 The episode originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 2 , 2011 . It was watched by approximately 6 @.@ 19 million people during this broadcast . The show received a 3 @.@ 0 Nielsen rating in the demographic for adults aged 18 – 49 , which was a 23 % drop from the season premiere episode , and an eight percent audience share . The Simpsons became the second highest @-@ rated program in Fox 's Animation Domination lineup that night in terms of total viewers and in the 18 – 49 demographic , finishing with a higher rating than The Cleveland Show and American Dad ! , but a lower rating than Family Guy . These three other animated shows were part of a crossover event , called Night of the Hurricane , in which they shared the same storyline . For the week of September 26 – October 2 , 2011 , " Bart Stops to Smell the Roosevelts " tied for 29th place in the ratings among all network prime @-@ time broadcasts in the 18 – 49 demographic . 
