Homer Jay Simpson is the mainprotagonist of the American animated television seriesThe Simpsons. Part of thetitular family, Homer made his television debut in theshort "Good Night" onThe Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987. CartoonistMatt Groening crafted and designed Homer while waiting in the lobby ofJames L. Brooks's office. Initially called to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic stripLife in Hell, Groening instead developed a new set of characters. After two years onThe Tracey Ullman Show, the Simpson familyreceived their own series, which premiered onFox on December 17, 1989.
Homer is the patriarch of the family; he is married toMarge, with whom he has three children,Bart,Lisa, andMaggie. As the family's primary provider, Homer primarily works as a safety inspector at theSpringfield Nuclear Power Plant. He represents numerousAmerican working-class stereotypes: he is overweight, balding, immature, unintelligent, outspoken, aggressive, lazy, ignorant, unprofessional, and deeply fond of beer, junk food, and television. Despite these flaws, Homer is fundamentally a kind-hearted man and fiercely protective of his family, particularly during crucial moments.
In the short films and early episodes ofThe Simpsons,Dan Castellaneta voiced Homer with a loose impression ofWalter Matthau. However, starting with thesecond season of the full-length series, Homer's voice transformed into a stronger tone to effectively express a wider range of emotions. Homer has also been featured in various Simpsons-related media, such asvideo games,The Simpsons Movie (2007),The Simpsons Ride, commercials, andcomic books, and has sparked a wide array of merchandise. His iconic catchphrase, the annoyed grunt "D'oh!", has been recognized in linguistics, appearing inThe New Oxford Dictionary of English since 1998 and theOxford English Dictionary since 2001.
Homer is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential television characters of all time and is widely recognized as an Americancultural icon. In 2007,Entertainment Weekly ranked Homer ninth on their list of the "50 Greatest TV Icons," and in 2010, placed him first on their list of the "Top 100 Characters of the Past Twenty Years".The Sunday Times referred to him as "the greatest comic creation of [modern] time",[1] whileTV Guide, in 2002, referred to him as the second-greatest cartoon character (afterBugs Bunny). Castellaneta has received fourPrimetime Emmy Awards forOutstanding Voice-Over Performance, along with a special-achievementAnnie Award. In 2000, Homer and the family were honored with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.
Role inThe Simpsons
Homer Jay Simpson[2] is the bumbling husband ofMarge and the father ofBart,Lisa, andMaggie Simpson.[3][4] He is the son ofMona andAbraham "Grampa" Simpson.[5][6] Over the first 400 episodes ofThe Simpsons, Homer held over 188 different jobs.[7] His primary role is as a nuclear safety inspector at theSpringfield Nuclear Power Plant in Sector 7-G.[8] This position, which he is unqualified for,[9][10] often sees him neglecting his duties or falling asleep on the job.[11][12] His boss,Mr. Burns, frequently ignores or forgets his existence.[13] CreatorMatt Groening chose the nuclear plant as Homer's workplace to provide opportunities for comedic chaos.[14] Although Homer's numerous other jobs each last only one episode, earlier seasons often explained how he was fired from the plant and rehired. In later episodes, these transitions became more impulsive, with his side ventures occurring without reference to his regular employment.[15]
The Simpsons employs afloating timeline, where characters either do not age or age minimally. Therefore, the show is always assumed to be set in the currentyear.[16][17] Despite the show's flexible timeline, several episodes link events in Homer's life to specific time periods.[18] In "Mother Simpson" (season seven, 1995), Homer's mother, Mona, is portrayed as a radical who went into hiding in 1969 after a run-in with the law.[19] "The Way We Was" (season two, 1991) depicts Homer falling in love with Marge as a senior at Springfield High School in 1974.[20] Similarly, "I Married Marge" (season three, 1991) implies that Marge became pregnant with Bart in 1980.[21] However, "That '90s Show" (season 19, 2008) contradicts these events, depicting Homer and Marge as a twentysomething, childless couple in the early 1990s.[22] This inconsistency deepens in "Do Pizza Bots Dream of Electric Guitars" (season 32, 2021), which reimagines Homer's adolescence as occurring in the 1990s.[23] ShowrunnerMatt Selman has addressed these contradictions, stating that no version is "official continuity" and that "they all kind of happened in their imaginary world", allowing viewers to choose the version they prefer.[24]
