Bart and Lisa use theological arguments to try to reunite Krusty the Clown and his rabbi father, who disowned Krusty when he turned from rabbi to clown.
Krusty's origin reveal balances heartfelt stakes with 47 jokes in 22 minutes.
Directed by Brad Bird, Jeffrey Lynch · Written by Jay Kogen, Wallace Wolodarsky
WAR
27
Wins Above Replacement
“Like Father Like Clown” ranks #206 of 226 The Simpsons episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 72.9 — Solid. The episode packs 47 scored jokes at 2.7 per minute, averaging 6.8 on craft and 6.4 on impact, with Krusty landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
I always suspected that nothing in life mattered. Now I know for sure. Get bent. Bart Simpson.
Bart Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch The Jews are a swinging bunch of people. I mean, I've heard of persecution... but what they went through is ridiculous. But the great thing is after thousands of years... of holding on and fighting... they finally made it.
Bart Misdirection Absurdist ★ Rewatch Baruch ata Adonai... Eloheinu melech ha-olam... ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz.
Krusty Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Poor Krusty. He's like a velvet painting come to life.
Marge Observational Absurdist ★ Rewatch How can he hurt someone who loves him so? Oh, Mrs. Simpson... I've wasted my womanhood asking that same question.
All Jokes — 47 analyzed
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Homer Character Comedy ★ Rewatch That's all the time we have for today. I'd like to thank Sideshow Mel... Corporal Punishment, Tina Ballerina... and from Knots Landing, Miss Donna Mills. Oh, she was a sport.
Krusty Absurdist Character Comedy You've got a merchandising meeting. - Cancel it! - Therapist? Cancel it! The line on the Giants is 5½. Put a dime on it.
'Thank you' dinner with Bart Simpson? I don't know Bart Simpson. The boy who saved you from jail. Well, we made a terrible, terrible mistake.
It's Miss Pennycandy, I can assure you.
How can he hurt someone who loves him so? Oh, Mrs. Simpson... I've wasted my womanhood asking that same question.
How many Krusty autographs do you want? A hundred. Done.
I always suspected that nothing in life mattered. Now I know for sure. Get bent. Bart Simpson.
Bart Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Ooh, SEX-CHAT!
Homer Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Hello? Are there any women here? Hello?! Are you beautiful? Do I sound beautiful?! This is not as hot as I had anticipated.
Hey! Not the face!
Krusty Physical/Slapstick Character Comedy Bart, wipe your feet. Why bother? They'll just get dirty again.
Milhouse, you can come in, and drop the charade.
Homer Visual Gag Misdirection Go wait in the car.
Krusty Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Aw! We could have seen a monkey.
Baruch ata Adonai... Eloheinu melech ha-olam... ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz.
Krusty Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch A Jewish entertainer? Get out of here!
Homer Irony/Sarcasm Observational Mel Brooks is Jewish?!
Homer Character Comedy Escalation Poor Krusty. He's like a velvet painting come to life.
Marge Observational Absurdist ★ Rewatch Hey, Krusty, you going to finish that meat loaf, or what?
Homer Character Comedy Awkward Silence Boy, you don't have to follow in my footsteps. Don't worry. I don't even like using the bathroom after you.
A rabbi never exaggerates. A rabbi composes, he creates thoughts... he tells stories that may never have happened... but he does not exaggerate.
A rabbi never exaggerates. A rabbi composes, he creates thoughts... he tells stories that may never have happened... but he does not exaggerate.
If you were a musician or a jazz singer... this I could forgive, but this?
Do you think about your father a lot? All the time. Except when I'm at the track.
Milhouse, know any 'knock, knock' jokes?
Bart Cringe/Discomfort Awkward Silence Hello? Hello?! Anybody there? I hear a phone ring... I'm listening, and there's no talking. Why would they call... if they don't want to talk?
Didn't Itchy Junior look happy playing with his father? And didn't Scratchy Junior look happy playing with his dad... until they got run over by the thresher?
For the love of God, cut to the commercial!
Krusty Cringe/Discomfort Meta/Self-Referential I do a radio call-in show with him... every Sunday night. - Really? - I didn't know that. I mention it in my sermon every week.
Oh, that radio show. It's all the kids talk about on Monday at school.
Lisa Irony/Sarcasm Deadpan/Understatement Let me check my non-Christian Rolodex.
I have no son! Great, we came all this way, and it's the wrong guy. I didn't mean that literally!
There's all kinds of mishagoyim.
Yiddle, my man, you're a genius. I love my work.
Just get us another bowl of complimentary pickles.
Bart Character Comedy Observational I want a nice sandwich, but the Joey Bishop-- too fatty. The Jackie Mason-- makes me gassy. The Bruce Willis? I don't like his work. What is this-- a Krusty the Clown? Ham, sausage and bacon, with a smidge of mayo. What? On white.
You think you're funny? 50 million Frenchmen can't be wrong.
What's the one thing rabbis prize above everything else? Those stupid hats?
The Jews are a swinging bunch of people. I mean, I've heard of persecution... but what they went through is ridiculous. But the great thing is after thousands of years... of holding on and fighting... they finally made it.
Bart Misdirection ★ Rewatch The Jews are a swinging bunch of people. I mean, I've heard of persecution... but what they went through is ridiculous. But the great thing is after thousands of years... of holding on and fighting... they finally made it.
Bart Misdirection Absurdist ★ Rewatch The candy man? Maybe I'm completely upside down on this whole problem.
Hey, such a filthy habit. Who asked you?
I'm not doing the spotlight bit.
Krusty Meta/Self-Referential Character Comedy I got something in my eye. Take my hankie. Eeyugh!
Oy, a klop tsu deer! Hyuk! Hyuk! Hyuk!
Krusty Character Comedy Callback Top Episodes — The Simpsons
