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Sideshow Bob Roberts

Sideshow Bob Roberts

Rating: 3.8 (154 votes)

Plot

Lisa is studying Mayor Quimby's re-election campaign. Listening to a radio show hosted by Birch Barlow, she hears the familiar voice of Sideshow Bob, who is in prison. Bob explains that his sentence is unjust, and Barlow agrees that he should be set free. Mounting support for this cause leads Quimby to release Bob. However, Sideshow Bob promptly runs for mayor of Springfield, and wins in a landslide victory. He quickly moves to demolish the Simpson home in order to make room for the "Matlock Expressway". Bart & Lisa don't believe that Bob could have won fairly, so set out to expose him. Acting on a tip off from Smithers, they discover that most of Bob's voters are dead people (and dead animals). Bob is arrested and sent back to prison.


Memorable quotes

Birch Barlow: There are three things we are never going to get rid of in this town: one, the bats in the public library; two, Mrs. McFuly's compost heap; and three, our six-term mayor - the illiterate, tax-cheating, wife-swapping, pot-smoking spendocrat: Diamond Joe Quimby.
Quimby: Hey, I am no longer illiterate.

Bart: I'm only ten and I've already got two mortal enemies!

Birch Barlow: My friends, Bob is a political prisoner. I want every loyal listener to do everything they can to get him out of jail.
Moe: You heard the man. Here you go, one grenade each.
Barney: Moe, I think he meant through non-violent, grass roots political action.
Moe: Really, you think so? Okay, give 'em back... hey! Who pulled the pin on this one?

Commercial: Quimby. If you were running for mayor, he'd vote for you.

Bart: Hey four eyes, vote Quimby! Hey beardo, vote Quimby!
Lisa: This time he's the lesser of two evils.

Grampa: Not many people know this, but I own the first radio in Springfield. Not much on the air then, just Edison reciting the alphabet over and over. 'A' he'd say. Then 'B'. 'C' would usually follow...

Homer: I don't agree with his Bart-killing policy; but, I do approve of his Selma-killing policy.

Kent Brockman: The results are in: for Sideshow Bob, one hundred percent; and for Joe Quimby, one percent. And we remind you there is a one percent margin of error.

Lisa: I can't believe a convicted felon would get so many votes, and another convicted felon would get so few.

Bart: You were just Barlow's lackie!
Lisa: You were Ronny to his Nancy!
Bart: Sonny to his Cher!
Lisa: Ringo to his rest of the Beatles!

Kent Brockman: Alright, let's go live to Bob headquarters now, for Mayor Terwilliger's victory speech.
Sideshow Bob: (Long evil laugh)
Kent Brockman: And just look how happy he is.

Notes

  • Headline in the Springfield Shopper: ''Bob Pardon #1 Issue'' with the subheadline, ''Edges Out 'No Fat Chicks' Ordinance''.
  • Sign at the debate: ''Tonight: Mayoral Debate; Tomorrow: Mass Wedding of Cult Members''.
  • Smithers meets Bart & Lisa at the ''Pay & Park & Pay''.
  • Sign at Springfield Hall of Records: ''Not the Good Kind of Records, Historical Ones''.
  • Stampy (Bart's elephant) was one of the voters.
  • After Bob is arrested again, he is sent to Springwood Minimum Security Prison.

References

  • This episode's title and parts of the story parody Bob Roberts.