Homer discovers Maggie's secret talent in whistling and tries to help her get famous. Marge becomes an interior decorator for Fat Tony.
Tropes:
- Artistic License – Ornithology: Toucans are depicted with cockatoo-like head feathers.
- Biting-the-Hand Humor: When a vulture is about to peck Grandpa, he says his blood is rotten because he watched Fox News.
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Fat Tony gives up on his plan to turn the old post office into a whorehouse when he learns a letter to his mother from the Pope was left there.
- Humor Dissonance: The audience on the Blow of Blows radio show laughs wildly at an advertising slogan.
- Former Child Star: In universe example; Homer sees a documentary about a former talented baby who became a juvenile delinquent after her time in the spotlight was over. It gives him second thoughts about letting Maggie get famous.
- Funny Background Event: As Marge talks to the other parents in the late pickup room she's just repainted, Martin Prince's mom retrieves him from a coat hook where he's been hung by his underwear.
- Imagine Spot: Homer imagines himself becoming famous by taking credit for Maggie's whistling.
- Interspecies Romance: After Homer, Marge, Maggie, and Bart all behave furtively at dinner, Lisa tells Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II that it seems everyone has a secret except the three of them. However, as she turns away, the two pets exchange a knowing look and smile before kissing each other.
- Noodle Incident: At the dinner table, Lisa realizes's she's the only member of the family not keeping a secret: Homer's hiding the A-plot (as is Maggie), Marge is hiding the B-plot, and Bart's involved in a scheme we don't see that requires Milhouse to keep a mountain lion secreted in his bedroom for four days.
- Shout-Out: Abe as a kid appeared in Your Blow of Blows, a pun on the early TV show Your Show of Shows, with Sid Wheezer being a pun on Sid Caesar. The show itself is a parody of the Original Amateur Hour.
- Take That!: Homer's fellow barflies tell him not to depend on his daughter's talent... like Ron Howard.
- Vaudeville Hook: Someone tries to pull Homer with one. Even a king-sized hook isn't enough.
- Vice President Who?: Homer imagines himself receiving a medal from the President while Maggie receives an envy medal from the Vice-President.
