica of ], the atomic bomb exploded on ].
* The record that ] had at the swap meet, "Melvin and the Squirrels" is an obvious spoof of '']''.
* At the swap meet Homer naively misidentifies the ], an issue of '']'' #1 (the debut of ]), a sheet of ] postage stamps and a violin by the ] family, all rare and valuable items, as "junk". A single Inverted Jenny stamp itself would today fetch around US$150,000.
* Homer's attempted song lyrics include references to '']'' and '']'' actor ].
* The 1980s chat show hosts mocking Chief Wiggum are ] and ].
* Homer's line about ], "We haven't heard the last of ''them''!", is ironic as the band were a ] (at least in the USA), only charting with "]".
*]'s ] LP can be seen in the background next to the Melvin record.
* Their hit song, 'Baby On Board', paraphrases some of 'You're So Square Baby I Don't Care'.


Lisa sees a man selling an original Malibu Stacy doll from 1958 that has big, pointed breasts. The man, nicknamed "Wiseguy" by the show's staff, tells Lisa that "they took off the market after some kid put both his eyes out." The joke received a censor note from the Fox network's censors, but the producers ignored it and the joke appeared in the episode when it aired.<ref name="Groening">{{cite video |people=Groening, Matt |date=2004 |title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
=== Beatles references ===
* ] has changed to Moe's Cavern, a reference to the famous ] in ] where ] frequently performed in the late ] and early ].
* When Chief Wiggum jumps out of the window stating "This bird's going to fly," this is a reference to a line in "]" on the '']'' album.
* Chief Wiggum's replacement in the band by Barney is a parallel to ] being replaced as The Beatles' drummer by ]. The scenes in "Moe's Cavern," where people are shouting "Wiggum Forever, Barney Never," are reminiscent of scenes in Liverpool when fans chanted "Pete Best Forever, Ringo Never."
* "Gentlemen, you have just recorded your first number one," is what ] told the Beatles after they finished recording "]".
* Homer having to cover up his marriage to Marge is a parody of John Lennon being forced to conceal the fact he was married to Cynthia in the early years.
* The first Be Sharps LP we see, ''Meet the Be Sharps'', is a direct reference to The Beatles' album '']'', featuring the quartet's faces in black-and-white contrast on the cover.
* The press conference at the airport is a direct reference to the questions the American press asked the Beatles when they first arrived in New York.
* The Be Sharps' performance at the Statue of Liberty parodies The Beatles´ presentation in ] on '']''.
* The Be Sharps' ] manager Nigel, flirts in a ] manner towards Homer, a parody of the alleged homosexual affair between the Beatles' manager ] and ].
* The cover of ''Bigger Than Jesus'', the Be Sharps' second album, features the group walking on water. It is a direct parody of the art on The Beatles' album '']''. At the end of the episode the back cover is revealed, on which we see Homer turned away from the camera, as opposed to the rest of the band. This is a parody of the '']'' LP reverse, in which ] is in the same position, allegedly as part of the "]" hype. "Bigger than Jesus" is a reference to a ] made by ] in 1966.
* The scene in the recording studio where the group record a new song includes the lyrics "Goo goo ga joob," which is a lyric from "]".
* Barney's Japanese conceptual artist girlfriend is a parody of ], and the two record a song which sounds similar to Lennon and Ono's "]".
* The group performing atop Moe's Bar at the end of the episode (including their clothes) is a parody of The Beatles' impromptu concert on the ] rooftop during their '']'' recording sessions in 1969 -- hence George Harrison's line, "It's been done."
* Homer's comment "I'd like to thank you on behalf of the group and I hope we passed the audition," is the last piece of dialogue, said by ], on the Beatles '']'' album, taken from the Apple rooftop concert.


The Be Sharps' singing voices were partly provided by ], a barbershop quartet that performs at ] in ]. Before working on the episode, Martin had seen one of the quartet's performances and enjoyed it. When the episode's production began, he contacted the quartet, and they agreed to make a guest appearance in the episode. The Dapper Dans' singing was intermixed with the normal voice actors' voices, often with a regular voice actor singing the melody and The Dapper Dans providing backup.<ref name="Martin"/>
==Song==
*'''Barney:''' And a-one, and a-two, and a-three<br/>'''Skinner:''' Ba-bum bum bum<br/>'''Be-Sharps:''' Ba-by on board, how I've adored ''(bum bum bum)''<br/>That sign on my car's windowpane<br/>A bounce in my step, loaded with pep<br/>'Cause I'm driving in the ''(Homer harmonizes)'' carpool lane<br/>Call me a square, friend I don't care ''(bum bum bum)''<br/>That little yellow sign can't be ignored<br/>I'm telling you it's mighty nice<br/>Each trip's a trip to paradise<br/>With my ba-by on board!


