Where Did That Come From? County Fair – Part III – Country Fair Sign, Pavillion, and Largest Ribbon

OK.
I feel like I am getting the hang of these WDTCF posts…but readily admit that Wookie does a WAY better job, because he is clearly a WAY bigger Simpsons fan (the guy is like 6’10” or something).  Don’t get me wrong…I love the show, and love the game, and actually kind of enjoy reminding myself (and you guys) where stuff from our game comes from.

But, sometimes, like this episode, and these TSTO items, they really don’t play much of a part in the original story. Like…well…almost not at all after the first 2 minutes of the episode.

But…this episode is SUPER important, for a variety of SUPER reasons…
 Mostly, because the County Fair is the place where the SUPER HERO “Pie-Man” gets his start.

Let’s take a look at a few key parts of the episode, “Simple Simpson” (S15E19).

The episode opens up with a hilarious spoof on “The Bachelor,” franchise…called “Promiscuous Idiots Island” where the announcer begins with, “Our billionaire bachelor gave five lovely ladies a rose of continuation; and he hurled a rock of rejection at anyone displaying intelligence, character or ethnicity.”

During the episode, there is a commercial for “Farmer Billy’s Bacon” that makes an offer that anyone who finds a Golden Ticket in a package of bacon, will win a free tour of the bacon plant (I’ll spare you from the visuals on that…)

Homer thinks he has won the prize…but it turns out to be the SILVER ticket, which allows the winner to judge the pig competition at the Springfield County Fair.

OK.. HERE’S THE BIG PAYOFF!!  The Three County Fair Items in the County Fair Mini-Event, are shown quickly, in the next 45 seconds of the episode…and one of them, you REALLY have to look for carefully.

FIRST- Is the County Fair Sign… it is the one we got in the game…NOT the one that I wrote about previously from another episode. You can tell the two apart by the insults they hurl at the readers… the one in the game making fun of anyone who goes to the fair…the one NOT in the game, making fun of Christians…so, we’re all glad they picked the former. Right?

The FAIR PAVILION is in the opening fair shot…but you have to look carefully and quickly…as they never show a full building shot…just Homer inside of the pavilion while he is judging the pigs. 
The World’s Biggest Ribbon flashes by in a blur of other “World’s Biggest” items…including the World’s Biggest Brussels Sprout. Which was a learning process for me, as I always thought it was Brussel (singular) and not Brussels (the actual name of the city) when I was hiding them under my mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving.

This fair has everything…including a cheesy Country Singer who sounds JUST like Kenny Roger…but isn’t.  The lyrics to his song remind us of how long we have been in the “War on Terror” (aired in 2004) and how long being a “Proud Am-ur-i-can has been selling records.

“Barbara Streisand by spittin’ on the flag or stranglin’ a bald eagle on the cover of some mag, but I love this country to me she has no sins, if you don’t buy my record then Al-Qaeda wins! USA! USA!”

SUPER…
Wait…did I say SUPER??  Because it is this very episode where we see the birth of a true American Super Hero…PIE MAN!!

When Homer sees Lisa humiliated by the Rich Texan, he grabs some items from the Fair competition tables, and becomes “Pie Man” to avenge his daughter’s dignity!

We all know pi-r-squared.
But today, pie are justice.
And I welcome it.

Homer goes on a rampage of “fixing wrongs and righting injustice” including a “Pie in the Face” to Comic Book Guy…for bilking the kids.  His timing and humiliation is exacerbated by a long-sought-after visit to the shop from Nichelle Nichols (Lt Ahuraa from Star Trek).

Pie Man: Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the key lime.
CBG: How could this be any more humiliating?
Nichelle: Hello, I’m Nichelle Nichols of Star Trek.
CBG: Oh, you’ve finally accepted my invitation for tea and chit-chat!
Nichelle: Listen, I said it to Shatner and I’m saying it to you: There is no way I’m going to be dating a man with pie on his face.

Later, as Homer is running from an ambush set up by Quimby and the Springfield Police, he recreates one of the most famous Super Hero Super Kisses!

After Homer’s “Pie Man” identity is revealed by Smithers and Burns. Burns blackmales him into smacking good people (starting with Homer himself) with pies.  But Homer is faced with a dilemma when Lisa also discovers his identity, and makes Homer promise not to be Pie Man anymore, because she doesn’t want him killed.

This culminates with Homer being threatened by Burns, to “Pie” the Dalai Lama…who Lisa, as Springfield’s youngest Buddhist, is introducing to the good folks of Springfield.

There is only one way to escape the hell of letting down his daughter, or “Pieing” the Dalai Lama…He has to reveal his true identity!

Homer: There’s only one way I can escape from this nightmare.
CROWD: Homer Simpson? It was him all along. Homer Simpson is the pie man? Impossible! He’s never thrown away a pastry in his life.
His brain isn’t large enough to juggle two contrasting personae!
Yeah, and Homer’s a dumbass! No offense, Homer. Ya dumbass.
Homer: I’m telling you, I’m the pie man!
Crowd: No you’re not. The pie man could fly. And spit acid! And animals did his bidding! Well, that closes the book on pie man.
Lisa: Dad, I think you created a hero that even you couldn’t live up to.
Homer: Let’s go home, honey.

So there you have it…THREE TSTO ITEMS…and the ORIGIN of a SUPER HERO!!

For extra credit…name Bart’s super-sidekick!