Simpsons assignment

1.) I believe that the Simposns episode was more accurately portrayed than fictionally comedic. Some elements that showed its accuracy were: speakeasies were the name of the bars that were operated illegally; the mafia payed off the cops; the cops hung out at the speakeasies; the speakeasies overcharged for their liquor; alcohol companies tried to make non-alcoholic beverages with little success; FBI brought in agents who were less easily corruptable, and Prohibition was widely unpopular. Also, the episode accurately portrayed the mood of the 1920s- the people were having a good time while at the speakeasies, and the FBI was struggling to support Prohibition. Some of the fictional comedy included: bootlegging business used bowling balls and elaborate tunnels to transport alcohol; speakeasies hid their booze with a lever that turned the entire room; the law for Prohibition was found to have never been enforced before and they decided to do so now, and the punishment for bootlegging was catapultation. I thought that the elements added for comedy did not interfere with the historical fact, so the fact outweighed the fiction.

2.) If I were to change the episode: I would change all of the scenes in which Homer was transporting the booze with the bowling balls and replace them with ones similar to when Homer was transporting them by cart and hid them. Another scene that I would change would be when the mayor decided to enforce the Prohibition law. I would replace it with the mayor telling the President about the craziness and the President making the law. This would also affect the end scene when Homer was catapulted, so I would just change it to him going to jail. I wouldn't change the scene when Moe pulled the lever and it changed the speakeasy into a pet shop because I though that was really funny.