Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays

Plot

Bart and Lisa fight over television and accidentally change the channel to a show hosted by children's singer Roofi. Maggie adores it, and Marge buys the compact disc, playing it constantly despite annoyance from Bart, Lisa, and Homer. Marge later buys tickets to a Roofi concert, which is oversold. Rain makes babies restless, and Roofi is hit in the face with a baby bottle, ending the show and escaping by helicopter.

Babies riot against police. At a town meeting, Mayor Quimby takes $1 million from the audience for damages. Lindsay Naegle's anti-youth group rallies the town to remove family comforts. A statue of a deadbeat dad is erected, a school bus takes seniors gambling, and a new ordinance allows tasering misbehaving children.

Marge creates a petition for the Families Come First voter initiative. She announces Proud Parents Against Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays, but no one funds her. Mr. Burns signs the petition because he wants children for organs, and others follow. The opposition slanders Marge with a commercial.

Homer makes bumper stickers and a commercial with wrong information. Bart and Lisa plan to hug childless adults outside polling places, infecting them with childhood germs. The initiative passes, and Homer celebrates by sending his kids to an R-rated movie while he and Marge go somewhere alone.

Cultural references

Bart watches The Gator Baiter, a parody of The Crocodile Hunter and Steve Irwin. Bart and Lisa use Pig Latin, which Marge understands.

Milhouse crying after Moe modifies the Toys R Us logo copies a scene from the 1943 film Divide and Conquer. Homer impersonates Curly Howard from the Three Stooges. Babies becoming naked and passing pacifiers while Gimme Shelter plays references the Woodstock festival and Altamont Free Concert.

Reception

The episode was watched by 12.00 million viewers, ranking 20th that week. CinemaSentries gave a positive review, praising its mockery of both sides. Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide liked the Roofi scenes but felt the Lindsay Naegle plot did not exploit its possibilities well. On Four Finger Discount, Brendan Dando related to the Roofi scenario as a father, while childless Guy Davis did not.