American musician and conservative political activist Ted Nugent made his second guest appearance on The Simpsons in this episode, which makes fun of his views on hunting and gun ownership.

During its original broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on January 8, 2012, "Politically Inept, with Homer Simpson" was watched by about 5.07 million people and received a 2.3 Nielsen rating.

Homer is invited to speak his mind on a popular cable news show called Head Butt, on which host Nash Castor and commentator Adriatica Vel Johnson argue that he will soon be forgotten.

However, Homer makes a convincing rant in which he tells the viewers that unlike television blowhards such as Nash and Adriatica, he speaks for the common man.

[1][2] American musician and conservative political activist Ted Nugent guest starred in the episode as himself, providing his voice for both speaking and singing parts.

[7] The episode features, among other things, Nugent throwing a dead elk onto the dinner table at the Simpsons' home, as well as using some of Bart's school friends as arrows for his bow.

[5] Nugent had previously made a minor cameo in the season nineteen episode "I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (2007).

[8] In that episode, his voice is heard in a phone call urging people to vote no on a proposition that would make crossbows illegal in public schools.

[1] In an article, Mediaite's James Crugnale commented that Homer's personality as he hosts his show is a reference to conservative political commentator Glenn Beck's "over-the-top persona", and wrote that "In a spot-on, cheeky parody of Beck, Homer ostentatiously sobs crocodile tears as he laments a high school in Nebraska replacing football with soccer as a team sport.

At one point in the episode, the character Ned Flanders comments that he supports Nugent "as long as he isn’t a Mormon", which is a reference to Mitt Romney.

"[12] Childs further mentioned that a follower of Homer holds a sign that references the Occupy movement, which he thought was "a token of the show’s desire to be an equal opportunity offender.

Steve Newton of The Georgia Straight called it "one of the funniest Simpsons I've seen in a while",[16] and David Crawford of Radio Times wrote that the satire "may not be subtle, but it is sharp and the jokes come tumbling one after another.

"[17] In an article about the episode, Mediaite's James Crugnale commented that "The Simpsons' writers have outdone themselves tonight, with this no-holds-barred parody of the over-the-top bloviating shenanigans of some cable news personalities.