February 22, 2005
THERE'S THE PUBLIC IMAGE YOU WANT:
Researcher: 'Outing' of Simpsons Character Consistent with Hollywood Bias (Mary Rettig, February 22, 2005, AgapePress)
A researcher for the American Family Association says the homosexual outing of a character on The Simpsons is just another show of Hollywood's blatant pro-homosexual bias.The February 20 episode of the popular animated series was titled "There's Something About Marrying." It was preceded by a "parental discretion" advisory because the show contained discussion of same-sex "marriage." It also touted that one of the show's characters was going to come "out of the closet."
Indeed, on Sunday's night's installment, the chain-smoking Patty Bouvier -- Marge Simpson's older sister -- announced she is a lesbian and wants to marry her lover, Veronica. The Simpsons' fictional town of Springfield also decides to allow homosexual marriages as a way to bring in tourism.
Actually, wasn't it more indicative of the bias that even Hollywood has against homosexuals? They played safe and to stereotype by outing a character who everyone that's ever seen the show assumed must be a lesbian--frumpy, chain-smoking, maladjusted, unhappy (didn't she even act as a beard for Troy McClure at one point?). If the gay rights crowd wasn't so hard up for sign of acceptance they'd have labeled the show a hate crime. Posted by Orrin Judd at February 22, 2005 4:19 PM
They essentially outed her in an episode quite a while ago, when she and Smithers appeared (well, their voices did) in a "Still in the Closet" float (chanting "we're gay, we're glad--but don't tell mom and dad!)in the local Gay Pride parade. Marge murmured "Wouldn't it be great if that man and woman got together?"
Posted by: Timothy at February 22, 2005 4:56 PMActually, in the "Clown Without Pity" short in one of the Treehouse of Horror specials, a naked Homer ran screaming through the kitchen. Afterward, Patty remarks, "Well, there goes the last remaining thread of my heterosexuality" (or some such). So it really wasn't much of an outing, while the episode made fun of women golfers, lent credence to "slippery slope" arguments (Homer marrying brother and sister), and ended on an ambivalent note (Patty rejects the person she loves because he's a man, meaning that she has established parameters that "true love" can't cross, just as society has). It was actually a remarkably balanced episode. BTW: Selma is the heterosexual one who married multiple time.
Posted by: AC at February 22, 2005 5:00 PM> didn't she even act as a beard for Troy McClure at one point?
Not so much a beard as a tackle box.
Posted by: Guy T. at February 22, 2005 5:13 PMA Simpsons version of tough love?
Posted by: Luciferous at February 22, 2005 5:41 PMGuy T:
Hah! You may remember Troy from such filmstrips as "A Troy and His Fish," and "The Secret Life of the Atlantic Puffer."
Posted by: jgm at February 22, 2005 6:10 PMOr "Lead Paint: Delicious, but Deadly."
Posted by: Chris Durnell at February 22, 2005 6:53 PMOJ:
If I remember correctly, one of the earlier Halloween episodes had a naked Homer run in front of her, at which point she puts down her coffee, glares at Marge, and says, "There goes the last lingering thread of my heterosexuality."
She was on my short-list if it didn't turn out to be Smithers.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at February 22, 2005 7:28 PMAC:
Honest to God, I did NOT read what you said before posting my thoughts.
"Great minds"...etc.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at February 23, 2005 1:56 AMYou might remember me from such films as "Smoke Yourself Thin".
Posted by: pchuck at February 23, 2005 10:37 AMMy favorite feature of this episode is that Homer is dead set against gay marriage until he realizes he make money from it. It makes the point-unintended, I think-that capitalism encourages tolerance. I don't think Hollywood liberals would dig on that point.
Posted by: Tom at February 23, 2005 5:41 PMWhat happened to Wayland Smithers? I had thought he was supposed to have been as queer as a three-dollar bill.
Posted by: Lou Gots at February 23, 2005 8:48 PMIn the episode where Bart is forced to work at a Burlesque House, Springfield's "Council on Moral Hygiene" showed pictures of various men entering the establishment. When a picture of Chief Wiggum is shown, his wife says, "Clancy!" A few more pictures of other men are shown until there is a picture of Patty, where Marge says, "Patty?"
Posted by: Vince at February 23, 2005 9:48 PM