Editing Homer Simpson (section)

== Role in ''The Simpsons'' ==
Homer Jay Simpson{{sfn|Lawson|Persons|2009|p=118}} is the bumbling husband of [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] and the father of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]], and [[Maggie Simpson]].{{sfn|Duffy|Thorson|2015|p=68}}{{sfn|Glushko|2013|p=220}} He is the son of [[Mona Simpson (The Simpsons)|Mona]] and [[Grampa Simpson|Abraham "Grampa" Simpson]].{{sfn|Fink|2019|p=96}}{{sfn|Waltonen|Du Vernay|2014|p=223}} Over the first 400 episodes of ''[[The Simpsons]]'', Homer held over 188 different jobs.<ref name="MTV">{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml |title=''Simpsons'' Trivia, From Swearing Lisa To 'Burns-Sexual' Smithers |access-date=September 21, 2008 |date=July 26, 2007 |last=Carroll | first=Larry |publisher=[[MTV News]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071220140402/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1565538/20070725/story.jhtml |archive-date=December 20, 2007 }}</ref> His primary role is as a nuclear safety inspector at the [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant]] in Sector 7-G.{{sfn|Terrace|2020|p=110}} This position, which he is unqualified for,{{sfn|Fink|2019|p=81}}{{sfn|Croteau|Hoynes|2003|p=220}} often sees him neglecting his duties or falling asleep on the job.{{sfn|Brown|Logan|2009|p=24}}{{sfn|Buchan|2007|p=98}} His boss, [[Mr. Burns]], frequently ignores or forgets his existence.{{sfn|Gray|2012|p=50}} Creator [[Matt Groening]] chose the nuclear plant as Homer's workplace to provide opportunities for comedic chaos.<ref>{{cite AV media|people=Groening, Matt (writer)|chapter=Commentary for "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"|title=''The Simpsons'': The Complete First Season (DVD)|date=2001|location=Los Angeles, California|publisher=Fox}}</ref> Although Homer's numerous other jobs each last only one episode, earlier seasons often explained how he was fired from the plant and rehired. In later episodes, these transitions became more impulsive, with his side ventures occurring without reference to his regular employment.<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Jean, Al |title=''The Simpsons'': The Complete Eleventh Season (DVD) |date=2008|location=Los Angeles, California|publisher=Fox}}</ref>

