Jaws Wired Shut
Encyclopedia
"Jaws Wired Shut" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons
' thirteenth season
. It originally aired on the Fox network
in the United States
on January 27, 2002. In the episode, Homer gets his jaw injured by running into the fist of Drederick Tatum's statue. As a result, Homer's jaw is wired shut, making him unable to speak. Initially, Marge enjoys Homer's inability to talk, as it makes him a better listener and a more compassionate person. However, when Homer's jaw is finally healed, Marge starts to miss his earlier, wilder personality.
The episode was written by Matt Selman
and directed by Nancy Kruse
. The plot idea for the episode was pitched by Selman, as was the setpiece, which originated from a discussion he had with current showrunner Al Jean
. Comedian John Kassir
guest-starred as one of the gay dogs in the gay pride parade
in the episode. In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 8.7 million viewers, making it the most watched scripted program on Fox that night. Following its home video release, "Jaws Wired Shut" received mostly positive reviews from critics.
gay pride parade
passes by the Simpsons' home, during which Santa's Little Helper
flirts with one of the gay
dogs. Uncomfortable, Homer
drags his family to the Springfield Googolplex to see a movie called "Shenani-Goats" starring Tim Allen
and rated PG-13 for brief rudeness and appearances by Garry Shandling
. Homer grows impatient at the number of short films, commercials, and public service announcements preceding the film. He jumps up in front of the screen chanting, "Stop the madness! Start the movie!" The angry ushers then chase Homer out of the cinema, wielding oversized Kit Kat
bars. While running without looking where he is going, Homer collides with the fist of a large metal statue of boxer Drederick Tatum.
At the Springfield General Hospital, Dr. Hibbert
wires Homer's broken jaw shut
, saying that he will not be able to speak or eat solid food for a while. Not being able to talk, Homer starts to listen to his family, which pleases them, especially Marge
. She decides that, since Homer is so well-behaved, they can risk going to the Springfield annual formal event at the Country Club. The next day, the jaw wires come off. Homer and Marge appear on a chat show called "Afternoon Yak" to discuss how Homer became a changed man. During the show, Marge, with the support of the hosts, pleads with Homer to stop his "weckless ways" and stay well behaved. Despite the temptation of the upcoming demolition derby
, Homer decides not to do it for Marge's sake.
Five weeks after Homer made his pledge to behave, Marge realizes that she is bored by all the sudden peace and quiet. The demolition derby form flies into her hand, and she decides to give it a try. When she leaves, Homer wakes up and finds Marge is gone and so is the demolition derby form. He heads off to the derby with the kids. Although Marge initially enjoys the demolition derby, things soon get too dangerous for her. Homer has no idea how to save her, as he has given up being reckless. Bart
comes up with an idea and calls for a beer can from a vendor. Homer then drinks the beer and rescues Marge (in a style similar to Popeye
).
The episode was written by executive producer Matt Selman
and directed by Nancy Kruse
. It was first broadcast on the Fox network
in the United States
on January 27, 2002. The episode's setpiece
was pitched by Selman, and originated from a discussion he had with current showrunner Al Jean
, about "how much crap there is at the movie theater before the movie actually begins." The episode's plot was also pitched by Selman, who had wanted to do an episode with a "jaws-wired-shut plot" for a while. It was not until long after the episode was completed that Selman learned that one can in fact talk with one's jaw wired shut. He learned this from fellow Simpsons writer Brian Kelley
, who had had his jaw wired shut once in high school. Kelley joined the writing staff during the writing stage of the episode, however he did not mention that one could talk, since he did not want to "ruin" the episode. However, he did say that one should eat a lot before since one will lose weight when their jaw is wired shut. These trivias were subsequently included in the episode.
According to Jean, the episode's table read went "great" until the third act. The Simpsons writers found the third act "pretty challenging" to write, because by having Homer's jaws wired shut, they "took [their] funniest character" and "remove[d] comedy." In the DVD commentary for the episode, Selman described it as "It's the comedy of saying: 'Oh, he [Homer] can't do all the stuff you want him to do'." It was also hard to "keep the story moving" back to normal, since they kept having to "re-use the premise". The episode features American comedian John Kassir
as one of the dogs in the gay pride parade in the beginning of the episode. Barbara Walters and Star Jones, the hosts of The View, were portrayed by American voice-actor Tress MacNeille
. In the DVD commentary for the episode, Jean stated that MacNeille is "very versatile". Lisa Ling and Joy Behar were portrayed by voice-actor Pamela Hayden
.
