Homer Simpson
Homer Simpson is a cartoon character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He first appeared, along with the other members of the Simpson family on The Tracey Ullman Show in the Simpson Short "Good Night". He is the father of Bart Simpson, Lisa Simpson, and Maggie Simpson. He is also the husband of Marge Simpson. He lives in the fictional town known as Springfield.
| The Simpsons character | |
|---|---|
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| Homer Jay Simpson | |
| Gender | Male |
| Job | Safety Inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant |
| Relatives | {{{relatives}}} |
| Voice actor | Dan Castellaneta |
| First appearance | |
| Ullman shorts | "Good Night" (1987) |
| The Simpsons | "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (1989) |
Characteristics
Homer is clumsy, fat and very lazy. He is also an alcoholic, and is not very intelligent. He works as a Safety Inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Homer is one of the most popular and famous fictional characters and is thought of as one of the greatest comedic animated characters of modern times.[1] Although Homer seems selfish, he does actually care for his family. In one episode he entered Lisa in a beauty contest so she could feel better about herself. He is often heard saying "D'oh!" which has become an often used word when things go wrong. He likes to drink Duff Beer and is often seen hanging out at Moe's Tavern with his best friends Carl Carlson, Lenny Leonard, and Barney Gumble.
Creation
Homer’s name derives from the Greek Homeros (Ὅμηρος). Homer is the name of the Greek poet who wrote the epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. Homer is named after Simpsons creator Matt Groening's own father. Matt Groening first drew the Simpson family in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. After he had decided not to do his "Life in Hell" cartoon series, he quickly sketched out his version of a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family, with Homer being named after his father.[2] Homer's middle initial "J," which was discovered to stand for "Jay",[3] was a "tribute" to Bullwinkle J. Moose from Rocky and Bullwinkle, a show Matt Groening loved as a child.[4] In a TV Guide poll, Homer was named as the second greatest cartoon character, behind Bugs Bunny.
Homer Simpson syndrome
A five-year study of more than 2,500 middle-aged people in France found a possible connection between weight and brain function, named as the "Homer Simpson syndrome".[5] Results from a word memory test showed that people with a BMI of 20 (considered to be a healthy level) remembered an average of 9 out of 16 words. Meanwhile, people with a BMI of 30 (inside the obese range) remembered an average of 7 out of 16 words.[5]
Homer Simpson Media
"I was trying to find something I was more comfortable with that had more power to it, so I had to drop the voice down. ... People will say to me, 'Boy, I'm glad they replaced the guy that was there that first season.' That was me!"—Dan Castellaneta
In 2000, Homer, along with the rest of the Simpson family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
References
- ↑ There's nobody like him... except you, me, everyone. The Sunday Times. July 8, 2007. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article2042236.ece. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
- ↑ Sadownick, Doug (February 26, 1991). Matt Groening. Advocate, Issue 571.
- ↑ The Simpsons "D'oh-in in the Wind" November 15, 1998
- ↑ "J is for Jay". BBC. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Obese people lose IQ through 'Homer Simpson effect'. Thisislondon. October 15, 2006. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23370854-details/Obese%20people%20lose%20IQ%20through%20'Homer%20Simpson%20effect'/article.do. Retrieved August 15, 2007.