Ralph Wiggum
Encyclopedia
Ralph Wiggum is a recurring fictional character
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...

 on the animated series 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...

, voiced by Nancy Cartwright
Nancy Cartwright
Nancy Campbell Cartwright is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. She is best known for her long-running role as Bart Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons...

. The son of Police Chief Wiggum and a classmate of Lisa Simpson
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...

, Ralph is best known as the show's resident oddball, and is noted for his non sequiturs and erratic behavior. His lines range from nonsensical, or bizarre interpretations of a current event, to surprisingly profound statements that go over people's heads; and his behavior varies between blissfully unaware, to dim-witted, to awkwardly spontaneous, even occasionally straightforward. The very nature of the character has undergone seemingly differing interpretations over the years and within various media, though his role as the show's quintessential basket case
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...

 misfit remains his over-encompassing characteristic.

The creator of the show, Matt Groening
Matt 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....

, has cited Ralph as his favorite character. He generally remains one of the more popular and often quoted secondary characters in the show.

In the opening 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...

 logo in The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie
The Simpsons Movie is a 2007 American animated comedy film based on the animated television series The Simpsons. The film was directed by David Silverman, and stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tress...

, Ralph is shown coming out of the 0 and "singing along" with the fanfare.

Role in The Simpsons

Ralph is an awkward but good-natured 8-year-old boy in Lisa Simpson
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...

's second-grade class taught by Ms. Hoover. Although his beginnings were that of a tertiary child character along the same lines as Lisa's on-and-off friend Janey he has since become one of the more prominent secondary characters on the show, even being the focus or at least a major character of some episodes.

To date, these include: "I Love Lisa
I Love Lisa
"I Love Lisa" is the fifteenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season, and originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 11, 1993. In the episode, Lisa gives Ralph Wiggum a Valentine's Day card when she sees that he has not received any. Ralph reads too much into Lisa's...

" (season four
The Simpsons (season 4)
The Simpsons fourth season originally aired on the Fox network between September 24, 1992 and May 13, 1993, beginning with "Kamp Krusty." The show runners for the fourth production season were Al Jean and Mike Reiss. The aired season contained two episodes which were hold-over episodes from season...

, 1993), an episode which arguably set him apart from other tertiary characters and defined much of the character," This Little Wiggy
This Little Wiggy
"This Little Wiggy" is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons ninth season and originally aired on the Fox network on March 22, 1998. It was written by Dan Greaney, and directed by Neil Affleck. The episode sees Ralph Wiggum becoming friends with Bart, leading to the near electrocution of Mayor...

" (season nine
The Simpsons (season 9)
The Simpsons ninth season originally aired between September 1997 and May 1998, beginning on Sunday, September 21, 1997 with "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson". The show runner for the ninth production season was Mike Scully...

, 1998), and "E Pluribus Wiggum
E Pluribus Wiggum
"E Pluribus Wiggum" is the tenth episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season, first broadcast January 6, 2008 on Fox. It was written by Michael Price and directed by Michael Polcino, and it guest starred Jon Stewart and Dan Rather as themselves...

" (season nineteen
The Simpsons (season 19)
The Simpsons nineteenth season originally aired on the Fox network between September 23, 2007 and May 18, 2008.-Production:The nineteenth season of The Simpsons is the first one produced after the movie and contained seven hold-over episodes from season 18's JABF production line...

, 2008); as well as appearances both minor and prominent in many other episodes. Ralph is also very popular to feature in various other media, and sees fairly frequent use in the Simpsons comic book by Bongo as a focus.

Personality

Ralph's primary role in the show is to deliver off-tangent material, usually with cluelessness and odd behavior often used to perplex or give the audience a quick laugh. He has a very carefree and somewhat "loopy" temperament, as he is often off in his own world. This role has had many variations over the years and as such Ralph often displays inconsistent behavior. In some episodes he may seem quite stupid, verbally challenged, and slow such as proclaiming "I won, I won!" when being told he was failing English, followed by "That's unpossible!", or running on all fours on a hamster wheel. Although it has been implied, it has never been explicitly stated in any Simpsons related media that Ralph is mentally challenged
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...

 and/or brain damaged. This is supported in a flashback where Chief Wiggum is holding a baby Ralph, who is drinking out of a bottle; Wiggum suddenly drops the baby Ralph, who lands flat on his head. When Wiggum picks Ralph up again, Ralph takes on the appearance of a mentally challenged child and suddenly has difficulty drinking out of his bottle.
In other episodes, he speaks in a perfectly normal tone and occasionally even displays taciturn behavior such as questioning a film production staff member over the use of a painted cow over a horse, seemingly playing straight man to 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...

 as an adult in one possible flashforward
Flashforward
A flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...

, or his overall behavior in the episode I Love Lisa, in which Ralph played a central role. He even occasionally displays a penchant for certain talents. The inconclusive nature of his character seems to be one of his only consistencies, and has even been used as a joke in itself a few times such as Ralph being poached by the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...

