The Front

"The Front" is the nineteenth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired in the United States on the Fox network on April 15, 1993. In the episode, Bart and Lisa decide to write an episode of The Itchy & Scratchy Show; after their script is rejected, they resubmit it under the name of their grandfather Abraham Simpson, resulting in Grampa being hired as a staff writer. Meanwhile, Homer returns to high school to retake a failed science course. The episode was written by Adam I. Lapidus and directed by Rich Moore. Actress Brooke Shields guest starred as herself. It is the only Simpsons episode written by Lapidus. Plot After being disappointed by a new episode of Itchy & Scratchy, Bart and Lisa decide that they can write a better one themselves. Inspired by the sight of Homer accidentally slicing Marge's hair off with hedge shears, they write a script titled "Little Barbershop of Horrors", but their episode is rejected by Roger Meyers Jr., head of Itchy & Scratchy International. Correctly guessing that Meyers did not take them seriously because they were children, they resubmit the manuscript under Grampa's name, leading Meyers to hire Grampa as a staff writer. Bart and Lisa inform Grampa of their scheme, and the trio conspire to continue passing off Bart and Lisa's scripts as Grampa's, splitting the money three ways. Bart and Lisa's cartoons are met with acclaim from audiences, resulting in Meyers firing Itchy & Scratchys entire writing staff, except for Grampa. For his work on Itchy & Scratchy, Grampa is recognized for outstanding writing in a cartoon series. Krusty the Clown and Brooke Shields present the award for Outstanding Writer, although by the time the awards started, only Shields committed to be the presenter of the awards, as Krusty angrily stormed off stage after the script writer mistook Krusty's hair for another hair color when writing jokes for his lines. When Grampa sees Itchy & Scratchy for the first time in a clip show introducing the award, he is appalled at the violent humor, and turns his acceptance speech into an assault on both the cartoon and the audience amused by it. He storms off the stage amidst jeers and thrown vegetables. Grampa gives the award to Bart and Lisa, and Bart swears never to watch an award show again, unless Billy Crystal is featured.