Emily Benson
Homer Simpson
Script
Narrator: Among the many icons that fill the world today, Homer Simpson is without a doubt one of the
most unique. From his ridiculous statements
Video: I have misplaced my pants…
Narrator: To his quirky catchphrases,
Homer video: “D’oh! D’oh!
Narrator: Homer Simpson has taken the world by storm since his first appearance in history 24 years
ago on the Tracy Ullman Show. A popular Fox network program of the late 80’s and early 90’s that was
based on a mix of comedy sketches and musical numbers.
Tracey video: “Everybody, it’s time to go! Everybody’s getting ready for the show…”
Narrator: It was here that Homer Simpson, along with the other characters of the Simpson family, got
their start, as a small three minute cartoon sketch that appeared regularly on the show. The first
appearance Homer made was on their very first skecth of the Tracey Ullman show entitled “Good
Night.”
Good night Video: “Well, Good Night, Son.” “Uhh...dad?” “Yeah?” “What is the mind? Is it a system of
impulses or is it something tangible?” “Relax, what is mind, no matter. What is matter, never mind. Haha!”
Narrator: After appearing for three years on the Tracey Ullman show, the Simpsons were giving their
very own show on Fox network. It debuted December 17th 1987, and was entitled The Simpsons.
Video: “The Simpsons…”
Narrator: Homer, plainly put, is an overweight, lazy, ignorant goofball who’s always screwing up, or
eating some form of food. More often than not, doughnuts, or a made up brand of alcohol titled, Duff
beer. Homer loves spending time drinking Beer at his favorite place Moe’s Tavern, along with his friends
Barney, Lenny and Carl; other characters that were added to the Simpsons show. The job that Homer
has is nothing complicated; he’s a safety inspector at Springfield’s nuclear power plant, in sector 7G.
Matt Groening, creator of Homer and the Simpsons, says he gave Homer the job because he felt it
would be easy for him to wreak havoc this way. Homer is almost always seen as sleeping or fooling
around while at work, and hardly ever gets things done because he’s just so lazy. In some episodes, this
leads to problems in the plant because Homer is supposed to be monitoring it. Homers boss, Mr. Burns,
is a despicable, evil character that both enrages and scares Homer.
Mr. Burns: “Excellent.”
Narrator: But Homer doesn’t usually keep the same job for long. Homer’s known for getting new and
outrageous jobs on whim, from tow truck driver to astronaut. Overall, Homer’s had over 180 side jobs,
all of which at the end of the episode, he is either fired from or quits, and goes back to the nuclear
power plant. At home, Homer is often found lying on the couch, eating food and watching TV, and is
always forced to do house work by his wife, Marge Simpson. Homer’s almost always doing something
stupid or unexpected. All of the confidence he has helps him to go into a new hobby full force, whether
or not he can actually do the job. It’s always comical to watch how his stupidity can change a scene.
Homer in the gun scene: “Just give me my Gun!” “Sorry, the law requires a five day waiting period. We
got to run a background check.” “FIVE DAYS? But I’m mad now!”
Narrator: The creation around Homer Simpson is quite a story. Matt Groening drew the family in a rush
while in the lobby of producer James L. Brooks. Matt was called in to pitch a new idea for a sketch on
the Tracey Ullman show, and when his original suggestion revoked publication rights, Groening quickly
threw together a quick sketch of what he called, a dysfunctional family. Despite that Groening put no
more than an hour or so into the creation of Homer and the family, the characters still caught on
quickly, surprising even Groening himself.
Matt Groening: “You know…when you’re a cartoonist the reason you go into cartooning is
because…you’re a loser! You don’t fit in! You’re sitting in the back of class, and you’re bitter. So to have
things work out the way they did, it’s pretty sweet.”
Narrator: In the original drawing of Homer, his appearance was very crude; like they were just doodles
sketched randomly and looked rather basic. But why shouldn’t they? Groening had in fact doodled
Homer on a limb that day so long ago. Groening in fact gave his original basic sketches to the animators
assuming that they would clean up Homers look, when in fact they only traced over his appearance.
Homers appearance now is still somewhat of what it was all those years ago; the look Homer almost
always wears is a white collar t-shirt, jeans and gray shoes. In time of course, changes were made to
Homers look, like loss of hair, changes to the look of this beard line and even gain in weight…probably
due to his ever growing love of doughnuts.
Homer: “I’d sell my soul for a doughnut!”
Narrator: Other changes, like Homers voice, where made over the years as well. The voice behind
Homer Simpson, Dan Castellaneta, says that in the first season of the Simpson’s, his voice of Homer
sounded much different than the voice he uses for Homer now. In the start, Dan made Homer’s voice
very loose and dull, and sounded less comical.
Old Homer: “Mmm… chocolate…ohh double chocolates…new flavor, triple chocolate!!”
Narrator: Dan picked up on the dullness in Homer’s voice and changed it for the second season by
making it lower, allowing for a more humorous sense.
Homer: “Give me the bat, give me the bat, give me the batbatbatbooo! Ha-ha, scaredey cat. AA AHH!”
Narrator: In response to Homers voice changes, Dan was quoted saying:
Dan: "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!"
Narrator: As years go by more changes to Homers appearance may be made but the Homer Simpson we
all know and love is still the same. He’s still a goofball at heart, constantly trying new things and not
sticking to any main plan. And no matter what, Homers a family man at heart. He’ll always come
through for his wife or kids at the end of an episode, even if he means making fool of himself in the
process. A concept not at all new to a person like Homer Simpson. In fact, it was because of Homers
many mess ups, screw ups and idiotic ideas that helped lead to one of the greatest catchphrase of all
time:
Homer: “D’oh! D’oh! D’oh! ….”
Narrator: Homers catchphrase “D’oh” is uttered by him to himself when he gets injured, does
something stupid or realizes he’s messed up. The word itself is actually a break off from the saying that
Scottish actor, Jimmy Finlayson would say in his series of films.
Jimmy Finlayson: “D’oooh”
Narrator: Matt Groening felt that Homer normally wouldn’t say the word so drawn out, so Dan
shortened the saying to a quick, simple “D’oh!”
Homer: “The sum of the square roots of any two sides of an isoclines triangle is equal to the square
roots of the remaining sides!” “That’s a right triangle, you idiot!” “D’OH!!”
Narrator: In 2001, the word “D’oh was added to the Oxford English Dictionary, and to The Oxford
Dictionary of Quotations. In 2006, the quote was placed 6th on the list of TV Lands 100 greatest
television catchphrases, showing just how much Homer Simpson has made such an impact in today’s
society. There’s no one main part of Homer that explains what really makes him so lovable. From his
love for food to his addiction to alcohol
Homer: “To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.”
Narrator: To his crazy ideas and sayings,
Homer: “Lisa, honey, are you saying you’re never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?”
“No.” “Ham?” “No!” “Pork chops??” “Dad! Those all come from the same animal!” “Oh, yeah right Lisa.
A wonderful, magical animal.”
Narrator: Combined with his stupidity, laziness and explosive anger, Homer Simpson is one of the most
comical and influence carton characters on our time.
Works Cited:
Video works cited websites:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6GuEswXOXo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zVCN6SFFzg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irtsm7mLG5k&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yGJGTjV2WE
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/61247/detail/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5kewcC7uaw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zVCN6SFFzg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqMrU3LMUCA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW3JRXcuQ_A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTnb04DVhLQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ2UJIlMRnk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX1iplQQJTo
Information work cited websites:
http://www.snpp.com/other/articles/briefhistory.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homer_Simpson
http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_index.htm
http://www.thesimpsons.com/characters/home.htm
http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Homer_Simpson