Patty and Selma
Encyclopedia
Patty and Selma Bouvier (icon) are fictional character
s in the American
animated
sitcom The Simpsons
. They are twins and are both voiced by Julie Kavner
. They are Marge Simpson
's older twin sisters, who both work at the Springfield
Department of Motor Vehicles
, and possess a strong dislike for their brother-in-law, Homer
. Selma is the elder by two minutes, and possesses a strong desire for companionship while her feminist sister, Patty, is the show's only openly gay
recurring character. Kavner voices them as characters who "suck the life out of everything".
In the episode "The Blue and the Gray
", it is revealed that Selma is actually a blonde, while Patty is a redhead. Their blue-grey tinged hair is due to cigarette smoke and ash.
. The two possess a strong, mutually reciprocated dislike for Homer
. Unlike Homer, who usually tries to be polite to his sisters-in-law out of respect for Marge
, Patty and Selma have no hesitation about treating Homer with open rudeness and disdain. On several occasions, they do not seem to care even when Homer faced a life-threatening situation; for instance, upon discovering via a telephone call that Homer had suffered a heart attack, the two continued cutting coupons as though nothing were wrong, expressing more shock at a five cent discount on wax paper
. The two attempt to set Marge up with a sleazy man named Andre as a replacement for Homer, despite the fact that Homer was still alive. Shortly after Marge's wedding the two bought a tombstone inscribed with the epitaph
"Homer J. Simpson. We are richer for having lost him."
They share an apartment at the Spinster City apartment complex and both work at the DMV
. There have been several occasions where they've acted unprofessionally in the course of their jobs, usually when Homer is involved; they've given stoner
Otto Mann
a driver's license due to their mutual dislike for Homer and deliberately failed Homer to make him feel like a failure (although he did actually fail the test). Patty and Selma are very cynical. According to Marge, the two have very brittle necks. The two are avid, sometimes maniacal fans of the TV series, MacGyver
, even getting the chance to star in their own subplot with Richard Dean Anderson
(the actor who played the title character) in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore". The two seem to be aroused by the character, taking cigarettes after every viewing of the show. In "A Star Is Burns
", guest-star Jay Sherman, on advice from Homer, tells them MacGyver is gay; as a result, they stripped him to his boxers and hung him from the gutters. Prior to Selma's marriage with Sideshow Bob
, he insulted MacGyver (describing an episode sarcastically as "that was a well-plotted piece of non-claptrap that never made me want to retch") and the wedding was almost canceled as a result.
Patty and Selma are often shown to have gone on vacations and bringing back long dull slide shows or other activities; in "Treehouse of Horror VI
", they bring a pillowcase full of seashells from their trip to Sulfur Bay for them and the family to clean and organize; in "The Wife Aquatic
", they display a boring home video about Barnacle Bay; in "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore
", they eventually drive away Richard Dean Anderson
by showing him slides of their trip to the Remington Carriage Museum in Cardston, Alberta
.
, and that Selma had it thrust upon her. Her decision to not have relationships has been implied to be due to her then closeted sexuality. However, Patty is more vicious in her treatment towards Homer than Selma is. The reason is she resented Marge's choice to dump Artie Ziff, years ago. He was their family's choice of husband for her and wishes she reconsidered marrying him. She believes he could've taken better care of Marge because he was rich and she didn't have to worry about getting a job. Patty always thought Homer was beneath their family's contempt, despite the unwavering loyalty he has for Marge and their children. Unlike Selma (who was more kind to Homer), she has no pity for his well-being and remorse for her actions. The only exceptions however, are when Patty came out of the closet as a lesbian
, she managed to swallow her pride and ask Homer (who was legally allowed to perform marriages) to perform the ceremony and when they were both disgusted that Selma got into a relationship with Homer's father Abe and they decide to work together to break them up.
", Patty comes out of the closet as a lesbian
. She exclaims "you could see it from space!", and hints of her sexual orientation have been dropped many times; in "Bart After Dark
" she is seen coming out of a burlesque house. She is also seen saying "There goes the last lingering thread of my heterosexuality", when Homer runs past her, naked and screaming, in "Treehouse of Horror III
", and hiding in a closet with Smithers
on a parade float during a gay pride parade in "Jaws Wired Shut
". While Marge was genuinely surprised when Patty came out to her, Homer sarcastically said, "Here's another bomb for ya, Marge: I like beer!"; something that suggests that Patty's homosexuality
was obvious even to him.
After Patty comes out, Homer accepts her sexuality despite his past problems with her. However, Marge is hurt and betrayed that Patty had hidden her sexuality for years (though there were obvious signs). Despite this, she ultimately learns to respect her sister. In the episode "Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife
", Patty wooed a tenure
d professor
of Yale University
away from her husband. In "Rome-old and Julie-eh", it is shown she is attracted to Edna Krabappel
. In "Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore", Selma says "I can't face prison" and Patty replies "I can."
Long before coming out, Patty's only notable relationship with a man was Principal Skinner in the season 2 episode, "Principal Charming
". She dated him for a while, but she refused to marry him, claiming she was too devoted to Selma as a sister to leave her alone. However, she did consider Principal Skinner a gentleman
and had seemed to take it hard that she could not marry him, ending their relationship with the words "Good night, sweet principal." Despite vowing to get her back, Skinner later attended her lesbian wedding in There's Something About Marrying. During early episodes (and one later episode) Patty, like Selma has also had an honest sexual fixation on MacGyver
for many years, although this aspect of her personality was played out in later years.