Homer's age has fluctuated throughoutThe Simpsons due to its floating timeline. In the early episodes, he was thirty-four, increasing to thirty-six in season four, thirty-eight and thirty-nine in season eight, and forty by season eighteen, though these ages are inconsistent even within those seasons.[25] In the episode "Duffless" (season four, 1993), Homer's driver's license lists his birthdate as May 12, 1956, making him 36 at the time.[26] DuringBill Oakley andJosh Weinstein's tenure as showrunners, they aged Homer to thirty-eight, reflecting their own aging and perception of the character.[25] According to theepisode guidesThe Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family (1997) andSimpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 (2010), both authored by Groening, Homer's official age is 36.[27][28] Homer stands 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and weighs between 239 and 260 lbs (108–120 kg).[27][28]
Character
Creation
Matt Groening (pictured in 2009) conceived Homer in 1987.
Matt Groening first conceived Homer and the rest of theSimpson family in 1987 while waiting in the lobby of producerJames L. Brooks's office.[29][30] Groening was invited to pitch a series of animated shorts forThe Tracey Ullman Show and initially planned to adapt his comic strip,Life in Hell. Upon realizing that adapting the strip would require him to relinquishpublication rights, he quickly decided to create something new.[31] Groening hastily sketched a concept for adysfunctional family,[32][33] naming the characters after members of his own family.[34][35] Groening named Homer afterhis father, who himself had been named afterthe ancient Greek poet.[36][37][38] Very little of Homer's character was inspired by Groening's father, and to emphasize that the significance of the name was minimal, Groening later named his own son Homer.[39][40] Groening explained, "Homer originated with my goal to both amuse my real father, and just annoy him a little bit. My father was an athletic, creative, intelligent filmmaker and writer, and the only thing he had in common with Homer was a love of donuts".[41][42] On the podcastWTF with Marc Maron, Groening stated in 2025 that the original inspiration for Homer Simpson came from the 1982PBS documentary seriesMiddletown about the city ofMuncie, Indiana, which contains an episode featuring aShakey's Pizza franchise manager who employed his own kids to make ends meet.[43]
While Groening has often mentioned that Homer was named after his father, he has also stated in some interviews that the character Homer Simpson fromNathanael West's 1939 novelThe Day of the Locust andits 1975 film adaptation was an inspiration.[44][45] In a 2012 interview with theSmithsonian Magazine, Groening clarified, "I took that name from a minor character in the novelThe Day of the Locust[...] Since Homer was my father's name, and I thought Simpson was a funny name in that it had the word "simp" in it, which is short for "simpleton"—I just went with it".[46] Homer's middle initial "J", which stands for "Jay",[47][48] is a nod to animated characters likeBullwinkle J. Moose andRocket J. Squirrel fromThe Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, whose middle initial was a tribute to series creatorJay Ward.[49][50] Homer first appeared alongside the Simpson family on April 19, 1987, inThe Tracey Ullman Showshort "Good Night".[51][52] On December 17, 1989, these shorts were developed intoThe Simpsons, a half-hour series on theFox Broadcasting Company,[53][54] where Homer and the Simpson family became the central characters.[55]
Design
Homer's design has been revised several times over the course of the series. Left to right: Homer as he appeared in "Good Night" (1987), "Bathtime" (1989), and "There's No Disgrace Like Home" (1990).
Homer's typical attire includes a short-sleeved white shirt with an open collar, blue pants, and gray shoes. He is overweight and bald, with a fringe of hair around the sides and back of his head and two curly strands on top.
