New Episode 05/08/05: A Star is Torn

Simpsons News — Posted 13 May, 2005 by MrBurns

The family tries to eat a total vegetarian meal and everyone except Lisa gets sick from eating the healthy meal. As they moan from the sickness Lisa sings them to sleep. The next morning they've recovered enough to go back to their old dietary habits. On television a commercial airs for a Krusty-sponsored "Li'l Starmaker" competition and Lisa's singing voice seems a natural for the competition. Of course, Lisa and every other child in Springfield signs up. When Clarissa (played by Fantasia Barrino, one of the competitors sings the same song that Lisa was going to sing, and does it much better than Lisa believes she will be able to, Homer reassures her that he will write her a can't lose song. Lisa sings the song and makes it into the final competition. Continue...

Homer takes charge of her career and writes her more songs that take her into the finals of the competition; it's Lisa versus Cameron, a boy all the girls go crazy over. When Homer oversteps his bounds with his obnoxiousness, Lisa fires him. Homer retaliates by getting himself a new client, Cameron. The final competition begins and Lisa's sings a song she wrote on her own, a song about her relationship with her father. Homer tells her that he was always in her corner and that Cameron is learning the greatest lesson he can ever learn in the music business, don't trust people in the music business.

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Couch: In an homage to the 1960's spy-comedy Get Smart (complete with music), Homer goes through a series of secure doorways, goes inside a telephone booth, dials a number and falls through the floor onto the couch in his proper position, joining the rest of the family.

Kwik-E-Mart sign: Safe Holds Less Than $20

The songs "I'm Talking Springfield," "My Kitty Died," "Always My Dad" and "Privileged Boy" featured lyrics by Carolyn Omine, music by Alf Clausen.

Homer's ability to write good songs was also acknowledged in the episode, Dude Where's My Ranch, when He wrote an anti-Flanders song that became a hit.

When Homer was running to get the light changed, the audio of the footsteps was faster than the video of Homer running. It was like four footstep sounds between every actual step.

When Lisa offers Homer selfmade cookies (after they split) she's got 9 of them. When Homer ate 4, they are all gone!

While the announcer makes the joke they're not affiliated, a good portion of the episode is a parody of the show American Idol.