The caption reads of the TV Guide reads: "Laverne and Shirley: Too Daring for TV?"
Pink Flamingos When John is first introduced, there is a plastic pink flamingo behind him. This is a reference to the title of a John Waters film, Pink Flamingos. John Waters being the voice of John in the episode.
The first time the family goes to John's store he is wearing Homer's bowling team T-shirt which he got on "Team Homer".
The name of the store where John works is called "Cockamamies."
The night club that the gay steel mill transforms into is called "The Anvil".
This is the first episode that Moe contemplates suicide.
Homer: (to Bart) Don't worry, boy. We're gonna set you straight. By tomorrow morning, you'll be a regular Burt Reynolds. Bart: What are you talking about? Where are we going? Homer: Just a couple of good old-fashioned manly places. (puts his arm around Bart) Father and son! Homer's Brain: You're leaving the arm there too long! You wanna make it worse? (Homer quickly yanks his arm off Bart) Homer's Brain: No, no! He'll know you're on to him! Quick, shake his hand! (Homer does so) Homer: Just remember, son, no matter what happens, I'll always love you. Homer's Brain: As? As?? Homer: (yanks hand away) As a father! A father! Regular father!
Moe: You ever been hunting before, there, Barty? Bart: Nope. Something about a bunch of guys, alone, together in the woods... seems kinda gay. (awkward silence) Homer: (angrily) That is a very immature attitude, young man!
(Homer takes Bart to a steel mill) Rosco: (to the other workers) Hey! Listen up! I want all of yous to say hello to the Simpsons. Workers: (sissy-like) Halloooooww! Homer: (horrified gasp) Has the whole world gone insane?! (He sees two workers jostling with each other in a sissy-like way) Worker #1: Stand still, there's a spark in your hair! Worker #2: Get it, get it! (Homer whimpers. A third worker walks past, wearing only hot pants and carrying a vat of hot steel) Worker #3: Hot stuff, comin' through! Homer: Aah! Bart: Dad, why'd you bring me to a gay steel mill? Homer: (frightened) I don't know! This is a NIGHTMARE! (to the workers) YOU'RE ALL SICK! Worker #4: (waves his hand) Oh, be nice! Homer: Ohh! My son doesn't stand a chance! The whole world's gone gay! (a whistle goes off) Homer: Oh my God, what's happening now? Rosco: We work hard. We play hard. ("Everybody Dance Now" starts playing as the entire mill is transformed into a night club. A frightened Homer backs away, groaning and covering Bart's eyes.)
Homer: Bart! Where did you get that shirt? Bart: I'unno...Came outta the closet. Homer: Uuh....huh.
Smithers: John! John: Uh...Waylon. Uh. I'd like you to meet The Simpsons! Smithers: I know the Simpsons. (Mumbling) So this is your sick mother? John: Don't do this to me Waylon.
Homer: That John is the greatest guy in the world. We've gotta have him and his wife over for drinks sometime. Marge: Hmm... I don't think he's married, Homer. Homer: Oh, a swinging bachelor, eh? Well, there's lots of foxy ladies out there. Marge: Homer, didn't John seem a little... festive to you? Homer: Couldn't agree more! Happy as a clam. Marge: (insisting) He prefers the company of men! Homer: Who doesn't? Marge: Homer... listen carefully. John is a ho-mo... Homer: Right. Marge: ...sexual! (Homer screams)
John: Oh, I've got the exact same curtains only in my bathroom. Didn't you just die when you found these? Marge: Not really...they just had corn on them. Kitchen...corn.
John: Well, if you're inviting me over? Homer: I practically insist. Shall we say 5:00, the snacking hour? John: My heart is palpitating. Woo hoo!
Homer: Maybe that thing is a hunk-of-junk, but look at what you're selling. Fifty bucks for a toy!? No kid is worth that! John: Oh, but this is the Rex Mars Atomic Discombobulator. Don't you just love the graphics on this box? Homer: No. How can you love a box or a toy or graphics? You're a grown man.