The Simpson family was designed to be easily recognizable in silhouette.[56][57] The characters were initially crudely drawn because Groening submitted rough sketches to the animators, expecting them to refine the designs; instead, the animators simply traced over his original drawings.[58] Homer's appearance has been noted for its resemblance—intentional or not—to the cartoon characterAdamsson, created by Swedish cartoonistOscar Jacobsson in 1920.[59] When Groening originally designed Homer, he incorporated his initials into the character's features: thehairline resembled an "M", and the right ear resembled a "G". While this design was eventually modified to make the ear appear more natural, Groening continues to draw it as a "G" in sketches for fans.[60] DirectorMark Kirkland has described Homer's head shape as resembling a tube-shaped coffee can topped with a salad bowl.[61]
DuringThe Simpsons shorts, animators experimented with Homer's mouth movements, at one point allowing his mouth to stretch beyond his beard line. However, this approach was abandoned when it became overly exaggerated.[62] In early episodes, Homer's hair was more rounded to suggest a disheveled look, but it evolved into the consistently pointed style seen today. During the first three seasons, close-up shots of Homer occasionally included small lines meant to represent eyebrows. Groening disliked this detail, and the lines were eventually removed.[63]
In theseason seven (1995) episode "Treehouse of Horror VI", Bart, alongside Homer, was rendered as a three-dimensional character for the first time in the "Homer3" segment of the episode. The computer animation was provided byPacific Data Images. In the final minute of the segment, the three-dimensional Homer transitions into a live-action setting, finding himself in real-world Los Angeles. Directed byDavid Mirkin, this marked the first instance of a Simpsons character appearing in the real world within the series.[64] In "Lisa's Wedding" (season six, 1995), which is set fifteen years in the future, Homer's design was modified to reflect his older age. Changes included increased weight, the removal of one hair from the top of his head, and the addition of an extra line under his eye. This older design has since been used in subsequentflashforward episodes.[65]
Castellaneta, a regular cast member onThe Tracey Ullman Show, had prior experience in voice-over work, which he had done in Chicago alongside his wife,Deb Lacusta. When voices were needed forThe Simpsons shorts, the producers chose Castellaneta and fellow cast memberJulie Kavner to voice Homer and Marge, respectively, opting not to hire additional actors.[74][75] In the shorts and the first season of the half-hour series, Homer's voice differed noticeably from its later incarnation. Initially, it was modeled as a loose impression ofWalter Matthau but Castellaneta found it challenging to maintain the Matthau-inspired tone during the nine- to ten-hour recording sessions and sought a more sustainable approach.[75][7] By the second and third seasons, Castellaneta had "dropped the voice down" and developed it into a more versatile and humorous style, enabling Homer to express a broader range of emotions.[74][76]
Castellaneta's natural speaking voice bears no resemblance to Homer's.[77] To create Homer's voice, Castellaneta lowers his chin to his chest and adopts what he describes as a state of "letting his I.Q. go".[75][78] This method has even led to ad-libs, including the famous "S-M-R-T; I mean, S-M-A-R-T!" line from "Homer Goes to College" (season five, 1993), which stemmed from a genuine recording mistake.[79] Castellaneta prefers to stay in character during recording sessions and visualizes scenes to deliver the appropriate vocal performance.[80][81] Despite Homer's widespread fame, Castellaneta says he is rarely recognized in public—unless by an especially dedicated fan.[80] In "Homer's Barbershop Quartet" (season five, 1993), Homer's voice was partially performed by someone other than Castellaneta. The episode follows Homer forming a barbershop quartet called the Be Sharps, with his singing voice provided at times by a member ofthe Dapper Dans.[82] The Dapper Dans recorded the singing parts for all four members of the group, blending their vocals with the regular voice actors. Often, a primary voice actor sang the melody while the Dapper Dans provided harmonic backup.[83]
