The genius of A. Brooks
"The Simpsons Movie" marks the sixth character for which the comic genius Albert Brooks has provided a vocalization. (Always credited as 'A. Brooks'.)
(And when I call Albert Brooks a genius, I'm not exaggerating. His given name, after all, is Albert Einstein. Seriously.)
Anyway, you know me ... once I find six of something, I've got to rank them from best to worst! Here we go:
1. Hank Scorpio, "You Only Move Twice" (Season 8)
Here, the comic genius is an evil genius. As in a James Bond-type villain bent on world domination. And while it would be wonderful to bring back Scorpio time and again, it's probably for the best that we've only met him once. Part of the comedic point of the episode is that Homer never figures out that his new boss requires his nuclear engineering expertise in order to enslave the free world. Even Homer can only play oblivious to fireball explosions for so long.
2. Tab Spangler, "The Heartbroke Kid" (Season 16)
Evidence that the show is still producing hilarious episodes. When Bart gets obese, he's sent to a fat camp that's run by Spangler -- an intense drill sergeant of a guy who loves to harness the power of signs that feature motivational acronyms. Too bad the acronyms rarely match the mottos he attaches to them.
3. Brad Goodman, "Bart's Inner Child" (Season 5)
Funny thing about this episode. There are so many classic bits crammed in here. Homer buys a used "trabopaline" from Krusty ... Kent Brockman's bleeped commentary concerning the town's "Do as You Feel Festival" ... the gag near the end where Homer and Bart are trying to escape in parade float ("They're very slowly getting away!" Skinner dryly observes). But there's very little that Goodman does that's funny on his own. So let's call this performance a salute to Brooks' prowess as a straight man. You can't have a punchline without the setup. It's comedy physics, dammit!
4. Jacques, "Life in the Fast Lane" (Season 1)
Marge is tempted by the fruit of another. The fruit in this case, a bowling ball rolled out by the romantic stranger Jacques. Funny that Brooks pulls out a French accent here. After all, as Scorpio, Brooks once asked Homer, "What's your least favorite country -- Italy or France?" After Homer volunteers, "France," Scorpio bemusedly considers, "Nobody ever says Italy."
P.S. Sorry that I can't find any Jacques footage ... only the closing scene from this episode. Marge makes her choice, stands by her man, and mimics the closing scene of "An Officer and a Gentleman." Classic.
5. Russ Cargill, "The Simpsons Movie" (July 2007)
My main reservation about Cargill is that he's not as fully realized a character as the others. Mostly, he's around to keep the plot running (such as making sure President Schwarzenegger knows which doomsday scenario to select). I thought it was funny that Cargill admitted that he owns the company that made the dome that was dropped on Springfield. I was laughing my ass off in the theater when Cargill explained his "10,000 tough guys/10,000 soft guys" strategy. But overall for this character, I more enjoyed the fact that Albert Brooks provided the voice than I liked the character itself.
6. Cowboy Bob, "The Call of the Simpsons" (Season 1)
Cowboy Bob takes up the rear, mainly because he's only featured in the opening segment of this episode. Homer is in the throes of making an impulse buy for a recreational vehicle, and used RV salesman Cowboy Bob is all to happy to aid and abbet. It's a subtle, low-key voice performance. Lacks the urgency and intensity of the others. But he succeeds in giving Homer the hard sell and driving off the lot with an overripe lemon. Funniest bit: When Bob is running Homer's credit check, and a red lamp siren mounted atop his computer monitor starts wailing and flashing. "Is that a good siren?" Homer asks. "You ever known a siren to be good?" Bob counters. Not much else to go on, but if Cowboy Bob were made part of the Springfield regulars, I wouldn't complain.
And now ... I leave you with this exchange between Homer and Hank Scorpio ... lean back in your hammock and enjoy ...
Hank: Uh, hi, Homer. What can I do for you?
Homer: Sir, I need to know where I can get some business hammocks.
Hank: Hammocks? My goodness, what an idea. Why didn't I think of that?
Hammocks! Homer, there's four places. There's the Hammock Hut,
that's on Third.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Hank: There's Hammocks-R-Us, that's on Third too. You got
Put-Your-Butt-There?
Homer: Mm-Hmm.
Hank: That's on Third. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot... Matter of fact,
they're all in the same complex: It's the hammock complex on
Third.