Patty's only notable relationship with a woman however was with Veronica, who was a pro-golfer. However, it was later discovered by Marge and revealed during Patty's wedding that Veronica was in truth a man.
, to whom she was briefly married before discovering it was just a publicity stunt by McClure. She was willing to live a sham for a while, but broke it off when she realized she couldn't bring a child into a loveless marriage. According to Marge, Selma is "the one who likes Police Academy movies and Hummel figurines
, and walking through the park on clear autumn days." Selma inherited her deceased aunt's iguana, Jub-Jub, instead of her mother, Jacqueline, due to Jacqueline's apparent dislike of Jub-Jub. Unlike Patty, Selma has shown brief moments of sympathy for Homer, primarily due to his unwavering loyalty to his family. In fact, in "I Married Marge
", Selma is responsible for reuniting Homer with Marge after they had split up, despite an agreement with Patty not to do so. Homer has also demonstrated moments of kindness towards Selma such as offering advice and sympathy, when she began to question her own ability to be a mother after attempting to take care of Bart and Lisa for an afternoon. In a later episode, Homer was convinced by Marge to act as Selma's husband so that she could adopt a Chinese baby and did all he could to make sure that Selma got to keep said baby. He also helped her and Patty keep their jobs after they were caught smoking at work (although this was more for Marge's sake). However, these instances are still very few and far between.
, while Selma had celibacy thrust upon her. Her standards are extremely low, as evidenced by her comments on Mr. Burns: "Single, eh? Well, he passes the Selma Test."
Selma has actively sought out a husband, having been married a total of six times. Her current name has evolved into Selma Bouvier-Terwilliger-Hutz-McClure-Stu-Simpson-D'Amico, after failed marriages to Robert "Sideshow Bob" Terwilliger
, Lionel Hutz
, Troy McClure
, Disco Stu, Abraham Simpson
, and Fat Tony
. It is also implied in "Rome-old and Juli-eh
" that Selma had a second failed marriage to Sideshow Bob, giving her a total of seven marriages. One person Selma refused to marry was Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
, because she said her collection of last names was long enough without Nahasapeemapetilon added to it. However in season 20 there is photographic evidence that she slept with Apu after Homer and Marge's second wedding. In "Rome-old and Juli-eh
", Selma began dating and later married Grandpa Simpson, who had previously dated her mother. Eventually however, they realized that they just cannot make it work because of his age and her career and called it quits. Selma has also dated Hans Moleman
, Moe Szyslak
, and pitifully, Barney Gumble
. She had been rejected by Groundskeeper Willie
, who upon seeing her dating video remarked "Back to the Loch with you Nessie
" (during the episode "Selma's Choice
").
Unable to find companionship in a husband, Selma has also sought to have children. At one point she was considering using a sperm donor. After babysitting Bart
and Lisa
for a day, she realized that although she wanted someone to love, she was not ready to have children and wound up adopting Jub-Jub, her Aunt Gladis' pet iguana. Finally, in "Goo Goo Gai Pan
", a very menopausal
Selma adopted a Chinese
baby, Ling Bouvier. During the adoption process, Selma pretended to be married to Homer, since the Chinese government only allows children to be adopted by married couples. When the fraud was exposed, Selma managed to keep the baby, as a Chinese dignitary (voiced by Lucy Liu
) who had also been raised by a single parent became sympathetic.
. Their relationship seems to have improved over the years. As adults, the Bouvier twins have a friendly relationship with their sister and seem very protective of her and thus frequently visit the Simpsons. They seem relatively fond of their nieces and nephew, but seem to like them more when they are young as demonstrated by a quote from Lisa's First Word
: "The older they get, the cuter they ain't." They have, on occasion, watched the kids when their parents were out of town. However, Bart and Lisa would rather not be around when their aunts visit. Their idea of bonding with Lisa includes tutoring her in the belief that men are pigs
, using Homer as the prime example.
Their relationship with Homer remains one of mutual dislike, which involves a continuous exchange of insults from day one. They unfavorably compare their brother-in-law to a caveman
, suggesting him capable of trading Maggie for a beer
and a nudie magazine
.
Patty and Selma have occasionally expressed their common hope that Marge will eventually divorce
Homer. They are often quick in pointing out how close he has come to infidelity
, and have unsuccessfully offered to help Marge find a replacement for Homer, although Selma eventually gave in and helped Marge find Homer after seeing how truly unhappy she was. In the episode "Three Gays of the Condo
" the twins went so far as to have a billboard built trying to convince voters to have Homer kicked out of Springfield. When Homer once faked his death, the sisters produced a gravestone that they had apparently been saving up to buy for years, which proclaimed "HOMER J. SIMPSON: WE ARE RICHER FOR HAVING LOST HIM." They then used the tombstone as a coffee table, when Police Chief Wiggum questioned them on the whereabouts on Mona Simpson, a destroyer of Mr. Burns's instruments of germ warfare. However, of all the wickedness that they have readied against Homer, the most extreme happened in Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind
where they tried to kill
Homer by pushing him out of the bridge, but Homer survived due to a moon bouncer in a ship. Homer mistakenly believed that Patty and Selma are aware of the boat, and they reluctantly agree in order to avoid criminal charges against them.
Selma once took the Simpson children on a disastrous trip to the Duff Gardens theme park in the episode "Selma's Choice
." She is unable to control the children, as Bart manhandles several animatronic characters and Lisa goes on a psychedelic
trip after drinking "water" from an It's a Small World-like boat ride, later swimming in the Fermentarium and exclaiming "I am the lizard queen!
