| "Whacking Day" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 20 |
| Directed by | Jeff Lynch |
| Written by | John Swartzwelder |
| Production code | 9F18 |
| Original air date | April 29, 1993 |
| Guest appearance | |
| |
| Episode features | |
| Chalkboard gag | "I will return the seeing-eye dog"[1] |
| Couch gag | The Simpsons walk in, while the couch is replaced by a small wooden chair that they all sit on.[2] |
| Commentary | Matt Groening Al Jean Mike Reiss Jeffrey Lynch David Silverman |
"Whacking Day" is the twentieth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on April 29, 1993.[1] The episode revolves around the fictional holiday "Whacking Day", celebrated annually, in which the citizens of Springfield drive snakes into the town square, then fatally club them. After Bart is expelled from school as punishment for injuring Superintendent Chalmers, he applies the knowledge he gains from Marge's homeschooling to help Lisa expose the fraudulent and cruel nature of the holiday.
The episode was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Jeffrey Lynch. Singer Barry White, who had expressed a wish to appear in the show, guest stars as himself. It was pitched by George Meyer, who wanted to create an episode against the mistreatment of snakes. The episode includes the first appearance of Superintendent Chalmers, and features an Itchy & Scratchy parody of Oliver Stone's film JFK. "Whacking Day" won a Genesis Award for "consciousness-raising on behalf of animal issues".