's 1999 drama film Eyes Wide Shut
. According to Jean, the writers chose the title because "[they] thought it would have been more well-remembered." The episode features several sexual jokes, including mentions of orgasms, "sexual release", and the first use of the word "boner" on The Simpsons. When Homer's jaw is wired shut, he writes words on a portable chalkboard to communicate with people. This is a reference to Anthony Hopkins
' character in Legend of the Falls, who, after having a stroke, also communicates with people using a chalkboard. The song used in the ballet scene is "The Blue Danube Waltz", which was also used in 2001: A Space Odyssey, another film by Kubrick.
A scene in the episode takes place on the American talk show The View, and the hosts are based on The View' s real-life host Barbara Walters
and Joy Behar, and former hosts Lisa Ling
and Star Jones
. The View' s audience members are also referenced, and are depicted in the episode as "giv[ing] a huge response" to everything in the program. The play that Bart and Homer are rehearsing in the living room was written by American playwright Edward Albee
. Near the end of the episode, Homer gains strength by drinking a can of beer. The scene parodies the character Popeye
, who gained super-strength from eating spinach. Homer also talks in a manner similar to Popeye after drinking the beer. Marge also resembles Popeye's love interest Olive Oyl
in the scene.
, translating to approximately 8.7 million viewers. The episode finished in 22nd place in the ratings for the week of January 21–27, 2002, making it the most watched scripted program on Fox that night. On August 24, 2010, "Jaws Wired Shut" was released as part of The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season DVD and Blu-ray set. Matt Groening, Al Jean, Matt Selman, Carolyn Omine, Dana Gould, Joe Mantegna and Pete Michels participated in the audio commentary of the episode.
Following its home video release, "Jaws Wired Shut" received mostly positive reviews from critics. Stuart O'Conner of Screen Jabber described "Jaws Wired Shut", "The Parent Rap
", "She of Little Faith
" and "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge" as "first-rate ep[isodes]." Giving the episode a B+, Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict
described the episode as having "nicely gooey family moments." She called the "gay pride parade's 'Salute to Safer Sex' float" the episode's "highlight". Casey Broadwater of Blu-ray.com gave the episode a positive review as well, calling it "a welcome return to a more old school Simpsons storytelling style, capable of being both comical, and, in its own bizarro way, touching." Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide wrote "While Season 13 doesn’t threaten to approach the high standards of the series’ strongest years, episodes like “Shut” help make it better than expected. Sure, it follows fairly predictable patterns, but it develops them in a satisfying comedic manner." He concluded his review by writing that the episode's overall "entertaining," even though its ending "falters."
On the other hand, Ron Martin of 411Mania gave the episode a mixed review, calling it "uneven at best, mediocre at worst." Although he praised the episode's setpiece, Nate Boss of Project-Blu gave the episode an overall negative review, writing: "With a hilarious take on movie theaters to start the episode, the duldrum of the rest can be forgiven...almost." Adam Rayner of Obsessed with Film wrote that the episode was "woefully weak" and felt "contrived, rushed and handled by hacks." He added that the episode was "Dull."
In an article on gay marriage, The Economist
references the Simpsons' blasé acceptance of the annual Springfield gay pride parade in this episode as being "a few steps ahead of real life. But only a few."
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
The Simpsons (season 13)
The Simpsons thirteenth season originally aired on the Fox network between November 6, 2001 and May 22, 2002 and consists of 22 episodes. The show runner for the thirteenth production season was Al Jean who executive-produced 17 episodes...
. It originally aired on the Fox network
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on January 27, 2002. In the episode, Homer gets his jaw injured by running into the fist of Drederick Tatum's statue. As a result, Homer's jaw is wired shut, making him unable to speak. Initially, Marge enjoys Homer's inability to talk, as it makes him a better listener and a more compassionate person. However, when Homer's jaw is finally healed, Marge starts to miss his earlier, wilder personality.
The episode was written by Matt Selman
Matt Selman
Matthew "Matt" Selman is an American writer and producer. Selman grew up in Massachusetts, attended the University of Pennsylvania and was editor-in-chief of student magazine 34th Street Magazine. After considering a career in journalism, he decided to try and became a television writer...
and directed by Nancy Kruse
Nancy Kruse
Nancy Kruse is a former animation director on The Simpsons. She started working on the show during the first season as a background clean-up artist. After that she did background layout and character layout for several years on the show before becoming an assistant director...
