Lyla Lindsey
In the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of the animated television series The Simpsons, titled Bart vs. Australia, Bart Simpson takes his pet bullfrog to Australia. The episode is based on the story of Michael Fay, an American teenager who was caned in Singapore in 1994 for vandalizing cars. In the episode, Bart pranks a child in Australia to disprove Lisa's claim that the Coriolis effect affects draining water. This results in Bart being indicted for fraud in Australia, and the Simpson family travels to the country for Bart to publicly apologize.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Episode | Bart vs. Australia |
| Season | 6 |
| Episode Number | 16 |
| Original Air Date | February 19, 1995 |
| Plot | Bart pranks a child in Australia to prove that the Coriolis effect affects the direction of water draining. This sparks an international incident, and the Simpsons must travel to Australia so Bart can apologize. |
| Cultural References | Mad Max 2, Crocodile Dundee, the 1980 disappearance and death of Azaria Chamberlain, Michael Fay, Yahoo Serious |
| Themes | American institutions, Australian landscape and buildings, the Coriolis effect, cultural differences between America and Australia |
| Notable Scenes | Bart moons Australians with "Don't Tread on Me" written on his butt, Homer and Bart attempt to escape in kangaroos' pouches, Bart brings his pet bullfrog to Australia |
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What You'll Learn
Bart Simpson's prank call to Australia
In the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of the animated series The Simpsons, titled "Bart vs. Australia", Bart Simpson makes a prank call to a child in Australia. The episode, which first aired on February 19, 1995, is based on the story of Michael Fay, an American teenager who was caned in Singapore in 1994 for vandalising cars.
In the episode, Bart and Lisa engage in a bathroom products race using their toothpaste and shampoo. Lisa wins, and Bart attributes her victory to the "inner lane advantage" of her shampoo. Lisa then explains the Coriolis Effect, claiming that water in the Southern Hemisphere drains clockwise due to the effect. Bart is unconvinced and tries to prove her wrong by making several international calls to countries in the Southern Hemisphere. After multiple unsuccessful attempts, he finally makes a collect call to Australia, where he reaches a boy named Tobias.
Bart, pretending to be Dr. Bart Simpson from the International Draining Commission in Springfield, asks Tobias about the direction of water drainage. Despite Tobias confirming that the water drains clockwise, matching Lisa's explanation, Bart becomes angry. He then asks Tobias to check if the neighbours' water is draining in the same direction. The line remains open for several hours, resulting in a $900 phone bill for Tobias' father, who demands reimbursement. Tobias' father threatens to report Bart to the Prime Minister, and Bart responds with mockery.
As a result of the prank call, Bart is indicted for fraud in Australia. To resolve the situation, the Simpsons travel to Australia, where Bart is required to make a public apology. The episode includes various cultural references, such as a scene parodying Crocodile Dundee, and it received a mix of criticism and positive reviews from Australians for its inaccurate portrayal of the country.
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The Simpsons travel to Australia
In the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of the animated series *The Simpsons*, titled "Bart vs. Australia", Bart Simpson travels to Australia. The episode is a parody of the case of Michael Fay, an American delinquent who was caned in Singapore.
The episode begins with Bart making a prank call to a child in Australia, Tobias, to prove to his sister Lisa that the Coriolis effect affects the direction of water going down the drain in the Southern Hemisphere. Lisa tries to explain to Bart that the Coriolis effect only affects large-scale phenomena such as weather cyclone spin direction, not small-scale phenomena like water going down a drain. However, Bart is unconvinced and decides to make several international calls to countries in the Southern Hemisphere to prove his point.
After calling many countries without getting an answer, he finally reaches Australia and disguises his voice, claiming to be Dr. Bart Simpson of the International Draining Commission in Springfield. Tobias confirms that the water is draining clockwise, which angers Bart as it proves Lisa right. Bart then asks Tobias to check if his neighbours' water is draining clockwise as well, and the line is kept open for several hours, resulting in a $900 phone bill for Tobias' father. When Tobias' father uncovers the truth, he reports Bart's offence directly to the Prime Minister, and Bart is indicted for fraud in Australia.
The Simpsons family travels to Australia so that Bart can make a public apology. Upon arriving, Bart is shown a sign that says he cannot bring any animals or plants into the country. However, he brings his pet bullfrog to Australia, resulting in a population explosion later in the episode.
Bart delivers his apology before parliament, but it is found that a simple apology is not enough. The parliament brings forward a man wearing a giant boot who intends to kick Bart with it. Homer and Bart escape and seek refuge in the US Embassy, but the Australians chase them there. Bart agrees to a booting from the Australian Prime Minister with a normal shoe, but as the Prime Minister takes a kick, Bart jumps away and moons the Australians with "Don't Tread on Me" written on his butt, humming "The Star-Spangled Banner".
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Bart's indictment for fraud
In the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of the animated series The Simpsons, titled "Bart vs. Australia", Bart Simpson is indicted for fraud in Australia. The episode, which first aired on February 19, 1995, in the United States, revolves around Bart's prank call to a child in Australia, Tobias Drundridge, to disprove the Coriolis effect's influence on water drainage. Impersonating an adult, Bart asks Tobias about the direction of water drainage in his home, and despite confirming the Coriolis effect, Bart remains unconvinced and asks Tobias to check his neighbours' toilets as well. The call lasts six hours, resulting in a $900 phone bill for Tobias' father, Bruno.