" After that, however, Selma returned home with the children and asked Homer how he does it, referring to raising children, implying that Selma is slightly more capable of overcoming her dislike of Homer than Patty. She told Homer she just couldn't cut it today, and wearing a sympathetic expression, Homer took her hand to comfort her. As noted above, Homer has also helped Selma adopt a baby, further highlighting their comparative tolerance of each other.
In "Wedding for Disaster
", the two put their dislike for Homer aside after realizing that even close to death, Homer truly loves Marge, and even still has kind words for her sisters. When the twins hear this, they save Homer's life (after endangering it) and are stricken with tears.
In many episodes, Selma has been seen as The lesser of two evils
towards Homer, as shown in the episode I Married Marge
, when Patty and Selma see Homer and while Patty attempts to keep Homer and Marge apart, Selma decides to tell Marge after seeing her upset.
said he suggested that Kavner voice Patty and Selma as characters who "suck the life out of everything...." Al Jean
said Kavner makes Patty's voice more masculine and a lower register, while Selma's voice is a little sweeter.
" of the sixteenth season, Patty was revealed to be a lesbian and became the first openly gay recurring character in the series. Groening has stated that the staff wanted to out Patty as gay because portraying her as a "love-starved spinster [...] seemed old" on the show. There had previously been hints about Patty's orientation. For example, in the season thirteen
episode "Jaws Wired Shut
" she is part of the Springfield Gay Pride Parade's "stayin' in the closet" float, though only her voice was heard and she was not seen.
According to the publications Zeek: A Jewish Journal of Thought and Culture and Value War: Public Opinion and the Politics of Gay Rights, it was the controversial lesbian outing of the main character (played by Ellen DeGeneres
) in the sitcom Ellen
in 1997 that paved the way for Patty's coming-out in "There's Something About Marrying", as well as for many other gay characters on other television shows. In his book Queers in American Popular Culture, Jim Elledge noted that it is possible the Simpsons staff chose Patty to come out as gay instead of a male character because lesbians were "traditionally considered more acceptable" on television. She did, however, not "adhere to the eroticized male lesbian fantasy or fit into the loveable, asexual guise of the comedy lesbian" that had previously been seen on shows such as Ellen. Instead, Patty is "rude, crude, and not ashamed of declaring her sexual preferences", and this could make her unpalatable to some viewers according to Elledge.
It was reported a long time in advance of the episode's airing in 2005 that a major character would come out as gay during the episode. There was a widespread debate among fans of the series as to who the character would be. Patty was suspected by many fans and the press because she had not often been seen dating men on the show. The tabloid newspaper The Sun revealed already in September 2004 that character who would come out was Patty, though this was regarded as a rumor and The Simpsons
executive producer Al Jean
would not confirm it. Bookmakers in the United States and the United Kingdom took bets on which character would be uncovered as homosexual—BetUS
laid odds
at four to five that it was Patty, while Smithers had four to one odds and Ned Flanders
fifteen to one odds. BetUS said gamblers made more than 900 bets on the coming-out on their website. According to The Baltimore Sun
, another bookmaker Paddy Power
"stopped taking wagers because so much money was being placed on [Patty]."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
s in the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animated
Cartoon series
A cartoon series is a set of regularly presented animated television programs with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes typically share the same characters and a basic theme...
sitcom The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
. They are twins and are both voiced by Julie Kavner
Julie Kavner
Julie Deborah Kavner is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. Noted for her role as Marge Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons, she also voices other characters for the show, including Jacqueline Bouvier, and Patty and Selma Bouvier.Born in Los...
. They are Marge Simpson
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
's older twin sisters, who both work at the Springfield
Springfield (The Simpsons)
Springfield is the fictional town in which the American animated sitcom The Simpsons is set. A mid-sized town in an undetermined state of the United States, Springfield acts as a complete universe in which characters can explore the issues faced by modern society. The geography of the town and its...
Department of Motor Vehicles
Department of Motor Vehicles
In the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
, and possess a strong dislike for their brother-in-law, Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
. Selma is the elder by two minutes, and possesses a strong desire for companionship while her feminist sister, Patty, is the show's only openly gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
recurring character. Kavner voices them as characters who "suck the life out of everything".
Distinguishing features
Although the two have a similar look, there are several easy ways to distinguish them. Notable differences include:- Hair: Patty has an afro, while Selma's similarly textured hair is parted in the middle to form an "M".
- Outfit: Patty wears a short-sleeved pink dress and pink shoes while Selma wears a hemmed sleeveless blue dress and blue shoes.
- Earrings: Patty wears orange or blue triangular earrings while Selma wears purple or orange circular earrings (and, in earlier episodes, earrings shaped in an "S").
- Necklace: Patty wears orange or blue spherical necklace pearls while Selma wears purple or orange spheroidSpheroidA spheroid, or ellipsoid of revolution is a quadric surface obtained by rotating an ellipse about one of its principal axes; in other words, an ellipsoid with two equal semi-diameters....
-shaped necklace pearls.
In the episode "The Blue and the Gray
The Blue and the Gray (The Simpsons)
"The Blue and the Gray" is the thirteenth episode of the twenty-second season of the animated television series The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 13, 2011.-Plot:...
", it is revealed that Selma is actually a blonde, while Patty is a redhead. Their blue-grey tinged hair is due to cigarette smoke and ash.
