The World of Ross Perot: The Official "A Giant Sucking Sound" FanFic Thread

[Bookmark1995]

Hello everybody.

On July 9, 2019, Ross Perot died at the age 89 after a battle with leukemia. Like many people, I mourned the maverick President we came close to having, and returned to A Giant Sucking Sound thread to both pay my respects, and revisit the world we might have lived in had Perot tempered his paranoia.

The TL was one of my favorites for its rich worldbuilding and depiction of popular culture. After seeing the touching tribute left to the Texan billionaire, I realized there were a lot of holes left unfilled.

So, I've started a fanfic thread of A Giant Sucking Sound, with @MaskedPickle 's permission of course, to both explore other ideas in the era of Perot, as well as give other people a chance to come up with new ideas of their own. Whether it is geopolitics, culture, travel, cuisine, I would love to hear what you guys have to say about the Perot era.

If you wish to contribute your own take on this new world, please follow these rules.

1. Whatever you write must not contradict the canon that @MaskedPickle has created.

2. Make references to other user's contributions (this is more of a suggestion, but it adds a sense of realism and world building to the thread).

3. @MaskedPickle has the final say on what is in the thread.

Alright, let us begin, shall we.

 

[AdmiralMB]

My modest contribution

 

[Bookmark1995]

For my first post, I want to explore how The Simpsons would've treated the violent wave of far-right terrorism of the ITTL 1990s.


Blood and Laughter


Airdate: October 19, 1997 and October 26, 1997




Plot Summary: The second multi-part episode of the Simpsons. After Bart and Lisa discover an attempt to kill Krusty on set, they track down Sideshow Bob, thinking he might be the culprit. However, they soon learn that not all is as it seems.

Synopsis (Part 1)

Bart and Lisa watch a commercial advertising Krusty's Komedy Special, and lament that they can't go. Taking inspiration from Homer's treatment of Flanders, Bart scams Rod and Todd out of their allowances in order to buy tickets for him and Lisa to go. During Krusty's bicycle act, the stage collapses under him, breaking his leg and sending him to the hospital. After Bart and Lisa investigate, they discover that someone purposely damaged the stage in an attempt to kill Krusty. An old janitor named Edgar (James Woods) shows them a hammer he found, and find traces of red hair on it. They conclude that Sideshow Bob was the culprit.

Bob, being a typical suspect, is arrested and interrogated by the police. However, he has an alibi (writing letters to the New Yorker). They bring up the name of the janitor, which makes Sideshow Bob's eyes widen in realization.

Edgar goes to a secret basement underneath his workplace, where it is revealed he is a Neo-Nazi extremist. At the conclusion of the episode, he is planning another hit on a benefit show for Krusty, and stares happily at a box of dynamite.

Synopsis (Part 2)

Using Sideshow Bob's tip, the police raid Edgar's home, but find no trace of their plans. Sideshow Bob uses the distraction of Edgar to escape from prison. Bart and Lisa go to the benefit concert, where they discover Edgar setting up dynamite. Unfortunately, Bart and Lisa are apprehended by two of Edgar's cronies, who decides to keep them hostage. He publicly demands ransom from the city of Springfield, but secretly plans to kill Bart and Lisa and blow up the stadium, whether he gets his money or not.

Using a forklift, Homer is able to disable the bomb, and incapacitate two of Edgar's goons. Unfortunately, Edgar still manages to hold Bart at gunpoint. Before he shoots, however, an unseen sniper kills Edgar. The sniper is revealed to be Sideshow Bob, who proclaims, "No one can kill Bart Simpson but me!"

​

 

[Bookmark1995]

My modest contribution

-snip-

Every little bit helps.

 

[galileo-034]

Before he shoots, however, an unseen sniper kills Bart. The sniper is revealed to be Bart, who proclaims, "No one can kill Bart Simpson but me!"

So ... Bart kills himself from distance Time paradox? ^^
Didn't you mean Sideshow Bob?

Anyway one of the best episodes I never saw ^^

 

[Kerguelen]

Is it just me, or is James Woods voicing a Neo-Nazi a bit too on the nose?

 

[Bookmark1995]

So ... Bart kills himself from distance Time paradox? ^^
Didn't you mean Sideshow Bob?

Anyway one of the best episodes I never saw ^^

Yes. Will make the correction.

Is it just me, or is James Woods voicing a Neo-Nazi a bit too on the nose?

I based it off his OTL performance of Byron De La Beckwith, the white supremacist who assassinated Medgar Evers, in Ghosts of Mississippi.

