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{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox Simpsons episode {{Infobox Simpsons episode
| image =
| episode_name = Homerpalooza
| image = ] | caption =
| episode_no = 152 | season = 7
| prod_code = 3F21 | episode = 24
| airdate = ], ] | director = ]
| writer = ]
| show runner = ]<br>&<br>]
| music = "]" and "]" by ]
| writer = ]
| director = ] | production = 3F21
| airdate = {{Start date|1996|05|19}}
| couch_gag = The family enters in a black-light haze, lighting returns to normal when Homer turns on the lights.
| guest_star = ] as himself<br>] as themselves<br>] as themselves<br>] as themselves | guests = * ] as himself
* ] as themselves
* ] as themselves
* ] as themselves
| couch_gag = The family enters in a black-light haze, lighting returns to normal when ] turns on the lights.<ref name="bbc"/>
| season = 7
| commentary = ]<br/> Bill Oakley<br/> Josh Weinstein<br/> Brent Forrester<br/> Wes Archer<br/> ]
| prev = ]
| next = ]
}} }}
"'''Homerpalooza'''" is the twenty-fourth and penultimate episode of the ] of the American animated television series '']''. It originally aired on the ] in the United States on May 19, 1996. In the episode, ] is shocked to find ] is no longer considered cool. Hoping to earn "]", he joins the Hullabalooza music festival as a carnival freak. The episode's title is a play on the ] music festival. It was the last ''Simpsons'' episode written by ] and the last one directed by ] (both Forrester and Archer left to work on '']'').<ref name="bbc"/> ] and musical groups ], ], and ] guest star as themselves.
"'''Homerpalooza'''" is the twenty-fourth episode of '']''<nowiki>'</nowiki> ]. The episode aired on ], ]. The title is a play on the ] Festival.


==Synopsis== ==Plot==
After ] destroys the school bus, Homer is forced to ] several students to school. He is shocked to find all the kids hate the ] ] he listens to. Homer realizes that music from his high school days is no longer considered cool after a ] at a record store derides it.
{{spoiler}}
After the school bus has an unscheduled field trip to the auto wrecking yard, Homer is forced to drive his (and other) kids to school. He decides to listen to some music and is shocked to discover that all of the kids hate it. After examining his fall from being cool, Homer decides to get tickets to the Hullabalooza festival to prove he's cool again. All he does, however, is humiliate himself and is confronted by an angry crowd of Generation Xers. As he's walking away dejectedly, he kicks a cannon out of anger and takes ] (taken from ]) to the stomach. He survives, and the festival hires him to be in their freakshow, being shot by cannonballs. Homer gets to go on tour with ] and the rest of the ] as well as ], ] and Peter Frampton. Homer is suddenly living the high life: partying with big name rockstars and becoming respected among the youth of America. The gig begins to ruin his health, though, and a vet advises him that if he does his act just one more time, his stomach will burst and he will die. Homer shrugs this off, not wanting to lose his popularity, but as the cannon is being loaded at his next performance, he has second thoughts and dives out of the way at the last second. He resumes his normal activities, and loses the respect of his children.


Hoping to impress them, Homer takes ] and ] to the Hullabalooza music festival. Homer tries to act cool by wearing a ] hat, but an angry crowd of ]ers confronts him after mistaking him for a ]. After being tossed out by the crowd, Homer angrily kicks a cannon, which shoots one of ]'s ]s at his stomach. The festival head is impressed by Homer's ability to absorb cannon fire and hires him for the festival's ] (played by the ]), called the pageant of the transmundane.
==Trivia==
*To do research for this episode, writer ] went to one of the Lollapalooza concerts, which he describes as a horrible experience. Several of the jokes in this episode are based on his experiences: cameras (including his own) were literally being seized and thrown in the garbage, there were numerous advertisements and a random guy walked up to him and said "how's it going, big narc?"]
*''The Simpsons'' writers were aiming to have a group from several different genres: a hip hop group (Cypress Hill), alternative & grunge groups (Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins) and a classic rock singer. Originally, ] was sought to be in the episode, but he declined and instead the writers got Peter Frampton.]
]
*Originally, ] was wanted for this episode but she declined. According to the DVD commentary, one of the groups had said that if Courtney Love was in the episode, they wouldn't be.] Love was wanted specifically for one joke which would be in an exchange between her and Homer:
**'''Courtney Love''': ''Hi Homer! I'm a huge fan. Courtney Love.
**'''Homer''': ''Homer Grateful!''
However, she did not appear and Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins was put in her place, changing the joke to:
**'''Billy Corgan''': ''Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins.
**'''Homer''': ''Homer Simpson, smiling politely.''
*] plays the grunge version of the End Credits, which ] says is his all-time favorite alternate version of the end credits.]
*At Homer's confrontation with the Hullabalooza crowd, we see a brief shot of Homer with the members of not-yet-very-famous ] behind him. ]'s brother ] (who himself had been a former member of the band but had left by the time) was working as an animator at The Simpsons at the time and he was the one who added them in.]
*The Rover Hendrix act break joke has been called one of the worst jokes in ''Simpsons'' history by the writers and producers.]


