History Recap / TheSimpsonsS6E22RoundSpringfield

* TheCastShowoff: Yeardley Smith proves to have some serious pipes during Lisa's rendition of "Jazzman".

In this partial VerySpecialEpisode, Lisa discovers that her friend and jazz mentor, Bleeding Gums Murphy, is in the hospital, and when he dies on the night of her recital, Lisa works to keep the musician's memory alive. Meanwhile, Bart comes down with appendicitis from eating Krusty the Clown's new cereal, which comes with a jagged metal "O" and sues the clown for personal harm.

* BlindMusician: Bleeding Gums' mentor, Blind Willie Witherspoon. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in that, for 30 years, he thought he was playing the saxophone...''when he was actually playing an umbrella.'' No one said anything because they thought it was funny.

* TheCastShowoff: Yeardley Smith proves to have some serious pipes during Lisa's rendition of "Jazzman"

* DeadArtistsAreBetter: Lisa finds Bleeding Gums Murphy's only album at Comic Book Guy's store costing $250. But when Lisa mentions that Bleeding Gums has recently died, [[KickTheDog he immediately doubles the price to $500]].

* GamblerGroupies: Bart has a ImagineSpot in which he's in a casino, surrounded by attractive woman.

* IncurableCoughOfDeath: Bleeding Gums

** Bleeding Gums was special guest in Series/TheCosbyShow in 1986. The scene parodies the fact that quite some famous jazz musicians like Music/DizzieGillespie, Music/TitoPuente and Music/LenaHorne were once guest on the show. It also references Creator/BillCosby's tendency to clown around, talking gibberish and focus most of the attention to himself, exaggarated here to the point that Bleeding Gums doesn't even have a line.

* CassandraTruth: No one except Lisa believes that Bart is truly sick, knowing his tendency to try to get out of tests.

* LastDisrespects: No one showed up at his funeral because no one knows him.

* LastDisrespect: No one showed up at his funeral because no one knows him.

* EmbarrassingTattoo: See TakeThat

** One against New Coke, in Bleeding Gum's flashback, courtesy of Bill Crosby.

* CrazyPrepared: Springfield Elementary's school charter states that ''no teacher is to be held accountable if Bart dies''. Or if Milhouse gets eaten by the school snake.

** One against [[DorkAge New Coke]], in Bleeding Gum's flashback, courtesy of Bill Crosby.

* AffirmativeActionGirl: In-universe, Krusty's forced to add "Ms. No-Means-No" to his cast due to an expensive sexual harassment suit.

* LongLostRelative: Apparently, Bleeding Gums and Dr. Hibbert are brothers...not that either of them realize it.

While watching a special morning episode of ''The Krusty the Klown Show'' where he introduces a new female character due to his [[NoodleIncident latest sexual harassment suit]], Bart eats some Krusty-O's cereal and begins complaining of a stomach ache. While Lisa is concerned for his health, Homer and Marge don't believe him as they think Bart is faking it to get out of going to school on a test day. Bart tries to get Mrs. Krabappel to excuse him, but she makes him do the entire test just to see him suffer. After hobbling to the nurse's office (where Lunchlady Doris is the school nurse due to school budget cuts, even though "Whacking Day" established that she took the school nurse job [[MoneyDearBoy to earn another paycheck]]), Bart passes out and is rushed to the hospital, where Dr. Hibbert diagnoses Bart with appendicitis caused by a jagged metal "O" found in Krusty's cereal. While visiting Bart in the hospital, Lisa notices another hospital patient; her old friend [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E6MoaningLisa "Bleeding Gums" Murphy]].

When Lisa asks Bleeding Gums why no one else has visited him, the jazz man goes into his backstory: He once released a successful album, but blew all his money on a $1500-a-day Faberge egg habit, and he hasn't worked in years. He isn't lonely, however, as he considers Lisa a friend. During a later visit, Bleeding Gums lends Lisa his saxophone to give her luck at her band recital that night (after the two jam by performing a stirring rendition of Carole King's "Jazzman"). During the recital, Lisa's performance goes over great, and she heads straight to the hospital to tell the good news to Bleeding Gums...only to find out he's died.

Lisa is naturally depressed over the death of her hero, and her family doesn't have much luck lifting her spirits. When Lisa is the only one to show up for his funeral, she comes to an epiphany: somehow, some way, she's going to make sure Springfield remembers the legacy of Bleeding Gums Murphy.

Bart, meanwhile, has won a $500 settlement from his lawsuit against Krusty the Clown over the metal Krusty-O, and he excitedly wonders what to do with the money. Back with Lisa, Marge gives her the idea to get the local jazz station to play a tribute to him over the radio. Problem is, the station doesn't ''have'' his album. So, Lisa goes to the Android's Dungeon comic book shop to find a copy...only to find out it's $250 ($500 after Comic Book Guy finds out Bleeding Gums is dead). Bart stops into the store after her to blow his newfound cash on a giant [[AnyoneRememberPogs Pog]]...only to see how depressed Lisa is as she walks away from the store.

