The Simpsons' Original Krusty Plan Sounds Tragic & I'm Glad It Didn't Happen

Summary Homer secretly being Krusty wouldn't have worked because it doesn't make sense for him to keep a double life from his family.

If Homer was leading a secret life as Krusty, it would have made his character much more tragic and desperate for Bart's approval.

The original idea of Homer as Krusty was dropped because it was too complicated and didn't fit with the logic of the characters.

The Simpsons originally planned to reveal that Homer was leading a secret double life as Krusty the Clown, but I’m very relieved they didn’t end up going through with it. Krusty’s appearance makes it obvious that he was supposed to be Homer in disguise; from his bald head to his muzzle facial hair to his overall body shape, Krusty looks exactly like Homer in clown makeup. In the early days of the series, creator Matt Groening envisioned the central conceit that Bart had no respect for his father, but worshipped a TV clown who looked exactly like his dad.

Initially, that conceit was going to go one step further. Groening told Entertainment Weekly that Krusty was going to be revealed to be “Homer in disguise,” and the joke would be that even after this revelation, after Homer revealed he was Bart’s idol, “Homer still couldn’t get any respect from his son.” But as the series took off, the writers couldn’t figure out the logic of why Homer would keep it a secret from Bart – in Groening’s words, it was “too complicated” – so the idea was ultimately dropped, and I think that was the right call.

Why Homer Being Krusty The Clown In The Simpsons Wouldn't Have Worked

It doesn't make sense that Homer would keep his double life a secret

I don’t think The Simpsons’ planned Krusty twist would’ve worked, because it just doesn’t make sense that Homer would keep his double life a secret. Krusty is Bart and Lisa’s favorite TV star, so why would Homer not just tell them that it’s him? Plus, Homer is way too simple-minded to pull off a secret double life. A person has to be a cunning mastermind to get away with leading two separate lives simultaneously.

And on top of that, if Homer had a successful career as a TV clown, why would he continue to work a day job at a nuclear power plant? The same logic could be applied to Homer’s official backstory; if he was the frontman of a barbershop quartet that was as big as the Beatles, then surely he’d have enough residuals coming in to quit his job at the power plant. But if Homer had to put on a show as Krusty every single day, then where would he find the time to work full-time at the plant?

Homer Secretly Being Krusty Would've Made His Character Way More Tragic

Homer's desperation for Bart's approval would've made him a much sadder character

The original storyline of Homer secretly being Krusty would’ve made him a much more tragic character. If he was so desperate for Bart’s approval that he donned a disguise and earned Bart’s respect under an alter ego, then the tone of The Simpsons would’ve been completely different. It’s much funnier if Homer and Bart’s animosity goes both ways; Homer is just as indifferent to Bart as Bart is to him.

Source: Entertainment Weekly