Biography
Both Patty and Selma are noted for their raspy voices and their fondness for cigarettesTobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
. The two possess a strong, mutually reciprocated dislike for Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
. Unlike Homer, who usually tries to be polite to his sisters-in-law out of respect for Marge
Marge Simpson
Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
, Patty and Selma have no hesitation about treating Homer with open rudeness and disdain. On several occasions, they do not seem to care even when Homer faced a life-threatening situation; for instance, upon discovering via a telephone call that Homer had suffered a heart attack, the two continued cutting coupons as though nothing were wrong, expressing more shock at a five cent discount on wax paper
Wax paper
Wax paper is a kind of paper that is made moisture proof through the application of wax....
. The two attempt to set Marge up with a sleazy man named Andre as a replacement for Homer, despite the fact that Homer was still alive. Shortly after Marge's wedding the two bought a tombstone inscribed with the epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
"Homer J. Simpson. We are richer for having lost him."
They share an apartment at the Spinster City apartment complex and both work at the DMV
Department of Motor Vehicles
In the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
. There have been several occasions where they've acted unprofessionally in the course of their jobs, usually when Homer is involved; they've given stoner
Drug subculture
Drug subcultures are examples of countercultures, which are primarily defined by recreational drug use.Drug subcultures are groups of people united by a common understanding of the meaning and value of the incorporation into one's life of the drug in question...
Otto Mann
Otto Mann
Otto Mann is a fictional character on the animated TV series The Simpsons, voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the school bus driver for Springfield Elementary School...
a driver's license due to their mutual dislike for Homer and deliberately failed Homer to make him feel like a failure (although he did actually fail the test). Patty and Selma are very cynical. According to Marge, the two have very brittle necks. The two are avid, sometimes maniacal fans of the TV series, MacGyver
MacGyver
MacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry Winkler and John Rich were the executive producers. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC in the United States and various other networks abroad from 1985 to 1992. The series was filmed in Los Angeles...
, even getting the chance to star in their own subplot with Richard Dean Anderson
Richard Dean Anderson
Richard Dean Anderson is an American television and film actor, producer and composer. He began his television career in 1976 as Dr. Jeff Webber in the American soap opera series General Hospital, then rose to prominence as the lead actor in the television series MacGyver...
(the actor who played the title character) in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore". The two seem to be aroused by the character, taking cigarettes after every viewing of the show. In "A Star Is Burns
A Star is Burns
"A Star Is Burns" is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons sixth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 5, 1995. In the episode, Springfield decides to hold a film festival, and famed critic Jay Sherman is invited to be a judge...
", guest-star Jay Sherman, on advice from Homer, tells them MacGyver is gay; as a result, they stripped him to his boxers and hung him from the gutters. Prior to Selma's marriage with Sideshow Bob
Sideshow Bob
Robert Underdunk Terwilliger, better known as Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Kelsey Grammer and first appeared briefly in the episode "The Telltale Head". Bob is a self-proclaimed genius who is a graduate of Yale, a member of...
, he insulted MacGyver (describing an episode sarcastically as "that was a well-plotted piece of non-claptrap that never made me want to retch") and the wedding was almost canceled as a result.
Patty and Selma are often shown to have gone on vacations and bringing back long dull slide shows or other activities; in "Treehouse of Horror VI
Treehouse of Horror VI
"Treehouse of Horror VI" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons seventh season and the sixth episode in the Treehouse of Horror series. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1995, and contains three self-contained segments...
", they bring a pillowcase full of seashells from their trip to Sulfur Bay for them and the family to clean and organize; in "The Wife Aquatic
The Wife Aquatic
The Wife Aquatic is the tenth episode of The Simpsons eighteenth season, which originally aired January 7, 2007. 13.9 million viewers watched this episode, making it the highest rated of seasons 17–20.-Plot:...
", they display a boring home video about Barnacle Bay; in "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore
“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bangalore” is the seventeenth episode of the seventeenth season of The Simpsons.-Plot:On movie night at the nuclear plant, Homer learns that the nuclear power plant is being shut down and outsourced to India. After Homer is sent to train the new employees, he becomes power-hungry...
", they eventually drive away Richard Dean Anderson
Richard Dean Anderson
Richard Dean Anderson is an American television and film actor, producer and composer. He began his television career in 1976 as Dr. Jeff Webber in the American soap opera series General Hospital, then rose to prominence as the lead actor in the television series MacGyver...
by showing him slides of their trip to the Remington Carriage Museum in Cardston, Alberta
Cardston, Alberta
-Demographics:The population of the Town of Cardston according to its 2007 municipal census is 3,578.In 2006, it had a population of 3,452 living in 1,234 dwellings, a 0.7% decrease from 2001...
.
Patty Bouvier
Patricia "Patty" Bouvier is the younger of the two. Despite the similarities between her and Selma, Patty has been shown to be more jaded than her sister particularly towards relationships. It was once said by Marge that she chose a life of celibacyCelibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
, and that Selma had it thrust upon her. Her decision to not have relationships has been implied to be due to her then closeted sexuality. However, Patty is more vicious in her treatment towards Homer than Selma is. The reason is she resented Marge's choice to dump Artie Ziff, years ago. He was their family's choice of husband for her and wishes she reconsidered marrying him. She believes he could've taken better care of Marge because he was rich and she didn't have to worry about getting a job. Patty always thought Homer was beneath their family's contempt, despite the unwavering loyalty he has for Marge and their children. Unlike Selma (who was more kind to Homer), she has no pity for his well-being and remorse for her actions. The only exceptions however, are when Patty came out of the closet as a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, she managed to swallow her pride and ask Homer (who was legally allowed to perform marriages) to perform the ceremony and when they were both disgusted that Selma got into a relationship with Homer's father Abe and they decide to work together to break them up.