. The plot idea for the episode was pitched by Selman, as was the setpiece, which originated from a discussion he had with current showrunner Al Jean
Al Jean
Al Jean is an award-winning American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on The Simpsons. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Harvard University in 1981. Jean began his writing career in the 1980s with fellow Harvard alum Mike Reiss...
. Comedian John Kassir
John Kassir
John Kassir is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian who is best known as the voice of the Crypt Keeper in HBO's, Tales from the Crypt franchise...
guest-starred as one of the gay dogs in the gay pride parade
Gay pride parade
Pride parades for the LGBT community are events celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture. The events also at times serve as demonstrations for legal rights such as same-sex marriage...
in the episode. In its original broadcast, the episode was seen by approximately 8.7 million viewers, making it the most watched scripted program on Fox that night. Following its home video release, "Jaws Wired Shut" received mostly positive reviews from critics.
Plot
The SpringfieldSpringfield (The Simpsons)
Springfield is the fictional town in which the American animated sitcom The Simpsons is set. A mid-sized town in an undetermined state of the United States, Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. The geography of the town and its...
gay pride parade
Gay pride parade
Pride parades for the LGBT community are events celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture. The events also at times serve as demonstrations for legal rights such as same-sex marriage...
passes by the Simpsons' home, during which Santa's Little Helper
Santa's Little Helper
Santa's Little Helper is a recurring character in the American animated television series The Simpsons. He is the pet greyhound of the Simpson family. The dog was introduced in the first episode of the show, the 1989 Christmas special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", in which his owner abandons...
flirts with one of the gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
dogs. Uncomfortable, Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
drags his family to the Springfield Googolplex to see a movie called "Shenani-Goats" starring Tim Allen
Tim Allen
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
and rated PG-13 for brief rudeness and appearances by Garry Shandling
Garry Shandling
Garry Emmanuel Shandling is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is best known for his work in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show....
. Homer grows impatient at the number of short films, commercials, and public service announcements preceding the film. He jumps up in front of the screen chanting, "Stop the madness! Start the movie!" The angry ushers then chase Homer out of the cinema, wielding oversized Kit Kat
Kit Kat
Kit Kat is a chocolate-coated wafer confection that was created by Rowntree's of York, England, and is now produced worldwide by Nestlé, which acquired Rowntree in 1988, except in the United States where it is made under licence by The Hershey Company. Each bar consists of fingers composed of three...
bars. While running without looking where he is going, Homer collides with the fist of a large metal statue of boxer Drederick Tatum.
At the Springfield General Hospital, Dr. Hibbert
Julius Hibbert
Dr. Julius M. Hibbert, usually referred to as Dr. Hibbert, is a recurring character on the animated series The Simpsons. His speaking voice is provided by Harry Shearer and his singing voice was by Thurl Ravenscroft, and he first appeared in the episode "Bart the Daredevil". Dr...
wires Homer's broken jaw shut
Orthognathic surgery
Orthognathic surgery is surgery to correct conditions of the jaw and face related to structure, growth, sleep apnea, TMJ disorders, malocclusion problems owing to skeletal disharmonies, or other orthodontic problems that cannot be easily treated with braces. Originally coined by Dr. Harold...
, saying that he will not be able to speak or eat solid food for a while. Not being able to talk, Homer starts to listen to his family, which pleases them, especially Marge
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
. She decides that, since Homer is so well-behaved, they can risk going to the Springfield annual formal event at the Country Club. The next day, the jaw wires come off. Homer and Marge appear on a chat show called "Afternoon Yak" to discuss how Homer became a changed man. During the show, Marge, with the support of the hosts, pleads with Homer to stop his "weckless ways" and stay well behaved. Despite the temptation of the upcoming demolition derby
Demolition derby
Demolition derby is a motorsport usually presented at county fairs and festivals. While rules vary from event to event, the typical demolition derby event consists of five or more drivers competing by deliberately ramming their vehicles into one another...
, Homer decides not to do it for Marge's sake.