Homer tours with the festival and parties with rap and rock stars ], ] and ] while earning respect among young people, including Bart. As the tour approaches a stop in Springfield, Homer's stomach aches and he is sent to a veterinarian. The doctor informs Homer he will die if he takes another cannonball to his gut. Homer decides to perform his act one last time, but he dodges the cannonball at the last second. After a warm sendoff from the touring bands, Homer leaves the festival and loses his kids' respect for no longer being cool, which he embraces.{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=206}}<ref name="Simpsguide">{{cite book |last=Martyn |first=Warren |author2=Adrian Wood |title=I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide |year=2000 |publisher=Virgin Books |isbn=0-7535-0495-2 }}</ref>
==Cultural References==
*This episode was based on the ] era of music of the 90's and it features the notable bands ] and ]. The Hullabalooza festival was based on the popular ] music festival.
*The flashback scene where Homer tries to fit in with a group of guys in a van is similar to scenes from '']''.
*There are several Woodstock references in the episode, including Lisa noting that Hullabalooza was just like Woodstock, except "with security guards and ads everywhere."
*Among the many groups referenced/shown in this episode: ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], the ], ] and ].
*Homer's line "but all I really wanted was a club sandwich." is from the Guns N Roses album '']''.
*When Otto's shoes start talking what they say is a reference to the opening lines of ] by Prince. This scene is missing from syndcation episodes due to censorship. (Although has been shown several times in re-runs outside the USA)
*] perform their song "Zero" in this episode.