Relationships
In "There's Something About MarryingThere's Something About Marrying
"There's Something About Marrying" is the tenth episode of the sixteenth season of The Simpsons. In the episode, Springfield legalizes same-sex marriage to increase tourism. After becoming a minister, Homer starts to wed people to make money. Meanwhile, Marge's sister Patty comes out as gay and...
", Patty comes out of the closet as a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
. She exclaims "you could see it from space!", and hints of her sexual orientation have been dropped many times; in "Bart After Dark
Bart After Dark
"Bart After Dark" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons eighth season, first aired by the Fox network on November 24, 1996. After accidentally breaking a stone gargoyle at a local house, Bart is forced to work there as punishment. He assumes it will be boring work, but is pleasantly surprised when...
" she is seen coming out of a burlesque house. She is also seen saying "There goes the last lingering thread of my heterosexuality", when Homer runs past her, naked and screaming, in "Treehouse of Horror III
Treehouse of Horror III
"Treehouse of Horror III" is the fifth episode of The Simpsons fourth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 29, 1992. In the third annual Treehouse of Horror episode, Homer buys Bart an evil talking Krusty doll, King Homer is captured by Mr. Burns, and Bart...
", and hiding in a closet with Smithers
Waylon Smithers
Waylon Smithers, Jr., usually referred to as Smithers, is a recurring fictional character in the animated series The Simpsons, who is voiced by Harry Shearer. Smithers first appeared in the episode "Homer's Odyssey", although he could be heard in the series premiere "Simpsons Roasting on an Open...
on a parade float during a gay pride parade in "Jaws Wired Shut
Jaws Wired Shut
"Jaws Wired Shut" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 27, 2002. In the episode, Homer gets his jaw injured by running into the fist of Drederick Tatum's statue. As a result, Homer's jaw is wired shut, making...
". While Marge was genuinely surprised when Patty came out to her, Homer sarcastically said, "Here's another bomb for ya, Marge: I like beer!"; something that suggests that Patty's homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
was obvious even to him.
After Patty comes out, Homer accepts her sexuality despite his past problems with her. However, Marge is hurt and betrayed that Patty had hidden her sexuality for years (though there were obvious signs). Despite this, she ultimately learns to respect her sister. In the episode "Homer Simpson, This is Your Wife
Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife
"Homer Simpson, This Is Your Wife" is the fifteenth episode of the seventeenth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 26, 2006, and was watched by around ten million viewers during that broadcast. In the episode, Homer signs the Simpson family...
", Patty wooed a tenure
Tenure
Tenure commonly refers to life tenure in a job and specifically to a senior academic's contractual right not to have his or her position terminated without just cause.-19th century:...
d professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
away from her husband. In "Rome-old and Julie-eh", it is shown she is attracted to Edna Krabappel
Edna Krabappel
Edna Krabappel is a fictional character from the animated TV series The Simpsons, voiced by Marcia Wallace. She is a 4th grade teacher at Springfield Elementary School. Krabappel is the only character Wallace voices on a regular basis.- Profile :...
. In "Kiss Kiss Bang Bangalore", Selma says "I can't face prison" and Patty replies "I can."
Long before coming out, Patty's only notable relationship with a man was Principal Skinner in the season 2 episode, "Principal Charming
Principal Charming
"Principal Charming" is the fourteenth episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 14, 1991. In the episode, Marge's sister Selma is looking for a husband, so Marge orders Homer to help her find one...
". She dated him for a while, but she refused to marry him, claiming she was too devoted to Selma as a sister to leave her alone. However, she did consider Principal Skinner a gentleman
Gentleman
The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a well-educated man of good family and distinction, analogous to the Latin generosus...
and had seemed to take it hard that she could not marry him, ending their relationship with the words "Good night, sweet principal." Despite vowing to get her back, Skinner later attended her lesbian wedding in There's Something About Marrying. During early episodes (and one later episode) Patty, like Selma has also had an honest sexual fixation on MacGyver
MacGyver
MacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry Winkler and John Rich were the executive producers. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC in the United States and various other networks abroad from 1985 to 1992. The series was filmed in Los Angeles...
for many years, although this aspect of her personality was played out in later years.
Patty's only notable relationship with a woman however was with Veronica, who was a pro-golfer. However, it was later discovered by Marge and revealed during Patty's wedding that Veronica was in truth a man.
Selma Bouvier
Selma Bouvier-Terwilliger-Hutz-McClure-Stu-Simpson-D'Amico was born two minutes before Patty. Due to a childhood bottle rocket accident, she lost the sense of taste and smell. Selma's favorite film actor was reportedly Troy McClureTroy McClure
Troy McClure is a fictional character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman and first appears in the second season episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment". McClure is a washed-up actor, usually shown doing low-level work, such as hosting infomercials...
, to whom she was briefly married before discovering it was just a publicity stunt by McClure. She was willing to live a sham for a while, but broke it off when she realized she couldn't bring a child into a loveless marriage. According to Marge, Selma is "the one who likes Police Academy movies and Hummel figurines
Hummel figurines
Hummel figurines are a series of porcelain figurines based on the drawings of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, O.S.F.-History:...
