The Burns and the Bees

Mark Cuban
Jeff Bezos
Marv Albert

"The Burns and the Bees" is the eighth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 7, 2008. In the episode, after winning the Austin Celtics in a game of poker, Mr. Burns builds a new stadium in Springfield in the place where Lisa has built a bee colony. Lisa's subplot refers to the current worldwide disappearance of bees.

The episode was written by Stephanie Gillis and directed by Mark Kirkland. It marks a second use of the Christmas-themed opening, first seen in "Kill Gil, Volumes I & II". Billionaires Mark Cuban and Jeff Bezos and sportscaster Marv Albert guest star as themselves. In its original airing, the episode garnered 6.19 million viewers. It received mixed reviews from television critics.

Mr. Burns attends the annual Billionaires' Retreat, where he wins the fictional Austin Celtics pro basketball team in a poker game against the Rich Texan. After witnessing the antics of Mark Cuban at a Dallas Mavericks game, Burns tries to win over Springfield basketball fans with his own antics. Burns fails miserably, and decides to build a luxurious sports arena. Meanwhile, Jimbo, Dolph, and Kearney dare Bart to prank the second graders by hitting a beehive with his slingshot. Lisa discovers, however, the bees that should be in the hive are dead. Willy explains the bees are dying all over Springfield by loss of habitat, thus contracting a fatal disease. Lisa seeks help from Homer (who at first was unwilling to save the bees until Lisa informs him that the bees make honey and, if they died, there will be no more honey) and Professor Frink who has an uninfected queen bee sting Lisa releasing pheromones which attracts many uninfected bees, which form a bee beard. After trying to keep the bees in the Simpson home, Lisa and Marge find an abandoned greenhouse for the bees to live in. However, the site of the greenhouse is exactly where Mr. Burns plans to construct his new arena.