==Quotes== ==Production==
The entire story of this episode was developed by ], although it was written by ],<ref name="bbc"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041201085018/https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season7/page25.shtml |date=December 1, 2004 }} ''BBC.co.uk''. Retrieved on February 8, 2007</ref> who felt that Cohen at least deserved a "story by" credit.<ref name="Forrester"/> To do research for this episode, Forrester went to one of the Lollapalooza concerts, which he thought would be a fun little perk, but ended up being a horrible experience. Several of the jokes in this episode are based on his experiences: cameras were being seized and thrown in the garbage, there were numerous advertisements, several "sour faced teens", a real freak show (]), and at one point a stranger approached Forrester and asked, "how's it going, ]?".<ref name="Forrester">{{cite video |people=Forrester, Brent |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
*'''Roadie:''' There goes Peter Frampton's big finale. He's gonna be pissed off. </br>'''Frampton:''' You're damn right I'm gonna be pissed off! I bought ] at ]'s yard sale!
*'''Roadie:''' Someone here ordered the ], possibly while high. Cypress Hill, I'm looking in your direction.
*'''Frampton:''' Homer Simpson ruins my pig, Cypress Hill steals my orchestra, and now Sonic Youth is in my cooler. Get out of there, you kids!
*'''Cypress Hill:''' You guys know "Insane In The Brain?" </br> '''Conductor:''' We mostly know ''classical'', but, eh, we could give it a shot.
*'''Bart:''' What religion are you? </br> '''Homer:''' Oh, you know, the one with all those well-meaning rules that don't work in real life...].
*''']:''' Cannons are designed to hurt! THEY'RE DESIGNED TO HURT!</br> '''Lisa:''' Shhh! Mom, Dad needs our support!
*'''Teenager:''' (sarcastically) Oh look, the cannonball guy, he's cool. </br> '''Another Teenager:''' Are you being sarcastic, dude? </br> '''Teenager:''' I don't even know anymore.
*''']:''' And to think, Smithers, you laughed when I bought ]. (imitating Smithers) NOBODY'S going to pay a hundred-percent "service charge."</br> '''Smithers:''' It's a policy that ensures a healthy mix of the rich and the ignorant, sir.
*'''Concert Manager:''' Homer, there's nothing worse than a yellow-bellied freak, unless... that's his act. I expect your resignation on my desk. </br> '''Homer:''' You have a desk? </br> '''Concert Manager:''' I mean the hood of my car.
*'''Concert Manager:''' "Homer, nothing's more important to me than the health and well-being of my freaks. I'm sending you to a ]."
*'''Homer:''' Die? Well, you don't scare me doc, 'cause dying would be a stone groove. (cocky) Got any messages for ]? <br/> '''Doctor:''' Yes, pick up your puppy. (indicates an ancient hound-dog named "Rover Hendrix")
*'''Homer:''' So, I realized that being with my family is more important than being cool. </br> '''Bart:''' ''(unimpressed)'' Dad, what you just said was powerfully uncool. </br> '''Homer:''' You know what the song says: "It's ]". </br> '''Lisa:''' That song is so lame. </br> '''Homer:''' So lame that it's... cool? </br> '''Bart and Lisa:''' ''(dismissive)'' No. </br> '''Marge:''' Am I cool, kids? </br> '''Bart and Lisa:''' ''(dismissive)'' No. </br> '''Marge:''' Good. I'm glad. And that's what makes me cool, not caring, right? </br>'''Bart and Lisa:''' ''(dismissive)'' No. </br>'''Marge:''' ''(frustrated)'' Well, how the hell do you be cool? I feel like we've tried everything here.</br>'''Homer:''' Wait, Marge. Maybe if you're truly cool, you don't need to be told you're cool.</br>'''Bart:''' ''(puzzled, uncertain)'' Well, sure you do.</br>'''Lisa:''' ''(bewildered)'' How else would you know? </br>
*</br>'''Homer:''' Now, here are some of your no-name bands. Sonic Youth? Nine Inch Nails? Hullabalooza?</br>'''Record Store Clerk:''' Hullabalooza is a music festival; the greatest music festival of all time.</br>'''Homer:''' There can only be one truly great festival a lifetime and it's the ].</br>'''Record Store Clerk:''' The ''what'' festival?</br>'''Homer:''' The US festival. It was put on by ] from ]s.</br>'''Record Store Clerk:''' ''What'' computers?
*'''Homer:''' (after having his bota bag confiscated at the Hullabalooza gate) Oh, my home-made Kalua.
*'''Homer:''' I used to ]. Then it was every other day. Now I'm lucky if I can find half an hour a week in which to get funky.
*''']:''' I used to be with it, but then they changed what "it" was. Now what I'm with isn't it, and what's it seems weird and scary to me. It'll happen to you!
*'''Otto:''' ''(watching Frampton use a ])'' Wow, his guitar is talking... hey my shoes are talking too!
*'''Billy Corgan:''' Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins.<br />'''Homer:''' Homer Simpson, smiling politely.
*'''Homer Simpson:''' (after being questioned about the water quality in Springfield) We have a saying for that: 'If it's brown drink it down, if it's black send it back.'
*'''Homer:''' You know Marge, I thought I had an ]. But all I really wanted was a club sandwich.


During Homer's confrontation with the Hullabalooza crowd, there is a brief shot of Homer with the members of the band ] behind him. ], the founding member of No Doubt and the brother of its lead singer ], was working as an animator on the show at the time and added them in.<ref name="Archer">{{cite video |people=Archer, Wes |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
*'''Homer Simpson:''' Everyone knows rock attained perfection in 1974. It's a scientific fact.
*'''Homer Simpson:''' Nobody knows the band, Grand Funk? The wild, shirtless lyrics of ]? The bong-rattling bass of ]? The competent drum work of ]?


