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Like Father, Like Clown

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"Like Father, Like Clown"
The Simpsons episode
Krustytheclownshow.png
Krusty's show
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 6
Directed byJeffrey Lynch
Brad Bird
Written byJay Kogen
Wallace Wolodarsky
Production code8F05
Original air dateOctober 24, 1991 (1991-10-24)
Guest appearance
Episode features
Chalkboard gag"I will finish what I sta" (stops mid-word)[1]
Couch gagBart leaps into everybody's lap, annoying Homer.[2]
CommentaryMatt Groening
Al Jean
Dan Castellaneta
Julie Kavner
Jay Kogen
Wallace Wolodarsky
Brad Bird
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Homer Defined" 		Next →
"Treehouse of Horror II"
The Simpsons (season 3)
List of episodes

"Like Father, Like Clown" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 24, 1991. In the episode, Krusty the Clown reveals to the Simpsons that he is Jewish and that his father, Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, kicked him out for pursuing a career in comedy and feeling unwanted. Bart and Lisa try to reunite a heartbroken Krusty with his estranged father.

The episode was written by the duo of Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky, and directed by Jeffrey Lynch and Brad Bird; as it was Lynch's first credit as a director, Bird was assigned to help him. Krusty's religion had not been part of the original concept of the character, so Kogen and Wolodarsky decided to parody the 1927 film The Jazz Singer and establish that Krusty is Jewish. The episode was carefully researched and two rabbis, Lavi Meier and Harold M. Schulweis, were credited as "special technical consultants". Comedian Jackie Mason, who had once been an ordained rabbi, provided the voice of Hyman Krustofsky. Hyman later became an infrequently recurring character voiced by Dan Castellaneta. Mason returned to voice the character in several later episodes.

In its original broadcast, "Like Father, Like Clown" finished 34th in ratings with a Nielsen rating of 12.7. Jackie Mason won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1992 for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for his performance as Hyman Krustofsky.

Plot[]

Krusty agrees to have dinner with the Simpsons to repay Bart for helping exonerate him for armed robbery ("Krusty Gets Busted"). When he keeps cancelling, an upset Bart writes him a letter saying he is no longer his fan. Krusty's secretary is so moved by the letter that she threatens to quit if Krusty does not keep his promise to Bart, so Krusty reluctantly attends. When asked to say grace, Krusty recites a Hebrew blessing. Realizing that Krusty is Jewish, Lisa speaks of his heritage, making him break down in tears.

Krusty reveals his real name is Herschel Krustofsky and describes his upbringing on the Lower East Side of Springfield. His father, Hyman Krustofsky, was a rabbi who strongly opposed his son's wish to become a comedian; he wanted the boy to go to yeshiva instead. At school, Krusty made the other students laugh and became a slapstick comedian behind his father's back. One night, Krusty performed at a rabbis' convention. A rabbi squirted seltzer on him, washing off his clown makeup. Enraged, Hyman, who was in the audience, recognized Krusty and immediately kicks him out for exile. They have not seen or spoken to each other in 25 years.

Seeing an Itchy & Scratchy playing with their fathers causes Krusty to breakdown and cry on live TV. Bart and Lisa decide to help reunite father and son, but Hyman refuses to accept Krusty's career choice because he believes that Krusty abandoned his faith and family. To outsmart him, Lisa finds Judaic teachings that urge forgiveness, but Hyman refutes Lisa's arguments and refuses to reconcile with Krusty. In a last-ditch effort, Bart convinces him to abandon his stubborn ways by quoting Sammy Davis, Jr. — a Jewish entertainer like Krusty — and making a passionate plea about the struggles that the Jewish people have overcome. Bart's speech finally convinces Hyman that entertainers have a place in Jewish culture.

Krusty is feeling glumly when he starts the live telecast of his show, and then calls for the Itchy & Scratchy show to roll. Bart and Lisa arrive backstage with Rabbi Krustofsky, and when Krusty lights a cigarette, a voice tells him that it's a bad habit and when Krusty asks who it is, his father appears and then they embrace, and then joyously reconcile before the audience. Hyman accepts a cream pie from Bart and throws it in his son's face.

Production[]

Brad Bird co-directed the episode.

"Like Father, Like Clown" was written by the duo of Jay Kogen and Wallace Wolodarsky.[2] Krusty's religion had not been part of the original concept of the character, so Kogen and Wolodarsky decided to parody The Jazz Singer and establish that Krusty is Jewish.[3] They pitched the idea to co-executive producer Sam Simon, who rejected it, but it was approved by James L. Brooks.[4] Krusty's last name, Krustofsky, was established in this episode as pitched by Al Jean.[3] The portion of the episode where characters quote the Bible in support or opposition of clowning were carefully researched.[3] Cited passages from the Bible include Exodus 20:12 and Joshua 1:8.[5] The quotations from the Talmud were also researched,[4] and two rabbis, Lavi Meier and Harold M. Schulweis, were credited as "special technical consultants".[6] Schulweis was asked to take a look at a draft of the script. While not a fan of the show, he felt "it was profound" and added some corrections. He later commented, "I thought it had a Jewish resonance to it. I was impressed by the underlying moral seriousness."[6]

The episode was co-directed by Jeffrey Lynch and Brad Bird. It was Lynch's first credit as a director, so Bird was assigned to help him out and "usher [Lynch] into the world of directing things quickly".[7] Krusty is one of Bird's favorite characters, and he always tries to animate a scene in every Krusty episode.[7]