Five weeks after Homer made his pledge to behave, Marge realizes that she is bored by all the sudden peace and quiet. The demolition derby form flies into her hand, and she decides to give it a try. When she leaves, Homer wakes up and finds Marge is gone and so is the demolition derby form. He heads off to the derby with the kids. Although Marge initially enjoys the demolition derby, things soon get too dangerous for her. Homer has no idea how to save her, as he has given up being reckless. Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
comes up with an idea and calls for a beer can from a vendor. Homer then drinks the beer and rescues Marge (in a style similar to Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
).
Production
Matt Selman
Matthew "Matt" Selman is an American writer and producer. Selman grew up in Massachusetts, attended the University of Pennsylvania and was editor-in-chief of student magazine 34th Street Magazine. After considering a career in journalism, he decided to try and became a television writer...
and directed by Nancy Kruse
Nancy Kruse
Nancy Kruse is a former animation director on The Simpsons. She started working on the show during the first season as a background clean-up artist. After that she did background layout and character layout for several years on the show before becoming an assistant director...
. It was first broadcast on the Fox network
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on January 27, 2002. The episode's setpiece
Setpiece
In film production, a setpiece is a scene or sequence of scenes the execution of which requires serious logistical planning and considerable expenditure of money. The term setpiece is often used more broadly to describe any important dramatic or comedic highpoint in a film or story, particularly...
was pitched by Selman, and originated from a discussion he had with current showrunner Al Jean
Al Jean
Al Jean is an award-winning American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on The Simpsons. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Harvard University in 1981. Jean began his writing career in the 1980s with fellow Harvard alum Mike Reiss...
, about "how much crap there is at the movie theater before the movie actually begins." The episode's plot was also pitched by Selman, who had wanted to do an episode with a "jaws-wired-shut plot" for a while. It was not until long after the episode was completed that Selman learned that one can in fact talk with one's jaw wired shut. He learned this from fellow Simpsons writer Brian Kelley
Brian Kelley
Brian Kelley is an American television writer. He has written for Conan O'Brien, SNL, Newsradio, Clerks, Futurama, Joey and The Simpsons.- The Simpsons episodes :He has written the following episodes:...
, who had had his jaw wired shut once in high school. Kelley joined the writing staff during the writing stage of the episode, however he did not mention that one could talk, since he did not want to "ruin" the episode. However, he did say that one should eat a lot before since one will lose weight when their jaw is wired shut. These trivias were subsequently included in the episode.
According to Jean, the episode's table read went "great" until the third act. The Simpsons writers found the third act "pretty challenging" to write, because by having Homer's jaws wired shut, they "took [their] funniest character" and "remove[d] comedy." In the DVD commentary for the episode, Selman described it as "It's the comedy of saying: 'Oh, he [Homer] can't do all the stuff you want him to do'." It was also hard to "keep the story moving" back to normal, since they kept having to "re-use the premise". The episode features American comedian John Kassir
John Kassir
John Kassir is an American actor, voice artist, and comedian who is best known as the voice of the Crypt Keeper in HBO's, Tales from the Crypt franchise...
as one of the dogs in the gay pride parade in the beginning of the episode. Barbara Walters and Star Jones, the hosts of The View, were portrayed by American voice-actor Tress MacNeille
Tress MacNeille
Tress MacNeille is an American voice actress best known for providing various voices on the animated series The Simpsons, Futurama, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Disney's House of Mouse, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Rugrats, All Grown Up!, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, and Dave the...
. In the DVD commentary for the episode, Jean stated that MacNeille is "very versatile". Lisa Ling and Joy Behar were portrayed by voice-actor Pamela Hayden
Pamela Hayden
Pamela Hayden is an American actress, best known for providing various voices for the animated television show The Simpsons.-Biography:...
.
Cultural references
The title of the episode was pitched by The Simpsons writer Max Pross, and is a reference to Stanley KubrickStanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
's 1999 drama film Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama film based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle . The film was directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, and was his last film. The story, set in and around New York City, follows the sexually-charged adventures of Dr...
. According to Jean, the writers chose the title because "[they] thought it would have been more well-remembered." The episode features several sexual jokes, including mentions of orgasms, "sexual release", and the first use of the word "boner" on The Simpsons. When Homer's jaw is wired shut, he writes words on a portable chalkboard to communicate with people. This is a reference to Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
' character in Legend of the Falls, who, after having a stroke, also communicates with people using a chalkboard. The song used in the ballet scene is "The Blue Danube Waltz", which was also used in 2001: A Space Odyssey, another film by Kubrick.
