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Mmmmmm, Pop Culture …


Mr.HomerSimpson.jpgQuick: When you hear the name Homer, do you think of the father of Western civilization’s literature, the Greek poet who crafted The Iliad and The Odyssey? Or do you think of a yellow-skinned cartoon character who has a thing for donuts?

Mmmmmm, donuts …

Don’t feel ashamed if you answered Matt Groening’s paterfamilias from The Simpsons. You’re hardly alone.

According to a poll conducted by the good folks at Entertainment Weekly, Homer Simpson is the best-known film or television character in the last two decades. Springfield’s most famous resident bested the likes of Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Tony Soprano to take the top spot.

“People can relate to Homer because we’re all secretly propelled by desires we can’t admit to,” Groening told Entertainment Weekly. “Homer is launching himself head-first into every single impulsive thought that occurs to him. His love of whatever … is a joy to witness.”

And when you think about it, Homer’s appeal to us makes a lot of sense in today’s sensate, satisfaction-on-demand culture. Why, while writing this, I found myself longing for a Cheetoh—mmmmmm, Cheetohs—so I stopped writing and grabbed a handful, scarfed them down in one bite and have only just resumed typing after licking all that yummy orange stuff off my fingers. I’m now perhaps only 75 pounds and a skin-hue (or two) away from resembling Homer more than I’d like to admit.

Other characters who landed in the top 10, in case you’re interested, were The Dark Knights Joker, Rachel from Friends, Edward Scissorhands, Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs), Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City), and Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants.

It’s a pretty eclectic list, really. Makes me wonder what the other characters here say about our tastes in entertainment as well as what our culture values most deeply.