] guest stars in the episode as himself. He was the second Beatle after ] (in "]") to appear on ''The Simpsons''. When Harrison arrived at the recording studio in ] to record his lines, the casting director told the episode's ]s, ] and ], that Harrison was coming and that they were not allowed to tell anybody about it because it was intended to be a secret. Jean, Reiss, and the show's creator, ] went to see Harrison in the studio, and when they returned to the writer's room, Groening, unaware that it was supposed to be a secret, said, "Guess who I just met! George Harrison!"<ref name="Jean"/> Harrison arrived at the studio by himself, without entourage or bodyguards. Groening recalls that Harrison was "pretty glum," and he was unenthusiastic when the staff asked him questions about the Beatles. However, when Groening asked Harrison about the '']'' album, he suddenly "perked up" because it was one of his solo albums that he was rarely questioned on. Harrison's guest appearance was one of Groening's favorites because he was "super nice" and "very sweet" to the staff.<ref name="Groening"/> Jean said it was a "huge thrill" to have him appear.<ref name="Jean"/> ] also makes a guest appearance in the episode as himself, in the scene where he presents a Grammy Award to the Be Sharps.<ref name="Azaria"/>
==Goofs==
* After Marge's "replacement Homer" malfunctions, the next scene shows ] burying him in the yard. Santa's Little Helper did not become the Simpsons' pet until the first episode, "Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire".
* The sign outside the Church credits the group as "The Be Sharps" before they even decided on their name.
* ] appeared at the 1987 Grammys but he didn't become famous until the 1990s.
* When the group (with Barney) performs at the Statue of Liberty, Chief Wiggum's voice can clearly be heard.
* Homer refers to ] leaving '']'' in 1985 when setting the scene for the story, but Piscopo left the show in 1984, before the show underwent a cast overhaul for season 10 (and again in seasons 11 and 12).
* When Homer sends the kids to bed, from one angle, his phone has no numbers.
* While Homer says he had five and a half weeks at the top at the end of the episode, only one scene said it was 1985--and the ] scene said it was 1986.
*In the final shot of the episode, Wiggum is drawn off-model and Lou disappears.
*Homer and Marge's bedroom had photos of Bart and Lisa when they were 10 and 8 years old. However, the story takes place when Bart and Lisa were only three years old and one year old respectively.
*Lisa is less than one year old, yet she still talks to Homer on the phone.
*Although Lisa is already born, Homer still has hair on his head. In the episode "]" he is shown ripping out all but three hairs out of his head when hearing of Marge being pregnant with Lisa. Instead, that scene is consider a "goof" too, because Homer is shown with hair when Lisa is a baby in several episodies, including the episode when Lisa's born; "]"
*"]" by ] came out between 1983 and 1984, yet the Grammy show where Homer wins an award takes place in 1985.
* Toward the end of the episode in the scene where Barney introduces his Yoko Ono-esque "Japanese Conceptual Artist" girlfriend, he presses the red button to "play" the tape, but generally red indicates "record".


"Homer's Barbershop Quartet" was a hold-over episode from the season four production line. It was chosen to air as the fifth season's premiere episode because it guest starred Harrison. The Fox network executives wanted to premiere with ]'s episode "]" because of its parody of the 1978 comedy film '']'', but the writers felt "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" would be a better choice because of Harrison's involvement.<ref name="Jean">{{cite video |people=Jean, Al |date=2004 |title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{snpp capsule|9F21}}
* on fox.com about this episode, #501


