Difference between revisions of "Bart the Fink/References"

Latest revision as of 14:52, October 1, 2026

Cultural references[edit]

• The episode title is a reference to the 1991 film Barton Fink.
• Tacomat (and its parking-lot location) are a reference to Fotomat, a retail photo-finishing chain that was in operation from the mid-1960s to late 1980s and was known for its drive-through kiosks located in parking lots.
• The song Handsome Pete is shown playing is The Sailor's Hornpipe. This piece of music is widely recognized as the theme from the world's longest-running children's TV series, British children's magazine show Blue Peter, which started in 1958 and is still going to this day, via the BBC.
• The appearance and speaking characteristics, including the laugh, of the representative of the Cayman Islands Offshore Holding Corporation are modeled on Sydney Greenstreet.
• The popcorn Krusty is cooking on the stove is Jiffy Pop
• Bart's flip book check series is of the Hindenburg disaster; the title of the series is "Oh the Humanity", the iconic phrase spoken by Herbert Morrison (announcer) describing it in the live newscast at the time.
• Krusty's plane, "i'm-on-a-Rolla Gay" is a reference to the Enola Gay, the name of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
• The song Krusty mentions that contains lyrics like "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie," and to which he did not have rights, is "That's Amore".
• Captain McCallister says "Yarr, I got some customers. Call me back, Ishmael"; a reference to the opening line of Moby-Dick, "Call me Ishmael."

Trivia[edit]

• The episode reveals that Jimbo Jones' real name is "Corky" and that Principal Skinner's mother's first name is Agnes.
• There has been more than one Aunt Hortense in the Simpson and Bouvier families. In the Season 2 episode "Bart Gets Hit by a Car", Bart is on an escalator to Heaven and he sees an old lady on a cloud and says, "Aunt Hortense!"
• The seltzer-spraying garden fountain on Krusty's estate is of Krusty in dance pose and showing him wearing ballet slippers.
• People sitting on the stage at Krusty's funeral include: Sideshow Raheem, Tina Ballerina, Mr. Teeny, Luke Perry, and Corporal Punishment.
• At Krusty's funeral, one of the people attending is writer John Swartzwelder with a Kermit the Frog puppet on his hand.
• Krusty's epitaph is the ominously unsettling "See Ya Real Soon, Kids!"
• The wreath behind the microphone has the ironic inscription "Krusty-You can never be replaced" sent by "LAFS," and giving their phone number.
• Bart wears a black armband in mourning.
• IRS Agent Tom Stovak's character design was modeled on lawyer Alan Dershowitz. Alan Dershowitz had also previously been the model for Lionel Hutz's co-council Albert Dershman. ("'Round Springfield")

Continuity[edit]

• In "The Funeral" Homer said "this is the last funeral we're going to". They have since attended:
  • Aunt Gladys ("Selma's Choice")
  • Bleeding Gums Murphy ("'Round Springfield")
  • Krusty the Clown ("Bart the Fink")
  • Frank Grimes ("Homer's Enemy")
  • Maude Flanders ("Alone Again, Natura-Diddily")
  • Sideshow Bob ("Funeral for a Fiend")
  • Mona Simpson ("Mona Leaves-a")

Goofs[edit]

• In the promo picture with Bob Newhart, Kent Brockman has brown hair.
• When Krusty is talking to Bart about how low he has sunk, his beard is drawn over the top of his liquor bottle for a few frames.
• When Bart learns that Krusty is going to jail and hangs his head, only one of his pupils move downwards making him look wall-eyed.