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{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox Simpsons episode
| image =
| caption =
| season = 11
| episode = 6
| director = [[Mike B. Anderson]]
| writer = [[Al Jean]]
| production = BABF02
| airdate = {{Start date|1999|11|14}}
| guests = * [[Penn & Teller]] as themselves
* [[Ron Howard]] as himself
* [[Pat O'Brien (television)|Pat O'Brien]] as himself
* [[Nancy O'Dell]] as herself
| blackboard = "I won't not use no [[double negative]]s"<ref name="ult"/>
| couch_gag = A [[cement]] truck pours out concrete versions of the family onto the couch, but [[Homer Simpson|Homer]]'s figure dries out quickly and crumbles at his feet.
| commentary = [[Mike Scully]] [[Al Jean]] [[George Meyer]] [[Ian Maxtone-Graham]] [[Matt Selman]] [[Mike B. Anderson]]
| prev = [[E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)]]
| next = [[Eight Misbehavin'|Eight Misbehavin{{'-}}]]
}}
"'''Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder'''" is the sixth episode of the [[The Simpsons season 11|eleventh season]] of the American animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]''. It originally aired on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] in the United States on November 14, 1999. In the episode, [[Homer Simpson|Homer]] becomes a local celebrity after bowling a [[Perfect game (bowling)|perfect game]], but his fame quickly fades as "yesterday's news". After a botched suicide attempt, Homer decides to spend time with [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] after seeing [[Ron Howard]] spend time with his children. Howard guest-starred as himself in the episode, which also features guest appearances by [[Penn & Teller]], [[Pat O'Brien (television)|Pat O'Brien]], and [[Nancy O'Dell]].

==Plot==
[[Homer Simpson|Homer]] is extremely late for work after sleeping for more than a whole day. As punishment for his lateness, [[Mr. Burns]] makes Homer eat [[toxic waste]] in a dark room. [[Lenny and Carl#Lenny Leonard|Lenny]] and [[Lenny and Carl#Carl Carlson|Carl]] come in and invite Homer to go bowling. Homer lies to [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] on the phone, telling her that he was not able to attend a tea party date with [[Maggie Simpson|Maggie]] because there was a breakdown at the plant and [[Lenny and Carl#Lenny Leonard|Lenny]] was hospitalized. Homer then goes bowling with Lenny and Carl. He bowls a [[Perfect game (bowling)|300 game]], and makes the evening news, earning the attention of [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|the entire town]]. With this accomplishment, Homer becomes a celebrity, appearing on ''[[Hollywood Squares|The Springfield Squares]]''. The appearance ends disastrously, with Homer getting into a fight with fellow celebrity guest [[Ron Howard]], leading [[Kent Brockman]] to lament inviting a "flavor of the month" like Homer onto the show. Determined to prolong his moment in the limelight, Homer attempts a walk-on during a [[Penn & Teller]] special. This also backfires on him as [[Penn Jillette|Penn]] chases him off the stage with a [[crossbow]] (and leaves [[Teller (magician)|Teller]] slowly descending into a tub of shark-filled water).

Homer's [[15 minutes of fame]] wanes, and he becomes "yesterday's news" according to an entertainment news show. Worrying that his life has peaked, he attempts to commit [[suicide]] by jumping from a tall building, but [[Otto Mann|Otto]], who is [[bungee jumping]], saves him. Thankful for being alive, Homer dedicates his life to his children after seeing Howard take his children to a zoo. He tries, but fails to connect with [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] (who already has a father figure in construction workers, the Internet, and [[Nelson Muntz]]) and [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] (who is too intellectual for him), so he decides to spend more time with Maggie. He tries to teach her how to swim, but she does not trust him and will not go in the water. When Homer takes Maggie to the beach, he gets caught in a [[rip current]] and nearly drowns. Maggie swims out and pulls him to shore. For saving him, Homer treats Maggie to a game of bowling—and she bowls a perfect game, but Homer penalizes her for going over the foul line.

==Production==
[[File:Ron Howard 2011 Shankbone 3.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Ron Howard]] appears in the episode.]]
The episode was written by [[Al Jean]] and directed [[Mike B. Anderson]] as part of the eleventh season of ''The Simpsons'' (1999–2000).<ref name="ult"/> [[Penn & Teller]], [[Ron Howard]], [[Pat O'Brien (television)|Pat O'Brien]], [[Nancy O'Dell]] guest starred in the episode as themselves.<ref name="dvdtalk"/> Howard had previously guest starred on ''The Simpsons'' as himself in the season ten episode "[[When You Dish Upon a Star]]" (1998).<ref name=Gray/> Howard was set to appear in "[[Children of a Lesser Clod]]" (2001), but dropped out for unknown reasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/CABF16.txt|title=Children of a Lesser Clod|publisher=[[The Simpsons Archive]]|date=13 May 2001|access-date=June 8, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924102037/http://www.simpsonsarchive.com/episodes/CABF16.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>

The author of the 2003 book ''Ron Howard: From Mayberry to the Moon… and Beyond'', Beverly Gray, noted that by playing himself in these episodes, "Howard showed once again that he could laugh at his own public persona. His appearances on ''The Simpsons'' also suggest how much he remains an American icon, long after the end of his acting career. It's rare indeed for a director or producer to be as instantly recognizable as most Hollywood stars."<ref name=Gray>{{cite book |last=Gray |first=Beverly |title=Ron Howard: From Mayberry to the Moon… and Beyond |year=2003 |publisher=[[Thomas Nelson (publisher)|Thomas Nelson]] |isbn=978-1-55853-970-9 |page=192 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ziz6zQ73yx0C&dq=%22Hello+Gutter%2C+Hello+Fadder%22&pg=PA192}}</ref>