The movie itself was pretty mediocre, but Woods' performance was as Beckwith was so good, he earned an Oscar nomination. He really did play the evil racist very well.

 

[galileo-034]

Also, I didn't get if you did actually mean to have Bart killed. I would have seen Sideshow Bob kill Edgar instead here.

 

[Bookmark1995]

Also, I didn't get if you did actually mean to have Bart killed. I would have seen Sideshow Bob kill Edgar instead here.

I meant for Sideshow Bob to kill Edgar. I imagine Bob would do it out of both disgust with white supremacy (as an intellectual, Bob might stare his nose down at racism) and out of some twisted pride: he wants Bart to die, but on HIS terms, not based off the whims of another enemy. I think deep down, Bob has a bit of respect for the kid who keeps outsmarting him.

 

[galileo-034]

It's the way I understood it, even though it's still written "an unseen sniper kills Bart".

 

[Bookmark1995]

It's the way I understood it, even though it's still written "an unseen sniper kills Bart".

Well, AT FIRST, the sniper is unseen. THEN, at the end of the episode, the sniper is revealed to be Sideshow Bob.

 

[Bookmark1995]

This is a reference to a similar contribution I made on a TL where Alan Keyes became President. I figured it would work here as well.


(Ross Perot and Lowell P. Weicker are sitting in an office, watching Homer's antics on the news)

Lowell P. Weicker (mortified): This guy is disgusting, revolting, utterly shameless...

Ross Perot: He's perfect!

Weicker: (confused) Perfect? Why do we want him?

Perot: Lowell, even though I've been in politics for five days, I know that the American people believe themselves to be great, but what they really want is a fat slob like them. Now get me Homer Simpson!



Homer At City Hall


Airdate: October 8, 1995




Plot Summary: Homer is recruited by the Freedom Party to run for mayor of Springfield.

Synopsis: Election season hits the city of Springfield. After Mayor Quimby's reputation tanks when it is revealed he was using firefighter uniforms in his sex parties, the Springfield Republican Party sees an opportunity, and recruit the Blue Haired Lawyer to run for mayor. Lisa laments how politics is often a battle between two evils.

At a county fair, Homer drunkenly drives a tractor into a barn, causing a rampage of escaping farm animals. Ross Perot witnesses this on TV, and believing that the American people want to vote for a drunken slob, sends Lowell Weicker (voiced by Himself) to recruit Homer to run for mayor.

Homer continues to act like a drunken boar in public, with his buffoonery seen as "refreshing acts of candor" by Kent Brockman and applauded by the public. Eventually Lisa convinces Homer to campaign on serious issues, like the environment. When he begins to get serious about issues, Mr. Burns tries to bribe Homer into backing down from environmental protection. Homer, thinking about his love for Lisa, angrily refuses.

Come election day, Homer wins in a landslide. However, both Quimby and the Blue-Haired Lawyer, (who decided to work under the table to defeat Homer) reveal that Homer never filled out the registration form, annulling the election, and handing the seat to Quimby.

Homer laments his idiocy, but Lisa happily points to the fact that, thanks to him, people are protesting environmental issues. Marge commends him for getting people interested in the issues.
​

 

[galileo-034]

Well, AT FIRST, the sniper is unseen. THEN, at the end of the episode, the sniper is revealed to be Sideshow Bob.

You misunderstands me, I got that very well.
It's just to tell you to correct the text since it's still mentionned Bart is killed by the sniper, not Edgar.

Before he shoots, however, an unseen sniper kills Bart.

 

[Bookmark1995]

You misunderstands me, I got that very well.
It's just to tell you to correct the text since it's still mentionned Bart is killed by the sniper, not Edgar.

Oh. Will make that correction.

 

[TehIrishSoap]

In the wake of the Nayoga Incident, in which the Japanese city was destroyed by a nuclear bomb and two million people were killed, the media went into overdrive.

Indeed, CNN noted that they were logging industry-best ratings the week of the crisis - even better than the Gulf War peak in 1991.

Ross Perot's address to the nation the night of the attack is ranked in the top 10 global television broadcasts, surpassed only by the final episode of The Simpsons, the finale of MASH and a handful of sporting events.

Coverage of the disaster and it's aftermath was omnipresent on news networks in the summer of 1995, with Robin Williams imploring people during promotion of Batman Forever on David Letterman to "go out and have fun!" in the wake of such an attack.

The film made nearly 450 million adjusted for inflation in 2019 - it seems the silly and campy 60s Batman throwback was just what the culture needed.