Homer: Oh, the hammock district.
Hank: That's right.
(And when I call Albert Brooks a genius, I'm not exaggerating. His given name, after all, is Albert Einstein. Seriously.)
Anyway, you know me ... once I find six of something, I've got to rank them from best to worst! Here we go:
1. Hank Scorpio, "You Only Move Twice" (Season 8)
Here, the comic genius is an evil genius. As in a James Bond-type villain bent on world domination. And while it would be wonderful to bring back Scorpio time and again, it's probably for the best that we've only met him once. Part of the comedic point of the episode is that Homer never figures out that his new boss requires his nuclear engineering expertise in order to enslave the free world. Even Homer can only play oblivious to fireball explosions for so long.
2. Tab Spangler, "The Heartbroke Kid" (Season 16)
Evidence that the show is still producing hilarious episodes. When Bart gets obese, he's sent to a fat camp that's run by Spangler -- an intense drill sergeant of a guy who loves to harness the power of signs that feature motivational acronyms. Too bad the acronyms rarely match the mottos he attaches to them.
3. Brad Goodman, "Bart's Inner Child" (Season 5)
Funny thing about this episode. There are so many classic bits crammed in here. Homer buys a used "trabopaline" from Krusty ... Kent Brockman's bleeped commentary concerning the town's "Do as You Feel Festival" ... the gag near the end where Homer and Bart are trying to escape in parade float ("They're very slowly getting away!" Skinner dryly observes). But there's very little that Goodman does that's funny on his own. So let's call this performance a salute to Brooks' prowess as a straight man. You can't have a punchline without the setup. It's comedy physics, dammit!
4. Jacques, "Life in the Fast Lane" (Season 1)
Marge is tempted by the fruit of another. The fruit in this case, a bowling ball rolled out by the romantic stranger Jacques. Funny that Brooks pulls out a French accent here. After all, as Scorpio, Brooks once asked Homer, "What's your least favorite country -- Italy or France?" After Homer volunteers, "France," Scorpio bemusedly considers, "Nobody ever says Italy."
P.S. Sorry that I can't find any Jacques footage ... only the closing scene from this episode. Marge makes her choice, stands by her man, and mimics the closing scene of "An Officer and a Gentleman." Classic.
5. Russ Cargill, "The Simpsons Movie" (July 2007)
My main reservation about Cargill is that he's not as fully realized a character as the others. Mostly, he's around to keep the plot running (such as making sure President Schwarzenegger knows which doomsday scenario to select). I thought it was funny that Cargill admitted that he owns the company that made the dome that was dropped on Springfield. I was laughing my ass off in the theater when Cargill explained his "10,000 tough guys/10,000 soft guys" strategy. But overall for this character, I more enjoyed the fact that Albert Brooks provided the voice than I liked the character itself.
6. Cowboy Bob, "The Call of the Simpsons" (Season 1)
Cowboy Bob takes up the rear, mainly because he's only featured in the opening segment of this episode. Homer is in the throes of making an impulse buy for a recreational vehicle, and used RV salesman Cowboy Bob is all to happy to aid and abbet. It's a subtle, low-key voice performance. Lacks the urgency and intensity of the others. But he succeeds in giving Homer the hard sell and driving off the lot with an overripe lemon. Funniest bit: When Bob is running Homer's credit check, and a red lamp siren mounted atop his computer monitor starts wailing and flashing. "Is that a good siren?" Homer asks. "You ever known a siren to be good?" Bob counters. Not much else to go on, but if Cowboy Bob were made part of the Springfield regulars, I wouldn't complain.
And now ... I leave you with this exchange between Homer and Hank Scorpio ... lean back in your hammock and enjoy ...
Hank: Uh, hi, Homer. What can I do for you?
Homer: Sir, I need to know where I can get some business hammocks.
Hank: Hammocks? My goodness, what an idea. Why didn't I think of that?
Hammocks! Homer, there's four places. There's the Hammock Hut,
that's on Third.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Hank: There's Hammocks-R-Us, that's on Third too. You got
Put-Your-Butt-There?
Homer: Mm-Hmm.
Hank: That's on Third. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot... Matter of fact,
they're all in the same complex: It's the hammock complex on
Third.
Homer: Oh, the hammock district.
Hank: That's right.