It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Roomed One

It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Roomed One

Sandy runs for Mayor of Bikini Bottom against Mayor Johnny East.

Season: 5 Episode: 17

Total Episode Count: 97

'''Prod. no.''': 5ACX12

Featuring: Sandy Cheeks, Mayor Johnny East, SpongeBob, Squidward, Plankton

Also Appearing: Pearl, Patrick, Tom, Fred, Leiana Takanawa, Jason Voorhees, Steve, Helen, The Pope, Bob Bobber, Barbara Winsky, Evil Sea Monkey, Nort Goldman, Jenkins, Principal Shepherd, Dr. Forrest, Jimmy Smits, The Leigon of Doom, Angela, Nuriel Goldman, Nancy Fishly, Monroe Bobber, Jim Varney, Bob Grossbeard, The Screaming Black Dolphins, Ashley Ferl

Plot: The gang are vacation at Fred's cabin. While there, the gang goes swimming in Lake Bikini Bottom, but something in the water causes all their skin to fall out. They see that the Bikini Bottom Oil Refinery is dumping toxic waste into the lake. Sandy complains to Mayor Johnny East, who admits that he sanctioned the dumping in exchange for free oil. Outraged, Sandy decides to unseat Mayor East in the upcoming mayoral election.

Though clearly more intelligent than her opponet, Sandy's campaign falters as Mayor East proves more politically savvy than she is-while Sandy bores voters with detailed plans to improve the city, Mayor East garners support simply by advoiding answering questions and acting in a patronizing manner. Squidward, observing that "undecided voters are the biggest idiots in the country," advises Sandy to dumb down her campaign. She soon discovers that she can generate support merley by dropping controversial terms such as "Jesus" and terroists" in meaningless ways, and by answering questions about her policy plans only by saying "9/11." She wins the election, and continues to use fear tactics to raise funds for cleaning up the lake.

After the cleanup is completed, Sandy has cash remaining, and embezzles $600 to purchase a new purse. Later she is tempted by a $4,300 fur coat. Bob Grossbeard, the president of Bikini Bottom Oil, offers to buy it for Sandy if she will allow Bikini Bootm Oil to resume dumping into the lake. Sandy accepts the bribe and the waste flows again. As the lake is once again spoiled, causing deformities and normalization of Monroe Tucker, Sandy realizes how power has corupted her and resigns as mayor, telling East he can have his job back. Johnny East declares himself to be mayor again, despite the fact that, as one of the onlooker points out, there is no legal justification for him to do that and East,'s reinstatemant would require a snap election. East pulls a gun and shoots the objector, and a few other onlookers as well. Despite East's blatant act of assult with a deadly weapon and possible homicides, on one in Bikini Bottom defends themselves against him, attempts to restrain him, or question his moral judgement to be mayor.

Trivia

 * On FOX, when the gang family wearing white wigs and Plankton plays the piano, when he farts he is wearing underwear. On Nick@Nite and DVD, it's his bare buttocks.
 * At the beginning of the episode when the road shape like a p*n*s was cut on FOX, but not on Nick@Nite and DVD.

Rating
TV-14: DLSV

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