Homer the Great

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The Simpsons episode
"Homer the Great"

Homer completely destroying the sacred parchment.
Episode no.	115
Prod. code	2F09
Orig. Airdate	January 8, 1995
Show Runner(s)	David Mirkin
Writer(s)	John Swartzwelder
Director(s)	Jim Reardon
Chalkboard	Adding "just kidding" doesn’t make it okay to insult the principal
Couch gag	The family runs into a parody of M. C. Escher's Relativity
Guest star(s)	Patrick Stewart as “Number One”
DVD commentary by	Matt Groening David Mirkin Dan Castellaneta Yeardley Smith
SNPP capsule
Season 6 September 4, 1994 – May 21, 1995
Bart of Darkness Lisa's Rival Another Simpsons Clip Show Itchy & Scratchy Land Sideshow Bob Roberts Treehouse of Horror V Bart's Girlfriend Lisa on Ice Homer Badman Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy Fear of Flying Homer the Great And Maggie Makes Three Bart's Comet Homie the Clown Bart vs. Australia Homer vs. Patty & Selma A Star is Burns Lisa's Wedding Two Dozen and One Greyhounds The PTA Disbands! 'Round Springfield The Springfield Connection Lemon of Troy Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)
List of all Simpsons episodes...

"Homer the Great" is the 12th episode of The Simpsons’ sixth season. It features the Stonecutters, a fictional secret society which is an overt parody of the Freemasons.

1 Synopsis
2 Trivia
3 Cultural references
- 3.1 Homer’s Revenge List
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

When Homer notices that Lenny and Carl are enjoying unexplainable privileges at the nuclear plant, he investigates and discovers that they’re part of an ancient secret society known as the Stonecutters. When he tries to join, he learns that, in order to gain membership, one must either be the son of a Stonecutter or save the life of a Stonecutter. While extolling the Stonecutters at the dinner table, he discovers that his father is a member, and is admitted.

After joining the Stonecutters, Homer takes great pleasure in the Society's secret privileges, such as an underground byway past Springfield's traffic jams, and the Society's drinking bouts. Unfortunately, during a celebratory rib dinner with his fellow Stonecutters, he unwittingly uses the society’s Hallowed Sacred Parchment as a napkin, tissue, and ear cleaner, destroying it. He is stripped of his Stonecutter robes, which include official underwear, as part of his punishment. He and it is discovered that Homer has a birthmark in the shape of the Stoncutter emblem identifying him as “The Chosen One” who, it was foretold, would lead the Stonecutters to greatness.

Homer is crowned in a scene that parodies The Last Emperor, and is, perhaps quite fittingly, reminiscent of the film adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s “The Man Who Would Be King”. However, Homer’s reign ultimately drives away the other Stonecutters, who form a new society, The Ancient Mystic Society of No Homers, headquartered in an abandoned Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor. As one might expect, Homer is not allowed to join. (Another man named Homer—Homer Glumplich—does join, but note that the society's name refers to Homers [plural]; as such, they are allowed one.)

Finally, Marge tells Homer that the only club he belongs to is his family, and they subject him to some extreme hazing and paddling.

[edit] Trivia

At the end of the credits, on the Gracie Films logo, you can hear Carl saying “shhh… shut up!” instead of the usual “shhh!”
The stonecutters song claims (among other things) that it is they that keep the metric system down, hold back the electric car and rig every Oscar night.
Early in the episode Lenny says that the Stonecutters don’t call each other by name; but later he calls Homer by name, and "Number One" calls Moe by name as well.
The ending with Homer being hit with paddles by the other members in the Simpson house was almost cut because it looked too cruel and mean for Homer after all he had been through in the episode, but David Silverman kept it in because he thought it is just a joke and the other family members were just joking themselves.
Homer’s license plate reads R8DAT, and a car close to it reads ANIM8R.
In the Stonecutters’ meeting hall, there are Masonic symbols, such as the “rulers and G”, visible; but it's worth noting that the Stonecutters and the Masons are distinct since Grandpa Simpson is a member of both.
According to the Stonecutters the proper phone number for emergency services is 9-1-2, not 9-1-1. 9-1-2 had been joking used in the season three episode, "Dog of Death" when Chief Wiggum hangs up on someone calling 911, telling them they called 9-1-2 bby mistake.

Some Notable Stonecutters Members include:
- Abraham Simpson (Grandpa)
- Barney Gumble
- Carl Carlson
- Clancy Wiggum
- Davy Crockett
- Dewey Largo
- Founding Fathers
- George H.W. Bush
- Groundskeeper Willie
- Herman
- Homer Glumplich
- Homer Simpson
- Jack Larson
- Jack Nicholson
- Jasper Beardley
- Joe Quimby
- Julius Hibbert
- Kent Brockman
- Kirk Van Houten
- Krusty the Clown
- Lenny Leonard
- Leopold
- Moe Szyslak
- Montgomery Burns
- Mr. Largo
- Mr. T
- Orville Redenbacher
- Seymour Skinner
- Sideshow Mel
- Steve Guttenberg
- Waylon Smithers

[edit] Cultural references

The Stonecutters are in possession of the Ark of the Covenant and when they burn Homer’s underwear, souls escape, à la Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The Stonecutter leaders who push for Homer’s death are Orville Redenbacher, Jack Nicholson, and Mr T ("Kill the fool!"); George Bush opposes them, arguing instead that they should just tamper with his voice box.
The General Lee can be seen in the traffic jam caused by Arnie Pie's helicopter crash.
The scene when Homer runs to touch the orange drapes after being initiated as the new leader may be a reference to the movie The Last Emperor.