John: Hi, I'm John, can I help you with anything? Marge: Yes, I have something that I'd like to sell. John: Please tell me it's your hair.
(Marge wakes up because she hears Homer making strange noises. She turns on the light.) Marge: Homie, I can hear you chewing on your pillow. What's wrong? Homer: Marge, the boy was wearing a Hawaiian shirt! Marge: So? Homer: There's only two kinds of guys that wear those shirts, gay guys and big fat party animals. And Bart doesn't look like a big fat party animal to me.
Marge: Oh, Homer, look! Look! A TV Guide owned by Jackie O.! John: Oh, you should see the crossword puzzle! She thought "Mindy" lived with "Mark". Homer: Give her a break! Her husband was killed!
Lisa: Aw, Mom, are you sure you want to sell a family heirloom to pay a gas bill? I mean, what would your grandma say? Marge: I'm sure she'd be proud that her descendants had piping-hot tap water and plenty of warm, dry underwear.
(Homer rounds on John after catching Bart dancing to "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)") John: Homer, what have you got against gays? Homer: You know! It's not... usual. If there was a law, it'd be against it! Marge: Oh, Homer, please! You're embarrassing yourself. Homer: No, I'm not, Marge! They're embarrassing me. They're embarrassing America. They turned the Navy into a floating joke. They ruined all our best names, like Bruce and Lance and Julian. Those were the toughest names we had! Now they're just, uh... John: Queer? Homer: Yeah, and that's another thing! I resent you people using that word. That's our word for making fun of you! We need it! Well, I'm taking back our word, and I'm taking back my son!
Barney: Aw, Moe, we were saved by a sissy! Moe: Yeah, yeah, we'll never live it down. Oh boy, it looks like it's suicide again for me. Homer: Hey! We owe this guy, and I don't want you calling him a sissy! This guy's a fruit! And a... no, wait, wait, wait... queer! Queer! (to John) That's what you like to be called, right? John: Well, that or John.
(After John saves Homer, Bart, Barney and Moe from the rampaging reindeer) Barney: Is it okay to come out now, Mr. Gay Man, sir? Moe: I'll do anything you say! (suggestively) Anything!
(After meeting John, Homer is worried that Bart is gay. He places Bart in front of a billboard with scantily clad women on it.) Bart: What am I supposed to do here? Homer: Nothing. Just sit. I'll be back. (Homer walks away, revealing the "Laramie Slims" billboard.) Homer: Well, it's been two hours. How do you feel? Bart: I dunno. I kinda want a cigarette. Homer: That's a good start. Let's get you a pack. What's your brand? Bart: Anything slim! Homer: (Grunts) Okay, that didn't work.
Homer: You know me, Marge. I like my beer cold, my TV loud, and my homosexuals fa-laming!
Mike B. Anderson won the 1998 WAC Winner Award for Best Director for Primetime Series for this episode.
The scene at the steel mill was an idea by Steve Tompkins, who wrote episode 8-6, "A Milhouse Divided."
Blackboard Joke: None. Couch Gag: Someone tries to download the family from America Online and the computer freezes.
In 1997, this episode won an Emmy for, Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less). This episode won the 1997 Annie Award for Best Individual Achievement: Directing in a TV Production.
The episode is generally rated as one of the most popular episodes of the show. It won four awards including a GLAAD Media Award. It was placed fifth in Entertainment Weekly's list of the top 25 episodes of The Simpsons. And aside from the censors being against it, the episode received very few complaints at all.
John's car horn plays "Over The Rainbow", alluding to the stereotype that gay men love Judy Garland.
S 23 : Ep 22
Aired 5/20/12
S 23 : Ep 21
Aired 5/13/12
S 23 : Ep 20
Aired 5/6/12
S 23 : Ep 19
Aired 4/29/12
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