A "Behind the Music"-style look at the Simpsons, narrated by VH1's Jim Forbes, shows their rise to stardom--and the "private hell" that followed.
WAR
36.8
Wins Above Replacement
“Behind The Laughter” ranks #446 of 552 The Simpsons episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 74.1 — Great. The episode packs 55 scored jokes at 2.3 per minute, averaging 6.8 on craft and 6.5 on impact, with Homer landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Homer: Let's just say that fame was like a drug. But what was even more like a drug was the drugs.
Homer Wordplay/Pun Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Homer: How could I even get all five necessary drops into her cereal?
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Apu: Yes, I finked on Homer, but, you know, he deserved it. Never have I seen such abuse of the 'Take a penny, leave a penny' tray.
Apu Character Comedy Escalation Narrator: Before a riot could break out, Jimmy Carter came to the rescue with his comedy break dancing.
Narrator: And that horrible act of child abuse became one of our most beloved running gags.
All Jokes — 55 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Man Observational Absurdist Homer: They told us what to wear... how to dress, which clothes we should put on.
Homer Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Homer: After the show, Meryl Streep spit on me.
Homer Absurdist Dark/Subversive Homer: They almost drove me to fortified wine.
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Homer: That's how I was raised, and I turned out TV.
Homer Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Bart · Lisa: Sheriff Lowbrow. Home Improvement.
Bart Lisa Meta/Self-Referential Observational Marge · Narrator: Finally, I said, 'So do it. Either [Bleep] or get off the pot.' And [Bleep] he did.
Homer · Marge: Honey, I'm home. The boss is coming to dinner, and I need a clean shirt. I haven't done the laundry yet. Mamma mia! Now I'll have to do it!
Lisa: It was amazing how fast Dad betrayed his vision of a realistic show.
Lisa Irony/Sarcasm Observational Homer: Every day I thought about firing Marge. You know, just to shake things up.
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive Homer: The man who cut my hair was also president of Fox.
Homer Absurdist Observational Bart: Fox had an endless supply of clever slogans, man.
Bart Irony/Sarcasm Meta/Self-Referential Bart: Sometimes I'd have to read the cake just to know who I was singing to.
Bart Observational Character Comedy Bart: Dad, I've never said 'Cowabunga' in my life. Your script sucks.
Bart Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy Narrator: And that horrible act of child abuse became one of our most beloved running gags.
Homer: We were using $50 bills as toilet paper and toilet paper as dog toilet paper.
Homer: We found a secret room that was filled to the ceiling with parachute pants. I'm wearing some now.
Executive: Yeah, I've seen all the overnight sensations - Brad Hall, Rich Hall, Rich Little, Little Richard - but the Simpsons blew 'em all away.
Executive: Meanwhile, Krustophenia sits on the shelf.
Announcer: And the award for Best Hard-core Thrash Metal goes to... Simpsons Christmas Boogie?
Homer: I want to set the record straight. I thought the cop was a prostitute.
Homer Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Executive: Oh, Homer was spending money like a... teenage Arab.
Lenny: I felt kinda guilty 'cause I was always tryin' to score with his wife.
Lenny Dark/Subversive Character Comedy Lenny: He paid me and Carl a thousand bucks to kiss each other
Lenny Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Lenny · Carl: He paid me and Carl a thousand bucks to kiss each other. Hey, did we ever get that money?
Narrator: But reckless spending and interracial homoeroticism were just volume one of The Encyclopedia Self-Destructica.
Homer: Then came the rocks - jagged rocks, hitting me with their jags.
Homer Wordplay/Pun Physical/Slapstick Homer: Let's just say that fame was like a drug. But what was even more like a drug was the drugs.
Homer Wordplay/Pun Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Lisa: I mean, there we were with Hollywood royalty like Milton Berle and Nelson Mandela.
Lisa Absurdist Observational Lisa: And just a few stars down from the Cheerios honeybee.
Lisa Absurdist Observational Homer: Awards and honors are great, but they don't pay the pickle man.
Homer Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Homer: Her check bounced higher than Rubber Girl.
Homer Absurdist Wordplay/Pun Marge: When people reach for their diaphragm, they don't want to see my picture.
Marge Dark/Subversive Cringe/Discomfort Comic Book Guy: If the sea captain could be in the show, why not me? I've even got a catchphrase. Nyah! Whaa! Whaa, whaa, whaa! Now I lost it.
Apu: Yes, I finked on Homer, but, you know, he deserved it. Never have I seen such abuse of the 'Take a penny, leave a penny' tray.
Apu Character Comedy Escalation Homer: Hey! They can't take our house! My potbellied pig is in there! Ah, Mr. Porky! No!
Homer Character Comedy Absurdist Bart: Fine. I'll do Teen Wolf 3. I've got fair-weather friends to feed.
Bart Character Comedy Observational Bart: Hey, you've been riding me all day. Why don't you poop in your hat?
Bart Absurdist Character Comedy Character: That man is the real Seymour Skinner.
Narrator: While he was in rehab, the part of Bart Simpson was played by his good friend Richie Rich.
Richie Rich as Bart: Don't have a cow, Mother.
Homer: Hello, Iowa! Does anyone have a doughnut?
Homer Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Narrator: Before a riot could break out, Jimmy Carter came to the rescue with his comedy break dancing.
Narrator: Coming up: Was the dream really over? Yes, it was. Or was it?
Narrator Meta/Self-Referential Deadpan/Understatement Narrator: But now the wing was on fire, and the prayer had been answered - by Satan.
Narrator Dark/Subversive Wordplay/Pun Callback Narrator: Fox put the show on hiatus and replaced it with hidden camera footage from the dressing room at Ann Taylor.
Lisa: I literally chewed the scenery.
Lisa Wordplay/Pun Visual Gag Marge: So the next time you see a sheriff, shoot him. A smile.
Marge Misdirection Character Comedy Homer: How could I even get all five necessary drops into her cereal?
Homer Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Grampa: I mean, emotionally it was terrible, but the turkey was so moist.
Grampa Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Narrator: That night, fate wore a cummerbund of suspense.
Willie Nelson: Well, I'm also trying to patch things up between Van Halen and Sammy Hagar.
Narrator: And now the future looks brighter than ever for this northern Kentucky family.
Narrator Observational Meta/Self-Referential Lisa: This will be the last season.
Lisa Meta/Self-Referential Irony/Sarcasm Huckleberry Hound: I was so gay. But I couldn't tell anyone.
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