Homer's Phobia

You knew eventually the Simpsons would get around to dealing with gay people. A young guy who runs a shop with pop curiosities befriends the Simpsons and Homer thinks he's great until Marge tells him the guy is gay. It then becomes Homer task to keep Bart from his influence. While it seems sort of lame by today's standards, it works quite well.

Homer's Phobia should be considered a groundbreaking and influential episode of Simpsons tackling homophobia back when it was still considered a bit of a taboo to be gay supportive. And for that, the episode deserves a lot of respect and appreciation. Especially since censors at the time almost stopped the episode from ever happening.

However, that being said? The episode heavily implies that you need to be flamboyant and effeminate and acting like a stereotypical gay man in order to be gay. Don't get me wrong, John is still depicted in a fairly subdued fashion... but, he's also obsessed with fashion and talking and acting like a stereotypical fashion-obsessed gay guy.

In fact, Marge never even got to know John WAS gay before telling Homer he's gay. Marge thought he ACTED gay and made an assumption, and then just so happened to be right about that assumption.

Now, there's nothing wrong with being a feminine gay guy. Heck, I myself am a feminine gay guy. But I think it's important to show people that gay guys can look and act in all sort of ways, not just the stereotypical ways. They don't even try to break the stereotype that supposedly only heterosexual men go deer hunting, which is... odd.

All that being said, this is still one of the most important and influential and groundbreaking episodes of the Simpsons show. It's just that by today's standards, some of it's aspects can come across a bit distasteful by implying you need to act in certain ways in order to be gay.

I had been waiting for the Eight Season of The Simpsons to be released on DVD just to own a good quality, complete copy (i.e. not compromised by annoying station watermarks, careless editing to advertisement breaks or having the ending cut short while a voice-over promotes whatever happens to becoming up next on that channel).

The great surprise with the DVD is that it not only looks pin-point perfect, but also includes a highly entertaining commentary track by Matt Groening, the artist/director/production team, and John Waters. You'll see the show through enhanced eyes.

I liked that Homer's Phobia was made with such informed awareness of the stereotypes which persist of both gay men and of the people who refuse to accept them as being OK.

We see Homer quickly forming a trusting, affectionate and purely platonic relationship with John Waters - only to aggressively discard that friendship when he (finally) comprehends that John is gay.

This show is certainly empowering for viewers - both young and old - who know they are same sex attracted, but it also must be the most entertaining, concise and effective program in the history of television for letting the general public know that there is nothing at all to fear about being gay.

Homer's Phobia is packed with memorable lines - such as "You know me Marge - I like my beer cold, my TV loud and my homo-sexuals FLAMING!".

There's no condescension, no lecturing - just high quality talent on show. And the ending rocks!

Homers Phobia is a brilliant Simpsons episode with a very well written storyline with loads of really funny scenes.The episode is an absolute classic episode of the Simpsons,and is also a very groundbreaking episode for its time,as it's storyline heavily revolves around a gay character,which no show had previously dealt with.The character,John (voiced by John Waters) is such a memorable character,his personality and his interest in all things collectible are hilarious and this makes him without a doubt one if the highlights of the eight season.Watching Homer trying to get Bart interested in more manly things is also very funny and memorable,this episode is without a doubt a classic.Homers Phobia is a great episode of the Simpsons.

After the family befriends a gay man,Homer is frightened when Bart starts to behave like him and try's get him interested in more manly activities.

Homer displays a homophobic attitude towards a new friend of the family.

This is a classic episode.

The writers make fantastic use of Homer and Bart as they negotiate the subjects of sexuality and bigotry in a hilarious way thanks to a certain guest character.

Some viewers think John is written too stereotypically effeminate as a gay man, but it is a fact of life that many gay men (not all) display effeminate characteristics. In fact, you would swear the writers had based John on a gay friend of mine such is the closeness in personality traits!

Key to enjoying this episode is appreciating that many Western societies during its era of release were deeply homophobic. Calling someone "gay" was a common place insult amongst heterosexual males for the slightest indiscretion (like not finishing your beer) and rarely challenged as wrong in any way.

For me it's a 9.5/10, but I round upwards.