Homer's Phobia (16 Feb. 1997)

Homer fears that Bart's masculinity is at stake when he suspects that he's being influenced by a flamboyant homosexual collectible store owner named John(Waters). All his efforts to show ... See full summary »

Director:

Mike B. Anderson

Writers:

Matt Groening (creator), James L. Brooks (developer),

Stars:

Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Dan Castellaneta	...	Homer Simpson / Steel Mill Worker #1 / Barney (voice)
Julie Kavner	...	Marge Simpson (voice)
Nancy Cartwright	...	Bart Simpson / "Cockamamie's" Salesgirl (voice)
Yeardley Smith	...	Lisa Simpson (voice)
Hank Azaria	...	Steel Mill Worker #2 / Steel Mill Worker #3 / Steel Mill Worker #4 / Moe / Annual Gift Man (voice)
Harry Shearer	...	Skinner / Smithers / Roscoe (voice)
Pamela Hayden	...	Milhouse Van Houten (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Waters	...	John (voice)

Storyline

Homer fears that Bart's masculinity is at stake when he suspects that he's being influenced by a flamboyant homosexual collectible store owner named John(Waters). All his efforts to show Bart how to be a man keep backfiring on him... or do they?

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Plot Keywords:

uranus joke | gay stereotype | 2d animation | steel mill | homophobia | 

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Family

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 February 1997 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Gracie Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Syndication cuts the scene where John comments on Marge's corn-pattern drapes in the kitchen.

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Goofs

Homer receives a black eye and marks on his face after taking a beating from the reindeer but when he speaks to Bart in the car on the way home, all the damage is gone from his face.

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Quotes

[Homer is worried that Bart will turns out gay]
Moe: Come on, don't take this so hard, Homer. You still got that other kid, uh... Lisa. Let's, uh, take her out hunting tomorrow; make her into a man.
Homer: Aw, she'd never go. She's a vegetarian.
Moe: Oh, geez! Homer, geez! You and Marge ain't cousins, are you?

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Connections

Featured in The Simpsons: Behind the Laughter (2000)

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Soundtracks

"Everybody Dance Now"
Performed by C.C. Music Factory

User Reviews

Homer's Phobia

This is probably one of the best episodes the Simpsons have produced. It just worked. It had a strong family-story background, a great deal of inventive jokes and set pieces, a brilliant guest star and warnings about evil metal Santas from Japan.

Seriously though, one of the best things about this episode is the depiction of John. He may have been stereotypically campy but he never freaked out, became militant or resentful over Homer's reaction to finding out he was gay. He took it for what it was: a guy who didn't get what he was freaking out about.

I know it's the Simpsons, but it would have been easy for it to become some sort of gays vs. straights political war.

And of course, Bart being completely clueless as well was a nice touch.