Insane Clown Poppy

General

References/Trivia

Appearances

Credits

Quotes

	Season 12 Episode
← 250 "A Tale of Two Springfields"	251 "Insane Clown Poppy"	"Lisa the Tree Hugger" 252 →

"Insane Clown Poppy"

Episode Information Episode Number: 251 Production Code: BABF17 Original Airdate: November 12, 2000 Couch Gag: Spoof of The Matrix Blackboard Text: "I will not surprise the incontinent" Special Guest Voices: Drew Barrymore as Sophie Stephen King as himself Joe Mantegna as Fat Tony Jay Mohr as Christopher Walken Amy Tan as herself John Updike as himself Written By: John Frink Don Payne Directed By: Bob Anderson DVD features

"Insane Clown Poppy" is the third episode of season 12.

Synopsis

During an outdoor book fair, Krusty finds out he has a daughter (from a one-night stand with a female soldier who fought in the Gulf War), but loses her trust after gambling away her violin to Fat Tony, prompting Homer and Krusty to retrieve it.

Plot

Homer and Bart fix things around the house using fireworks. They destroy Lisa's room on her birthday, so help make it up to her, the family goes to a book fair, where among other things Krusty is signing his new book. A little girl named Sophie is in line and she tells Krusty that she is his daughter. Krusty flashes back to his role in the Gulf War. Sophie's mother now hates Krusty. Krusty tries spending time with Sophie at the beach, but they don't bond very well. He sees Homer interacting with his kids and gets some parenting advice from his. Krusty gambles away Sophie's violin in a poker game with Fat Tony. She gets very upset with Krusty, so he (with Homer's help) try to steal back the violin. There is a big Mafia summit at Fat Tony's place and Krusty manages to escape with the violin and a bunch of cash. He wins back Sophie's love, but the mob goes after Homer for his role in the caper and shoots at him. Somehow Homer escapes.

Production

The episode was written by John Frink and Don Payne and directed by Bob Anderson. Drew Barrymore, Stephen King, Jay Mohr, Amy Tan and John Updike guest star. Joe Mantegna reprised his role as Fat Tony. Originally, Homer was the one who was surprised to have a long-lost daughter, but this was changed to Krusty, to try and keep the episode canon and not to far from reality.

Deleted Scenes

There are two deleted scenes from this episode, which can be seen on the The Complete Twelfth Season DVD.

1. Bart and the author of the "For Dummies" books where Bart tricks the author into thinking he is a bank and gives the man potato chips as money.
2. After a day of father-daughter bonding, Krusty and Sophie have a short dialogue outside her apartment before her mother appears at the door.

Reception

The episode received negative reviews from critics. DVD Movie Guide gave the episode a negative review saying "After two pretty good shows, season 12 encounters mediocrity with “Poppy”. At no point does the program become poor, but it just lacks many real laughs. Outside of some amusing book fair cameos, this one fails to deliver much zing, and it tends to drag" One of the many complaints of the episodes was that the plot and comedy relied to much on the guest stars to take the episode, instead of having an actual plot.

← Season 11 Season 12 Episodes Season 13 →

Treehouse of Horror XI • A Tale of Two Springfields • Insane Clown Poppy • Lisa the Tree Hugger • Homer vs. Dignity • The Computer Wore Menace Shoes • The Great Money Caper • Skinner's Sense of Snow • HOMЯ • Pokey Mom • Worst Episode Ever • Tennis the Menace • Day of the Jackanapes • New Kids on the Blecch • Hungry, Hungry Homer • Bye Bye Nerdie • Simpson Safari • Trilogy of Error • I'm Goin' to Praiseland • Children of a Lesser Clod • Simpsons Tall Tales