Castellaneta was initially paidUS$30,000 per episode for his work onThe Simpsons until 1998.[84][85] That year, a pay dispute arose, during which Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors and even began preparing for new casting.[86][87] The conflict was ultimately resolved, and Castellaneta's salary increased to $125,000 per episode.[88][89] In 2004, the voice cast pushed for higher wages, seeking $360,000 per episode.[90][85] After a brief argument, the dispute was settled, and Castellaneta's pay was raised to $250,000 per episode.[91][92] In 2008, further negotiations increased the cast's salaries to approximately $400,000 per episode.[93][94] However, in 2011, Fox demanded production cost reductions, threatening to cancel the series if costs were not cut. In response, Castellaneta and the other main cast members agreed to a 30percent pay reduction, lowering their per-episode earnings to just over $300,000.[95] According toBackstage, he was the sixth highest-paid voice actor by late 2024.[96]
Character development
Executive producerAl Jean observes that inThe Simpsons writers' room, "everyone loves writing for Homer", with many of his antics inspired by the writers' own experiences.[97] In the show's early seasons, Bart was the main character, but by thefourth season, Homer took on a more prominent role. Groening explained this shift: "With Homer, there's just a wider range of jokes you can do. And there are far more drastic consequences to Homer's stupidity. There's only so far you can go with a juvenile delinquent. We wanted Bart to do anything up to the point of him being tried in court an adult. But Homer is an adult, and his boneheaded-ness is funnier. [...] Homer is launching himself headfirst into every single impulsive thought that occurs to him".[98]
Some argued that underMike Scully's (pictured) tenure asexecutive producer, Homer exhibited a more aggressive "jerkass" attitude.
Homer's character has evolved significantly over the course ofThe Simpsons. Initially, he was portrayed as "very angry" and domineering toward Bart, but these traits were softened as his personality was developed further.[99] In the early seasons, Homer often worried that his family might embarrass him, but in later episodes, he became less concerned with others' opinions.[100] During the show's first years, Homer was depicted as dim-witted yet well-meaning. As noted by Jon Bonné ofToday, somewhere around the seventh season, his behavior shifted toward being a "boorish, self-aggrandizing oaf".[101] Chris Suellentrop ofSlate observed, "UnderMike Scully's tenure [asexecutive producer],The Simpsons became, well, a cartoon.[...] Episodes that once would have ended withHomer and Marge bicycling into the sunset now end withHomer blowing a tranquilizer dart into Marge's neck".[102] Fans have labeled this version of the character as "Jerkass Homer".[103][104] At recording sessions, Castellaneta has occasionally rejected lines from the script that he felt made Homer too cruel. He believes Homer is "boorish and unthinking, but he'd never be mean on purpose".[1] WhenThe Simpsons Movie (2007) was being edited, several scenes were adjusted to make Homer more sympathetic.[105]
Over the years, the writers have portrayed Homer with increasingly declining intelligence.[106][107] They explain this was not done intentionally but became necessary to surpass earlier jokes. For instance, in "When You Dish Upon a Star" (season 10, 1998), Homer admits he cannot read. Although this contradicts earlier scenes where Homer is shown reading, the writers decided to keep the gag because they found it funny. The team often debates how far to take Homer's stupidity, with one suggested guideline being that "he can never forget his own name".[108]
Personality
The comedic appeal of Homer's character stems from his frequent displays of bumbling stupidity, laziness, and explosive temper. With a low intelligence level, directorDavid Silverman has described him as "creatively brilliant in his stupidity". Homer is characterized by his immense apathy towards work, overweight body, love for food, and shortattention span.[109] He frequently spends his evenings drinking Duff Beer atMoe's Tavern and, as depicted in the episode "Duffless" (season four, 1993), has exhibited signs of full-blown alcoholism.[110][111][112] A recurring gag throughout the series involves Homer impulsively strangling Bart whenever he aggravates him, often accompanied by his catchphrase, "Why you little—!".[113][114] According to series creator Groening, Homer's strangling of Bart was never meant to be premeditated, as that would make it seem sadistic. Instead, it was made that Homer acts purely on impulse, easily switching from anger to indifference.[98][115] Groening initially considered making Homer always receive a punishment or having Bart retaliate, but this was discarded.[109] In the episode "McMansion & Wife" (season 35, 2023), Homer states that he no longer strangles Bart, citing changing times. However, the show's executive producers later clarified that Homer still strangles Bart, humorously noting, "Homer Simpson was unavailable for comment as he was busy strangling Bart".[116][117]