, and walking through the park on clear autumn days." Selma inherited her deceased aunt's iguana, Jub-Jub, instead of her mother, Jacqueline, due to Jacqueline's apparent dislike of Jub-Jub. Unlike Patty, Selma has shown brief moments of sympathy for Homer, primarily due to his unwavering loyalty to his family. In fact, in "I Married Marge
I Married Marge
"I Married Marge" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons third season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 26, 1991. In the episode, Marge worries that she may yet again be pregnant and drives to Dr. Hibbert's office...
", Selma is responsible for reuniting Homer with Marge after they had split up, despite an agreement with Patty not to do so. Homer has also demonstrated moments of kindness towards Selma such as offering advice and sympathy, when she began to question her own ability to be a mother after attempting to take care of Bart and Lisa for an afternoon. In a later episode, Homer was convinced by Marge to act as Selma's husband so that she could adopt a Chinese baby and did all he could to make sure that Selma got to keep said baby. He also helped her and Patty keep their jobs after they were caught smoking at work (although this was more for Marge's sake). However, these instances are still very few and far between.
Relationships
Despite being identical twins, Patty and Selma have very different track records when it comes to finding dates. According to Marge, Patty chose a life of celibacyCelibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
, while Selma had celibacy thrust upon her. Her standards are extremely low, as evidenced by her comments on Mr. Burns: "Single, eh? Well, he passes the Selma Test."
Selma has actively sought out a husband, having been married a total of six times. Her current name has evolved into Selma Bouvier-Terwilliger-Hutz-McClure-Stu-Simpson-D'Amico, after failed marriages to Robert "Sideshow Bob" Terwilliger
Sideshow Bob
Robert Underdunk Terwilliger, better known as Sideshow Bob, is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Kelsey Grammer and first appeared briefly in the episode "The Telltale Head". Bob is a self-proclaimed genius who is a graduate of Yale, a member of...
, Lionel Hutz
Lionel Hutz
Lionel Hutz is a recurring character from the animated television series The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman, and his first appearance was in the season two episode "Bart Gets Hit by a Car". Due to the death of Hartman, his final speaking role was in the episode "Realty Bites"...
, Troy McClure
Troy McClure
Troy McClure is a fictional character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. He was voiced by Phil Hartman and first appears in the second season episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment". McClure is a washed-up actor, usually shown doing low-level work, such as hosting infomercials...
, Disco Stu, Abraham Simpson
Abraham Simpson
Abraham J. "Abe" Simpson, often known simply as Grampa, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and he is also the patriarch of the Simpson family, the father of Homer Simpson, and the grandfather of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson...
, and Fat Tony
Fat Tony
Marion Anthony "Fat Tony" D'Amico is a recurring character in the animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is voiced by Joe Mantegna and first appeared in the third season episode "Bart the Murderer"...
. It is also implied in "Rome-old and Juli-eh
Rome-old and Juli-eh
"Rome-old and Juli-eh" is the 15th episode of The Simpsons eighteenth season, which was originally broadcast on March 11, 2007. It was written by Daniel Chun, and directed by Nancy Kruse...
" that Selma had a second failed marriage to Sideshow Bob, giving her a total of seven marriages. One person Selma refused to marry was Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Apu Nahasapeemapetilon is a character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the episode "The Telltale Head". Apu is the proprietor of the Kwik-E-Mart, a popular convenience store in Springfield, and a friend of Homer Simpson. He is also...
, because she said her collection of last names was long enough without Nahasapeemapetilon added to it. However in season 20 there is photographic evidence that she slept with Apu after Homer and Marge's second wedding. In "Rome-old and Juli-eh
Rome-old and Juli-eh
"Rome-old and Juli-eh" is the 15th episode of The Simpsons eighteenth season, which was originally broadcast on March 11, 2007. It was written by Daniel Chun, and directed by Nancy Kruse...
", Selma began dating and later married Grandpa Simpson, who had previously dated her mother. Eventually however, they realized that they just cannot make it work because of his age and her career and called it quits. Selma has also dated Hans Moleman
Hans Moleman
Hans Moleman is a recurring character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta, and first appeared in the episode "Principal Charming". He normally appears in a running gag, where he usually suffers unfortunate, nearly fatal, events...
, Moe Szyslak
Moe Szyslak
Momar / Morris "Moe" Szyslak is a fictional character in the American animated television series, The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"...
, and pitifully, Barney Gumble
Barney Gumble
Barnard "Barney" Gumble is a fictional character on the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. The character is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the town drunk and Homer Simpson's best friend. His capacity for...
. She had been rejected by Groundskeeper Willie
Groundskeeper Willie
William McDougal, usually referred to as Groundskeeper Willie, is a recurring character on The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is head groundskeeper at Springfield Elementary School. Willie is a Scottish immigrant, almost feral in nature and immensely proud of his homeland...
, who upon seeing her dating video remarked "Back to the Loch with you Nessie
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is a cryptid that is reputed to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere, though its description varies from one account to the next....
" (during the episode "Selma's Choice
Selma's Choice
"Selma's Choice" is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season and originally aired on the Fox network on January 21, 1993. In the episode, Selma decides to have a baby, inspired by her late aunt's wish that she would not spend her life alone. She experiences a life with children by...
").
Unable to find companionship in a husband, Selma has also sought to have children. At one point she was considering using a sperm donor. After babysitting Bart
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew JoJo "Bart" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the Simpson family. He is voiced by actress Nancy Cartwright and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
and Lisa
Lisa Simpson
Lisa Marie Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons. She is the middle child of the Simpson family. Voiced by Yeardley Smith, Lisa first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Cartoonist Matt Groening...
for a day, she realized that although she wanted someone to love, she was not ready to have children and wound up adopting Jub-Jub, her Aunt Gladis' pet iguana. Finally, in "Goo Goo Gai Pan
Goo Goo Gai Pan
"Goo Goo Gai Pan" is the twelfth episode from the sixteenth season of The Simpsons, which originally aired on March 13, 2005. The episode is banned in the People's Republic of China due to its unfavorable reference to Mao Zedong...
