[s13e15] Blame It On — Lisa

Homer is kidnapped by an unlicensed taxi driver and held for a $50,000 ransom in the Amazon rainforest.

" Blame It on Lisa " (Season 13, Episode 15) is one of the most infamous "vacation" episodes of The Simpsons , best known for sparking a high-profile diplomatic row between the show's producers and the Brazilian government.

The episode lean heavily on tropes, depicting Rio as a jungle overrun by monkeys, colorful rats, and rampant crime. [S13E15] Blame it on Lisa

Lisa discovers Ronaldo has become a famous star on a suggestive children's TV show called Teleboobies . Ronaldo uses his earnings to pay Homer's ransom, and the family is reunited—though Bart is swallowed by an anaconda as they depart. Major Themes and Satire

The story begins when the Simpson family receives a $400 phone bill for calls to Brazil. Lisa confesses she made the calls to find Ronaldo, an orphan boy she has been sponsoring who has gone missing. The family travels to Rio de Janeiro to search for him, leading to several plot-driven mishaps: Homer is kidnapped by an unlicensed taxi driver

The episode's portrayal of Rio de Janeiro caused immediate backlash upon its 2002 airing:

Homer is seen wearing a T-shirt featuring Uncle Sam devouring the Earth with the slogan "Try and Stop Us," mocking American oblivious to foreign perspectives. The Brazilian Controversy Lisa discovers Ronaldo has become a famous star

The Simpsons explore Rio's slums and orphanages without success.