Hilloween with John Paul Scotto - King of the Hill S02E04

It's Halloween in Arlen, and a local extremist is determined to cancel the holiday by using shady legal tactics and religious fear-mongering. Hank, in his ill-fitting childhood devil costume, vows to teach Bobby the true, wholesome meaning of Halloween. This episode pits Hank's traditional, simple sense of fun against the sinister, manipulative evangelism of Junie Harper (voiced by the legendary Sally Field). Rob & Ronnie, joined again by author and podcaster John Paul Scotto, dig into how the show perfectly captures the anxiety of a kid wanting to be good, the dangers of organized manipulation (especially toward Luanne), and the hopefulness found in the neighborhood banding together to defy a tyrannical curfew.

👹 Topics include:

• Hank's "Bad Boy" Side: Exploring Hank's unexpected rebellious streak through his love of Halloween, flashbacks to his childhood mischief (egging and TP-ing his own mother's house), and how that desire clashes with his role as Bobby's authority figure.
• First Appearances: Pinpointing the first time we see Principal Moss (who will eventually become a tragic, alcoholic figure) and Hank's mother, Tilly Hill.
• Real-Life Hell Houses: Discussing how Junie Harper's "Hallelujah House" exhibits (like the gorilla eating a baby doll to "prove" evolution is bad) were inspired by terrifyingly real, evangelical Christian-themed haunted houses.
• Peggy's Pep Talks: Analyzing Peggy's unexpected moment of clarity and fury when she finally gives Luanne the tough love she needs: "I will cast you out like yesterday's garbage!".
• Childhood Guilt & Manipulation: How Junie Harper and Luanne use Bobby's desire to be good against him, turning his guilt over vandalism into an opportunity for indoctrination, and Ronnie's own story of being recruited by a friend for a PlayStation.

Thanks to our buddy John Paul Scotto for joining us!

• Scotto's website: https://jpscotto.com/
• "Look at me Longer" by John Paul Scotto: https://www.thesunmagazine.org/articles/594-look-at-me-longer
• How I've Read Podcast: https://jpscotto.com/podcast/

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Yep is hosted by two longtime King of the Hill fans—native Texan Rob Couch and Adult Swim collaborator Ronnie Neeley. New episodes every other Monday.