==Cultural references==
]
At the swap meet, ] says "Ich bin ein Springfield Swap Meet Patron," a parody of John F. Kennedy's ]. Flanders is selling trading cards of Biblical figures, including ] and ]. Homer browses through a box with items costing five cents each, including the ], a copy of ], a complete block of ] misprinted postal stamps, and a ] violin.<ref name="book"/> Moe sells oyster shells at the swap meet that resemble ].<ref name="Martin"/> Principal Skinner finds the helmet he wore in a Vietnamese prison camp. It has the number 24601, also ]'s prison number in '']''.<ref name="Martin"/> Homer mentions that 1985 was the year that ] left '']''.<ref name="book"/> He begins telling the story of the Be Sharps by saying, "Rock and roll had become stagnant. ']' was seven years away; something had to fill the void. That something was barbershop."<ref name="book"/> In the audition for Wiggum's replacement, Jasper Beardley sings the ] and Wiggum, in disguise, sings a song from ]. Grampa listens to ] on the radio; Harvey tells listeners "And that little boy nobody liked grew up to be...]!" Homer buys Grampa a pink ], as ] did for his mother.<ref name="BBC"/> One of the late night television shows Wiggum watches is ] doing his ] routine, wearing a fez instead of the Classic turban.<ref name="Azaria">{{cite video |people=Azaria, Hank |date=2004 |title=The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The name of the recording studio Homer and his group records at is called Desilu Studios, a reference to ], run by Lucille Ball and her husband ]. Homer references '']'' by ] while writing a new song for the group. The Be Sharps beat ] at the ] and Homer remarks, "you haven't heard the last of them." At the ] ceremony, ], ], and Michael Jackson (]) are in the audience; all had guest-starred on the show. The award is presented by ], who was in "]".<ref name="BBC"/> While Bart and Lisa browse through ]s at the swap meet, they find a recording of "]" by Melvin and the Squirrels, a spoof of '']''.<ref name="BBC"/> When the Be Sharps perform "]" for the ], President ] and his wife ] are in attendance.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4N6Q7dYV2FoC&q=reagan+homer%27s+barbershop+quartet&pg=PA146|title=Four Parts, No Waiting: A Social History of American Barbershop Quartet|first=Gage|last=Averill|date=February 20, 2003|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780195353754|via=Google Books|access-date=January 13, 2021|archive-date=August 18, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240818050923/https://books.google.com/books?id=4N6Q7dYV2FoC&q=reagan+homer%27s+barbershop+quartet&pg=PA146#v=snippet&q=reagan%20homer's%20barbershop%20quartet&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref>


Marge's painting of ], seen in "]", is for sale at the swap meet, the first of many references to ]. The cover of ''Meet the Be Sharps'' is based on the cover of '']'' In the flashback, ] is named Moe's Cavern, a reference to the ] in ], where the Beatles frequently performed in the early 1960s.<ref name="BBC"/> ], thrown out of the band, mirrors ], an early member of the Beatles who was replaced by Starr.<ref name="Jean"/> Like Starr, Apu is given a stage name: Apu ]. The cover of ''Bigger Than Jesus'', the Be Sharps' second album, is a parody of the cover of '']''. The title is a reference to a ] made by ] in 1966. Bart asks, "What did you do ? Screw up like the Beatles and say you were bigger than Jesus?" Homer replies, "All the time. That was the title of our second album."<ref name="book"/> Near the end of the episode, the album's back cover is revealed, on which Homer is seen turned away from the camera. This is a parody of the '']'' LP reverse, in which ] is in the same pose.<ref name="Jean"/> Homer meets ] at the Grammy party. Barney's Japanese conceptual artist girlfriend is a parody of ].<ref name="BBC"/> Their song repeats the phrase "Number 8" and a burp by Barney, a reference to the Beatles' "]". While Barney plays this song to the group, the members are seen standing in such a way to resemble a photograph of the Beatles in their studio with Ono while recording ]. The group performing atop Moe's Tavern at the end of the episode is a parody of the Beatles' impromptu performance on the ] rooftop during their ] in 1969.<ref name="BBC"/> The Be Sharps are wearing the same outfits as the Beatles during the ] scene: Barney in a brown fur coat (Lennon), Homer in a bright red coat (Starr), Skinner in a black suit (McCartney), and Apu in a black Mongolian lamb coat with green trousers (Harrison).<ref name="Kirkland"/> Harrison, seeing the concert, notes "It's been done." After the performance, Homer says, "I'd like to thank you on behalf of the group and I hope we passed the audition," paraphrasing Lennon's line at the end of the concert.<ref name="BBC"/>
]

]
==Reception==
In its original American broadcast, "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" finished 30th in the ratings for the week of September 27 to October 3, 1993, with a ] of 12.7, translating to 11,963,400 households.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nielsen Ratings Sept. 27–Oct. 3 |work=Press-Telegram |date=October 6, 1993 }}</ref>

Despite being a "leftover from last season," ] of '']'' applauded the episode: "Who cares? It's funny."<ref>{{cite news |title=Return of 'The Simpsons': Still the Best on the Block |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 30, 1993 |author=Shales, Tom |page=B1 }}</ref> DVD Verdict gave the episode a Grade A score.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=January 24, 2009 |url=http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason5.php |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season |publisher=DVD Verdict |date=February 23, 2005 |author=Bromley, Judge Patrick |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116115733/http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/simpsonsseason5.php |archive-date=January 16, 2009}}</ref> DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson felt that the episode "kicks off with a terrific bang." He appreciated the episode's parodies of a mix of subjects, and its ability to bring them together into a coherent story. Noting that the episode focused on spoofing ], Jacobson praised George Harrison's cameo as "probably the best" Beatles cameo in the series.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=January 24, 2009 |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonfive.shtml |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season (1993) |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |date=December 21, 2004 |author=Jacobson, Colin |archive-date=January 16, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116115643/http://dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasonfive.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> (] had starred in "]" and ] would star in "]").

