31 Years Ago Today, The Simpsons’ Shocking Original Homer Twist Was Finally Used in This 10/10 Episode

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The Simpsons aired “Homie the Clown” during the series’ sixth season 31 years ago today, on February 12, 1995. The episode saw Homer going to clown college and learning how to be a regional Krusty. But one of the fun facts behind the episode is the fact that it was finally addressing why Homer and Krusty had such similar designs. There was a time where it was floated around that Krusty was actually Homer in disguise before The Simpsons team (thankfully) decided to go in another direction.

Homer Was Almost Krusty in The Simpsons

Courtesy of 20th Television Animation

Krusty the Clown has been a key piece of The Simpsons franchise from the very first season of The Simpsons. Inspired by famous TV clowns of older eras like Bozo the Clown, Krusty was a TV icon in Springfield that Bart absolutely loved. We’d see the first real dive into the character when he was framed for robbery by Sideshow Bob, and ultimately it was revealed that the man behind the makeup was a lot more complicated than fans might have ever guessed. But while Herschel Krustofski was steadily a key part of the series with many dedicated episodes, he was almost Homer.

It’s something series creator Matt Groening stated years ago as he noted that Krusty’s design really just looked like Homer, but turned into a clown. An idea was floated that Krusty was going to be Homer’s secret identity, but the series didn’t go in that direction. This idea finally came to life with “Homie the Clown” as it was not only directly referenced that the two of them look pretty much the same, but then used that as a perfect gag in its climax as Homer and Krusty were both kidnapped by the mob thanks to that mistaken identity.

“Homie the Clown” is a now classic episode that saw Homer going to clown college, and learns to be a Krusty as Krusty the Clown was opening the license to other regions in order to make up for his gambling debts. Homer lets it go to his head when he starts to get preferential treatment and free gifts thanks to people thinking he’s Krusty, and it gets him in trouble with the mob when they’re looking for the real Krusty. After some shenanigans, Krusty and Homer ultimately work together to save themselves and pay off Krusty’s (hilariously paltry) gambling debts as the episode ends.

Why Krusty Needed to Be His Own Character in The Simpsons

Courtesy of 20th Television Animation

The Simpsons‘ creative team never saw the series going on for as long as it has as that was completely unthinkable at the time. Homer secretly being Krusty would have made for a funny idea in an episode, but then they would have lost all the material that has come through Krusty himself over the years. It was ultimately best to make him his own character, and we would see the results of that many years later. We’ve gotten some great episodes about Krusty and his Jewish heritage that we would have never gotten with Homer.

This would also put an entirely different kind of wrinkle in Bart and Homer’s relationship too. Bart worships Krusty, and is often the only one who is willing to go the distance in order to help out his idol. If this had turned out to be Homer the entire time, then it really would change the way Bart saw Homer and potentially ruin what makes their father and son dynamic so special. It certainly wouldn’t have the same blend of animosity and respect that the two have for each other now.

In letting Krusty and Homer be different characters, The Simpsons kept its world flexible enough for the both of them to explore different kinds of ideas and potential stories for episodes in the years that followed. Thanks to this key decision, it all led to this masterpiece that finally made fun of that original idea, and it was such a hit that fans can’t help but remember it as a masterpiece 31 years later. We’re all seeing double, four Krustys.

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