Simpsons' Patty comes out of the closet
The Simpsons has come out of the closet, addressing the controversial issue of same-sex marriage whilst embracing Marge’s chain-smoking sister Patty as a lesbian.
In an episode entitled There’s Something About Marrying, screened in the US last night, Homer Simpson became a minister on the internet and conducted dozens of same-sex weddings.
This prompted longtime character Patty Bouvier to explain how she fell for professional golfer Veronica.
But love was not to be. Veronica turned out to be a man, betrayed by a protruding Adam’s apple and unmasked at the altar.
The heavily-promoted episode had attracted widespread publicity with bookmakers taking bets on which character would be revealed as homosexual, and whether there would be a kiss.
The episode, which was preceded by a parental advisory warning, was hailed a “ray of light” by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
But L Brent Bozell, president of the Parents Television Council, criticised the show for addressing the issue of gay marriage, though warning he had not yet seen the episode.
“I’d rather them not do it at all. You’ve got a show watched by millions of children. Do children need to have gay marriage thrust in their faces as an issue? Why can’t we just entertain them?” he asked.
The Simpsons is no stranger to controversial topics. Another character, Smithers, is gay whilst the show features one of the few born-again Christian characters on television – Ned Flanders, Homer’s neighbour.