One of America's most beloved pop culture figures put out a special episode called "Discussing what happened in Japan"

"Japan is a wonderful country. Full of tolerant and respectful people, high-tech gadgets, fast trains and great food.
But you may be aware of the awful thing that happened there recently.
And I am here to tell you, it's okay if the news upsets you.
Talk to your parents, a guardian, a teacher or someone older about it.
Chances are, they're as upset about the whole thing as you are.
We all feel the same way about it, young or old.
In fact, speaking about how you feel is the best thing you can do.
It's no good having all your emotions all built up.
What happened in Nayoga was a horrible, unspeakable act, carried out by people who's names don't even deserve to be said out loud.
Love and care will beat hate and evil every time."
- Excerpt from Mr. Rogers' monologue post-Nayoga, broadcast on American television networks over the summer of 1995.

"Rock For Nayoga was a collaboration between the 'Big Four' of metal - Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth - in the wake of the Nayoga incident.
The concert took place at the Tokyo Racecourse in October of 1995 to raise funds for the Nayoga Disaster relief.
A VHS and later, a DVD and Blu-Ray of the performance were released, with all funds raised going towards the cause."
- Opening paragraph of "Rock For Nayoga" on Wikipedia

 

[Bookmark1995]

In the wake of the Nayoga Incident, in which the Japanese city was destroyed by a nuclear bomb and killing over two million people, the media went into overdrive.

-snip-

This is a really fascinating update about the effects of Nagoya on the world. In fact, it has inspired me to contribute something related to Nagoya on my own.

In the wake of the Nayoga Incident, in which the Japanese city was destroyed by a nuclear bomb and killing over two million people, the media went into overdrive.

Indeed, CNN noted that they were logging industry-best ratings the week of the crisis - even better than the Gulf War peak in 1991.

Ross Perot's address to the nation the night of the attack is ranked in the top 10 global television broadcasts, surpassed only by the final episode of The Simpsons, the finale of MASH and a handful of sporting events.

In your headcanon, when did the Simpsons end ITTL, and what was the series finale about?

 

[Bookmark1995]

There is one cartoon with a specific episode that will definitely be banned after the Nagoya attack.


Cartoonguide.com-The Internet Site for Cartoon Fans

Top 10 List of Banned Cartoon Episodes

#3: Captain Planet: If It's Doomsday, It Must Be Belfast

March 10, 2011

Captain Planet remains one of the most infamous cartoons of the 90s, being the quintessential example of a PSA disguised as a cartoon. The message being that if you don't recycle, a blue man will magically appear and kiss your ass. This can be explained due the cartoon being the brainchild of Ted Turner, who felt the need to atone for his plutocratic guilt with corporately funded propaganda.

But this episode gained infamy for another reason: the episode features Verminous Skumm, a rat-like humanoid who is an allegory for crime, planting nuclear weapons in international hot spots (Northern Ireland, Israel, and apartheid South Africa), and baiting participants of the conflict into detonating them in order to prove that human beings are naturally self-destructive.

The premise is admittedly interesting, but it is ruined by the bad writing and poor research Captain Planet is infamous for.

For obvious reasons, its depiction of nuclear terrorism led to it being banned on network television after the Nagoya Nuclear Attack. To date, the episode has not been rerun, nor has it appeared on DVD or video streaming. Ironically, it remains an underground hit in Belfast for its inaccurate depiction of the city, the conflict, and the Irish accents.

"Fenian Prods!"

 

[galileo-034]

Interestingly enough, since 2000 ITTL, we have seen 5 presidents, none of whom has been reelected. Actually, the only reelections of date have been Reagan in 1984 and Richards in 2000. It looks like we are settling into a pattern of one-termer presidents here.

 

[Bookmark1995]

Interestingly enough, since 2000 ITTL, we have seen 5 presidents, none of whom has been reelected. Actually, the only reelections of date have been Reagan in 1984 and Richards in 2000. It looks like we are settling into a pattern of one-termer presidents here.

And Ann Richards didn't even complete her second term. And her successors, Bob Kerrey, Donald Trump, and Nancy Pelosi didn't even serve full terms.

 

[LouisTheGreyFox]

I wonder how anime would look at the Nagoya getting destroyed, especially like Gundam and eventually Naruto (I mean it be interesting to see a similar thing in Naruto showing Konoha getting destroyed by a powerful blast similar to Pain, but combined with radiation).

Also I wonder how would anime would respond and depict terrorism that was running rampant in the US during the 90's especially Stormfront.