Bart the Lover

Bart the Lover
Episode Number	51
Production Code	8F16
Original Airdate	February 13, 1992
Blackboard Text
Couch Gag	An alien sits on the couch, but mysteriously vanishes before the Simpsons walk into the living room.
Special Guest Voices
Written By	Jon Vitti
Directed By	Carlos Baeza

"Bart the Lover" is the sixteenth episode of The Simpsons' third season which is an early look at the personal life of Mrs. Krabappel.

[edit] Plot

As a yo-yo craze sweeps through the elementary school, Mrs. Krabappel feels increasingly isolated and places a personal ad in the newspaper. Bart, who has been given one month of detention for breaking the class fish tank, discovers the ad and, realizing it is Mrs. Krabappel's, decides to pull a prank and respond by mail with a new alter ego. Bart pretends to be an adult male called Woodrow, named after former President Woodrow Wilson, with a photograph which actually belongs to ice hockey player Gordie Howe. Bart as Woodrow wrote a letter to meet him at a restaurant, and as she looked excited to meet Woodrow, Bart laughs (although it's more like a giggle), Bart comes out of the movie theater after watching "Ernest Needs a Kidney" and is upset and guilty to see Krabappel crying. He tells the family what he had done, and Marge tells him, "You did a very cruel thing" The Simpsons then write a romantically diplomatic letter to tell how Woodrow must go which heals Krabappel's wounds.

Meanwhile, Homer attempts to cut down on his cursing after receiving a complaint from Ned Flanders. Homer tries to criticize Flanders in return but only comes up with criticizing his moustache, which Ned promises to shave off in return for Homer curtaling uses of profanity. He promises to put money in a "swear jar" -- 25 cents for each curse. In the end, he resists temptations to curse but nevertheless experiences intense feelings of rage. However, his constant swearing - such as when he builds a doghouse with no door, and when a beehive falls on him - puts enough money in the jar to purchase a dog house for Santa's Little Helper. Homer also launches into a profane streak when a newly clean shaven Ned Flanders thanks Homer for making him get rid of his facial hair, as his appearance has gotten him hired to star on a TV commercial.