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 As The Simpsons enters its 20th season, David Knox looks back at two decades of queer Springfield.
As any clear-thinking person knows, if you want to take a photo snapshot of the world’s pop culture look no further than The Simpsons. For twenty years it has referenced – indeed elevated – every celebrity, movie, fad, trend, political movement, fashion accessory, technological device and mass media movement worth its salt.
Never one to follow the pack, the writers have always embraced gay jokes, queer characters and diversity. Given its predominantly youthful audience, this is a major television achievement.
In only its second season Homer employed Karl (Harvey Fierstein) as his personal assistant when he got promoted to an executive. Despite never clarifying his sexuality Karl was seen to give Homer a slap on the butt and a quick peck. At the time a nervous Ten cut the kiss. Everyone forgot Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny had done the same years before.
Waylon Smithers, who initially started life as an African-American, is now a running gag as the closeted man who never admits to being gay or allowed any sex life. Smithers’ lifestyle was initially peppered with flamboyant references: swooning over Burns, collecting Malibu Stacey dolls, holidaying in male-only resorts. Seemingly a play-thing for the writers, the gags nevertheless hit a chord with fans that allowed producers to celebrate his identity. Now he isn’t merely gay, he’s “Burns-asexual”.
Other relationships have toyed with male friendships. Workmates Lenny and Carl (is there something in the water of that nuclear power plant?) bicker like a married couple: “Remember when we used to kiss like that, Carl ... with our respective girlfriends?”
Bart and Milhouse (whose school file notes ‘flamboyant homosexual tendencies’) make occasionally dubious references: “The other day I was a little attracted to Milhouse,” admits Bart. Once, he even had a mystery date, with a Milhouse lookalike.
The coming-out episode for Patty created headlines around the world, matched only by the stunts of ‘Who Shot Mr Burns?’ and the demise of a regular character (Maude Flanders). In ‘There’s Something About Patty’ (Season 16) she became the first openly-gay regular, and very possibly TV’s first animated lesbian. Married by newly-ordained civil servant Homer, Patty wed Veronica, who alas turned out to be a man dressed as a woman. Despite the bittersweet ending, GLAAD called its visibility a “ray of light”.
Grampa Simpson has also been known to toss on a frock declaring, “Oh, they had designers then!” In one of his memory flashbacks he tells feuding Wild West cowboys that, “Boys, boys, you can both have me!” He’s even presided over the Gay & Lesbian Alliance.
We’ve also spied several gay establishments including Victor/Victoria’s, Armistead Mopeds and Much Ado About Muffins. Moe’s Tavern was once called Meaux Tavern and there was that She-She lesbian bar – with no fire exit!
A number of gay icons have also been referenced either as guest stars (Elton John, David Hyde Pierce, George Takei) or as background music (Village People, Pet Shop Boys, Kylie Minogue). And who can forget Kent Brockman’s ‘List of Gay People’?
But it’s Homer himself who has blazed the biggest trail with countless flag-waving one-liners across the life of the series.
His most famous diversion was in ‘Homer’s Phobia’ (Season 8). Guest John Waters spent the episode educating Homie on being ‘queer’. Homer: “I resent you people using that word. That’s our word for making fun of you! We need it!”
Later, they visited a steel mill, packed with muscle-bound workers who “work hard and play hard”. Cue ‘Everybody Dance Now’ by C&C Music Factory. By episode’s end, an enlightened Homer drove off into the sunset with an end credit dedication to the steelworkers of America, reading “Keep reaching for that rainbow!”
Then there was ‘Three Gays of the Condo’ (Season 14) when Homer roomed with two men in South Street Squidport, Springfield’s gay district. Thirteen years later Ten now had no issue screening a mouth-on-mouth pash. Homer: “That is the best kiss I’ve had tonight.” Homer’s brain: “Or was it?”
In true Simpsons style, a barrage of blink-and-you-miss-them gags dot many scripts. Springfield has seen Gay Pride Marches with floats including ‘Lesbians of the Caribbean’, ‘Gay Dog Alliance’ and ‘A Salute to Brunch’. Homer is ‘still gay for you, Brad (Pitt)!’ He once shared his six-word motto, “I’m not gay but I’ll learn.” And gay people even, according to Homer, “invented the glory hole”.
Not even South Park can boast the track record or sheer good spirit of The Simpsons’ gay humour. Instead it seeks to shock-and-awe. But Springfield demonstrates it is far more relaxed and carefree about homosexuality. It would be a nice place for Snagglepuss, Huckleberry Hound and Astro Boy to retire.
As Marge once said, “As long as two people love each other, I don’t think God cares whether they both have the same hoo-hoo or ha-ha.”
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Homer-sexual
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