Today we're talking about the classic Simpsons' episode from Season 4, Episode 14 and we've got our first ever RETURNING GUEST Clayton Margeson!! The 3 of us discuss why this is the best Simpsons episode we've reviewed so far: "I Love You, Pepsi", Krusty's terrible SNL appearance, and Tom, the perfect Big Brother, full of barely contained rage.

We also talk about why the "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" jokes don't land, Jesus as a hog-caller, and the history of 1900 numbers.

Follow Clayton at king.claz on Instagram, and this show at bartannicapod.

Clayton Recommends: "In Pieces" by Sally Fields Jack Frost- the movie about Michael Keaton as a CGI snowman who looks like George Clooney

Eli Recommends: The Public Enemy starring James Cagney Taking Improv Classes with Clayton

Harrison Recommends: Taking Improv Classes with Clayton The kids movie triptych: Mrs. Doubtfire, Liar Liar and the Santa Clause

References: The Sun Won't Come Out Tomorrow: The Dark History of American Orphanhood by Kristen Martin 1900-Cry Commercial Indiana Jones Bad Nazi Face Melting Behind the Scenes The Tommy Westphall Extended Universe

Today we're reviewing The Simpsons Season 8 Episode 16, "Brother From Another Series": David Hyde Pierce guest stars as Sideshow Bob's brother, Cecil.

We've got a great guest- Rob Grabowski (Hitch*Cocktails, Clued In)! We discuss if Frasier is a show for boys, if Sideshow Bob is really reformed, and why Cecil bombs his Krusty audition.

Follow Rob at robgrabo on Instagram and Threads.

You can follow this show on Instagram at Bartannicapod.

Rob Recommends Spamalot Diaries

Eli Recommends Wet Hot American Summer

Harrison Recommends The Host This article about dams by Joan Didion

In honor of Valentine's Day, we are re-sharing this classic episode, now with a new intro with Eli!

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Love is in the air this week as we discuss The Simpsons Season 4 Episode 15, I Love Lisa- after receiving a Valentine from Lisa (out of pity), Ralph Wiggum starts courting her, much to her dismay.

My guest today is Nicole Vespa (Redacted, Voila), an actor and improvisor in Chicago. We talk about parents giving bad advice, unrequited school crushes, and the bizarre death of President Zachary Taylor.

Follow Nicole at @nvespa on Instagram.

Follow this show @bartannicapodcast on Instagram, or email the show at bartannica@gmail.com.

Nicole Recommends: Drunk History The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson Bob's Burgers

Harrison Recommends: To All The Boys I've Loved Before

Eli Recommends: Being in Love

Research for this episode came from:

Accidental Presidents : Eight Men Who Changed America by Jared Cohen

Are You Prepared for the Storm of Lovemaking? : Letters of Love and Lust From the White House by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler

By One Vote: The Disputed Election of 1876 by Michael Holt

Combing Through the White House by Theodore Pappas

Dangerous Crooked Scoundrels Edwin Battistella

Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

The Carnival Campaign by Ronald Shafer

The President is Dead by Louis Picone

What Ails the White House: Medical History of the American Presidency by Dr. Jay Murphy

Who’s Buried in Grants Tomb by Brian Lamb

Zachary Taylor : Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest by K. Jack Bauer

For more information about the presidents, check your local library!

Today marks a new chapter in Bartannica history- Eli Mandel has joined the show! And we have a great episode to kick off this new era: today we're talking about the classic Simpsons episode from Season 2, Episode 5 Dancin' Homer, written by Ken Levine and David Isaacs and directed by Mark Kirkland. This the episode where Homer becomes the official mascot for the Springfield Isotopes. We're talking Tony Bennett, the Capital City Goofball, and Baby Elephant Walk!

We're joined by comedian and artist Asher Perlman. Asher is a cartoonist for the New Yorker, a writer for the late show with Stephen Colbert, a performer with the improvised Shakespeare company, and an alumnus of the second city in Chicago. His second book of cartoons, a follow up to his bestselling debut, has just been released.

We talk about how rare it is to see Homer give a shit about his obsession of the week, why Lisa loves the National Anthem, and if a gorilla could out-pitch The Great Bambino.

You can follow Asher @asherperlman on Twitter, Instagram, and Substack.

You can follow this show @bartannicapod on Instagram. Asher and Eli Recommend: Going to a Minor League baseball game!

Harrison Recommends: Ken Levine's blog (Here) and his podcast Hollywood and Levine

“When you see one of these kitschy places like TGI Fridays, are they expecting you to be like “Whoa! There’s signs! Crocodiles don’t wear sunglasses!”? But Marge is exactly the type of person those are targeted for.”

Wow what an episode we have for you today! Not only is our guest super funny, not only is he one of my best friends, he’s also the new CO-HOST of the show! Welcome to the show Eli Coyote Mandel! Eli has written for shows like Saturday Night Live and Search Party and performs at UCB in New York.

Today we’re reviewing the Simpsons episode “Bart Sells His Soul” from Season 7 Episode 4. This is the one where Bart sells his soul to Milhouse, and immediately suffers the consequences. This episode has it all: Iron Butterfly, Moe’s Family Feedbag, Ow, My Freaking Ears, and of course the return of Alf (in POG form!). We discuss the wild history of family restaurants with lots of crazy crap on the walls, the search for the human soul, and why After Hours is the most accurate NYC movie ever.

