Episode 5F19
Written by Richard Appel
Directed by Pete Michels
Also starring: Pamela Hayden, Maggie Roswell
Special guest voices: Alec Baldwin (as himself), Ron Howard (as himself), Kim Basinger (as herself), Brian Grazer (as himself)

Premise: Homer meets two Hollywood stars on retreat and begins to work for them on the understanding that he keeps their presence in Springfield secret. Of course, he fails.

Features: Smithers, Carl, Lenny, Moe, Barney, Patty, Selma, Chief Wiggum, Skinner, Ms Krabappel, Otto, Milhouse, Wendell, Ralph, Helen Lovejoy, Ned Flanders, Todd, Rod, Mr van Houten, Ruth Powers, Captain McCallister, Android's Dungeon Guy, Krusty, Sideshow Mel, Apu, Cletus, Judge Snyder, Dr Nick Riviera.

Couch: Marge is hanging the family out to dry.

Trivia:

• Alec Baldwin is allergic to penicillin, and Kim Basinger is obsessed with her Oscar statuettes.
• Homer dreams of being both Yogi Bear (with Bart as Bobo and Ned as the Ranger) and mentions Magilla Gorilla: both are from series of Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
• Lake Springfield was formerly Cess Hole 17A.
• Oh, and in Simpsons-land, the Fox network has been swallowed up by the Disney Corporation!

Homage: Jurassic Park (Steven Spielberg, 1993), as the people approach the house and the gin wobbles.

Notes for Brits: The Gersh Agency is a real US actors' agency, with some high-calibre talent on its books.

Look out for: Homer trying to sell The Tenniniser to Ron Howard, who in turn tries to sell it to Brian Grazer. The boat-hire man telling Homer he can't hire a boat under the influence of alcohol, which Homer takes as a bet. And, best of all, Homer's reason for joining PETA is because he loves animals, to eat.

Notes: Despite three very high-profile guest actors, this episode is really rather dull and uninspired. The only real moment of interest is the car chase at the end, and Kim Basinger's delightfully self-deprecating quips about her constant adoration of her Oscars, Alec Baldwin apparently not having one himself.