", a very menopausal
Menopause
Menopause is a term used to describe the permanent cessation of the primary functions of the human ovaries: the ripening and release of ova and the release of hormones that cause both the creation of the uterine lining and the subsequent shedding of the uterine lining...
Selma adopted a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
baby, Ling Bouvier. During the adoption process, Selma pretended to be married to Homer, since the Chinese government only allows children to be adopted by married couples. When the fraud was exposed, Selma managed to keep the baby, as a Chinese dignitary (voiced by Lucy Liu
Lucy Liu
Lucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early...
) who had also been raised by a single parent became sympathetic.
Relationship to the Simpson family
As children, Patty and Selma were apparently domineering towards Marge and ridiculed her ambition of becoming an astronautAstronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
. Their relationship seems to have improved over the years. As adults, the Bouvier twins have a friendly relationship with their sister and seem very protective of her and thus frequently visit the Simpsons. They seem relatively fond of their nieces and nephew, but seem to like them more when they are young as demonstrated by a quote from Lisa's First Word
Lisa's First Word
"Lisa's First Word" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season. It was first broadcast on Fox in the United States on December 3, 1992. In the episode, as the Simpson family gathers around Maggie and tries to encourage her to say her first word, Marge reminisces and tells the story of...
: "The older they get, the cuter they ain't." They have, on occasion, watched the kids when their parents were out of town. However, Bart and Lisa would rather not be around when their aunts visit. Their idea of bonding with Lisa includes tutoring her in the belief that men are pigs
Misandry
Misandry is the hatred or dislike of men or boys.Misandry comes from Greek misos and anēr, andros . Misandry is the antonym of philandry, the fondness towards men, love, or admiration of them...
, using Homer as the prime example.
Their relationship with Homer remains one of mutual dislike, which involves a continuous exchange of insults from day one. They unfavorably compare their brother-in-law to a caveman
Neanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
, suggesting him capable of trading Maggie for a beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
and a nudie magazine
Pornography in the United States
In the United States, there have been several notable court decisions relating to the definition of pornography and obscenity, personal possession, and its relation to prostitution. The total market value of pornography in the U.S. is estimated between $2-$13 billion per year...
.
Patty and Selma have occasionally expressed their common hope that Marge will eventually divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
Homer. They are often quick in pointing out how close he has come to infidelity
Infidelity
In many intimate relationships in many cultures there is usually an express or implied expectation of exclusivity, especially in sexual matters. Infidelity most commonly refers to a breach of the expectation of sexual exclusivity.Infidelity can occur in relation to physical intimacy and/or...
, and have unsuccessfully offered to help Marge find a replacement for Homer, although Selma eventually gave in and helped Marge find Homer after seeing how truly unhappy she was. In the episode "Three Gays of the Condo
Three Gays of the Condo
"Three Gays of the Condo" is the seventeenth episode in the fourteenth season of The Simpsons and aired April 13, 2003.-Plot:Marge brings an "Oprah's Puzzle Club" jigsaw puzzle to the Simpson Family Wednesdays, for everyone to work on except for Grampa and Maggie, as the box clearly reads for ages...
" the twins went so far as to have a billboard built trying to convince voters to have Homer kicked out of Springfield. When Homer once faked his death, the sisters produced a gravestone that they had apparently been saving up to buy for years, which proclaimed "HOMER J. SIMPSON: WE ARE RICHER FOR HAVING LOST HIM." They then used the tombstone as a coffee table, when Police Chief Wiggum questioned them on the whereabouts on Mona Simpson, a destroyer of Mr. Burns's instruments of germ warfare. However, of all the wickedness that they have readied against Homer, the most extreme happened in Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind
Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind
"Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season, and was first broadcast on December 16, 2007 on Fox. The episode averaged 10.15 million viewers, winning in its time slot and receiving a 12 percent audience share. The episode follows Homer's attempts...
where they tried to kill
Attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful killing and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
Homer by pushing him out of the bridge, but Homer survived due to a moon bouncer in a ship. Homer mistakenly believed that Patty and Selma are aware of the boat, and they reluctantly agree in order to avoid criminal charges against them.
Selma once took the Simpson children on a disastrous trip to the Duff Gardens theme park in the episode "Selma's Choice
Selma's Choice
"Selma's Choice" is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season and originally aired on the Fox network on January 21, 1993. In the episode, Selma decides to have a baby, inspired by her late aunt's wish that she would not spend her life alone. She experiences a life with children by...
." She is unable to control the children, as Bart manhandles several animatronic characters and Lisa goes on a psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
trip after drinking "water" from an It's a Small World-like boat ride, later swimming in the Fermentarium and exclaiming "I am the lizard queen!
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
" After that, however, Selma returned home with the children and asked Homer how he does it, referring to raising children, implying that Selma is slightly more capable of overcoming her dislike of Homer than Patty. She told Homer she just couldn't cut it today, and wearing a sympathetic expression, Homer took her hand to comfort her. As noted above, Homer has also helped Selma adopt a baby, further highlighting their comparative tolerance of each other.
