"Homer vs. Dignity" is the fifth episode of the twelfth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 26, 2000. In the episode, Mr. Burns hires a cash-strapped Homer as his "prank monkey", paying him to play pranks on others and humiliate himself in public. The episode was written by Rob LaZebnik in his last writing credit for over eight years, until season 20's "Father Knows Worst". The episode features cultural references to The Magic Christian and The Birds. The episode has been met with negative reviews. Plot The Simpsons go out to dinner to celebrate Bart getting his first test "A" grade; however, Homer's credit card is rejected and, after a failed escape attempt, the family are made to sing for customers to work off their bill. After Homer reveals that he sold the back seats of his car for gasoline money (which he spent on a novelty car horn), he and Marge seek advice from financial planner Lindsay Naegle, who informs them that, due to poor money management by Homer, the family have multiple mortgages and will need to declare bankruptcy several times. Meanwhile, Mr. Burns is looking to amuse himself while his assistant, Smithers, is in New Mexico performing in a Malibu Stacy musical that he wrote. When Homer asks if he can have a raise, Burns offers him cash in exchange for throwing pudding at Lenny. He does so, amusing Burns, who makes Homer his "prank monkey". Burns pays Homer to perform embarrassing and cruel tasks, such as pretending to be a baby who "made a boom boom" at the sports stadium restroom, and eating a mint condition Spiderman #1 in front of Comic Book Guy, eventually having Homer masquerade as the Springfield Zoo's new female panda, Sim-Sim, and is electrocuted by animal handlers before being raped by the zoo's male panda, Ping-Ping. Lisa discovers what Homer has been doing and convinces him his dignity is more important than money. She suggests donating the money he has earned to needy children, so he spends it on toys at Costington's Department Store. Mr. Costington, impressed by this show of generosity, suggests that Homer play Santa Claus in the Thanksgiving Day parade. During the parade, Burns offers Homer a million dollars to throw buckets of fish guts to the crowd; rebuked, Burns performs the