Last night The Simpsons revealed the worst kept secret in all of Springfield, that everyone’s favourite lickspittle, Waylon Smithers, was both gay and in love with his boss, the ancient Mr Burns.
The episodes writer Rob LaZebnik, 53, explained that he wrote the episode for a very important reason, the Mirror reports.
LaZebnik penned the historic episode as a message of support to his 21-year-old son Johnny, who is gay. Speaking to the New York Post, Rob explained his decision to commit his feelings to the screen.
He said:
I am a Midwestern guy, so I don’t tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve, but I thought: ‘What better way to tell my son I love him than to write a cartoon about it?’
Johnny, a university student, was even lucky enough to be given an early version of the script by his dad, and gave him a few bits of advice before finally giving the episode his seal of approval.
Fans of America’s longest running sitcom have seen the put-upon personal assistant lust after his ageing boss Mr Burns for 27 years now, but viewers in the U.S. last night finally saw Smithers reveal his sexual identity for the first time.
No spoilers for now, but critics are praising the episode for its heart-warming ending and its subtlety with such a hot topic.
Meanwhile, Rob said they wanted the reveal to be ‘quite low-key’, explaining: “We didn’t really want to have that big moment of ‘I’m out,’ you know? Instead, just have it be a big embrace – like everyone knows it.”
UK fans can catch the episode when it airs on Sky1 at 6.30pm on April 10th.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.