] threatened to not appear in the episode if ] was cast in it.]]
==Notes==
The writers were aiming to have artists that represented several genres: ] (Cypress Hill), ] (Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins), and a classic rock singer. Originally, ] was sought for this role, but he was replaced by Peter Frampton.<ref name="Weinstein"/> ] impressed the production staff by doing strong impersonations of Homer and ], though it was decided to not have him use them in the episode. ] was asked to appear in the episode but declined.
<small>{{fnb|1}}This is mentioned in the DVD commentary for the episode by ], who says he originally thought it might be fun but turned out to be a nightmare.</small><br>
<small>{{fnb|2}}This is mentioned in the DVD commentary for the episode by Bill Oakley, although he says that Peter Frampton turned out to be one of his favourite guest stars and he wished he could have done a TV show with him.</small><br>
<small>{{fnb|3}}This is mentioned in the DVD commentary for the episode by Ken Keeler, who attended the commentary only to tell this story. It was thought that she would appear in the episode because she had recently done a movie with ], but she never responded her request.</small><br>
<small>{{fnb|4}}This is mentioned in the DVD commentary for the episode by Matt Groening, who also says many Sonic Youth fans rank it very high among the group's works.</small><br>
<small>{{fnb|5}}This is mentioned in the DVD commentary for the episode by Josh Weinstein.</small><br>
<small>{{fnb|6}}This is mentioned in the DVD commentary for the episode by several different writers.</small>


Originally, ] and ] were wanted for this episode, but they declined.<ref name="Keeler">{{cite video |people=Keeler, Ken |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> According to the DVD commentary, an unnamed group (later revealed by '']'' to be Sonic Youth) said that they would refuse to appear in the episode if Courtney Love was involved.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Snierson |first1=Dan |title=''The Simpsons'' rock and roll |url=https://ew.com/article/1996/05/10/simpsons-rock-and-roll/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=January 21, 2022 |date=May 10, 1996 |archive-date=January 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122015122/https://ew.com/article/1996/05/10/simpsons-rock-and-roll/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It was thought that Love would appear in the episode because she had recently done a film with ], but she never responded to the request.<ref name="Keeler"/> Love was wanted specifically for one joke which would be in an exchange between her and Homer:<br />
==External links==
<blockquote>'''Courtney Love''': Hi Homer! I'm a big fan, Courtney Love.<br />'''Homer''': Homer Grateful!</blockquote> However, she did not appear and the joke was reworded for ] of the Smashing Pumpkins:<blockquote>'''Billy Corgan''': Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins.<br />'''Homer''': Homer Simpson, smiling politely.</blockquote>
{{wikiquote}}
*{{snpp capsule|3F21}}


==Cultural references==
]
{{trivia|date=July 2024}}
The flashback where Homer meets the guys in the van is based on the film '']''.<ref name="Weinstein">{{cite video |people=Weinstein, Josh |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Several of the scenes where Homer is hit with a cannonball are based on famous ] of ] being hit with a cannonball, as is the entire concept of a "cannonball catcher".<ref name="Weinstein"/> Otto's drug-induced hallucination of his "talking shoes" is based on the opening of the album version of ]'s song "]".<ref name="Weinstein"/> Homer's walk in one scene parodies the walk in ]'s comic '']''.{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=206}}

==Reception==

In its original broadcast, "Homerpalooza" finished 57th in ratings for the week of May 13–19, 1996, with a ] of 7.8, equivalent to approximately 7.5 million viewing households. It was the third highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following '']'' and '']''.<ref>{{cite news |title=NBC keeps its lock on no. 1 spot |work=Sun-Sentinel |agency=Associated Press |page=4E |date=May 23, 1996}}</ref>