Giving the episode a score of 5 out of 5, ] praised the "four-part harmony of hilarity gets a flawless mop top modeling," complimenting the references to pop culture icons as being "right on the money."<ref>{{cite web |access-date=January 24, 2009 |url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/13784/simpsons-the-complete-fifth-season-the/ |title=The Simpsons – The Complete Fifth Season |publisher=] |date=December 21, 2004 |author=Gibron, Bill |archive-date=January 22, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122084431/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/13784/simpsons-the-complete-fifth-season-the/ |url-status=live }}</ref> TV DVD Reviews commented on how the episode "hit all the right notes," and were pleased with Harrison's cameo.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=January 24, 2009 |url=http://www.tvdvdreviews.com/simpsons5.html |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season DVD Review |publisher=TV DVD Reviews |date=February 11, 2005 |author=Daly, Kay |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116143057/http://tvdvdreviews.com/simpsons5.html |archive-date=January 16, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> '']'' found "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" an entertaining episode.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Simpsons: Backstage Pass |work=The Courier-Mail |date=July 25, 2002 |author=Melloy, Neil |page=6 }}</ref> Asserting that the series hit its peak with season five episodes such as "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", the '']'' called the episode a "first-class offering."<ref>{{cite news |title=DVD Releases |work=Sunday Tasmanian |date=March 27, 2005 |author=Miller, Craig |page=22 }}</ref>

Although it appreciated the story and use of the main characters, Current Film was not enthused about the episode, claiming that it was not consistently funny.<ref>{{cite web |access-date=January 24, 2009 |url=http://www.currentfilm.com/dvdreviews5/simpsonss5dvd.html |title=DVD Information |publisher=Current Film |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116041117/http://www.currentfilm.com/dvdreviews5/simpsonss5dvd.html |archive-date=January 16, 2009 }}</ref> '']'' called "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" an awful episode, with a "weak, unfunny parody of The Beatles," blaming the series' change of writers before the episode was written.<ref>{{cite news |title=My life as Lisa |work=The Age |date=July 6, 1995 |author=Schembri, Jim |page=10 }}</ref>

] ranked the Beatles' appearances (in "Lisa the Vegetarian", "Brush with Greatness", and "Homer's Barbershop Quartet") 10th on their list of the Top 25 ''Simpsons'' Guest Appearances,<ref>{{cite web |access-date=January 16, 2022 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/04/top-25-simpsons-guest-appearances |title=Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances |publisher=IGN |date=January 4, 2010 |author1=Goldman, Eric |author2=Iverson, Dan |author3=Zoromski, Brian |archive-date=March 8, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070308101151/http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/730/730566p5.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and the '']'' ranked the band fifth on a list of the 11 best cameos on ''The Simpsons''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Producer speaks out on cartoon cameos |work=The Toronto Star |date=May 20, 2007 |author=Jones, Arnold Wayne |page=C05 }}</ref> Andrew Martin of Prefix Mag named Harrison his fourth-favorite musical guest on ''The Simpsons'' out of a list of ten.<ref>{{cite web |last=Martin |first=Andrew |title=Top 10 Best Musical Guests On 'The Simpsons' |url=http://www.prefixmag.com/features/50-cent-barry-white-cypress-hill-george-harrison-johnny-cash-lionel-richie-michael-jackson-rem-spinal-tap-the-white-stripes/top-10-best-musical-guests-on-the-simpsons/57220/ |work=Prefix Mag |access-date=October 8, 2011 |date=October 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514112540/http://www.prefixmag.com/features/50-cent-barry-white-cypress-hill-george-harrison-johnny-cash-lionel-richie-michael-jackson-rem-spinal-tap-the-white-stripes/top-10-best-musical-guests-on-the-simpsons/57220/ }}</ref> ] writes that the episode "is a swooning yet irreverent valentine to Beatles mythology—an inspired, episode-length riff on the rise, fall, and glorious afterlife of what we can all agree was the single greatest rock band of all time."<ref>{{cite news| last=Rabin| first=Nathan| title=The Simpsons (Classic): "Homer's Barbershop Quartet"| work=]| url=https://www.avclub.com/the-simpsons-classic-homer-s-barbershop-quartet-1798174926}}</ref>

