When You Dish Upon a Star
"When You Dish Upon a Star" is the fifth episode of the tenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on November 8, 1998. When the family spends the day at Lake Springfield, Homer meets Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, who are hiding from the media in their secluded summer home. Homer starts to work for them, developing a good friendship, but he soon reveals their secrets to the public, damaging his new friendship with them. It was the last Simpsons episode written by Richard Appel, and was directed by Pete Michels.
Plot
Bart and Lisa persuade their parents to spend the day at Lake Springfield. While there, Homer attempts parasailing and is involved in an accident when he tells Marge to send him up far too high; as a result, his rope detaches. He crashes through a skylight and into the bedroom of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger's secluded summer home. The couple and Homer become acquainted. Homer convinces the couple to allow him to be their assistant, while keeping it secret that the celebrity couple are in Springfield. Homer, at first, works well with the couple, and they all become good friends. Homer also befriends Ron Howard when he visits the couple, and soon attempts to pitch a screenplay for a movie starring Baldwin and Basinger with Howard to direct, much to his chagrin, about a "killer robot driving instructor that travels back in time for some reason," as well as a talking pie, the robot's best friend.Due to his inability to keep a secret, Homer eventually releases the information that Baldwin and Basinger are in Springfield, and the couple's house is discovered by Springfield citizens and the media. Baldwin and Basinger are furious at Homer for breaking their trust, and immediately end their friendship with him and kick him out of their house. Homer sadly walks to the gate while being pelted with rocks by the citizens. Bitter about losing his celebrity friends and once again feeling like a nobody, Homer begins a mobile museum, entitled "Museum of Hollywood Jerks", which displays the couple's personal belongings in an attempt to expose them as being selfish and uncaring. Basinger, Baldwin, and Howard discover the museum while intending to apologize to Homer. A high-speed chase quickly ensues between Homer, in his mobile museum, and the celebrities in their Hummer. Homer agrees to stop after Howard is injured during the chase. Homer is ordered by a court of law to remain 500 miles away from any celebrity, both living or dead. One month later, Howard pitches Homer's screenplay from earlier to Brian Grazer of 20th Century Fox.
Production
During the opening sequence, Bart originally wrote "butt.com" on the chalkboard, however, it was modified to butt.butt, due to butt.com being a real website. The storyline of famous celebrities moving to Springfield was pitched by Mike Scully; Scully originally pitched Bruce Springsteen as the celebrity to move to town, however, Springsteen turned down the opportunity to appear. Richard Appel then offered the guest appearance opportunity to Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, but they too turned down the offer. Appel then offered Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger the opportunity to provide their voices, and they agreed to guest star in the episode. The episode was originally intended to be directed by Mike B. Anderson, but it was held over from season 9 and Pete Michels directed it.In December 2008, in an interview, Ron Howard commented that guest voicing himself "was an honour. Probably, from my kids' perspective, my coolest turn." Howard once again guest starred on The Simpsons as himself in the season eleven episode "Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder". Howard was set to appear in "Children of a Lesser Clod", but dropped out for unknown reasons.
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."
One gag near the end of the episode had a sign with the 20th Century Fox logo on it with the line "A Division of Walt Disney Co" under it. Predictably, on December 14, 2017, Disney announced its intention to [Acquisition of 21st Century Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox by Disney|purchase] 20th Century Fox's parent company, 21st Century Fox. It also included several franchises from 20th Century Fox that Disney purchased such as The Simpsons, alongside X-Men, Deadpool, and Fantastic Four; the acquisition was completed on March 20, 2019.