Homer Simpson is not the ideal father? Get a life

Today I read an exceptionally good article by British comedian David Mitchell in the Guardian concerning Simpson's and Homer in particular, are bad examples of father's and is descriminatory to hard working fathers...

a report by Netmums that has said that the

Read it, it is really good.

I should throw my hat into the ring and say that I admire Homer Simpson and in a very real way - he is a role model of mine.

Think about it.

Homer is a loving father of three kids, a child genius in Lisa, a homicidal baby Maggie and who could forget dear Ratboy....

Seriously though, Homer embodies the life of many a modern man. He balances work, family life and his personal life exceptionally well and is able to work the family budget to fit in his passing hobbies. He has started countless home businesses, been promoted, taken his family around the world and has even gone into outer Space.

Deep down, despite his outward selfishness and childish approach to things he does love his kids and Marge very much and would do absolutely anything for them, which is the most important thing for a father.

Yeah sure Homer outwardly complains about going to the children's school plays, having to sit through one of Lisa's saxophone recitals, going to church or helping Marge but yeah he does go through with it in the end. Take the movie where Homer's selfish and laziness dooms the whole of Springfield to life under a glass dome? He leads his family to a better life but when he realises he might lose them forever he goes on a voyage of self discovery and risks life and limb to save them and the whole town.

The main thing is, and let us be absolutely open here, how many of us have thought;

Oh god no, I've just got home from work I'd rather have a beer and watch tv

 

I know I have. There is always that choice of;

 What do I want to do? compared to What should I do?

 

The fact that Homer vocalises it and embodies our own selfish side is part of the humour. He does what many of us know to be wrong even though it is what we want to do. The measuring stick is Ned Flanders next door who is a better father and husband. You know he is the ideal but you all love Homer because he is human and free to do as he likes but suffer the consequences.

 

Society, or at least segments are always overly critical of every one elses fun. This vocal minority of worriers who sit and complain exceptionally loudly about something they perceive as wrong or discriminatory exceptionally loudly. You have to ask yourself would the Simpsons be a global phenomina almost twenty years after it first appeared on the Tracey Ullman show if it was truly discriminatory?

 

We all know that husbands and fathers are not like Geoff Bingham from Rules of engagement - though there is the occasional moment when I think of my wife and I as I watch it, or fathers like Homer Simpson. Not all guys are like Gary and Tony from Men Behaving badly or the crew of Red Dwarf. Comedy takes everyday events and goes down another root or exaggerates it. As Homer-like as I can be, I have never given my infants a nail gun to play with nor will I and who the hell would?

Why should we, yet again, be told what to do by a vocal minority in this case? Leave the Simpsons be and let us acknowledge that Homer, despite his faults is a fantastic father too.

Happy Father's day!