==Cultural references==
Several references to popular culture are featured in the episode. The title is an allusion to the novelty song "[[Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh]]" by comedian [[Allan Sherman]]. The song was previously used in "[[Marge Be Not Proud]]".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Simpsons/Season 7 |url=https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Simpsons/Season_7#Marge |accessdate=8 June 2015 |website=[[Wikiquote]] |archive-date=October 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029152234/https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Simpsons/Season_7#Marge |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Springfield Squares'' is a parody of the show ''[[Hollywood Squares]]''.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Simpsons In The Classroom: Embiggening the Learning Experience with the Wisdom of Springfield |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kt7nfavXV-YC&dq=%22hello+gutter%22ld&pg=PA46 |page=46 |last1=Du Vernay|first1=Denise |last2=Waltonen|first2=Karma |publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|year=2010 |isbn=978-0-7864-4490-8}}</ref> The scene in which Homer bowls the strike that wins him the perfect game takes many elements from the [[Robert Redford]] film ''[[The Natural (film)|The Natural]]'' (1984), including the camera flashes, music and slow-motion.<ref name="ult">{{cite book |title=Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 |publisher=[[HarperCollins|Harper Collins Publishers]] |year=2010 |editor=Bates, James W. |editor2=Gimple, Scott M. |editor3=McCann, Jesse L. |editor4=Richmond, Ray |editor5=Seghers, Christine |isbn=978-0-00-738815-8 |edition=1st |pages=532–533|title-link=Simpsons World The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 }}</ref>

Homer sings [[The Doors]] song "[[The End (The Doors song)|The End]]" when he walks through the streets considering suicide.<ref name="ult"/> Homer plays a ''[[Where's Wally?|Where's Waldo?]]'' game on the back of the cereal box he eats his breakfast from. While he is doing this, Waldo walks past the window behind him.<ref name="ult"/> After Homer bowls his perfect game, he pulls out a "Before I Die I want To-" list and checks off the item "Bowl a Perfect Game". Below that is listed "See Stevie Nicks Naked", which has been checked three times. [[Stevie Nicks]] is a singer and member of the group [[Fleetwood Mac]].<ref name="ult"/>

Mrs. Krabappel reads a "Teacher's Edition" of the 1973 novel ''[[Fear of Flying (novel)|Fear of Flying]]''.<ref name="ult"/> When Homer and Otto descend into the sewers on the bungee rope, they pass three underground societies: the [[Morlocks]] (from the 1960 film ''[[The Time Machine (1960 film)|The Time Machine]]''), the C.H.U.D.s (from the 1984 film ''[[C.H.U.D.]]'') and the Mole People (from the 1956 film ''[[The Mole People]]'').<ref name="ult"/>

When Maggie swims out to save Homer from drowning in the ocean, the main theme from [[Victory at Sea]] plays.

==Release==
"Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder" originally aired on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] in the United States on November 14, 1999.<ref name="ult"/> On October 7, 2008, it was released on DVD as part of the box set ''The Simpsons – The Complete Eleventh Season''. Staff members Mike Scully, Al Jean, George Meyer, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Matt Selman, and Mike B. Anderson participated in the DVD [[audio commentary]] for the episode. Deleted scenes from the episode were also included on the box set.<ref name="dvdtalk">{{cite web |url=http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/35268/simpsons-the-complete-eleventh-season-the/ |title=The Simpsons - The Complete Eleventh Season |date=2008-11-01 |accessdate=2011-10-02 |last=Jane |first=Ian |publisher=[[DVD Talk]] |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720122238/http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/35268/simpsons-the-complete-eleventh-season-the/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

While reviewing the eleventh season of ''The Simpsons'', DVD Movie Guide's Colin Jacobson commented that "this episode refers to Maggie as 'the forgotten Simpson', and they ain’t kidding. She rarely gets much attention, and for good reason: she doesn’t bring much to the series. ['Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder'] has some laughs – particularly during a fun bit that spoofs ''The Natural'' - but its story feels like it’s all over the place. Maggie episodes are rare – and rarely very good. That holds true for this one as well."<ref name=Jacobson>{{cite web |last=Jacobson |first=Colin |title=The Simpsons: The Complete Eleventh Season (1999) |url=http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasoneleven.shtml |publisher=DVD Movie Guide |accessdate=2011-10-02 |date=2008-11-19 |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720102404/http://www.dvdmg.com/simpsonsseasoneleven.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

However, in his review of the eleventh season of ''The Simpsons'', Den of Geek critic Mark Oakley wrote that "there are some fine episodes to be found", such as "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder", which he described as a "highlight".<ref name=Oakley>{{cite web |last=Oakley |first=Mark |title=The Simpsons Series Eleven DVD review |url=http://www.denofgeek.com/dvd-bluray/7792/the-simpsons-series-eleven-dvd-review |website=[[Den of Geek]] |publisher=[[Dennis Publishing]] |accessdate=2012-08-10 |date=2008-09-28 |archive-date=August 11, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811233101/http://www.denofgeek.com/dvd-bluray/7792/the-simpsons-series-eleven-dvd-review |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|The_Simpsons/Season_11#Hello_Gutter.2C_Hello_Fadder|"Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder"}}
{{Portal|The Simpsons}}
*{{Snpp capsule|BABF02}}
*{{IMDb episode |id=0701105}}

{{The Simpsons episodes|11}}

[[Category:The Simpsons season 11 episodes]]
[[Category:1999 American television episodes]]
[[Category:Television episodes written by Al Jean]]
[[Category:Television episodes directed by Mike B. Anderson]]

Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder - Revision history

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