Rabbi Krustofsky was voiced by Jackie Mason, who had once been an ordained rabbi, but had resigned to become a comedian.[8] Mason recorded his lines in New York City, and Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Krusty, went there to record with him.[9] In the script, Bart and Lisa try to trick Rabbi Krustofsky into meeting with Krusty by arranging a lunch date between him and Saul Bellow, the "Nobel Prize-winning Jewish novelist". Originally, this was intended to be Isaac Bashevis Singer, but the writers changed it when Singer died. Mason's lines had to be re-recorded in order to complete the change.[3] Rabbi Krustofsky became an infrequently recurring character, and his occasional speaking parts were voiced by Castellaneta.[10] Mason later returned to voice the rabbi in "Today I Am a Clown" in the fifteenth season,[11] "Once Upon a Time in Springfield" in the twenty-first season, and "Clown in the Dumps" in the twenty-sixth season, in which the character dies.[12]

The episode is an homage to the film The Jazz Singer, about a son with a strict religious upbringing who defies his father to become an entertainer.[2] Krusty is considered to be partially based on Jewish comedian Jerry Lewis,[13] who starred in the 1959 version of the film. The Jazz Singer is referenced when Rabbi Krustofsky states, "Oh, if you were a musician or a jazz singer, this I could forgive!"[14] Lisa tells Homer there are many Jewish entertainers, including Lauren Bacall, Dinah Shore, William Shatner and Mel Brooks.[15] In Krusty's flashback, he and his father walk down the street in a parody of a scene from The Godfather Part II.[3] In the Simpsons house, Krusty plays The Concert for Bangladesh. In Krusty's studio, there are pictures of him with Alfred Hitchcock and The Beatles.[1] At the end of the episode, Krusty and his father sing "O Mein Papa", a 1952 song originally by Eddie Fisher.[2] Bart quotes a passage from Sammy Davis, Jr.'s 1965 autobiography Yes, I Can.[16]

Reception[]

Jackie Mason won an Emmy Award for his role as Hyman Krustofsky in this episode.

In its original broadcast, "Like Father, Like Clown" finished 34th in ratings for the week of October 21–27, 1991, with a Nielsen rating of 12.7. It was the highest rated program on Fox that week.[17] Mason won a Primetime Emmy Award in 1992 for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for his performance as Hyman Krustofsky.[18] He was one of six voice actors from The Simpsons to win the award in its inaugural year.[19]

He is one of three The Simpsons guest stars to win the award; Marcia Wallace won in 1992 for voicing Edna Krabappel, and Kelsey Grammer won for voicing Sideshow Bob in 2006.[20] In 1998, TV Guide listed it in its list of top twelve Simpsons episodes.[21] The authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood, called the episode, "a magnificent show, with Jackie Mason wonderfully over the top as Krusty's long-lost pa, and Lois Pennycandy giving Krusty a good talking to about Bart."[2]

Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz of The Star-Ledger listed "Like Father, Like Clown" as one of the ten episodes of The Simpsons that shows the "comic and emotional scope of the show". They wrote, "Most Krusty the Klown episodes go heavy on celebrity cameos, while playing up the character's misanthropic greed. This one gave him a heart, as Bart and Lisa try to reunite him with his estranged rabbi father (voice of Jackie Mason), who has never forgiven his son for going into show biz."[16] DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson wrote that the episode "lacks a surfeit of guffaws, but it manages to be sweet and heartfelt without becoming sappy. It's more of a charming show than a laughfest, but it does the job."[22]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Richmond & Coffman 1997, p. 67.
  2. ^ a b c d e Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Like Father, Like Clown". BBC. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  3. ^ a b c d e Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "Like Father, Like Clown", in The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  4. ^ a b Kogen, Jay. (2003). Commentary for "Like Father, Like Clown", in The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  5. ^ Pinsky 2007, pp. 155–156
  6. ^ a b Pinsky 2007, p. 150
  7. ^ a b Bird, Brad. (2003). Commentary for "Like Father, Like Clown", in The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  8. ^ Bergeron, Chris (2008-09-21). "Frankie Valli, Jackie Mason to perform in Worcester". Daily News Transcript. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  9. ^ Castellaneta, Dan. (2003). Commentary for "Like Father, Like Clown", in The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  10. ^ "Listings — Simpsons, The on Fox". The Futon Critic. 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  11. ^ Bianco, Robert (2003-12-04). "What to watch this weekend". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  12. ^ Perkins, Dennis (2014-09-29). "The Simpsons: "Clown In The Dumps"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2014-09-29.
  13. ^ Greg Brian (July 30, 2007). "The Anatomy of Krusty the Clown (or Who or What Inspired the Famous "Simpsons" Clown...and Why Clowns Get a Bad Rap)" (Interview). Yahoo!. Archived from the original on July 29, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  14. ^ Pinsky 2007, p. 153
  15. ^ Pinsky 2007, p. 151
  16. ^ a b Sepinwall, Alan; Matt Zoller Seitz (1998-04-26). "The best of "The Simpsons" doing their worst". The Star-Ledger.
  17. ^ "Nielsen ratings/Oct 21-27". Long Beach Press-Telegram. Associated Press. 1991-10-30.
  18. ^ "Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search". Emmys.org. Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  19. ^ "Briefing–'Simpsons' score big in Prime-Time Emmys". Daily News of Los Angeles. 1992-08-03. p. L20.
  20. ^ Serpe, Gina (2006-07-20). "Sideshow Bob nabs Emmy". E!. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
  21. ^ "A Dozen Doozies". TV Guide. January 3–9, 1998. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
  22. ^ Jacobson, Colin (2003-08-21). "The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season (1991)". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved 2009-06-25.

Bibliography[]

External links[]

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