In honor of Valentine's Day, we are re-sharing this classic episode, now with a new intro with Eli!

---

Love is in the air this week as we discuss The Simpsons Season 4 Episode 15, I Love Lisa- after receiving a Valentine from Lisa (out of pity), Ralph Wiggum starts courting her, much to her dismay.

My guest today is Nicole Vespa (Redacted, Voila), an actor and improvisor in Chicago. We talk about parents giving bad advice, unrequited school crushes, and the bizarre death of President Zachary Taylor.

Follow Nicole at @nvespa on Instagram.

Follow this show @bartannicapodcast on Instagram, or email the show at bartannica@gmail.com.

Nicole Recommends: Drunk History The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson Bob's Burgers

Harrison Recommends: To All The Boys I've Loved Before

Eli Recommends: Being in Love

Research for this episode came from:

Accidental Presidents : Eight Men Who Changed America by Jared Cohen

Are You Prepared for the Storm of Lovemaking? : Letters of Love and Lust From the White House by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler

By One Vote: The Disputed Election of 1876 by Michael Holt

Combing Through the White House by Theodore Pappas

Dangerous Crooked Scoundrels Edwin Battistella

Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

The Carnival Campaign by Ronald Shafer

The President is Dead by Louis Picone

What Ails the White House: Medical History of the American Presidency by Dr. Jay Murphy

Who’s Buried in Grants Tomb by Brian Lamb

Zachary Taylor : Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest by K. Jack Bauer

For more information about the presidents, check your local library!

Today marks a new chapter in Bartannica history- Eli Mandel has joined the show! And we have a great episode to kick off this new era: today we're talking about the classic Simpsons episode from Season 2, Episode 5 Dancin' Homer, written by Ken Levine and David Isaacs and directed by Mark Kirkland. This the episode where Homer becomes the official mascot for the Springfield Isotopes. We're talking Tony Bennett, the Capital City Goofball, and Baby Elephant Walk!

We're joined by comedian and artist Asher Perlman. Asher is a cartoonist for the New Yorker, a writer for the late show with Stephen Colbert, a performer with the improvised Shakespeare company, and an alumnus of the second city in Chicago. His second book of cartoons, a follow up to his bestselling debut, has just been released.

We talk about how rare it is to see Homer give a shit about his obsession of the week, why Lisa loves the National Anthem, and if a gorilla could out-pitch The Great Bambino.

You can follow Asher @asherperlman on Twitter, Instagram, and Substack.

You can follow this show @bartannicapod on Instagram. Asher and Eli Recommend: Going to a Minor League baseball game!

Harrison Recommends: Ken Levine's blog (Here) and his podcast Hollywood and Levine

“When you see one of these kitschy places like TGI Fridays, are they expecting you to be like “Whoa! There’s signs! Crocodiles don’t wear sunglasses!”? But Marge is exactly the type of person those are targeted for.”

Wow what an episode we have for you today! Not only is our guest super funny, not only is he one of my best friends, he’s also the new CO-HOST of the show! Welcome to the show Eli Coyote Mandel! Eli has written for shows like Saturday Night Live and Search Party and performs at UCB in New York.

Today we’re reviewing the Simpsons episode “Bart Sells His Soul” from Season 7 Episode 4. This is the one where Bart sells his soul to Milhouse, and immediately suffers the consequences. This episode has it all: Iron Butterfly, Moe’s Family Feedbag, Ow, My Freaking Ears, and of course the return of Alf (in POG form!). We discuss the wild history of family restaurants with lots of crazy crap on the walls, the search for the human soul, and why After Hours is the most accurate NYC movie ever.

You can follow Eli on Instagram at @elicoyote, on TikTok @elicoyotemandel, and @nickandelicomedy on both.

You can follow this show @bartannicapod on Instagram.

Eli Recommends After Hours Sonnets ET In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly

Harrison Recommends Damn Yankees The works of Pablo Neruda Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe Eli’s Videos:

A Guy The Day After His Server Was Nice to Him

A Disney Channel Original Movie but Dad Took It Too Far

Dad Is Also Scared Of Bullies

Research: Orange Roofs, Golden Arches: the Architecture of American Chain Restuarants by Philip Langdon

The Death of Flair: As Friday's Goes Minimalist, What Happens to the Antiques?

When T.G.I. Friday's Loses Its Flair