===Legacy===
The cocktail Barney's girlfriend orders in this episode—"a single plum, floating in perfume, served in a man's hat"—was recreated by Icelandic artist ] as part of the 2016 exhibit ''One More Story'' at the ], which was curated by Yoko Ono.<ref name="Plum">{{cite web |url=https://hyperallergic.com/333842/ragnar-kjartansson-makes-good-on-yoko-ono-joke-from-1993-simpsons-episode/ |title=Yoko Ono Joke from 'The Simpsons' Becomes Sculpture in Her Exhibition |access-date=November 2, 2021 |author=Carey Dunne |date=October 28, 2016 |publisher=] |archive-date=November 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102043207/https://hyperallergic.com/333842/ragnar-kjartansson-makes-good-on-yoko-ono-joke-from-1993-simpsons-episode/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_5#Homer.27s_Barbershop_Quartet|"Homer's Barbershop Quartet"}}
{{Portal|The Simpsons}}
*{{IMDb episode|0701121}}
* {{Snpp capsule|9F21}}

{{The Simpsons episodes|5}}
{{George Harrison}}

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Latest revision as of 21:56, 26 December 2024

1st episode of the 5th season of The Simpsons
"Homer's Barbershop Quartet"
The Simpsons episode
Four barbershop quartet singers, with one handing an award to a mustached man in a suitPromotional artwork for "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", featuring David Crosby
Episode no.Season 5
Episode 1
Directed byMark Kirkland
Written byJeff Martin
Production code9F21
Original air dateSeptember 30, 1993 (1993-09-30)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Chalkboard gag"I will never win an Emmy"
Couch gagThe family rush into the room, crash into each other, and shatter like glass. Then, on take 2, the family morph into one disfigured creature. Finally, on take 3, the family run into each other and explode.
CommentaryMatt Groening
Mike Reiss
Al Jean
Jeff Martin
Hank Azaria
Jon Lovitz
Mark Kirkland
Episode chronology
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The Simpsons season 5
List of episodes

"Homer's Barbershop Quartet" is the first episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 30, 1993. It features the Be Sharps, a barbershop quartet founded by Homer Simpson. The band's story roughly parallels that of the Beatles. George Harrison and David Crosby guest star as themselves, and the Dapper Dans partly provide the singing voices of the Be Sharps.

The episode was written by Jeff Martin and directed by Mark Kirkland. It begins with the Simpson family attending a swap meet. There, Bart Simpson and his sister Lisa notice a picture of their father, Homer, on the cover of an old LP album. Homer explains to his family that he, Principal Skinner, Barney Gumble, and Apu Nahasapeemapetilon recorded a barbershop quartet album eight years earlier in 1985, which catapulted them to national fame. He tells his family the story of how the band formed, became famous and successful, and eventually disbanded.

In its original American broadcast, "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" finished 30th in ratings, with a Nielsen rating of 12.7. Both critics and viewers praised the episode.

Plot

At the Springfield Swap Meet, Bart and Lisa notice Homer on the cover of an LP album. Homer tells the story of how he, Principal Skinner, Barney, and Apu recorded a barbershop quartet album in 1985, which catapulted them to national fame.

In 1985, Homer, Skinner, Apu and Chief Wiggum entertain nightly at Moe's Tavern, which was then called Moe's Cavern. An agent named Nigel offers to represent the group, but only on the condition that they replace Wiggum; Homer does this by abandoning Wiggum in a forest. The band holds auditions for a fourth member but have no luck until they hear Barney singing in a melodious Irish tenor voice in the men's room. After their first show as a foursome, they decide to name themselves "The Be Sharps."

Homer has little luck as a songwriter until Marge buys a "Baby on board" bumper sticker, inspiring Homer to write a song called "Baby On Board". The song appears on the group's first album, Meet the Be Sharps, and becomes a hit. The Be Sharps perform at the Statue of Liberty's centennial in 1986 and win a Grammy Award for Outstanding Soul, Spoken Word, or Barbershop Album of the Year. At the ceremony, Barney meets his hero David Crosby and Homer meets George Harrison of the Beatles, though Homer is more interested in the brownie that Harrison is eating. That night, Homer calls home to talk to Lisa and Marge and realizes how much they miss him. Disillusioned, he gives his award statuette away as a tip to the unimpressed bellhop.