The first sketch of Homer strangling Bart, drawn in 1988
Homer has nuanced relationships with his family. His relationship with Bart is the most contentious;[118][119] Bart frequently calls Homer by his first name rather than "Dad",[120] and Homer often refers to him dismissively as "the boy".[121][122] Homer frequently overlooks Lisa's talents but, when confronted with his neglect, goes out of his way to support her.[123][124] The episode "And Maggie Makes Three" (season six, 1995) reveals she is the main reason Homer took and continues to work at his regular job.[125] While Homer's thoughtless antics often frustrate his family, he has proven himself to be a loving husband;[126][127] for instance, in "A Milhouse Divided" (season eight, 1996), Homer arranged a surprise second wedding with Marge to make up for their unsatisfactory first ceremony.[128] He has a strained relationship with his father,Abraham "Grampa" Simpson, and Homer quickly placed him in a nursing home.[129][130][131]
Homer was described byThe Times as "a (happy) slave to his various appetites".[132] He is known for his consistent ignorance, forgetfulness, and general stupidity.[133][134] Homer's lowintelligence quotient (IQ) of 55[135] has been attributed to several factors, including the hereditary "Simpson gene" (which causes male family members to become increasingly unintelligent over time)[136] and a crayon lodged in his brain'sfrontal lobe.[137] In the episode "HOMR" (season 12, 2001), Homer has the crayon removed, temporarily raising his IQ to 105.[138][135] This improvement allows him to bond with Lisa, but his newfound intelligence ultimately makes him unhappy, leading him to have the crayon reinserted.[139] In 2015, it was revealed that Homer hasnarcolepsy, a sleep disorder.[140]
ProducerMike Reiss said Homer was his favoriteSimpsons character to write: "Homer's just a comedy writer's dream. He has everything wrong with him, every comedy trope. He's fat and bald and stupid and lazy and angry and an alcoholic. I'm pretty sure he embodies allseven deadly sins".[141]John Swartzwelder, who wrote 60 episodes, said he wrote Homer as if he were "a big talking dog ... One moment he's the saddest man in the world, because he's just lost his job, or dropped his sandwich, or accidentally killed his family. Then, the next moment, he's the happiest man in the world, because he's just found a penny — maybe under one of his dead family members ... If you write him as a dog you'll never go wrong".[142] Reiss felt this was insightful, saying: "Homer is just pure emotion, no long-term memory, everything is instant gratification. And, you know, has good dog qualities, too. I think, loyalty, friendliness, and just kind of continuous optimism".[141]
Homer is widely regarded as one of the most popular and iconic characters in television history. In 2007,USA Today recognized Homer Simpson as one of the "top 25 most influential people of the past 25 years", stating that he "epitomized the irony and irreverence at the core of American humor".[143] In 2003,Robert Thompson, director ofSyracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television, predicts that "three centuries from now, English professors are going to be regarding Homer Simpson as one of the greatest creations in human storytelling".[144] Animation historianJerry Beck described Homer as one of the best animated characters, saying, "you know someone like it, or you identify with (it)", which he believed is key to a classic character.[145]The Sunday Times has hailed Homer as "the greatest comic creation of [modern] time," emphasizing his universal appeal. The article noted, "Every age needs its great, consoling failure, its lovable, pretension-free mediocrity. And we have ours in Homer Simpson".[1]