. Occasionally, Ralph has even been used to break the fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...

 straightforwardly.

Ralph has a multitude of surprising, often creativity-based talents as well as his share of flaws and quirks. The most prominent of these talents as displayed in "I Love Lisa" is performing and acting. Playing the role of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

 in a school play based on his life, he not only recited his lines perfectly but also managed to play the role so well that he brought the audience to tears. He can also tap dance
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...

, paint, play the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...

 and sing among other things. This is probably attributed to the boy's rich imagination, though this quality also leads to some of Ralph's more peculiar characteristics such as his penchant for imaginary friends, including a pyromania
Pyromania
Pyromania in more extreme circumstances can be an impulse control disorder to deliberately start fires to relieve tension or for gratification or relief. The term pyromania comes from the Greek word πῦρ . Pyromania and pyromaniacs are distinct from arson, the pursuit of personal, monetary or...

cal leprechaun
Leprechaun
A leprechaun is a type of fairy in Irish folklore, usually taking the form of an old man, clad in a red or green coat, who enjoys partaking in mischief. Like other fairy creatures, leprechauns have been linked to the Tuatha Dé Danann of Irish mythology...

, and Wiggle-Puppy, a character he seems personally very fond of. The character also seems to have a rather large number of phobia
Phobia
A phobia is a type of anxiety disorder, usually defined as a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational...

s, like being afraid of the vacuum, indulges in many odd habits, and has a knack for landing himself in peculiar situations such as gluing his shoulder to his ear, being profiled by a scary dentist, or even flying with balloons. The character's temperament has notably changed over the years; originally depicted as more awkward and oblivious but otherwise normal, after a time his more "stupid" characteristics became far more exaggerated though this has been mitigated somewhat as of late in favor of plain weirdness that shows in quotes such as "The doctor says that my nose would stop bleeding if I just kept my finger out of there" and "I'm lernding" and strange outbursts like "Hi liar". Ralph still pees in his pants
Enuresis
Enuresis refers to an inability to control urination. Use of the term is usually limited to describing individuals old enough to be expected to exercise such control.Types of enuresis include:* Nocturnal enuresis* Diurnal enuresis...

, and it is a recurring gag in the show when he pees and announces it to someone in an unusual way.

Ralph is the only son of Chief Wiggum and his wife Sarah. Chief Wiggum adores his son who returns this affection in turn, though Ralph can be quite a handful. Chief Wiggum's supportive and loving relationship with his son is often depicted as one of his more sympathetic characteristics to contrast his generally boorish behavior. Ralph also has an unrequited crush on Lisa Simpson
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...

 originating in "I Love Lisa", although this has not been frequently seen in the series since. As Ralph is often blissfully oblivious to the world around him, he remains a generally cheerful boy. He is a misfit at school due to his unique behavior and poor academic performance, often being the butt of ridicule and occasional bullying. Generally, however, his peers are passive towards him, and Ralph often tags along with Bart, Milhouse
Milhouse Van Houten
Milhouse Mussolini Van Houten is a fictional character featured in the animated television series The Simpsons, voiced by Pamela Hayden. He is Bart Simpson's best friend in Mrs. Krabappel's fourth grade class at Springfield Elementary School....

, and Martin
Martin Prince
Martin Prince, Jr. is a recurring character in the Fox animated series, The Simpsons, and is voiced by Russi Taylor. Martin is Bart Simpson's classmate, and is Lisa Simpson's rival in intelligence, as well as Nelson Muntz's favorite target for bullying...

 in particular. Much of the faculty similarly are indifferent to Ralph: Mrs. Hoover in particular treats him with a sort of mild annoyance, and Principal Skinner
Seymour Skinner
Principal W. Seymour Skinner is a fictional character in the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer. Born in Capitol City, he is the principal of Springfield Elementary School...

 seems to see him as something of a nuisance due to his poor test results and hijinks. Ralph is occasionally used as a catalyst for satire about public education's failings because of this, as he may be merely a victim of inflexible and incompetent teaching. He may not be as dim as his academic performance shows.

Creation and design

In Ralph's first credited appearance in the show, the episode "Moaning Lisa
Moaning Lisa
"Moaning Lisa" is the sixth episode of The Simpsons first season, and originally aired February 11, 1990. The episode was written by Al Jean and Mike Reiss, and was directed by Wes Archer. Ron Taylor guest stars in the episode as Bleeding Gums Murphy. The episode deals with Lisa's depression and...

", he was considerably different in both appearance and behavior from his later appearance. The original Ralph design makes a cameo appearance in the episodes "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song
Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song
"Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song" is the 19th episode of The Simpsons fifth season, and the 100th episode overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 28, 1994. In the episode, Superintendent Chalmers fires Principal Seymour Skinner after a disaster at the...

" and "Bart's Comet
Bart's Comet
"Bart's Comet" is the 14th episode of The Simpsons sixth season. The episode originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 5, 1995. In the episode, Bart Simpson accidentally discovers a comet, which is heading towards Springfield...