In the present, Homer looks through a box of Be Sharps merchandise, including lunch boxes, mugs, and posters, as well as their second album, Bigger than Jesus. Bart and Lisa ask why the band is not popular anymore, and Homer tells the end of the story.

Creative disputes arise within the group when Barney begins dating a Japanese conceptual artist who monopolizes his time and drives the Be Sharps away from their barbershop roots. Eventually, an issue of Us magazine's "What's Hot and What's Not" notes that the band is "not"; the Be Sharps split up. Skinner resumes his position as principal of Springfield Elementary School, Apu returns to his job at the Kwik-E-Mart, Barney takes his girlfriend to Moe's, and Homer returns to the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, where his job had temporarily been covered by a chicken.

Bart and Lisa ask several more questions about Homer's time in the Be Sharps, but he sends them to bed without giving them answers. Feeling nostalgic, Homer calls Skinner, Apu, and Barney. The next day, the Be Sharps perform "Baby on Board" on the roof of Moe's. Pedestrians stop and listen to the performance, including Harrison, who dismissively remarks, "It's been done," and Wiggum, who prepares to release tear gas on his former bandmates.

Production

A man leaning towards the left
Jeff Martin, a fan of the Beatles, wrote the episode.

One of the writers for The Simpsons suggested that they should create an episode that focuses on Homer in a barbershop quartet and is "a big parody of the Beatles." The episode was written by Jeff Martin, who was an "obsessive" Beatles fan, making him "a natural to write ." Mark Kirkland, a "huge" Beatles fan, directed it and ensured that the Beatles references were accurate. Kirkland enjoyed directing "Homer's Barbershop Quartet," and unlike other episodes he directed, he did not experience any trouble animating it. The animators liked creating the Beatles gags and enjoyed the barbershop music. After the animators synchronized the audio track, music and animation, they "just fell in love" with it. They also enjoyed working on the choreography of the Be Sharps and trying to match the characters' movements with the music. They were inspired by the 1970 Beatles film Let It Be, including the shots of the band in the recording studio where they decide to break up. Kirkland did not think there was anything "spectacular" in the episode's animation, but he and his animation team "just loved" working on it.

Four members of a barbershop quartet standing around
The Dapper Dans, a barbershop quartet, partly provided the singing voices of the Be Sharps in the episode.

Lisa sees a man selling an original Malibu Stacy doll from 1958 that has big, pointed breasts. The man, nicknamed "Wiseguy" by the show's staff, tells Lisa that "they took off the market after some kid put both his eyes out." The joke received a censor note from the Fox network's censors, but the producers ignored it and the joke appeared in the episode when it aired.

The Be Sharps' singing voices were partly provided by The Dapper Dans, a barbershop quartet that performs at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Before working on the episode, Martin had seen one of the quartet's performances and enjoyed it. When the episode's production began, he contacted the quartet, and they agreed to make a guest appearance in the episode. The Dapper Dans' singing was intermixed with the normal voice actors' voices, often with a regular voice actor singing the melody and The Dapper Dans providing backup.

George Harrison guest stars in the episode as himself. He was the second Beatle after Ringo Starr (in "Brush with Greatness") to appear on The Simpsons. When Harrison arrived at the recording studio in West Los Angeles to record his lines, the casting director told the episode's show runners, Al Jean and Mike Reiss, that Harrison was coming and that they were not allowed to tell anybody about it because it was intended to be a secret. Jean, Reiss, and the show's creator, Matt Groening went to see Harrison in the studio, and when they returned to the writer's room, Groening, unaware that it was supposed to be a secret, said, "Guess who I just met! George Harrison!" Harrison arrived at the studio by himself, without entourage or bodyguards. Groening recalls that Harrison was "pretty glum," and he was unenthusiastic when the staff asked him questions about the Beatles. However, when Groening asked Harrison about the Wonderwall Music album, he suddenly "perked up" because it was one of his solo albums that he was rarely questioned on. Harrison's guest appearance was one of Groening's favorites because he was "super nice" and "very sweet" to the staff. Jean said it was a "huge thrill" to have him appear. David Crosby also makes a guest appearance in the episode as himself, in the scene where he presents a Grammy Award to the Be Sharps.

"Homer's Barbershop Quartet" was a hold-over episode from the season four production line. It was chosen to air as the fifth season's premiere episode because it guest starred Harrison. The Fox network executives wanted to premiere with Conan O'Brien's episode "Homer Goes to College" because of its parody of the 1978 comedy film Animal House, but the writers felt "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" would be a better choice because of Harrison's involvement.

