Homer’s Phobia additionally the Simpsons’ homosexual heritage

Homer finds himself rooming having Grady (voiced by the openly gay actor Scott Thompson) and you may Julio, a couple of homosexual males whom befriend Homer and offer him in their community

The newest 15th episode of The fresh Simpsons’ 8th 12 months, “Homer’s Fear”, try tall for a number of grounds, not least from which getting that it claimed both an enthusiastic Emmy and you can good GLAAD Prize. Originally pitched merely once the “Bart new homo”, the newest episode is actually authored by Ron Hauge and broadcast from inside the elizabeth out making television background.

The new event searched this new homosexual character away from John (voiced from the John Seas) and faced the facts of homosexuals current internationally having good slyness – and you may sense of humour – that was normally absent from other representations at the time, that happen to be tend to contacted which have caution, eager not to ever let you know some thing as well homosexual.

But providing among cinema’s queerest and more than subversive administrators and you will to make your the fresh new voice away from a pop culture collectibles merchandiser try a beneficial masterstroke to the show’s area. They one another desired the brand new inform you to engage in particular care about-effacement – Homer asks John in the event that his list range has camp worthy of and John reacts, “What you right here does!” – as well as particular satire of society’s concern about brand new obviously homosexual man.

The brand new show’s speech of John are extremely regular, along with the new responses submitted towards event, Waters expresses his satisfaction from the how the episode proved. Curiously, since episode had been composed the fresh new showrunners acquired one or two complete profiles away from notes of Fox’s standards and you may methods, in which they will usually simply discovered two phrases. For a long time the latest network’s censors considered brand new program unsuitable to have broadcast – up to eventually, the brand new network got yet another president, new censors, and you can complete recognition with the event to see air.

Homer’s fruitless quest so you can de-gay his kid, who’s not also homosexual to start with, is the crux of episode, because they reveals the the amount that bias boils down to help you a concern about the new unknown. Homer is so oblivious which he cannot actually understand John are homosexual until Marge circumstances it out to help you your, but once the guy finds out he or she is fearful getting Bart’s sex by transfer. It’s only by getting together with John one to Homer discovers the guy doesn’t have anything so you’re able to fear, a training and this nonetheless need practise.

But a whole lot more subversive than just that is the means this new occurrence tears off impression from manliness, and a specific American form of they. Homer getting Bart to help you a material mill to demonstrate him what genuine men appear to be, simply to have it getting an almost all-homosexual fling and therefore can become a bar known as Anvil just after quitting date (from the occurrence commentary, Waters conversations fondly out of shortly after in a bar with this name which was filled with all types of intimate debauchery). In the event that query trip made to make a guy away from Bart was upended from the John, just who weaponises go camping in order to defuse a dangerous disease, it is one another smart and you can poignant.

The latest Simpsons’ reputation for homosexual icon is a little spottier additional from the episode, perhaps not least since most after that effort dropped outside the show’s wonderful years. Faster better-understood was “Simpson and you may Delilah”, the season a few episode in which Homer gets an excellent bigshot during the the advantage plant on account of a serum hence regrows his locks. Homer uses an assistant, Karl (voiced because of the Harvey Fierstein), whoever dedication in order to Homer is never completely said. In acquisition to push family a beneficial pep talk prior to Homer providing a demonstration, Karl exclaims, “My personal mother instructed me personally to not ever hug a fool!” and kisses your.

Karl try meant to reappear inside the an after occurrence, “Three Gays of your Condominium”, but since the Fierstein denied in order to reprise their part, he had been replaced because of the an effective likeness. The real difference inside the Homer’s actions contained in this episode in the place of “Homer’s Fear” try wisely addressed, their comfortability showing the fresh new change inside the thinking into homosexuality between 1997 and you may 2003.

This new Simpsons’ possess constantly dropped right back into some archetypal identifiers during the which admiration – Smithers enjoys Malibu Stacey, Smithers try thrilled by Homer’s “It’s Pouring Guys” listing traveling on his auto – but only because The fresh new Simpsons is mostly about depicting a simple idea of Western community

But one Grady kisses Homer are a more questionable feature, and something which the inform you create review last year when you look at the “Fiery Moe”, in which Moe turns their tavern into a homosexual club and you can poses while the a gay guy. Throughout the event, Moe kisses Smithers and you may states, “Such as for example Frisbee tennis, I’m happy I attempted they just after.” For each event is quite We-kissed-a-girl-and-I-liked-they, for the reason that the fresh show during the later years seems to have appear to wished to deepen its roster out of homosexual emails in the place of a clear thought of ideas on how to get it done meaningfully.

You to an old event such as for instance “Homer’s Fear” remains as incisive whilst does speaks to your fuel regarding Brand new Simpsons while the television’s higher equaliser.

A month 16 episode, in which Homer becomes good minister to perform homosexual marriage ceremonies and you may Marge grapples along with her sibling Patty’s coming-out, are a better exemplory instance of a second-go out occurrence on account of Marge’s potency since a difficult anchor having the latest show.

Smithers’ character due to the fact show’s most noticeable homosexual reputation have afforded The brand new Simpsons a number of its top gags, features usually verbal towards the top-notch the brand new show’s writing that it was able to make his infatuation that have Mr. Injury comedy on account of Mr. Burns’ many years and not the truth that he’s various other boy.

And even though they have not constantly included queer emails in this well – and you can definitely not as broadly since it is to – one to an old episode for example “Homer’s Fear” stays once the incisive since it really does talks on the energy from The newest Simpsons as television’s higher equaliser.