On a Simpson family outing to a carnival, Bart accidentally crashes Hitler's car, the fair's main attraction. To pay off the debt, Bart and Homer get jobs helping with the booths and exhibits. They befriend Cooter and Spud, a father-and-son carny team.

While manning Cooter and Spud's Ring Toss booth, Homer fails to recognize that he's bring asked for a bribe from Chief Wiggum. Wiggum shuts down the booth, and Cooter and Spud are left homeless. Feeling guilty, Homer lets them stay at the Simpson home. During dinner that evening, a grateful Spud offers the family tickets to a glass-bottom boat ride.

When the Simpsons return, they find the house's windows boarded up and the locks changed; Cooder and Spud have taken over their home. Chief Wiggum, still bitter over not receiving a bribe from Homer, refuses to help. Ultimately, Homer makes a bet with the carnies: If he can throw a hula hoop over the home's chimney, he can keep the house--if he misses, he'll sign the deed over to them. When Cooder and Spud step outside the house to watch Homer's attempt, the family rushes inside and shuts the door, locking the carnies out.