Airdate: Monday, September 3, 2007
Sender: Nicholas & Antonio
Lansing, Michigan
Two guys from Michigan ask Strong Bad if he's ever watched one of his favorite shows and sequels, only to discover that his favorite character has been "unscrupulously replaced with another actor". Incredulous, Strong Bad proceeds to claim "we do that to you people all the time", and relates the story of Original Bubs (who is remarkably different compared to the "current" Bubs). Despite being popular for his witty banter, good eyesight, and cheap prices, Original Bubs unceremoniously left the show after a spat with the King of Town.
King of Town: It's a proprietary technique I can't reveal!
Original Bubs: This is the first and last straw! I'm outta here, you amateurs! (walks off-set accompanied by faint, cartoony music, revealing his comically-small legs)
After a desperate attempt to conceal Original Bubs' absence with cardboard boxes and a toothpick sculpture, there were a series of "rotating guest Bubses", including Senor Cardgage, Crack Stuntman, and "fan-favorite Onion Bubs". They finally settled on the current Bubs, "and it's been down-hill ever since".
Of course, Bubs is not amused by Strong Bad's claims, and beats the snot out of Strong Bad until he admits that the current Bubs is the original Bubs.
Despite having his claims about Bubs disproven, Strong Bad does find the time to point out that at least one character has been replaced.
(New Paper attempts to come down, but it ends up going too far and falls out of the printer)
Strong Bad: Whoop! Ahh, when it comes to disappointin', you never disappoint.
Tropes:
- Accidental Misnaming: Homestar addresses Senor Cardgage as "Senator Cardgage" while the latter is acting as a replacement Bubs.
- Animated Actors: The only way an "original Bubs" could exist is if everyone in Homestar Runner is acting their parts.
- Comical Overreacting: Original Bubs decides that the King of Town eating the mayo off his egg salad is the first and last straw, and storms off the set.
- Continuity Nod:
- Crack Stuntman's delivery of the line "What can I get! For you fine gentlemen?" is a nod to "A Jumping Jack Contest", when Bubs says the same thing to Strong Mad and The Cheat.
- The concession stand's sign during the entire flashback is the "Concessions by Bubs" sign from that same era, modified to say "Original Bubs".
- Ensemble Dark Horse: In-Universe; People adored "Onion Bubs" despite the implication that he did absolutely nothing.
- Fake Memories: Even though Strong Bad eventually admits he made Original Bubs up, Homestar is seen sobbing over his departure to a confused Marzipan in an Easter Egg, claiming that "you can't make up eyesight that good!"
- Fake Shemp: Parodied. A series of scenes have Homestar claim that the now-gone Original Bubs is standing behind a series of cardboard boxes for random appliances.
- Fingerless Hands: Lampshaded when Bubs says "if I had thumbs, I'd be sticking them up my armpits right now!" He then proceeds to do that despite his lack of thumbs.
- Hypocritical Humor: Original Bubs calls his fellow cast members "amateurs" before walking away with awkward animation while amateurish music plays.
- Implausible Deniability: The last case of Original Bubs being a Fake Shemp supposedly has him behind a toothpick sculpture. Even Homestar seems confused by the idea.
- Implied Death Threat: After Strong Bad dismissively addresses him as "New Bubs", Bubs replies with "We're gonna need a new Strong Bad in about two seconds!"
- Impossible Thief: The King of Town managed to eat just the mayonnaise from Original Bubs' egg salad.
- Malaproper: Senor Cardgage dejectedly says "Oh, I should eat a pony..." as a mangled version of "I could eat a horse."
- No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Bubs punches the crap out of Strong Bad for claiming that he's not the original Bubs.
- The Other Darrin: The email revolves around Parodying the concept of replacement actors. Strong Bad claims that there have been "like twelve King of Towns", and that Bubs is merely the latest in a string of replacements for the Original Bubs, including fan-favorite Onion Bubs. An Easter Egg shows the graves of the King of Towns, one of which is Onion King of Town.
- Photoshop Filter of Evil: As Strong Bad describes the "bubbling pit of crude turmoil" that lead to Original Bubs leaving the show, it zooms in on Original Bubs as the image goes negative, then greyscale.
- Replacement Scrappy:
- Before Bubs' assault prompts Strong Bad to admit he was lying, he states the current Bubs was a random nobody with no experience, and that ever since he got the part, things have only gone downhill.
- Strong Bad cues up New Paper by asking it to disappoint him. Cue New Paper falling out of the printer once printed.
- Riddle for the Ages: The King of Town admits to eating the mayo off Original Bubs' egg salad, but as for the how just says "It's a proprietary technique I can't reveal!"
- Strange Minds Think Alike: Both Senor Cardgage and Crack Stuntman mutter to themselves "Oh, I should eat a pony..."
- Unreliable Narrator: Given how Bubs shows up at the end to beat up Strong Bad, it's pretty obvious he's lying about Original Bubs (or any Bubs other than the current) ever existing.
Marzipan: What's the matter, Homestar?
Homestar: I miss Original Bubs.
Marzipan: Homestar, Strong Bad made all that stuff up.
Homestar: You can't make up eyesight that good.
(Marzipan glares in annoyance)
Homestar: He could always see me... (sobs) from over there!