" as well as in Simpsons Comics #59, implying the design to be a separate character now. Ralph's modern design first appeared in the second season episode "Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment
Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment
"Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment" is the thirteenth episode of The Simpsons second season and the 26th episode overall. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 7, 1991. In the episode, Homer gets an illegal cable hook-up. Despite the family's enjoyment of the...

", and in a couple of episodes after this Ralph can be caught speaking with a voice similar to that of Nelson Muntz's
Nelson Muntz
Nelson Mandela Muntz is a fictional character and bully from the animated TV series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Nancy Cartwright. Nelson was introduced in Season 1's "Bart the General" as a bully but later turned into a friend of Bart Simpson, who is best identified by his signature laugh .-Role...

, before acquiring the higher pitched voice that would become permanent after. Originally intended to be a "Mini-Homer", Ralph eventually took on a life of his own. The staff figured that he would also fit perfectly as the son of Chief Wiggum, a fact made canon in "I Love Lisa
I Love Lisa
"I Love Lisa" is the fifteenth episode of The Simpsons fourth season, and originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 11, 1993. In the episode, Lisa gives Ralph Wiggum a Valentine's Day card when she sees that he has not received any. Ralph reads too much into Lisa's...

", (although he is referred to by his last name of Wiggum in "Kamp Krusty
Kamp Krusty
"Kamp Krusty" is the first episode of The Simpsons fourth season, which originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 24, 1992. During summer vacation, the children of Springfield attend Kamp Krusty, a summer camp named after Krusty the Clown. The camp is extremely...

" before). Ralph was named after comedian Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason
Jackie Gleason was an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on The Honeymooners, a situation-comedy television series. His most noted film roles were as Minnesota Fats in the drama film The...

's character on The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners is an American situation comedy television show, based on a recurring 1951–'55 sketch of the same name. It originally aired on the DuMont network's Cavalcade of Stars and subsequently on the CBS network's The Jackie Gleason Show hosted by Jackie Gleason, and filmed before a live...

Ralph Kramden. Matt Groening
Matt 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....

 considers any lines for Ralph "really hard to write." Nancy Cartwright
Nancy Cartwright
Nancy Campbell Cartwright is an American film and television actress, comedian and voice artist. She is best known for her long-running role as Bart Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons...

 raises her eyebrows whenever she performs Ralph's voice.

Ralph's normal attire usually consists of a blue long sleeve shirt with a collar, a belt with a red buckle, and brown pants. However, almost all Simpsons related media and merchandise including the comic book often portray Ralph with white or light gray colored pants instead similar to how Bart is occasionally depicted with a blue shirt instead of his standard orange shirt. Ralph's "stringy" hair is meant to be drawn to make the shape of a bowl-cut. In one particular issue of the comic book, Ralph appears along with other Springfield residents drawn in a realistic style which depicts him with blonde hair, implying that the hair lines are meant to be a silhouette of a blonde bowl-cut. Adult Ralph in Bart to the Future
Bart to the Future
"Bart to the Future" is the seventeenth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on March 19, 2000. In the episode, after their vacation in the woods is cut short due to a mosquito infestation, the...

 also has light brown hair.

Reception

Ralph eventually became one of the show's most popular characters. He's a particular favorite character to feature on lots of media and merchandise related to the show; for instance Kidrobot
Kidrobot
Kidrobot is a producer and retailer of designer toys founded in 2002 by Paul Budnitz, specializing in artist-created toys and imports from Japan, Hong Kong, and Europe. Kidrobot also makes Kidrobot Mascots, which are figures of their main logo. These figures are usually nicknamed KR and the number...

 released Ralph as a separate figure from the rest of their Simpsons line of figurines in 2009. The figure is twice as large as the other ones. Ralph's popularity as a character has even spread so far that the comedy band The Bloodhound Gang
Bloodhound Gang
Bloodhound Gang is a Collegeville, Pennsylvania-based American comedy band, although it began as a rap group and gradually changed its genre throughout the years...

 made a song called "Ralph Wiggum
Ralph Wiggum (song)
"Ralph Wiggum" is the seventh track of The Bloodhound Gang's 2005 album Hefty Fine. It is composed almost entirely of quotes from the character Ralph Wiggum from the animated show The Simpsons, except for the chorus "Ralphie, get off the stage sweetheart" which is spoken by Ralph's father Chief...

", dedicated to the character and composed solely of some of his most famous quotes for lyrics. The song can be found on their album Hefty Fine
Hefty Fine
Hefty Fine has been critically panned by music critics. The review aggregator website Metacritic gave the album an average score of 28% from ten reviews, making it the second worst reviewed album tallied.-Chart performance:...

. Show creator Matt Groening
Matt 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....

has stated that whenever someone asks who writes specific characters (a common misconception about the writing process), writers will most likely take credit for writing for Ralph.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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