You can follow Eli on Instagram at @elicoyote, on TikTok @elicoyotemandel, and @nickandelicomedy on both.

You can follow this show @bartannicapod on Instagram.

Eli Recommends After Hours

Sonnets ET In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly

Harrison Recommends Damn Yankees The works of Pablo Neruda Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe Eli’s Videos:

A Guy The Day After His Server Was Nice to Him

A Disney Channel Original Movie but Dad Took It Too Far

Dad Is Also Scared Of Bullies

Research: Orange Roofs, Golden Arches: the Architecture of American Chain Restuarants by Philip Langdon

The Death of Flair: As Friday's Goes Minimalist, What Happens to the Antiques?

When T.G.I. Friday's Loses Its Flair

"This extraordinary situation of a car, free time and $600 is enough for Martin, Nelson and Bart and Millhouse to kind of come together."

Today we’re talking Tennessee with a real Tennessianen-ite, Thomas Kelly!

We’re reviewing the classic Simpsons episode from Season 7 Episode 20 “Bart on the Road”- Bart, Milhouse, Nelson and Martin rent a car and road trip to Knoxville, TN for the 1982 World’s Fair. And Thomas is from Knoxville! We talk about seeing your home town on TV, if The Simpson’s anti-Fox satire matters, and if lunch is the funniest meal. We also discuss why Marge needs friends, and why this is one of the all time best Homer/Lisa stories.

You can follow Thomas on Instagram at @thomaskelly.actingman and @sand.improv.

You can follow this show at bartannicapod on Instagram.

Thomas Recommends: Any Quentin Tarantino movie (for the TN references)

Dolly Parton (just, as a person)

Nashville by Robert Altman

Harrison Recommends: Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

Any of Thomas’ acting performances:

Heart Race (short film by Katelyn Douglass) Amazing Animals Around Chicago (web series starring Kate O’Connor, directed by Thomas) Collection of Improv Promos for Sand Improv When The Annual Work Review Gets Intimate (sketch)

Research:

Fair America by Robert Rydell

Vagabonds: The Story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison's Ten Year Road Trip by Jeff Guinn

Randi Rain YT: Flippin' Fabulous: Reviving the Iconic Acrobatic Toy Dog!

Maxim: Last Tango on Brando Island

"I think the poor guys just going through changes."

Happy New Year!

Today we're discussing The Simpsons Season 6 Episode 10 Grandpa vs. Sexual Inadequacy from 1994. It's the one where Homer and Grandpa sell their own aphrodisiac in a traveling medicine show.

I'm joined by my new friend Sunset Appleton- we talk about how we've been watching The Simpsons for longer than we can remember (literally), and why the show lends itself to memes and shitposts more than other media. We also dive into the bizarre history of the medicine show- white suits, painless dentistry and the superhero who told kids to drink 16 martinis a day. We also cover the wild history of the twin bed.

You can follow Sunset at complexpastiche on Instragram.

Follow this show at bartannicapod on Instagram.

Sunset Recommends: "Step Right Up" by Tom Waits

Harrison Recommends: The "Simpsons Mental Health" Facebook Group Step Right Up by Brooks McNamara "Slurf Song" by Michael Hurley Alice In Wonderland test footage - Unbirthday Mad Tea Party - Disney

Research:

A Cultural History of Twin Beds by Hilary Hinds Hawkers and Walkers by Richardson Wright Snake Oil, Hustlers and Hambones by Ann Anderson Quackery, A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang and Nate Peterson

"Does love outweigh everything else? I guess it has to, if you’re a sitcom.”

Happy Holidays!

Today we’re discussing The Simpsons Season 14 Episode 17 Three Gays of the Condo: when Marge and Homer have a big fight, Homer moves out of the house and into an apartment in Springfield’s gay neighborhood, with sexy results! It guest stars Scott Thompson and Weird Al.

My guest is Jamie Brew (Clickhole, The Onion); we discuss his AI company, Botnik Studios and his current project, Robot Karaoke. We talk about how he started making comedy with predictive text, using Craigslist to generate song lyrics, and the one thing AI art will never be able to properly reproduce.

We also talk about the ups and downs of Marge and Homer’s relationship, and if the show intentionally keeps it from truly changing, why there will never be another Rip Taylor, and how this episode totally wastes a cameo by Weird Al.

You can follow Jamie @jamieabrew on IG/Twitter & @jbrew on Bluesky.

You can follow this show @bartannicapod on IG.

Robot Karaoke

- Regularly in NYC at Wonderville, Boshi's Place and elsewhere

- Every month at The Elysian Theater in LA

See upcoming shows at: https://theweirdalgorithm.com/

Botnik: Seinfeld Script

Botnik: Harry Potter and The Portrait of What Looked Like A Large Pile of Ash

Botnik: Fake Coachella Names

1040: Yesterday

CCK Philosophy: The Simpsons and the Death of Parody

Jamie Recommends:

The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling by Ted Chiang.

Harrison Recommends:

These articles & books about gay neighborhoods-

There Goes the Gayborhood by Amin Ghaziani

Who Are the People in Your Gayborhood by Daniel Baldwin Hess and Alex Bitterman

The Life and Afterlife of Gay Neighborhoods Alex Bitterman

Gay Urban Identity by Paul Ruiz