Editing Behind the Laughter

{{Tab}}
{{EpisodePrevNext|It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge|Treehouse of Horror XI}}
{{Noncanon Episode}}
{{episode
|image = take 1.png
|Episode Number = 248
|productionCode = BABF19
|originalAirdate = May 21, 2000
|blackboardText = "I will not obey the voices in my head"
|couchGag = The Simpsons sit at the couch as normal. Bart puts a coin in a slot on the arm of the couch and the couch vibrates away, taking the family with them.
|specialGuestVoices = [[wikipedia:Willie_Nelson|Willie Nelson]] as himself<br/>[[wikipedia:Jim_Forbes|Jim Forbes]] as the narrator
|Written By = [[Tim Long]], [[George Meyer]], [[Mike Scully]] & [[Matt Selman]]
|Directed By = [[Mark Kirkland]]
}}

'''Behind the Laughter''' is the twenty-second episode of [[Season 11]].

In the style of VH1 show "Behind the Music", this documentary takes us back to the beginning of the show. We see [[Homer]]'s shoddily directed 'pilot' episode, before Homer becomes addicted to prescription drugs, [[Marge]] makes bizarre business investments, and [[Bart]] goes to rehab. The show is put on hiatus after the family split up, and [[Lisa]] writes a book about her ordeal. A phony awards show manages to reunite the Simpsons.

== Plot ==
Done in the style of "[[wikipedia:Behind_the_Music|Behind the Music]]", the popular VH1 biography show, this non-canon episode begins with the Simpson family history and how they got into show business. The first part of the [[wikipedia:Mockumentary|mockumentary]] follows the family from their weak beginnings to their exceptional prosperity. A television show, a recording contract, a lot of awards, and countless wealth follow [[Homer]]'s inadequate video "pilot."

However, problems begin to arise as the Simpsons' fame continues. After a funny stunt causes him injury (the cliff plummet from "[[Bart the Daredevil]]", after a montage of Homer injury clips), Homer becomes addicted to prescription painkillers, [[Marge]] makes some senseless business investments (Marge Simpson Diaphragms for example), and [[Bart]] goes to [[wikipedia:Rehabilitation|rehab]]. The [[wikipedia:IRS|IRS]] examines soon after and takes away their house (called "Homertime", since it belonged to rapper [[wikipedia:MC_Hammer|MC Hammer]] before he went bankrupt and was called "Hammertime"). Then, the family gets into a big dispute and splits up at the [[wikipedia:Iowa_State_Fair|Iowa State Fair]].

[[Fox]] is forced put the show on hiatus, since none of the Simpsons will talk to each other. The members go their independent ways: Homer follows a career in the theater; Bart replaces [[wikipedia:Lorenzo_Lamas|Lorenzo Lamas]] as the star of the syndicated action show ''[[wikipedia:Renegade_(TV_series)|Renegade]]''; Marge makes a nightclub act; and [[Lisa]] writes a tell-all book about her experiences on the show. Bringing the family back together seems hopeless until country singer [[wikipedia:Willie_Nelson|Willie Nelson]] puts on a phony awards show in order to reconcile the family (and also patch things up with Van Halen and Sammy Hagard). At the award show, Willie calls out the whole family to present one award. Lisa deduces that the award show is fake and they refuse to even look at each other. However, after Willie and the audience encourage them, they hug and forget past wrongs in a sensitive reunion. Again, they look with hope to the many years of episodes of The Simpsons to come... or not..

The last images show Homer giving orders regarding the editing of "the last season" of the Simpsons series. The sentences we can hear on the editing screen were used for season 12's last episode, "[[Simpsons Tall Tales]]".

== Reception ==
*According to TV.com user ratings, this is the best Season 11 episode with a 9.0/10 rating, followed closely by '''[[E-I-E-I-D'oh]]''' which has a 8.9/10 rating.

== Awards ==
*This episode won an [[wikipedia:Emmy Award|Emmy Award]] for [[wikipedia:Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)|Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming less than One Hour)]].

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Behind the Laughter.png|Title card for this episode.
Behind_the_laughter.jpg
</gallery>

== Springfield's State ==
At the end of the episode Forbes names the state that the Simpsons live in, but there is a deleted scene where it shows every state. (For more see [[Springfield's State]])

{{Season 11}}
[[Category:Episodes]]
[[Category:Season 11]]
[[Category:2000]]
[[Category:Homer episodes]]
[[Category:Bart episodes]]
[[Category:Lisa episodes]]
[[Category:Marge episodes]]
[[Category:Outstanding Animated Program Emmy winning episodes]]
[[Category:Annie Award winning episodes]]
[[Category:Season finales]]