Homer finds himself rooming having Grady (voiced from the openly gay star Scott Thompson) and you can Julio, a few homosexual boys which befriend Homer and you can bring him in their community
The brand new 15th episode of New Simpsons‘ 8th seasons, “Homer’s Phobia”, was extreme for a number of causes, not least of which being it obtained each other an Emmy and you will an effective GLAAD Award. To start with pitched just since “Bart the brand new homo”, brand new event is written by Ron Hauge and you can transmit for the elizabeth aside and made television record.
New event looked the latest homosexual character away from John (spoken because of the John Oceans) and confronted the facts regarding homosexuals current international with a good slyness – and you may sense of humour – that was generally missing from other representations during the time, that happen to be have a tendency to approached which have caution, hopeless not to ever show something too homosexual.
However, getting certainly one of cinema’s queerest and more than subversive administrators and you will and come up with your the new sound off a pop people collectibles merchandiser was an effective masterstroke on show’s region. It one another welcome this new reveal to take part in some mind-effacement – Homer requires John if his listing range features camp well worth and you can John reacts, “Everything you here really does!” – also particular satire out of society’s anxiety about brand new naturally gay son.
The newest show’s speech out of John are extremely regular, along with new feedback registered to your occurrence, Oceans conveys their pleasure at the way the episode turned-out. Curiously, as the episode had been written new showrunners received a couple of full profiles from notes off Fox’s standards and you may strategies, where they would usually only discovered several sentences. For a long period this new network’s censors deemed this new program the incorrect to possess transmit – until eventually, brand new community had yet another president, the new censors, and you can complete acceptance into the occurrence to go to air.
Homer’s fruitless trip so you’re able to de–gay their guy, who is not actually homosexual before everything else, ’s the core of event, in that it suggests the extent that prejudice precipitates so you can an anxiety about the latest unfamiliar. Homer is so not aware that he will not actually realize John is homosexual until Marge affairs it to your, but when he finds out he or she is fearful for Bart’s sexuality because of the transfer. It’s only from the getting together with John that Homer discovers the guy doesn’t have anything in order to worry, a training and therefore however requires practise.
However, a whole lot more subversive than that is the method the newest occurrence rips off notions out-of manliness, and you will a particular Western sort of it. Homer taking Bart to help you a steel factory to demonstrate your what genuine boys feel like, just to have it getting a practically all-gay fling and this turns into a club called the Anvil shortly after quitting time (from the event reviews, Seas talks fondly from once in a club with that identity which was filled up with a myriad of intimate debauchery). When the search travel designed to create a guy away from Bart is actually upended by John, just who weaponises camp to help you defuse a risky condition, it is both clever and you can poignant.
The Simpsons‘ history of homosexual logo is a bit spottier outside on the episode, perhaps not minimum because most further effort fell away from show’s fantastic age. Quicker really-identified is actually “Simpson and you will Delilah”, the season a few occurrence in which Homer gets good bigshot within the advantage bush due to a serum hence regrows his locks. Homer uses an associate, Karl (voiced because of the Harvey Fierstein), whose determination so you’re able to Homer has never been fully said. However in acquisition to drive household a great pep cam in advance of Homer providing a speech, Karl exclaims, “My mom trained me not to hug a fool!” and you will kisses your.
Karl is supposed to reappear inside an after episode, “Three Gays of your own Condo”, but as Fierstein denied to help you reprise their part, he was changed because of the an effective likeness. The real difference in Homer’s behavior within occurrence in the place of “Homer’s Fear” was intelligently handled, his comfortability showing the newest shift inside attitudes toward homosexuality anywhere between 1997 and you will 2003.
New Simpsons‘ features always fell straight back for the a little archetypal identifiers during the so it value – Smithers loves Malibu Stacey, Smithers is excited of the Homer’s “It’s Pouring Boys” checklist traveling to your his car – however, because The brand new Simpsons is focused on portraying an universal idea out of American community
However, one to Grady kisses Homer try an even more dubious feature, and something that the let you know manage revisit in 2011 into the “Fiery Moe”, where Moe converts his tavern into a homosexual club and you can presents as the a homosexual child. Regarding the episode, Moe kisses Smithers and you will says, “Such as for instance Frisbee tennis, I’m glad I tried it immediately following.” Per occurrence is very We-kissed-a-girl-and-I-liked-it, because the new show into the senior years seemingly have frequently planned to deepen its roster from homosexual letters rather than a clear concept of just how to exercise meaningfully.
That a vintage episode such as “Homer’s Fear” remains once the incisive whilst really does speaks on the power away from The fresh new Simpsons given that television’s great equaliser.
A period sixteen episode, in which Homer becomes a minister to do homosexual marriage ceremonies and you will Marge grapples together with her aunt Patty’s coming-out, is actually a better instance of a second-date episode because of Marge’s effectiveness because an emotional point having the fresh reveal.
Smithers‘ character since the show’s most notable homosexual profile keeps afforded The latest Simpsons several of its most useful gags, features usually verbal to your top-notch the newest show’s composing that it was capable of making his infatuation which have Mr. Burns off comedy due to Mr. Burns‘ many years rather than the point that he is other man.
And while it has never constantly incorporated queer characters within this well – and you can definitely not given that generally because it is – you to a classic occurrence such as “Homer’s Fear” stays while the incisive whilst really does talks on the strength away from This new Simpsons because television’s great equaliser.