Editing Waylon Smithers (section)

==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
Mr. Smithers is Mr. Burns's devoted executive assistant. His father, Waylon Smithers Sr., worked for Burns until he died of [[radiation poisoning]] after saving [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]] from a potential [[nuclear meltdown]] when Smithers was a baby. Smithers began thinking of [[Mr. Burns]] as his commander shortly after his birth.<ref>{{cite episode |title=The Blunder Years|episode-link=The_Blunder_Years |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=[[Ian Maxtone-Graham|Maxtone-Graham, Ian]]; [[Steven Dean Moore|Moore, Steven Dean]]|network=Fox |airdate=December 9, 2001 |season=13 |number=05}}</ref> Up until 2016, he was not openly gay, but [[Open secret|most people knew he was homosexual before he came out]]. It was revealed in a flashback that he was married to a woman once, but the two split up when Mr. Burns came between them.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|episode-link=Secrets_of_a_Successful_Marriage| series=The Simpsons|series-link=The Simpsons |credits=[[Greg Daniels|Daniels, Greg]]; Baeza, Carlos|network=Fox |airdate=May 19, 1994 |season=05 |number=22}}</ref> Smithers is shown to have a passionate and deep love for Mr. Burns, and his sexual orientation has been characterized by the writers of the show as "Burns-sexual". "He deserves his time," says the writer of "The Simpsons" about Smithers's gay love story in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Clarke|first1=Patrick|url=https://www.nme.com/news/tv/the-simpsons-writer-talks-smithers-gay-love-story-he-deserves-his-time-3103681|title='The Simpsons' writer talks Smithers' gay love story: "He deserves his time"|website=Nme.com|date=24 November 2021|access-date=26 April 2022}}</ref>

Mr. Burns remained largely ignorant of Smithers's devoted adoration, much to Smithers's frustration. Mr. Burns himself has been involved with several women and, in "[[A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love]]", Smithers is noticeably disgusted when Mr. Burns starts looking for a female companion.<ref>{{cite episode |title=A Hunka Hunka Burns in Love|episode-link=A_Hunka_Hunka_Burns_in_Love |series=The Simpsons|series-link=The Simpsons |credits=[[John Swartzwelder|Swartzwelder, John]]; Kramer, Lance |network=Fox |airdate=December 2, 2001 |season=09 |number=08}}</ref> Burns, for his part, views Smithers as somewhat of a [[Lackey (manservant)|lackey]], albeit a highly valued one for his competence. He has "rewarded" Smithers's devotion with the future "honor" of [[Vivisepulture|being buried alive]] [[Retainer sacrifice|with him after he dies]].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Burns' Heir|episode-link=Burns'_Heir |series=The Simpsons|series-link=The Simpsons |credits=Richdale, Jace; [[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]] |network=Fox |airdate=April 14, 1994 |season=09 |number=08}}</ref> Smithers has been shown to be somewhat dependent on his relationship with Burns. In "[[Homer the Smithers]]", Mr. Burns orders Smithers to take a vacation and [[Homer Simpson]] is hired as a temporary replacement. When Homer loses his temper and punches Mr. Burns in the face, Mr. Burns learns to become self-reliant and this results in Smithers being fired. Smithers decides that he needs to be Mr. Burns's assistant and eventually gets his job back.<ref name="HtS">{{cite episode |title=Homer the Smithers|episode-link=Homer_the_Smithers |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; Moore, Steven Dean|network=Fox |airdate=February 25, 1996|season=7 |number=17}}</ref> In the [[The Simpsons season 27|season 27]] episode "[[The Burns Cage]]", Smithers attempts to admit his love to Burns, who interrupts to reaffirm his contempt for his assistant.<ref name=new>{{cite news|last1=Leszkiewicz|first1=Anna|title=The Smithers question: why do we keep retrofitting progressive narratives in pop culture?|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/culture/tv-radio/2016/04/smithers-question-why-do-we-keep-retrofitting-progressive-narratives-pop|access-date=April 6, 2016|work=[[New Statesman]]|publisher=[[Progressive Digital Media]]|location=London, England|date=April 5, 2016}}</ref>

Smithers's official job at the power plant appears to be that of executive assistant, which he says is "actually about 2,800 smaller jobs",<ref name="HtS"/> responsible for monitoring employee attendance, and is often a disciplinarian and has won dozens of employee-of-the-month awards.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer Defined|episode-link=Homer_Defined |series=The Simpsons|series-link=The Simpsons |credits=Gewirtz, Howard; Kirkland, Mark |network=Fox |airdate=October 17, 1991 |season=03 |number=05}}</ref> Smithers does appear to be one of the few people at the power plant who is seemingly competent at their job as opposed to the lazy, oafish underlings such as Homer Simpson and the senile Mr. Burns, who is often out of touch with the modern times. While some of his early appearances showed him to have a malicious side (he tried to get Homer fired over his insurance claim for a hair-growing product, and the only reason this failed is that Mr. Burns had sympathy for Homer due to his own incurable baldness and gave him his old job back), his overall characterization is fairly benevolent and he ultimately just wants the SNPP to run well. He has often hinted at wanting to be promoted to the position of executive [[vice president]], but Burns has repeatedly squashed this dream, while whimsically bestowing the vice presidency on a dog.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Homer's Enemy|episode-link=Homer's_Enemy |series=The Simpsons|series-link=The Simpsons |credits=Swartzwelder, John; [[Jim Reardon|Reardon, Jim]] |network=Fox |airdate=May 4, 1997 |season=08 |number=23}}</ref> Smithers has the largest collection of Malibu Stacy dolls in the world, and is the president of the Malibu Stacy fan club.<ref name="Malibu">{{cite episode |title=Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy|episode-link=Lisa_vs._Malibu_Stacy |series=The Simpsons|series-link=The Simpsons |credits=Oakley, Bill; [[Josh Weinstein|Weinstein, Josh]]; Lynch, Jeffrey|network=Fox |airdate=February 17, 1994 |season=05 |number=14}}</ref> In "[[Werking Mom]]", Smithers makes a silent cameo as a drag queen named 'The Mysterious Waylon'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season1/page4.shtml |title=BBC - Cult - the Simpsons: Season One Episode Guide - There's No Disgrace Like Home |website=www.bbc.co.uk |access-date=19 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030623185624/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season1/page4.shtml |archive-date=23 June 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref>