The Birth of Jerk-Ass Homer Simpson

[TEIWCSCSAATBHPHASP]

Recently I've been watching a lot of episodes trying to find the answer to this question: When was the exact moment that Jerk-Ass Homer first appeared? I'm trying to find the first time where Homer obviously doesn't give a shit about anyone besides himself. Even his family. I think the writers turned the Homer with many personality traits (like a real person) into Jerk-Ass Homer because they thought he'd be funnier. It actually made him less relatable and therefore less funny. So when did you first start feeling that Homer had made that horrible transition from loving father to Jerk-Ass?

 

[George Steele's Barber]

Clearly Jerk Ass Homer has been a huge failure. They've only made one movie. Terrible. I can't see this show lasting more than another ten years. What a failure.

 

[Hard Hit Prince]

I hope someone jerks something up your ass.

 

[Stone Cold Tea]

Homer started been a jerk when he received an off from Seth McFarlane. Homer was been phased out by Matt Groening in favour of Ned Flanders and his clan. Homer didn't like the goody two shoes direction The Simpsons was going and felt Family Guy represented something more risqué.

Issues arose around season 13 episode 1 of Family Guy when Homer and the family visited Quahog. In that episode Homer put over Peter Griffin. Reason behind this was because Homers contract was coming to an end and he was jumping ship. The idea was when Simpson jumped ship him and Griffin would engage in a long term feud putting each other over.

However since Groening made Simpson the star he was today he felt some loyalty to him so he signed a long term contract with the idea been that Seth Macfarlane would buy him out and Groening gets some compensation for the star he built.

Everything was set up and in the pipeline for Homer to move over to Family Guy until Flanders went on a night out with Otto and 'lost his smile'. Flanders wasn't ready for the bright lights and had to take some time off.

This left Groening in a position where he had just signed Simpson to a long term contract he couldn't afford to pay, but he also couldn't afford Simpson to leave as he didn't have a guy to front the show. Lenny, Carl and Barney were too damaged.

So now to appease Homer to the fact that he can't pay him he lets him go round doing what he wants in the hope it will boost ratings so he can pay him.

 

[TEIWCSCSAATBHPHASP]

Basically, throughout the course of The Simpsons, Homer's gone through a number of personality changes, as I will point out here:

- Ignorant Homer (Season 1 circa 1989-1990) - This is the Homer who's made claims that weren't as thought out as he planned. For instance, being a fisherman or a self-claimed "experienced woodsman". The Homer from Season 1 had been considered to be more of a Walter Matthau-esque clone until his own individual character was finally established a few seasons later.

- Stupid Homer (Seasons 2-5 circa 1990-91 to 1993-94) - This is the Homer who's made such statements as "Trying is the first step toward failure" and "Shut up brain or I'll stab you with a Q-tip!". This is also the same Homer who's been head of the union, a blackjack dealer and the subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit.

- Hare-Brained Homer (seasons 6-11 circa 1995-96 to 1999-00) - This is the Homer who's cooked up such schemes as telemarketing fraud, gaining weight to work at home, and grease hi-jacking. This is also the Homer who's held such jobs as a Krusty wannabe doppelganger, Mayor bodyguard, alcohol bootlegger, and submarine captain.

- Jerkass Homer (seasons 12-14 circa 1999-00 to 2001-02) - This short-lived Homer was rude, insensitive, crude, and just plain moronic. Just re-watch the episode "Alone Again Natura-diddily" to see Jerkass Homer at his finest, unless you've seen "Trash of the Titans".

The current Homer is a cross between Jerkass Homer, Stupid Homer, and Ignorant Homer.

 

[Lee]

Season 8 episode 1 was the exact moment.