Cultural references

At the swap meet, Mayor Quimby says "Ich bin ein Springfield Swap Meet Patron," a parody of John F. Kennedy's famous Cold War quote. Flanders is selling trading cards of Biblical figures, including Joseph of Arimathea and Methuselah. Homer browses through a box with items costing five cents each, including the United States Declaration of Independence, a copy of Action Comics #1, a complete block of Inverted Jenny misprinted postal stamps, and a Stradivarius violin. Moe sells oyster shells at the swap meet that resemble Lucille Ball. Principal Skinner finds the helmet he wore in a Vietnamese prison camp. It has the number 24601, also Jean Valjean's prison number in Les Misérables. Homer mentions that 1985 was the year that Joe Piscopo left Saturday Night Live. He begins telling the story of the Be Sharps by saying, "Rock and roll had become stagnant. 'Achy Breaky Heart' was seven years away; something had to fill the void. That something was barbershop." In the audition for Wiggum's replacement, Jasper Beardley sings the "Theme From A Summer Place" and Wiggum, in disguise, sings a song from Doctor Dolittle. Grampa listens to Paul Harvey on the radio; Harvey tells listeners "And that little boy nobody liked grew up to be...Roy Cohn!" Homer buys Grampa a pink Cadillac, as Elvis Presley did for his mother. One of the late night television shows Wiggum watches is Johnny Carson doing his Carnac the Magnificent routine, wearing a fez instead of the Classic turban. The name of the recording studio Homer and his group records at is called Desilu Studios, a reference to Desilu Studios, run by Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz. Homer references Al Capone's Vault by Geraldo Rivera while writing a new song for the group. The Be Sharps beat Dexys Midnight Runners at the Grammys and Homer remarks, "you haven't heard the last of them." At the Grammy ceremony, Spinal Tap, Aerosmith, and Michael Jackson (Leon Kompowsky) are in the audience; all had guest-starred on the show. The award is presented by David Crosby, who was in "Marge in Chains". While Bart and Lisa browse through LP albums at the swap meet, they find a recording of "Yankee Doodle" by Melvin and the Squirrels, a spoof of Alvin and the Chipmunks. When the Be Sharps perform "Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby" for the Statue of Liberty centennial, President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy are in attendance.

Marge's painting of Ringo Starr, seen in "Brush with Greatness", is for sale at the swap meet, the first of many references to the Beatles. The cover of Meet the Be Sharps is based on the cover of Meet the Beatles! In the flashback, Moe's Tavern is named Moe's Cavern, a reference to the Cavern Club in Liverpool, where the Beatles frequently performed in the early 1960s. Chief Wiggum, thrown out of the band, mirrors Pete Best, an early member of the Beatles who was replaced by Starr. Like Starr, Apu is given a stage name: Apu de Beaumarchais. The cover of Bigger Than Jesus, the Be Sharps' second album, is a parody of the cover of Abbey Road. The title is a reference to a controversial quote made by John Lennon in 1966. Bart asks, "What did you do ? Screw up like the Beatles and say you were bigger than Jesus?" Homer replies, "All the time. That was the title of our second album." Near the end of the episode, the album's back cover is revealed, on which Homer is seen turned away from the camera. This is a parody of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band LP reverse, in which Paul McCartney is in the same pose. Homer meets George Harrison at the Grammy party. Barney's Japanese conceptual artist girlfriend is a parody of Yoko Ono. Their song repeats the phrase "Number 8" and a burp by Barney, a reference to the Beatles' "Revolution 9". While Barney plays this song to the group, the members are seen standing in such a way to resemble a photograph of the Beatles in their studio with Ono while recording The White Album. The group performing atop Moe's Tavern at the end of the episode is a parody of the Beatles' impromptu performance on the Apple Corps rooftop during their Get Back recording sessions in 1969. The Be Sharps are wearing the same outfits as the Beatles during the rooftop concert scene: Barney in a brown fur coat (Lennon), Homer in a bright red coat (Starr), Skinner in a black suit (McCartney), and Apu in a black Mongolian lamb coat with green trousers (Harrison). Harrison, seeing the concert, notes "It's been done." After the performance, Homer says, "I'd like to thank you on behalf of the group and I hope we passed the audition," paraphrasing Lennon's line at the end of the concert.

Reception

In its original American broadcast, "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" finished 30th in the ratings for the week of September 27 to October 3, 1993, with a Nielsen rating of 12.7, translating to 11,963,400 households.