When Bruno receives the exorbitant phone bill, he is understandably upset and seeks recourse. He learns that the call originated from Bart, a minor who pranked him. Infuriated, Bruno contacts his neighbour, Gus, a federal Member of Parliament, who escalates the matter to the Prime Minister. Bart's actions have inadvertently worsened Australia-United States relations, prompting a US State Department official, Evan Conover, to intervene. Bart receives numerous collection letters demanding payment, but he disregards them, tossing them into the wastebasket.
As a result of Bart's refusal to address the issue, Australia indicts him for fraud. To resolve the situation, the State Department official, Conover, negotiates a settlement: Bart will travel to Australia and deliver a public apology to the Australian government. Accompanied by his family, Bart embarks on the journey, leaving his pet bullfrog at the airport, unaware that it will soon wreak havoc on Australia's ecosystem. The Simpsons' adventures in Australia are filled with cultural references, parodies, and humorous encounters, including a visit to a bar, a museum, and the Australian Parliament.
Upon arriving in Australia, Bart appears in court and offers his apology. However, the Parliament demands additional punishment, known as "booting", which involves a kick on the buttocks with an oversized boot. Homer intervenes, grabbing the boot and threatening to "boot" the Prime Minister. Bart and Homer escape through a window, chased by an angry mob that includes Conover, leading to a standoff at the US Embassy. Eventually, a compromise is reached: one kick from the Prime Minister, through the embassy gate, with a regular shoe. Bart agrees, but just before receiving the punishment, he dodges the kick, moons the Australians with "Don't tread on me" written on his buttocks, and hums "The Star-Spangled Banner". This outrageous act prompts the mob to storm the embassy, leading to the evacuation of the Simpsons and embassy staff by helicopter.
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The Australian boot punishment
In the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, titled "Bart vs. Australia", Bart Simpson receives "The Australian boot punishment". The episode is a parody of a real-life incident where an American teenager, Michael Fay, was caned in Singapore in 1994 for vandalizing cars.
In the episode, Bart crank-calls a child in Australia, Tobias, to prove his sister Lisa's claim that the Coriolis effect does not affect draining water. He pretends to be Dr. Bart Simpson of the International Draining Commission in Springfield and asks Tobias about the direction of water drainage. Tobias confirms that the water drains clockwise, contrary to Bart's expectation. Bart then asks Tobias to check if his neighbours' water is draining in the same direction. Tobias' father receives a $900 phone bill, and when he questions Bart about the call, Bart mocks him. Tobias' father reports the incident to a Member of Parliament, who further reports it to the Prime Minister. As a result, Bart is indicted for fraud in Australia, and his family travels to the country so that he can apologize.
In court, Bart makes his apology, but the judge intends to punish him with a boot to his bum, a punishment that Homer is shocked by. However, Bart and Homer escape the courthouse and are chased back to the US Embassy. A compromise is reached where the Australian Prime Minister will give Bart one kick with a regular shoe through the embassy gate. Bart agrees, but right before the kick, he dodges, moons the Australians with "Don't tread on me" written on his buttocks, and hums "The Star-Spangled Banner". This enrages the Australians, who storm the embassy. The Simpsons and embassy staff are evacuated by helicopter, and they notice that Bart's bullfrog has reproduced, with its offspring wreaking havoc on Australia's ecosystem and farms.
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The Simpsons' escape to the US Embassy
In the sixteenth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons, titled "Bart vs. Australia", Bart pranks a child in Australia to disprove Lisa's claim that the Coriolis effect affects draining water. This results in Bart being indicted for fraud in Australia, leading the Simpson family to travel to the country for Bart to make a public apology.
During their stay in Australia, the Simpsons family visits a bar, a museum, and the Australian Parliament before Bart's public apology. However, the Australian Parliament is unsatisfied with Bart's apology and demands that he receive a "booting", a kick on the buttocks with an oversized boot as corporal punishment.
Homer intervenes and threatens to "boot" the Australian Prime Minister, after which Bart and Homer escape through a window, with the rest of the family fleeing to the US Embassy, chased by an angry mob that includes Conover. The Simpsons family and the embassy staff are eventually evacuated from the embassy via helicopter, mirroring the famous picture of US staff leaving the embassy in South Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon in 1975.
The episode "Bart vs. Australia" was written by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein and directed by Wes Archer. It first aired on February 19, 1995, and received mixed reactions in Australia, with some fans saying it mocked their country. The Simpsons writing staff intentionally portrayed Australia and its people inaccurately, twisting their knowledge of the country to stimulate and annoy the audience at the same time.
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Frequently asked questions
Bart Simpson took his pet bullfrog to Australia.
Bart took his bullfrog to Australia because he was indicted for fraud in the country and had to make a public apology.
Bart made crank calls to a child in Australia to prove his sister Lisa's claim that the Coriolis effect affects draining water.
The Coriolis effect affects global weather patterns and is caused by the spinning of the Earth on its axis.
Bart's bullfrog caused a population explosion in Australia.