''The Simpsons'' employs a [[floating timeline]], where characters either do not age or age minimally. As such, the show is always presumed to take place in the present year.{{sfn|Friedrich|Colmenares|2017|p=73}}<ref name="v778">{{cite journal | last1=Davis | first1=Amy M. | last2=Gilboy | first2=Jemma | last3=Zborowski | first3=James | title=How Time Works in ''The Simpsons'' | journal=[[Animation (journal)|Animation]] | publisher=[[Sage Publications]] | volume=10 | issue=3 | date=October 19, 2015 | issn=1746-8477 | doi=10.1177/1746847715602403 | doi-access=free | pages=175–188}}</ref> Despite the show's flexible timeline, several episodes link events in Homer's life to specific time periods.{{sfn|Turner|2004|pp=78–79}} In "[[Mother Simpson]]" ([[The Simpsons season 7|season seven]], 1995), Homer's mother, Mona, is portrayed as a radical who went into hiding in 1969 after a run-in with the law.<ref name=MotherSimpson>{{cite episode |title=Mother Simpson |episode-link=Mother Simpson |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Richard Appel|Appel, Rich]]; [[David Silverman (animator)|Silverman, David]] |network=Fox |airdate=November 19, 1995 |season=7 |number=8}}</ref> "[[The Way We Was]]" ([[The Simpsons season 2|season two]], 1991) depicts Homer falling in love with Marge as a senior at Springfield High School in 1974.<ref name=WayWeWas>{{cite episode |title=The Way We Was |episode-link=The Way We Was |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Al Jean|Jean, Al]]; [[Mike Reiss|Reiss, Mike]]; [[Sam Simon|Simon, Sam]]; Silverman, David |network=Fox |airdate=January 31, 1991 |season=2 |number=12}}</ref> Similarly, "[[I Married Marge]]" ([[The Simpsons season 3|season three]], 1991) implies that Marge became pregnant with Bart in 1980.<ref name=IMarriedMarge>{{cite episode |title=I Married Marge |episode-link=I Married Marge |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Jeff Martin (writer)|Martin, Jeff]]; [[Jeffrey Lynch|Lynch, Jeffrey]] |network=Fox |airdate=December 26, 1991 |season=03 |number=12}}</ref> However, "[[That '90s Show (The Simpsons)|That '90s Show]]" ([[The Simpsons season 19|season 19]], 2008) contradicts these events, depicting Homer and Marge as a twentysomething, childless couple in the early 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=That '90s Show |episode-link=That '90s Show (The Simpsons) |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Matt Selman|Selman, Matt]] (writer); [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]] (director)|network=Fox |airdate=January 27, 2008 |season=19 |number=11}}</ref> This inconsistency deepens in "[[Do Pizza Bots Dream of Electric Guitars]]" ([[The Simpsons season 32|season 32]], 2021), which reimagines Homer's adolescence as occurring in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Do Pizza Bots Dream of Electric Guitars |episode-link=Do Pizza Bots Dream of Electric Guitars |series=The Simpsons |credits=[[Michael Price (writer)|Price, Michael]] (writer); Moeller, Jennifer (director)|network=Fox |airdate=March 14, 2021|season=32|number=15}}</ref> Showrunner Matt Selman has addressed these contradictions, stating that no version is "official continuity" and that "they all kind of happened in their imaginary world", allowing viewers to choose the version they prefer.<ref name="b283">{{cite web | last=Bailey | first=Kat | title=''The Simpsons'': Matt Selman On Continuity And His Support For a ''Simpsons'' Hit & Run Remake | website=[[IGN]] | date=July 28, 2021 | url=https://www.ign.com/articles/matt-selman-simpsons-hit-and-run-remake | access-date=January 3, 2025}}</ref>

Homer's age has fluctuated throughout ''The Simpsons'' due to its floating timeline. In the early episodes, he was thirty-four, increasing to thirty-six in season four, thirty-eight and thirty-nine in season eight, and forty by season eighteen, though these ages are inconsistent even within those seasons.<ref name="n649">{{cite web | last=Tyler | first=Adrienne | title=''The Simpsons'': How Old Homer Is (& How His Age Has Changed) | website=[[Screen Rant]] | date=October 14, 2020 | url=https://screenrant.com/simpsons-show-homer-age-how-old/ | access-date=January 3, 2025}}</ref> In the episode "[[Duffless]]" ([[The Simpsons season 4|season four]], 1993), Homer's driver's license lists his birthdate as May 12, 1956, making him 36 at the time.<ref name="Duffless">{{cite AV media|title=''The Simpsons'': The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)|date=2004|people=[[Mike Reiss|Reiss, Mike]]; [[Al Jean|Jean, Al]] (writers); [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]] (director)|publisher=Fox|chapter=Commentary for "[[Duffless]]"}}</ref> During [[Bill Oakley]] and [[Josh Weinstein]]'s tenure as showrunners, they aged Homer to thirty-eight, reflecting their own aging and perception of the character.<ref name="n649"/> According to the [[The Simpsons episode guides|episode guides]] ''The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family'' (1997) and ''Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20'' (2010), both authored by Groening, Homer's official age is 36.{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=10}}{{sfn|Groening|2010|p=14}} Homer stands {{convert|6|ft|2}} tall and weighs between 239 and 260&nbsp;lbs (108{{En dash}}120&nbsp;kg).{{sfn|Richmond & Coffman|1997|p=10}}{{sfn|Groening|2010|p=14}}