After one of Bart's stunts detaches the family dryer and ignites the gas main, the Simpsons are left with a $900 bill from the Springfield Gas Company. They try to sell an old family heirloom at a collectibles store to pay for it, but they find out that the heirloom is actualll a liquor bottle. Noetheless, the family strikes up a relationship with John, the store owner.

The Simpsons invite John over to assess their other belongings and Homer takes a liking to him. However, when Marge informs him that John is gay, Homer refuses to see John again. Soon afterwords, Homer notices changes in Bart's behavior and fears that John is influencing his son.

Homer embarks on a campaign to make Bart more "manly." Following a trip to a gay steel mill, Homer, Moe, Barney, and Bart leave on a hunting trip, and find themselves at a reindeer pen at a Christmas theme park. The men urge Bart to kill a reindeer, but he refuses. Suddenly the herd gets aggressive and surrounds the group. Just as the reindeer attack Homer, John arrives with a remote-controlled Santa, which neutralizes the herd. Homer thanks John for saving his life.