Krusty Gets Busted

"Krusty Gets Busted" is the 12th episode of the first season of The Simpsons. The episode originally aired April 29, 1990. This episode marks the first full-fledged appearances of Krusty the Clown, Itchy & Scratchy and also the first speaking appearance of Sideshow Bob which therefore is the first guest appearance of Kelsey Grammer.

1 Plot
2 Debut appearances
3 Trivia
4 Cultural references
5 External links

[edit] Plot

As Bart and Lisa watch The Krusty The Clown Show, Marge phones Homer to stop at the Kwik-E-Mart on his way home from work. While in the Kwik-E-Mart, a masked clown, resembling Krusty, points a gun at Apu and robs the store. Police question Homer and a Police sketch artist creates an image that looks exactly like Krusty. Chief Wiggum and the SWAT team barge into Krusty's home and take him into custody.

Krusty's trial begins and Bart tries to stop Homer from taking the stand, but the bailiff takes Bart back to his seat. Homer takes the stand and immediately indicates that Krusty was the clown he saw. Later, Krusty – testifying in his own defense – admits during cross-examination that he is illiterate when he is unable to identify an exhibit in the courtroom. Krusty is found guilty and sentenced to prison. The Krusty The Clown Show is replaced with Sideshow Bob's Cavalcade of Whimsy, a critically-acclaimed educational program.

Bart and Lisa set out to prove Krusty's innocence. Judging from the fact Krusty is illiterate and has a pacemaker (hence he could not be near Apu's microwave), Bart guesses that his hero was framed and Sideshow Bob would know who did it. The next day, Bart, Lisa and Maggie meet Sideshow Bob at the studio to ask him for input. A suspicious Bob dismisses their investigations and gives them tickets to his show. On the air, Bob spots an "unhappy child" – Bart – in the audience, and invites him onstage to talk about what's the matter. Bart states his findings, but Bob provides plausible explanations for each claim. Then, Bob admits that he "has big shoes to fill." That statement echoes through Bart's mind, as he realizes the final link to the mystery: Homer stepped on the tip of the robber's oversized floppy shoes, causing the suspect to cry out in pain; yet, Krusty had small feet like everyone else. Being an underappreciated TV sidekick, Bob would have the most to gain from Krusty's downfall.

Seeing his chance, Bart grabs the microphone and reveals Bob as the imposter who committed the robbery. To prove his point, Bart grabs a croquet mallet and smashes the end of Bob's shoe, causing him to scream in pain. Bart pulls off Bob's shoes to reveal very large feet. Exposed, Bob admits that he framed Krusty out of frustration being constantly on the receiving end of the clown's humiliating (and often painful) gags. He is taken off to jail, swearing revenge on Bart (which he will attempt to carry out in many of his subsequent appearances), and the charges are dropped against Krusty, who receives apologies from Wiggum and Homer. Grateful to be free, Krusty thanks Bart for standing up for the truth and sticking to his convictions. As a result, Bart has a sleepful night, full of Krusty merchandise.

[edit] Debut appearances

Characters making a first appearance in this episode are:

[edit] Trivia

In this episode Krusty is stated to have his own line of pork products. Ironically in Like Father, Like Clown he is revealed to be Jewish.

[edit] Cultural references

Rev. Lovejoy calls Krusty The Clown Prince Of Corruption, a reference to The Joker, Batman's arch-nemesis, often called "The Clown Prince of Crime."
Black Sox Scandal – The famous line, "Say it ain't so, Joe!" is mimicked when Bart utters, "Say it ain't so, Krusty!"
The Day the Music Died – The Channel 5 pre-trial report, "The Day the Laughter Died", is a play on the common phrase, referring to the plane crash that killed rock stars Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. It was also used as a title for a future episode
Hamlet – Bart's observation, "Comedy, thy name is Krusty!" is a play on the Hamlet line, "Frailty, thy name is woman!"
Time and Newsweek - Krusty is shown on the cover of Timely and Newsweekly magazines.
The Man In the Iron Mask - Sideshow Bob reads the end of the chapter "An Homeric Song", and announces, "Next week, chapter 35 of The Man in the Iron Mask: 'The Death of a Titan.'"
Cole Porter - Bob sings "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" to end his show.
Scooby Doo- following Sideshow Bob's arrest, he mutters 'And I would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for you meddling kids!', a reference to the infamous line from the cartoon.

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Krusty Gets Busted

The Simpsons Portal

"Krusty Gets Busted" episode capsule at The Simpsons Archive
"Krusty Gets Busted" at the Internet Movie Database

v • d • e The Simpsons Sideshow Bob episodes

"Krusty Gets Busted" • "Black Widower" • "Cape Feare" • "Sideshow Bob Roberts" • "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming" • "Brother from Another Series" • "Day of the Jackanapes" • "The Great Louse Detective" • "The Italian Bob" • "Funeral for a Fiend"