Homer's impact on comedy and culture has been significant. In 2010,Entertainment Weekly named him "the greatest character of the last 20 years".[146] InTV Guide's 2002 list of the "Top 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters", he was ranked second, behindBugs Bunny.[145] He also placed fifth onBravo's "100 Greatest TV Characters", one of only four animated characters included.[147] Homer topped aChannel 4 poll ranking the greatest television characters of all time.[148] In 2007,Entertainment Weekly ranked Homer ninth on its list of the "50 Greatest TV Icons" and later placed him first on its 2010 list of the "Top 100 Characters of the Past Twenty Years".[149][98][150] British polls conducted by theBBC also named Homer the "greatest American" and the fictional character voters would most like to see asPresident of the United States.[151][152] His relationship with Marge was further recognized in TV Guide's list of "The Best TV Couples of All Time".[153] In 2022,Paste writers ranked Homer as the second-greatest cartoon character of all time.[154]
Although Homer is often regarded as a reflection ofAmerican culture, his influence extends worldwide. In 2003, Groening revealed that his father,Homer Groening—after whom the character was named—wasCanadian, suggesting that Homer could also be considered Canadian.[155] As a result, the character was grantedhonorary citizenship inWinnipeg, Manitoba, based on the belief that Homer Groening was from there, though records indicate he was actually born inSaskatchewan.[156] In 2007, as part of a promotion forThe Simpsons Movie, an image of Homer was painted next to theCerne Abbas Giant inDorset, England. This sparked controversy among localneopagan groups, who performed "rain magic" in an attempt to wash the image away.[157]
Castellaneta has received multiple awards for his portrayal of Homer, including fourPrimetime Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Voice-Over Performance". He won in 1992 for "Lisa's Pony",[158] in 1993 for "Mr. Plow",[159] in 2004 for "Today I Am a Clown",[160] and in 2009 for "Father Knows Worst".[161] However, his 2004 Emmy win was for voicing various characters, not solely Homer.[160] In 2010, Castellaneta received a fifth Emmy nomination for his performances as both Homer andGrampa Simpson in "Thursdays with Abie".[162] Castellaneta was honored with anAnnie Award in 1993 for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in the Field of Animation" for his work onThe Simpsons.[163] In 2004, he andJulie Kavner (the voice of Marge) won aYoung Artist Award for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".[164] In 2000, Homer and the rest of the Simpson family were awarded a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.[165][166] Homer has also been referenced in scientific literature, particularly in discussions ofcognitive function. A 2010 study conducted atEmory University found that theRGS14 gene appeared to impair cognitive development inmice—while disabling the gene led to improved cognitive abilities. This led researchers to nickname it the "Homer Simpson gene".[167]
Analysis
Homer is an "everyman" and embodies several American stereotypes of working classblue-collar men: he is crude, overweight, incompetent, dim-witted, childish, clumsy and a borderline alcoholic.[18] Groening describes him as "completely ruled by his impulses".[168] Castellaneta calls him "a dog trapped in a man's body", adding, "He's incredibly loyal—not entirely clean—but you gotta love him."[75]
In his bookPlanet Simpson, authorChris Turner describes Homer as "the most American of the Simpsons" and believes that while the other Simpson family members could be changed to other nationalities, Homer is "pure American".[169] In the bookGod in the Details: American Religion in Popular Culture, the authors comment that "Homer's progress (or lack thereof) reveals a character who can do the right thing, if accidentally or begrudgingly."[170] The bookThe Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer includes a chapter analyzing Homer's character from the perspective ofAristotelianvirtue ethics.Raja Halwani writes that Homer's "love of life" is an admirable character trait, "for many people are tempted to see in Homer nothing but buffoonery and immorality. ... He is notpolitically correct, he is more than happy to judge others, and he certainly does not seem to be obsessed with his health. These qualities might not make Homer an admirableperson, but they do make him admirable in some ways, and, more importantly, makes us crave him and the Homer Simpsons of this world."[171] In 2008,Entertainment Weekly justified designatingThe Simpsons as a television classic by stating, "we all hail Simpson patriarch Homer because his joy is as palpable as his stupidity is stunning".[172]
In theseason eight episode "Homer's Enemy" the writers decided to examine "what it would be like to actually work alongside Homer Simpson".[173] The episode explores the possibilities of a realistic character with a strong work ethic named Frank Grimes placed alongside Homer in a work environment. In the episode, Homer is portrayed as an everyman and the embodiment of the American spirit; however, in some scenes his negative characteristics and silliness are prominently highlighted.[174][175] By the end of the episode, Grimes, a hard working and persevering "real American hero", has become the villain; the viewer is intended to be pleased that Homer has emerged victorious.[174]
