The Bonfire of the Manatees/References

Cultural references[edit]

• The episode's title is a pun on the 1990 American satirical black comedy filmThe Bonfire of the Vanities
• Homer is watching the Denver Broncos playing at Mile High Stadium.
• The reality show Billionaire vs. Bear is broadcasted on ABC.
• Professor Pigskin recommended Homer to bet on the Oakland Raiders against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• The adult film Lemony Lickit's a Series of Horny Events is an obvious parody of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.
• Bart got a PlayStation box with a coloring book inside for Christmas.
• "Jingle Bells" is heard at Santa's Village.

At Santa's Village, Santa is reading Tom Clancy's Op-Center, a geopolitical thriller novel

• Santa is reading Tom Clancy's Op-Center, a geopolitical thriller novel written by Tom Clancy.
• The adult film Carl mentions when he sees Angela Dare and Sultry Stevens, Fahrenheit 9-on-1, is a pun on the documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.
• Carl has a tattoo of the Looney Tunes character Foghorn Leghorn on his right thigh.
• The phrase "I've got my groove back!" by Marge is a reference to the 1998 romantic comedy film How Stella Got Her Groove Back.
• When Marge does not agree with Caleb Thorn eating the manatee's meat, he wonders if she wants him to bury it in Arlington. The Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System.
• Caleb Thorn's potential girlfriend, Miranda, lives in Corpus Christi, Texas.
• Mr. Burns phrase "I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" is a reference to the ending of Casablanca.
• The song "Car Wash" by Rose Royce is heard when Mr. Burns and Smithers hydrate the manatee. The sequence itself is similar to the theme song scene in the 1976 comedy Car Wash.

Trivia[edit]

• This is the first season premiere since "Beyond Blunderdome" of Season 11 not to be part of the Treehouse of Horror series.
• This episode was rated TV 14.
• Homer does "The Outhouse Gag" which his father did in "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)".
• Second participation of Alec Baldwin in the show

Goofs[edit]

• Caleb Thorn says that manatees are also dugongs. He is wrong: manatees and dugongs are found in different places, they are not the same.
• In the overhead shot of the living room, Johnny Tightlips has Kent Brockman's colors.
• In the scenes at Moe's Tavern, Homer' beer cup changes height between shots.
• When Bart asks Marge why the doctors put a blanket over Santa's head, Maggie disappears.
• Homer left the door open. But in the close-up of him and Bart after Marge leaves, the door is closed.
• Caleb throws his shirt at the sand. But when Marge saw him as he saves the manatee, the shirt is not on the sand.
• The cable of the telephone in the cab changes length between shots.
• One of the manatees vomits on the sea. But in the next scene, the vomit is gone.
• At the end, some water that is dropping on the floor disappears immediately.