A scene in the episode takes place on the American talk show The View, and the hosts are based on The View
Barbara Walters
Barbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
and Joy Behar, and former hosts Lisa Ling
Lisa Ling
Lisa J. Ling is a Chinese American journalist, best known for her role as a co-host of ABC's The View , host of National Geographic Explorer, reporter on Channel One News, and special correspondent for the Oprah Winfrey Show and CNN. She is the older sister of journalist Laura Ling.-Early...
and Star Jones
Star Jones
Star Jones is an American lawyer, journalist, writer, and television personality. She is known for her role as a co-host of the ABC weekday morning talk show The View...
. The View
Edward Albee
Edward Franklin Albee III is an American playwright who is best known for The Zoo Story , The Sandbox , Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , and a rewrite of the screenplay for the unsuccessful musical version of Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's . His works are considered well-crafted, often...
. Near the end of the episode, Homer gains strength by drinking a can of beer. The scene parodies the character Popeye
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
, who gained super-strength from eating spinach. Homer also talks in a manner similar to Popeye after drinking the beer. Marge also resembles Popeye's love interest Olive Oyl
Olive Oyl
Olive Oyl is a cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar in 1919 for his comic strip Thimble Theatre. The strip was later renamed Popeye after the sailor character that became the most popular member of the cast; however Olive Oyl was a main character for 10 years before Popeye's 1929...
in the scene.
Release and reception
In its original American broadcast on January 27, 2002, "Jaws Wired Shut" received an 8.7 rating, according to Nielsen Media ResearchNielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
, translating to approximately 8.7 million viewers. The episode finished in 22nd place in the ratings for the week of January 21–27, 2002, making it the most watched scripted program on Fox that night. On August 24, 2010, "Jaws Wired Shut" was released as part of The Simpsons: The Complete Thirteenth Season DVD and Blu-ray set. Matt Groening, Al Jean, Matt Selman, Carolyn Omine, Dana Gould, Joe Mantegna and Pete Michels participated in the audio commentary of the episode.
Following its home video release, "Jaws Wired Shut" received mostly positive reviews from critics. Stuart O'Conner of Screen Jabber described "Jaws Wired Shut", "The Parent Rap
The Parent Rap
“The Parent Rap” is the second episode and official premiere of the thirteenth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 11, 2001. In the episode, Bart and his father, Homer, are sentenced by the cruel judge Constance Harm to be tethered to each...
", "She of Little Faith
She of Little Faith
"She of Little Faith" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. It first aired in the United States on the Fox network on December 16, 2001...
" and "Poppa's Got a Brand New Badge" as "first-rate ep[isodes]." Giving the episode a B+, Jennifer Malkowski of DVD Verdict
DVD Verdict
DVD Verdict is a judicial themed website for DVD reviews. The site was founded in 1999. Current editor in chief is Michael Stailey, who also reviews for Rotten Tomatoes...
described the episode as having "nicely gooey family moments." She called the "gay pride parade's 'Salute to Safer Sex' float" the episode's "highlight". Casey Broadwater of Blu-ray.com gave the episode a positive review as well, calling it "a welcome return to a more old school Simpsons storytelling style, capable of being both comical, and, in its own bizarro way, touching." Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide wrote "While Season 13 doesn’t threaten to approach the high standards of the series’ strongest years, episodes like “Shut” help make it better than expected. Sure, it follows fairly predictable patterns, but it develops them in a satisfying comedic manner." He concluded his review by writing that the episode's overall "entertaining," even though its ending "falters."
On the other hand, Ron Martin of 411Mania gave the episode a mixed review, calling it "uneven at best, mediocre at worst." Although he praised the episode's setpiece, Nate Boss of Project-Blu gave the episode an overall negative review, writing: "With a hilarious take on movie theaters to start the episode, the duldrum of the rest can be forgiven...almost." Adam Rayner of Obsessed with Film wrote that the episode was "woefully weak" and felt "contrived, rushed and handled by hacks." He added that the episode was "Dull."
In an article on gay marriage, The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
references the Simpsons' blasé acceptance of the annual Springfield gay pride parade in this episode as being "a few steps ahead of real life. But only a few."
External links
- "Jaws Wired Shut" at The Simpsons.com