In "Wedding for Disaster
Wedding For Disaster
"Wedding for Disaster" is the fifteenth episode of the twentieth season of The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 29, 2009. In the episode, Marge and Homer's second marriage turns out to be invalid, so they decide to get married again...
", the two put their dislike for Homer aside after realizing that even close to death, Homer truly loves Marge, and even still has kind words for her sisters. When the twins hear this, they save Homer's life (after endangering it) and are stricken with tears.
In many episodes, Selma has been seen as The lesser of two evils
Lesser of two evils principle
The lesser evil or lesser of two evils principle is the idea in politics and political science that of two bad choices, one isn't as bad as the other, and should be chosen over the one that is a greater threat....
towards Homer, as shown in the episode I Married Marge
I Married Marge
"I Married Marge" is the twelfth episode of The Simpsons third season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 26, 1991. In the episode, Marge worries that she may yet again be pregnant and drives to Dr. Hibbert's office...
, when Patty and Selma see Homer and while Patty attempts to keep Homer and Marge apart, Selma decides to tell Marge after seeing her upset.
Creation
Series creator Matt GroeningMatt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
said he suggested that Kavner voice Patty and Selma as characters who "suck the life out of everything...." Al Jean
Al Jean
Al Jean is an award-winning American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on The Simpsons. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Harvard University in 1981. Jean began his writing career in the 1980s with fellow Harvard alum Mike Reiss...
said Kavner makes Patty's voice more masculine and a lower register, while Selma's voice is a little sweeter.
Development
In the 2005 episode "There's Something About MarryingThere's Something About Marrying
"There's Something About Marrying" is the tenth episode of the sixteenth season of The Simpsons. In the episode, Springfield legalizes same-sex marriage to increase tourism. After becoming a minister, Homer starts to wed people to make money. Meanwhile, Marge's sister Patty comes out as gay and...
" of the sixteenth season, Patty was revealed to be a lesbian and became the first openly gay recurring character in the series. Groening has stated that the staff wanted to out Patty as gay because portraying her as a "love-starved spinster [...] seemed old" on the show. There had previously been hints about Patty's orientation. For example, in the season thirteen
The Simpsons (season 13)
The Simpsons thirteenth season originally aired on the Fox network between November 6, 2001 and May 22, 2002 and consists of 22 episodes. The show runner for the thirteenth production season was Al Jean who executive-produced 17 episodes...
episode "Jaws Wired Shut
Jaws Wired Shut
"Jaws Wired Shut" is the ninth episode of The Simpsons thirteenth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 27, 2002. In the episode, Homer gets his jaw injured by running into the fist of Drederick Tatum's statue. As a result, Homer's jaw is wired shut, making...
" she is part of the Springfield Gay Pride Parade's "stayin' in the closet" float, though only her voice was heard and she was not seen.
According to the publications Zeek: A Jewish Journal of Thought and Culture and Value War: Public Opinion and the Politics of Gay Rights, it was the controversial lesbian outing of the main character (played by Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
) in the sitcom Ellen
Ellen (TV series)
Ellen is a U.S. television sitcom that ran on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, producing 109 episodes.The theme song, "So Called Friend" is by Scottish band Texas...
in 1997 that paved the way for Patty's coming-out in "There's Something About Marrying", as well as for many other gay characters on other television shows. In his book Queers in American Popular Culture, Jim Elledge noted that it is possible the Simpsons staff chose Patty to come out as gay instead of a male character because lesbians were "traditionally considered more acceptable" on television. She did, however, not "adhere to the eroticized male lesbian fantasy or fit into the loveable, asexual guise of the comedy lesbian" that had previously been seen on shows such as Ellen. Instead, Patty is "rude, crude, and not ashamed of declaring her sexual preferences", and this could make her unpalatable to some viewers according to Elledge.
It was reported a long time in advance of the episode's airing in 2005 that a major character would come out as gay during the episode. There was a widespread debate among fans of the series as to who the character would be. Patty was suspected by many fans and the press because she had not often been seen dating men on the show. The tabloid newspaper The Sun revealed already in September 2004 that character who would come out was Patty, though this was regarded as a rumor and The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
executive producer Al Jean
Al Jean
Al Jean is an award-winning American screenwriter and producer, best known for his work on The Simpsons. He was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Harvard University in 1981. Jean began his writing career in the 1980s with fellow Harvard alum Mike Reiss...
would not confirm it. Bookmakers in the United States and the United Kingdom took bets on which character would be uncovered as homosexual—BetUS
BetUS
BetUS.com is a privately held online gaming company offering sports betting, casino games, poker and horse racing.-Products:The company accepts bets on sports and horse racing, and operates a casino and poker room.-Proposition wagers:...
laid odds
Odds
The odds in favor of an event or a proposition are expressed as the ratio of a pair of integers, which is the ratio of the probability that an event will happen to the probability that it will not happen...
at four to five that it was Patty, while Smithers had four to one odds and Ned Flanders
Ned Flanders
Nedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
fifteen to one odds. BetUS said gamblers made more than 900 bets on the coming-out on their website. According to The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
, another bookmaker Paddy Power
Paddy Power
Paddy Power is Ireland’s largest bookmaker. Offline it conducts business through a chain of licensed betting offices and by operating Ireland's largest telephone betting service. Online it offers sports betting, online poker, online bingo, online casino games and spread betting...
"stopped taking wagers because so much money was being placed on [Patty]."
See also
- Bouvier family
External links
- The Simpsons Archive: The Patty and Selma File
- Patty Bouvier's profile at TheSimpsons.com
- Selma Bouvier's profile at TheSimpsons.com