In 1998, '']'' listed it in its list of top twelve ''Simpsons'' episodes.<ref>{{cite news |title=A Dozen Doozies |work=] |date=January 3–9, 1998 |url=http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/other/articles/dozendoozies.html |access-date=January 13, 2019 |archive-date=January 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116144816/http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/other/articles/dozendoozies.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The BBC website called the episode "One of the most memorable episodes, if not one of the greatest&nbsp;– the satire on youth counterculture is well handled, and Homer's flashback to his youth is fabulous."<ref name="bbc"/> and ] said the episode was one of the best of season seven.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Canning |first1=Robert |last2=Goldman |first2=Eric |last3=Iverson |first3=Dan |last4=Zoromski |first4=Brian |title=The Simpsons: 20 Seasons, 20 Episodes |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/08/the-simpsons-20-seasons-20-episodes |website=IGN |access-date=January 21, 2022 |date=January 2010 |archive-date=June 29, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629194530/http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/08/the-simpsons-20-seasons-20-episodes |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2019, '']'' ranked it the third greatest episode on its list of top 30 ''Simpsons'' episodes.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Simpsons' Top 30 Episodes|url=https://consequence.net/2019/12/the-simpsons-top-30-episodes/|publisher=]|date=2019-12-17|access-date=2022-01-21|archive-date=December 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205214208/https://consequence.net/2019/12/the-simpsons-top-30-episodes/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In a list of the 25 greatest guest voices on the show, released September 5, 2006, IGN ranked the Hullabalooza performers 23rd.<ref name="IGN">{{cite web |last1=Zoromski |first1=Brian |last2=Goldman |first2=Eric |last3=Iverson |first3=Dan |title=Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/01/04/top-25-simpsons-guest-appearances |website=IGN |access-date=January 21, 2022 |date=January 4, 2010 |archive-date=June 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622134744/http://tv.ign.com/articles/730/730566p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The ] version of the end credits performed by Sonic Youth has been ranked among the best versions of the theme by Matt Groening<ref name="IGN"/><ref name="Groening">{{cite video |people=Groening, Matt |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> and also by ] in his book '']''.{{sfn|Turner|2004}}

Bill Oakley has said that Peter Frampton is one of his favorite guest stars and he wished he could have done a TV show with him.<ref name="Oakley">{{cite video |people=Oakley, Bill |date=2005 |title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref>
Alternatively, the Rover Hendrix act break joke has been called one of the worst jokes in ''The Simpsons'' history by the writers and producers.<ref name="Forrester"/><ref name="Weinstein"/><ref name="Groening"/><ref name="Oakley"/>

In 2007, Simon Crerar of '']'' listed the Smashing Pumpkins' and Cypress Hill's performances among the 33 funniest cameos in the history of the show.<ref name="Crerar">{{cite news |last=Crerar |first=Simon |title=The 33 funniest Simpsons cameos ever |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-33-funniest-simpsons-cameos-ever-vg9jgq67gxr |access-date=2022-01-21 |newspaper=] |date=2007-07-05 |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116151326/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-33-funniest-simpsons-cameos-ever-vg9jgq67gxr |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2024, the group made the joke of performing with the ] a reality.<ref name="lso">{{Cite news |issn=1756-3224 |oclc=60623878 |language=en-GB |newspaper=] |department=Music |accessdate=2024-07-10 |date=2024-07-10 |first=Rachel |last=Hall |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/jul/10/hip-hop-band-cypress-hill-makes-1996-simpsons-joke-come-true-london-symphony-orchestra |title=Hip-hop band Cypress Hill makes 1996 Simpsons joke come true}}</ref>

Andrew Martin of Prefix Mag named Cypress Hill his sixth-favorite musical guests 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 |archive-date=October 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015010229/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/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
*{{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 |ref={{harvid|Richmond & Coffman|1997}}}}
*{{cite book |last=Turner |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Turner (author) |title=] |others=Foreword by ]. |edition=1st |year=2004 |location=Toronto |publisher=] |oclc=55682258 |isbn=978-0-679-31318-2}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*{{Wikiquote-inline}}
{{Portal|The Simpsons}}
*{{Snpp capsule|3F21}}
*{{IMDb episode|0701127}}

{{The Simpsons episodes|7}}

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Latest revision as of 02:02, 4 January 2025

