Whacking Day

Season 4, Episode 20, Aired
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Episode Summary

Everyone in Springfield is excited for Whacking Day, but as the holiday approaches, Lisa condemns it as violent. Whacking Day is a decade-long tradition which calls for the townspeople to beat snakes to death with sticks. Lisa decides to save the snakes with the help of Whacking Day's honorary MC, Barry White, who uses his sonorous bass vocal style to lure the snakes to safety, where no one can whack them.moreless
8.9
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Fan Episode Reviews (8)

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  • perfect

    10
    "Perfect"
    By futuramarama, Aug 19, 2011 Report Abuse
    what i liked- Barry White's appearance and him helping Bart and Lisa, "Gentleman, start your whacking!", "Evil homer" scene, "They should call this book Johnny Deformed", the plot as a whole is really nice, the ending, Skinner tricking Bart, Nelson and the bullies in a closet, "Keep stuffing your shirt with dirt till i get back", etc.
    good episode written by my favorite writer of the simpsons, John Swartzwelder. has a lot of funny moments and a good plot. A+moreless

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  • this was a good ep

    8.5
    "Great"
    By cube2k8, May 16, 2010 Report Abuse
    in this ep of the simpsons its the anual waking day that takes place everyyear they go around and wack and kill the snakes around sprinfield. and lisa is tired of this happening so she wantes to do something about it . and bart is kicked out of school because of a sprank he did and marge has to home shcool him. and so bart decides to help lisa and they get the voice of barry white he gusses stars in this show and he sings and the ground shaking gets the snakes to go in the simpsons house and they dont die this was a good epmoreless

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  • Barry White was an amazing guest star, but the whole plot of the storyline was a little unbelievable. I mean Bart learning are you nuts or a day to Whack snakes?? Come on.moreless

    8.5
    "Great"
    By Iverson82094, Jan 26, 2008 Report Abuse
    Everyone in Springfield is excited for Whacking Day, but as the holiday approaches, Lisa condemns it as violent. Whacking Day is a decade-long tradition which calls for the townspeople to beat snakes to death with sticks. Lisa decides to save the snakes with the help of Whacking Day's honorary MC, Barry White, who uses his sonorous bass vocal style to lure the snakes to safety, where no one can whack them Guest star: Barry White as himself

    Barry White was an amazing guest star, but the whole plot of the storyline was a little unbelievable. I mean Bart learning are you nuts or a day to Whack snakes?? Come onmoreless

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    1 0

  • Whacking day. An excuse to beat up the Irish

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By GerMan666, Jan 14, 2007 Report Abuse
    I'm part Irish, and I take no offence to that. In fact, this is my 7th favourite episode of The Simpsons. Whacking snakes, Barry White, Bart expelled, and an excuse to beat up the Irish. I would love to see newer episodes tailored after all of the episodes of Season 4. Ah Well.

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  • A little to goofy in parts, but still a classic.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By adam8it2, Nov 27, 2006 Report Abuse
    The people of Springfield are getting ready for Whacking Day, an annual event where people chase down and beat snakes to death with sticks. Homer is very excited, so much so that he's actual quite nimble and in shape as he trains for the upcoming festivities.

    Meanwhile, Bart has been expelled from school for a prank that injures Superintendant Chalmers. Bart is home-schooled by Marge and it is during his schooling he and Lisa learn Whacking Day is a sham and was originally organized to beat up on the Irish.

    The day comes and the snake hunt is on. Bart and Lisa learn snakes are attracted by sounds and use their stereo and Barry White's vocals to bring all the snakes into the house for safety. The kids convince the townspeople Whacking Day is bad and the snakes are set free.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

    ADD TRIVIA
    • Goof: When Barry White is singing and Lisa is playing bass, Lisa is first playing right handed, in the next scene she is playing left handed, and then returns to normal. Edit
    • Apu announces that there is a snake hidden in the store. The first person to find it wins a free Squishee. Edit
    • The Springfield Christian School sign reads, "We Put the Fun in Fundamentalist Dogma". Edit

  • Notes

    ADD NOTES
    • First Appearance: Superintendent Chalmers Edit
    • The week that this episode aired, NBC announced that The Simpsons writer/ producer Conan O'Brien would become the new host for Late Night, replacing David Letterman. Edit
    • The writers were barely able to get the phrase "Gentlemen, start your wacking." past the censors. Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Marge: Bart, get dressed for school. I expect you to be in your seat when the bell rings. (chuckles) I bought a bell.
      (later in the garage classroom, the bell Marge installed rings very loudly, scaring both her and Bart)
      Marge: (shrieks) I think I'll unplug that.
      Edit
    • Lisa: How can you people turn on snakes after all they've done for you? Grampa: I'm an old man, I hate everything but Matlock. Ooh, it's on now. Edit
    • Lisa: If the snakes were in here we could protect them. Bart: According to this, snakes hear by sensing vibrations in the ground. So, if we put our stereo speakers on the ground and play something with a lot of bass, those snakes will be in here like Oprah on a baked ham. Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • The truth about whacking day -- by Bob Woodward: If one pays close attention, in one scene we see Bart reading a book with the preceding title and author. Bob Woodward is the name of one of the reporters who helped uncover the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation, and apparently he is revealing the seedy origins of whacking day in this book. Edit
    • Grampa: I'm an old man. I hate everything but 'Matlock.' Oooh! It's on now! Matlock is stereotypically the elderly's favorite TV show, and is referred to many times by Grampa and his friends. Edit
    • Lee Harvey Oswald The Itchy & Scratchy cartoon is a reference to the Lee Harvey Oswald shooting, as depicted frame for frame in the film JFK. Lee Harvey Oswald supposedly shot Kennedy. Two days later, Lee was being transfered to a Texas jail, live on TV, with newsreporters and photographers around him. A Texas club owner named Jack Ruby ran in from the crowd and shot Oswald. Edit

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