The Simpsons attend the funeral of Homer’s “Las Vegas wife,” Amber Pai Gow Simpson. During the service Bart grows bored, and uses a laser pointer to draw a mustache and goatee on Reverend Lovejoy’s face. When Marge realizes what’s going on, she grabs the laser pointer away. As the memorial service drags on, Bart pulls out a paddle ball and starts hitting the ball as fast as he can. The rubber band snaps and the ball sails through the air, lodging in Lovejoy’s throat. Flanders performs the Heimlich maneuver on Lovejoy. When the ball dislodges it lands in Moe’s throat, then in the throat of a Blue Man Group member. The townspeople chide Marge, telling her that Bart is out of control. Homer and Marge bring Bart to a child psychiatrist, Dr. Brentano. He recommends that Bart take up playing drums, which will channel his energy and demand his concentration. Bart steps up to the drums, gives one a whack, and likes what he hears. He then plays a simple drum beat. From Bart’s point of view the drums and cymbals are all heads that resemble Homer. Later, as Bart “drums down” a street, he encounters Meg and Jack White of the White Stripes. An argument ensues, and the White Stripes “drum after” Bart… eventually falling off a broken bridge and landing in a trash barge. Bart returns home, where he happily plays the drums well into the night. Homer uses a white-noise machine in an attempt to drown out the sound, but no one in the house is able to get much sleep. Lisa offers to take Bart to a children’s be-bop brunch at Jazzy Goodtime’s. Bart and Lisa make their way to the jazz hall, where children jam onstage. As Lisa plays the sax, she notices some adult jazz musicians whispering and pointing in her direction. The musicians, Defonzo “Skinny” Palmer and Marcus “Marbles” Le Marquez, ask Lisa to sit in the audience while they jam with Bart. Lisa is crushed.

As Skinny and Marbles perform with Bart, Lisa, Marge, and Homer look on. A bitter Lisa wonders what would happen if she tried to be like Bart. She jumps on his skateboard, only to collide with a large pyramid of barbecue sauce. Lisa’s spirits plummet even further when Skinny and Marbles give Bart the nickname “Tic Tock.” Hoping to cheer Lisa, Marge suggests they head to the local pound and pick up a puppy. Lisa is elated. Lisa chooses an adorable sheepdog pup over a mangy mutt. That night Lisa experiences a dream, and the mangy mutt accuses Lisa of dooming him by choosing the puppy because of its cute looks. Lisa returns to the dog pound and rescues the mangy mutt… along with an old bulldog and a canary. As Lisa makes her way home, she rescues several other animals as well. She hides her new friends in the attic, and warns them not to make any noise. When Marge notices strange sounds coming from above, Lisa races back to the attic. Bart, Marbles, and Skinny insist they’re not “smoking reefer.” Suddenly a tiger cub jumps out of the shadows, and bites Bart’s arm.

At the hospital Dr. Hibbert tells Bart he’ll recover from his injury… but he’ll never be able to play the drums again. Marge helps Lisa find new homes for the animals in the attic. Chief Wiggum warns that unless the animals are gone by midnight the following day, they’ll be taken away by animal control and euthanized. Marbles and Skinny tell Bart they’ll stage a benefit concert to raise money so Bart can have an operation and play the drums once more. When Bart returns home, he tells Marge about the benefit. He feels sorry for Lisa when he finds out about the animals. Marge suggests that Bart do something nice for Lisa. On the night of the benefit concert, Bart announces that he’d like all of the money that was raised to be spent on the construction of the Lisa Simpson Home for Abandoned Animals. Lisa is thrilled.