InGilligan Unbound, authorPaul Arthur Cantor states that he believes Homer's devotion to his family has added to the popularity of the character. He writes, "Homer is the distillation of pure fatherhood. ... This is why, for all his stupidity, bigotry and self-centered quality, we cannot hate Homer. He continually fails at being a good father, but he never gives up trying, and in some basic and important sense that makes him a good father."[176]The Sunday Times remarked "Homer is good because, above all, he is capable of great love. When the chips are down, he always does the right thing by his children—he is never unfaithful in spite of several opportunities."[177]
Homer's main and most famous catchphrase, the annoyed grunt "D'oh!", is typically uttered when he injures himself, realizes that he has done something stupid, or when something bad has happened or is about to happen to him. During the voice recording session for aTracey Ullman Show short, Homer was required to utter what was written in the script as an "annoyed grunt".[178] Dan Castellaneta rendered it as a drawn out "d'ooooooh". This was inspired byJimmy Finlayson, the mustachioed Scottish actor who appeared in 33Laurel and Hardy films.[178] Finlayson had used the term as aminced oath to stand in for the word "Damn!"Matt Groening felt that it would better suit the timing of animation if it were spoken faster. Castellaneta then shortened it to a quickly uttered "D'oh!".[179] The first intentional use of "D'oh!" occurred in the Ullman short "The Krusty the Clown Show" (1989),[179] and its first usage in the series was in the series premiere, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".[180]
"D'oh!" was first added toThe New Oxford Dictionary of English in 1998.[178] It is defined as an interjection "used to comment on an action perceived as foolish or stupid".[181] In 2001, "D'oh!" was added to theOxford English Dictionary, without the apostrophe ("Doh!").[182] The definition of the word is "expressing frustration at the realization that things have turned out badly or not as planned, or that one has just said or done something foolish".[183] In 2006, "D'oh!" was placed in sixth position onTV Land's list of the 100 greatest television catchphrases.[184][185] "D'oh!" is also included inThe Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.[186] The book includes several other quotations from Homer, including "Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is never try", from "Burns' Heir" (season five, 1994) as well as "Kids are the best, Apu. You can teach them to hate the things you hate. And they practically raise themselves, what with the Internet and all", from "Eight Misbehavin'" (season 11, 1999). Both quotes entered the dictionary in August 2007.[187]
Merchandising
Homer and other members of his family have been featured in a variety ofThe Simpsons-related merchandise, which includes dolls, napkins,air fresheners, cups, chewing gum, beach towels, sleeping bags, snow boots, rubbersponge balls, license-plate frames,scratch paper, laminated magnets, and handheldpinball games.[188] Onebook,The Homer Book (2004), has been published on the character, which discusses his personality and attributes.[189] TheNews Letter's Simon Hunter described it as "an entertaining little book for occasional reading"[190] and was listed as one of "the most interesting books of 2004" byThe Chattanoogan.[191]
Homer has appeared in commercials for several brands, includingPepsi,Coca-Cola, andKodak.[192][193] Homer and otherSimpsons characters appeared in television commercials forNestlé'sButterfinger candy bars from 1988 to 2001.[194] Groening later noted that the success of the Butterfinger commercials played a significant role in Fox's decision to greenlight the half-hour series.[195] In 2001,Kelloggs launched a brand of cereal called "Homer's Cinnamon Donut Cereal", which was available for a limited time.[189][196] In June 2009, Dutchautomotive navigation systems manufacturerTomTom announced that Homer would be added to its downloadableGPS voice lineup. Homer's voice, recorded by Dan Castellaneta, features several in-character comments such as "Take the third right. We might find an ice cream truck! Mmm... ice cream."[197]
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