24th episode of the 7th season of The Simpsons
"Homerpalooza"
The Simpsons episode
Episode no.Season 7
Episode 24
Directed byWes Archer
Written byBrent Forrester
Featured music"Insane In The Brain" and "Throw Your Set in the Air" by Cypress Hill
Production code3F21
Original air dateMay 19, 1996 (1996-05-19)
Guest appearances
Episode features
Couch gagThe family enters in a black-light haze, lighting returns to normal when Homer turns on the lights.
CommentaryMatt Groening
Bill Oakley
Josh Weinstein
Brent Forrester
Wes Archer
Ken Keeler
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Much Apu About Nothing" 		Next →
"Summer of 4 Ft. 2"
The Simpsons season 7
List of episodes

"Homerpalooza" is the twenty-fourth and penultimate episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 19, 1996. In the episode, Homer is shocked to find classic rock is no longer considered cool. Hoping to earn "street cred", he joins the Hullabalooza music festival as a carnival freak. The episode's title is a play on the Lollapalooza music festival. It was the last Simpsons episode written by Brent Forrester and the last one directed by Wes Archer (both Forrester and Archer left to work on King of the Hill). Peter Frampton and musical groups Sonic Youth, Cypress Hill, and The Smashing Pumpkins guest star as themselves.

Plot

After Otto destroys the school bus, Homer is forced to carpool several students to school. He is shocked to find all the kids hate the classic rock radio station he listens to. Homer realizes that music from his high school days is no longer considered cool after a hipster at a record store derides it.

Hoping to impress them, Homer takes Bart and Lisa to the Hullabalooza music festival. Homer tries to act cool by wearing a Rastafarian hat, but an angry crowd of Generation Xers confronts him after mistaking him for a narc. After being tossed out by the crowd, Homer angrily kicks a cannon, which shoots one of Peter Frampton's inflatable pigs at his stomach. The festival head is impressed by Homer's ability to absorb cannon fire and hires him for the festival's freak show (played by the Jim Rose Circus), called the pageant of the transmundane.

Homer tours with the festival and parties with rap and rock stars Sonic Youth, Cypress Hill and The Smashing Pumpkins while earning respect among young people, including Bart. As the tour approaches a stop in Springfield, Homer's stomach aches and he is sent to a veterinarian. The doctor informs Homer he will die if he takes another cannonball to his gut. Homer decides to perform his act one last time, but he dodges the cannonball at the last second. After a warm sendoff from the touring bands, Homer leaves the festival and loses his kids' respect for no longer being cool, which he embraces.

Production

The entire story of this episode was developed by David Cohen, although it was written by Brent Forrester, who felt that Cohen at least deserved a "story by" credit. To do research for this episode, Forrester went to one of the Lollapalooza concerts, which he thought would be a fun little perk, but ended up being a horrible experience. Several of the jokes in this episode are based on his experiences: cameras were being seized and thrown in the garbage, there were numerous advertisements, several "sour faced teens", a real freak show (Jim Rose Circus), and at one point a stranger approached Forrester and asked, "how's it going, narc?".

During Homer's confrontation with the Hullabalooza crowd, there is a brief shot of Homer with the members of the band No Doubt behind him. Eric Stefani, the founding member of No Doubt and the brother of its lead singer Gwen Stefani, was working as an animator on the show at the time and added them in.

Sonic Youth threatened to not appear in the episode if Courtney Love was cast in it.

The writers were aiming to have artists that represented several genres: hip hop (Cypress Hill), alternative rock (Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins), and a classic rock singer. Originally, Bob Dylan was sought for this role, but he was replaced by Peter Frampton. Billy Corgan impressed the production staff by doing strong impersonations of Homer and Marge, though it was decided to not have him use them in the episode. Pearl Jam was asked to appear in the episode but declined.

Originally, Courtney Love and Hole were wanted for this episode, but they declined. According to the DVD commentary, an unnamed group (later revealed by Entertainment Weekly to be Sonic Youth) said that they would refuse to appear in the episode if Courtney Love was involved. It was thought that Love would appear in the episode because she had recently done a film with James L. Brooks, but she never responded to the request. Love was wanted specifically for one joke which would be in an exchange between her and Homer:

Courtney Love: Hi Homer! I'm a big fan, Courtney Love.
Homer: Homer Grateful!