Bart comes home and gives Lisa the album. Lisa gives it to the jazz station, but their transmitting range is so small that no one else in town can hear them. Suddenly, a freak lightning storm zaps the station's antenna, beaming Bleeding Gums' music all across Springfield. Bleeding Gums' spirit visits Lisa to thank her, say goodbye...and to have one last jam session.

* ArtisticLicenseMedicine: Eating jagged metal doesn't cause appendicitis. It would have given Bart horrible internal bleeding and possibly killed him, but that's not very family-friendly, is it?

* ImagineSpot: Bart has two: what he could do with $500 (losing it immediately on roulette) and torching the school after he reincarnated as a butterfly.

** The school's charter has a rule stating that they are not responsible if Bart dies (or if Milhouse gets eaten by the school's pet snake). Bart ''can'' be a bad student at times, but having a rule stating that is straight up "Boys of Bummer"-style cruelty against Bart.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: An episode like this couldn't happen these days, as Lisa would easily be able to find Bleeding Gums Murphy's only album on websites like [=CraigsList=], eBay, or available on torrent sites.

Bart claims to be sick on test day. This is normal. Thing is, though, Bart really ''isn't'' feeling well, due to his breakfast of Krusty-O's that morning, which contained a "special jagged metal Krusty-O!". This, obviously, is ''not'' normal. Bart is rushed to the hospital to have his appendix removed (but not before Mrs. Krabappel makes him suffer a little more because she thinks his appendicitis is yet another trick to get out of taking his test). While visiting Bart in the hospital, Lisa notices another hospital patient; her old friend [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E6MoaningLisa "Bleeding Gums" Murphy]].

* TechnologyMarchesOn: An episode like this couldn't happen these days, as Lisa would easily be able to find Bleeding Gums Murphy's only album on websites like [=CraigsList=] or eBay. There would be no conflict, and, as most good writers know, you can't have a story without conflict.
** Well, you never know. Not absolutely everything is on eBay.

Bart claims to be sick on test day. This is normal. Thing is, though, Bart really ''isn't'' feeling well, due to his breakfast of Krusty-O's that morning, which contained a "special jagged metal Krusty-O!". This, obviously, is ''not'' normal. Bart is rushed to the hospital to have his appendix removed. While visiting Bart in the hospital, Lisa notices another hospital patient; her old friend [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS1E6MoaningLisa "Bleeding Gums" Murphy]].

* TechnologyMarchesOn: An episode like this couldn't happen these days, as Lisa would easily be able to find Bleeding Gums Murphy's only album on websites like [=CraigsList=] or eBay. There would be no conflict, and, as most good writers know, you can't have a story without conflict.

** "You must avenge my death, [[KimbaTheWhiteLion Kimba]]...dah, I mean ''[[TheLionKing Simba]]!''

** The school's charter has a rule stating that they are not responsible if Bart dies (or if Milhouse gets eaten by the school's pet snake). Bart ''can'' be a bad student at times, but having a rule stating that has to be illegal (and probably is).

* TechnologyMarchesOn: A few years later and Lisa could buy the album on Ebay or Craig's List.

* RefugeInAudacity: Chewable Prozac for Kids, featuring Manic-Depressive Mouse and the Bluebird of Unhappiness!
** Also, the fact that Krusty-O's come with jagged metal and, later on, ''flesh-eating bacteria''.
** And Bleeding Gums' Murphy's blind saxophone mentor being tricked into playing an umbrella as a musical instrument for 30 years because everyone thought it was funny.

** "You must avenge my death, [[KimbaTheWhiteLion Kimba]]...dah, I mean ''[[TheLionKing Simba]]!''

** Also, the fact that Krusty-O's come with jagged metal and, later on, ''flesh-eating bacteria''.

* SuckySchool: Lunchlady Doris also doubles as Springfield Elementary's nurse due to budget cuts (even though "Whacking Day" revealed that Lunchlady Doris took the school nurse job to earn another paycheck). Meanwhile, the very Scottish Groundskeeper Willie is now a French teacher.

* ArtisticLicenseMedicine: Eating jagged metal doesn't cause appendicitis.

* CrazyPrepared: Springfield Elementary's school charter states that no teacher is to be held accountable if Bart dies. Or if Milhouse gets eaten by the school snake.

* SuckySchool: Lunchlady Doris also doubles as Springfield Elementary's nurse due to budget cuts. Also, see the CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkeys example above.

--->'''Homer:''' Lisa, honey, if you really wanna preserve his memory, I recommend getting a tattoo. It preserves the things you love...(Homer rolls up his sleeve to reveal a heart with the words...) "Starland Vocal Band"?! They suck!