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

The Simpsons

4.5

The Simpsons is a long-running animated TV series created by Matt Groening that satirically follows a working-class family in the misfit city of Springfield. Homer, a bit of a schmoe who works at a nuclear power plant, is the provider for his family, while his wife, Marge, tries to keep sanity and reason in the house to the best of her ability. Bart is a born troublemaker, and Lisa is his super-intelligent sister who finds herself surrounded by people who can't understand her. Finally, Maggie is the mysterious baby who acts as a deus ex machina when the series calls for it. The show puts the family in several wild situations while constantly tackling socio-political and pop-culture topics set within their world, providing an often sharp critique of the subjects covered in each episode. This series first premiered in 1989 and has been a staple of Fox's programming schedule ever since.

Cast

Tress MacNeille , Julie Kavner , Harry Shearer , Pamela Hayden , Nancy Cartwright , Hank Azaria , Dan Castellaneta , Yeardley Smith

Network

FOX

Writers

Matt Groening , James L. Brooks , Sam Simon

Showrunner

Al Jean