However, she did not appear and the joke was reworded for Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins:

Billy Corgan: Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins.
Homer: Homer Simpson, smiling politely.

Cultural references

This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (July 2024)

The flashback where Homer meets the guys in the van is based on the film Dazed and Confused. Several of the scenes where Homer is hit with a cannonball are based on famous stock footage of Frank "Cannonball" Richards being hit with a cannonball, as is the entire concept of a "cannonball catcher". Otto's drug-induced hallucination of his "talking shoes" is based on the opening of the album version of Prince's song "1999". Homer's walk in one scene parodies the walk in Robert Crumb's comic Keep on Truckin'.

Reception

In its original broadcast, "Homerpalooza" finished 57th in ratings for the week of May 13–19, 1996, with a Nielsen rating of 7.8, equivalent to approximately 7.5 million viewing households. It was the third highest-rated show on the Fox network that week, following The X-Files and Married... with Children.

In 1998, TV Guide listed it in its list of top twelve Simpsons episodes.

The BBC website called the episode "One of the most memorable episodes, if not one of the greatest – the satire on youth counterculture is well handled, and Homer's flashback to his youth is fabulous." and IGN said the episode was one of the best of season seven.

In 2019, Consequence of Sound ranked it the third greatest episode on its list of top 30 Simpsons episodes.

In a list of the 25 greatest guest voices on the show, released September 5, 2006, IGN ranked the Hullabalooza performers 23rd.

The noise rock version of the end credits performed by Sonic Youth has been ranked among the best versions of the theme by Matt Groening and also by Chris Turner in his book Planet Simpson.

Bill Oakley has said that Peter Frampton is one of his favorite guest stars and he wished he could have done a TV show with him. Alternatively, the Rover Hendrix act break joke has been called one of the worst jokes in The Simpsons history by the writers and producers.

In 2007, Simon Crerar of The Times listed the Smashing Pumpkins' and Cypress Hill's performances among the 33 funniest cameos in the history of the show. In 2024, the group made the joke of performing with the London Symphony Orchestra a reality.

Andrew Martin of Prefix Mag named Cypress Hill his sixth-favorite musical guests on The Simpsons out of a list of ten.

References

  1. ^ Homerpalooza Archived December 1, 2004, at the Wayback Machine BBC.co.uk. Retrieved on February 8, 2007
  2. ^ Richmond & Coffman 1997, p. 206.
  3. Martyn, Warren; Adrian Wood (2000). I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide. Virgin Books. ISBN 0-7535-0495-2.
  4. ^ Forrester, Brent (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  5. Archer, Wes (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  6. ^ Weinstein, Josh (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  7. ^ Keeler, Ken (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  8. Snierson, Dan (May 10, 1996). "The Simpsons rock and roll". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  9. "NBC keeps its lock on no. 1 spot". Sun-Sentinel. Associated Press. May 23, 1996. p. 4E.
  10. "A Dozen Doozies". TV Guide. January 3–9, 1998. Archived from the original on January 16, 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  11. Canning, Robert; Goldman, Eric; Iverson, Dan; Zoromski, Brian (January 2010). "The Simpsons: 20 Seasons, 20 Episodes". IGN. Archived from the original on June 29, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  12. "The Simpsons' Top 30 Episodes". Consequence. December 17, 2019. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  13. ^ Zoromski, Brian; Goldman, Eric; Iverson, Dan (January 4, 2010). "Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances". IGN. Archived from the original on June 22, 2007. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  14. ^ Groening, Matt (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  15. Turner 2004.
  16. ^ Oakley, Bill (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Homerpalooza" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
  17. Crerar, Simon (July 5, 2007). "The 33 funniest Simpsons cameos ever". The Times. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  18. Hall, Rachel (July 10, 2024). "Hip-hop band Cypress Hill makes 1996 Simpsons joke come true". Music. The Guardian. ISSN 1756-3224. OCLC 60623878. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  19. Martin, Andrew (October 7, 2011). "Top 10 Best Musical Guests On 'The Simpsons'". Prefix Mag. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
Bibliography

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