Broken Compy Menu

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watch (mirror with short)

Homestar Runner complains about pricing while Bubs tries to unload the shotgunned Compy 386.

Cast (in order of appearance): Homestar Runner, Bubs

Places: Bubs' Concession Stand

Date: Monday, November 22, 2004

Running Time: 1:15

Page Title: Denny's Menu

Contents 1 Transcript 2 Fun Facts 2.1 Explanations 2.2 Trivia 2.3 Remarks 2.4 Goofs 2.5 Expired Glitches 2.6 Inside References 2.7 Real-World References 2.8 Fast Forward 3 External Links

[edit] Transcript

{The shot opens with the shotgunned Compy 386 with a piece of paper taped to the front of it listing all the Strong Bad emails from some kinda robot to virus (some kinda robot to animal on versions with the toon removed). After about 10 seconds, Homestar Runner starts talking}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: {offscreen} You want how much?! That's preposterous! What kinda shady Bubs business you running here anyways? A Bubsness?

{The camera zooms out to show Homestar and the rest of the concession stand, with Bubs nowhere in sight}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Why, I've got half a mind to report you, mister!

{Bubs appears from the back of the concession stand as though walking up a staircase}

BUBS: Doot doot doo... all right, I'm back!

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Oh! Nothing!

BUBS: Who were you just talkin' to?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Um, nobody? Everybody? Strong... Mad?

BUBS: Strong Mad was up here? Where'd he go?

{camera angle changes so that the camera is inside the concession stand looking outward}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Bubsy, I'm not gonna lie to you. He flew away.

BUBS: Homestar,—

{camera changes back to exterior view of the concession stand}

BUBS: —did you come up here for a reason?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Um, freedom?

BUBS: What?

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Liberty! I mean, savings? Milk! Eggs! A low-priced automobile!

BUBS: Well, why didn't you say so? I've got one right here! {Bubs gestures toward the shotgunned Compy} Just in! Fresh from the factory goodness!

{camera changes back to the interior view of the concession stand. Homestar performs several double takes}

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Bubs, are you trying to sell me a lemon?

BUBS: Homestar, I'm not gonna lie to you.

{camera changes back to exterior view of the concession stand}

BUBS: You're not gonna find a better deal.

HOMESTAR RUNNER: Sold! Sold! {deeper voice} Sold!

{The camera cuts back to the menu taped on the broken Compy 386}

[edit] Fun Facts

[edit] Explanations

• This toon briefly served as the Strong Bad Email Menu from November 22 through 29, 2004. Email menus typically use Strong Bad's current computer screen to present the list of emails; the email virus on November 15 culminated in the Compy being destroyed by Bubs's shotgun and subsequently being sold at his concession stand. On November 29, 2004, the new email, animal, revealed the Lappy 486 as Strong Bad's new computer, and this toon was replaced by a menu featuring the Lappy screen.
• A "lemon", which Homestar refers to, is a defective car.

[edit] Trivia

• When the Tandy 400 exploded, the Broken Tandy Menu similarly replaced the usual email menu.

[edit] Remarks

• This toon has a different filename than the usual Compy 386 Strong Bad email menu; instead of being "sbemail.swf", it is "sbemail_shotgunned.swf".
• We now know where both of Strong Bad's old computers were being held in the time period from virus to retirement. The King of Town had the Tandy 400, and Homestar Runner had the Compy 386.

[edit] Goofs

• On the email list, flashback leads to "emailahundred.html", a 404'd page, instead of the intended "sbemailahundred.html".
• The Compy 386 is missing the contrast dial.
• The font used for the email names does not include an underscore ('_') character, so 'sb_email 22' appears with a square instead of an underscore.
• The Compy 386 is shaped differently than it is seen from the side in fingers.
• The notepad does not list the email virus as new after the camera zooms out to Bubs' Concession Stand.

[edit] Expired Glitches

• Before it was removed, after the animation played, the list of emails counted up from 0 instead of 1, so clicking on a title would direct the viewer to the email one previous to it. This also meant that some kinda robot directed to the nonexistent 'sbemail0.html' and virus could only be accessed from the menu by clicking the very top of the word virus.
  • Similarly, after the animation, car linked to sbemail100.html, "Sbemail 100 Fakeout".
  • This glitch made it impossible to watch different town, since clicking it led to stupid stuff (the email before it), and clicking on flashback (the email after) always directs to emailahundred.

[edit] Inside References

• "Bubsness" is an example of a portmanteau.
• Homestar's claim about Strong Mad flying away is a blatant lie.

[edit] Real-World References

• Homestar's lines about freedom, liberty, savings, and eggs may be a reference to the Terry Pratchett novel Night Watch, in which the slogan of a violent revolution is "Truth! Justice! Freedom! Reasonably-Priced Love! And a hard-boiled egg!"

[edit] Fast Forward

• Homestar Runner later asks for milk and eggs in Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 13.2.

[edit] External Links

• view the official Flash file for the Broken Compy Menu (with above toon removed)
• watch the Broken Compy Menu (mirror with above cartoon)
• view the Flash file for the Broken Compy Menu (also with above cartoon)
• forum thread re: the Broken Compy Menu (referred to there as "Strong Bad Email?")