"Homie the Clown" is the fifteenth episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 12, 1995. The episode is one of Silverman's favorites and he was pleased to direct it, after enjoying Swartzwelder's script. Silverman felt he himself "brought a lot to the party on [this] one", and although "people didn't like [Swartzwelder's script] at the read-through", Silverman thought "the script was really funny, and I had an idea for the opening and presented it with a lot of circus music that inspired the music they used for it. It was great fun." He used it, along with "Three Men and a Comic Book", to help him when directing The Simpsons Movie.
Brad Bird also helped Silverman, particularly with Krusty's design. Silverman enhanced the lines under Krusty's eyes, and reshaped his beard line in order to make a clearer distinction between the two characters. Fox objected to the mafia buying ammunition from a Big 5 Sporting Goods until Mirkin pointed out that Big 5 sold ammunition.
Gary Russell and Gareth Roberts, the authors of the book I Can't Believe It's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide, stated the episode was "notable for its scenes of Homer on trying to emulate Krusty's mini-trike loop the loops".
Colin Jacobson of DVD Movie Guide said in a review of the sixth season DVD that the episode "offers a truly terrific show", and praised the "clever Close Encounters reference, and the ways that it ties together Krusty's mob connection with Homer", concluding "it's a real winner".
Mike Brantley of The Mobile Register named "Homie the Clown" the 48th greatest television episode of all-time. When The Simpsons began streaming on Disney+ in 2019, former Simpsons writer and executive producer Bill Oakley named this one of the best classic Simpsons episodes to watch on the service.