Despite being a "leftover from last season," Tom Shales of The Washington Post applauded the episode: "Who cares? It's funny." DVD Verdict gave the episode a Grade A score. DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson felt that the episode "kicks off with a terrific bang." He appreciated the episode's parodies of a mix of subjects, and its ability to bring them together into a coherent story. Noting that the episode focused on spoofing Beatlemania, Jacobson praised George Harrison's cameo as "probably the best" Beatles cameo in the series. (Ringo Starr had starred in "Brush with Greatness" and Paul McCartney would star in "Lisa the Vegetarian").

Giving the episode a score of 5 out of 5, DVD Talk praised the "four-part harmony of hilarity gets a flawless mop top modeling," complimenting the references to pop culture icons as being "right on the money." TV DVD Reviews commented on how the episode "hit all the right notes," and were pleased with Harrison's cameo. The Courier-Mail found "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" an entertaining episode. Asserting that the series hit its peak with season five episodes such as "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", the Sunday Tasmanian called the episode a "first-class offering."

Although it appreciated the story and use of the main characters, Current Film was not enthused about the episode, claiming that it was not consistently funny. The Age called "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" an awful episode, with a "weak, unfunny parody of The Beatles," blaming the series' change of writers before the episode was written.

IGN ranked the Beatles' appearances (in "Lisa the Vegetarian", "Brush with Greatness", and "Homer's Barbershop Quartet") 10th on their list of the Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances, and the Toronto Star ranked the band fifth on a list of the 11 best cameos on The Simpsons. Andrew Martin of Prefix Mag named Harrison his fourth-favorite musical guest on The Simpsons out of a list of ten. Nathan Rabin writes that the episode "is a swooning yet irreverent valentine to Beatles mythology—an inspired, episode-length riff on the rise, fall, and glorious afterlife of what we can all agree was the single greatest rock band of all time."

Legacy

The cocktail Barney's girlfriend orders in this episode—"a single plum, floating in perfume, served in a man's hat"—was recreated by Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson as part of the 2016 exhibit One More Story at the Reykjavík Art Museum, which was curated by Yoko Ono.

References

  1. ^ Groening, Matt (1997). Richmond, Ray; Coffman, Antonia (eds.). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1st ed.). New York: HarperPerennial. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-06-095252-5. LCCN 98141857. OCLC 37796735. OL 433519M..
  2. ^ Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Homer's Barbershop Quartet". BBC. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009. Retrieved April 12, 2008.
  3. ^ Martin, Jeff (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  4. ^ Kirkland, Mark (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  5. ^ Groening, Matt (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  6. ^ Jean, Al (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  7. ^ Azaria, Hank (2004). The Simpsons season 5 DVD commentary for the episode "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  8. Averill, Gage (February 20, 2003). Four Parts, No Waiting: A Social History of American Barbershop Quartet. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195353754. Archived from the original on August 18, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2021 – via Google Books.
  9. "Nielsen Ratings Sept. 27–Oct. 3". Press-Telegram. October 6, 1993.
  10. Shales, Tom (September 30, 1993). "Return of 'The Simpsons': Still the Best on the Block". The Washington Post. p. B1.
  11. Bromley, Judge Patrick (February 23, 2005). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season". DVD Verdict. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
  12. Jacobson, Colin (December 21, 2004). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season (1993)". DVD Movie Guide. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
  13. Gibron, Bill (December 21, 2004). "The Simpsons – The Complete Fifth Season". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
  14. Daly, Kay (February 11, 2005). "The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season DVD Review". TV DVD Reviews. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
  15. Melloy, Neil (July 25, 2002). "The Simpsons: Backstage Pass". The Courier-Mail. p. 6.
  16. Miller, Craig (March 27, 2005). "DVD Releases". Sunday Tasmanian. p. 22.
  17. "DVD Information". Current Film. Archived from the original on January 16, 2009. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
  18. Schembri, Jim (July 6, 1995). "My life as Lisa". The Age. p. 10.
  19. Goldman, Eric; Iverson, Dan; Zoromski, Brian (January 4, 2010). "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances". IGN. Archived from the original on March 8, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  20. Jones, Arnold Wayne (May 20, 2007). "Producer speaks out on cartoon cameos". The Toronto Star. p. C05.
  21. Martin, Andrew (October 7, 2011). "Top 10 Best Musical Guests On 'The Simpsons'". Prefix Mag. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
  22. Rabin, Nathan. "The Simpsons (Classic): "Homer's Barbershop Quartet"". The A.V. Club.
  23. Carey Dunne (October 28, 2016). "Yoko Ono Joke from 'The Simpsons' Becomes Sculpture in Her Exhibition". Hyperallergic. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.

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