| Ez Daunterschautylasdenughstein
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| Character Information
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Ez Daunterschautylasdenughstein is the sales clerk (and eventually manager) at the convience store The Comestible Giraffe. A community college student, he works part-time and frequently appears to give advice to Jim, with whom he has developed something of a friendship. Fred and Pamela consider Ez a bizarre, eccentric person and do not encourage Jim to hang out with him.
Profile
Ez orphaned at a young age and raised by his uncle William, who was known to be a very homophobic and sexually repressive man. During much of his school life Ez wrestled with his sexuality, so deeply had his uncle's influence affected his mind. Upon realizing that he was gay, Ez first considered suicide but eventually grew to accepting leading a"secret life" while still pretending to be attracted to women. During his stay in college, Ez became very promiscuous, often having sex with women in order to prove that he had some heterosexuality. In the first season, he had a girlfriend named Laura, but by and by they broke up. Ez did not finally come out of the closet until the third season, in the episode "In Defense of Ez". When the episode was first aired in 1983, it was considered very daring for its tackling the issue of repressed homosexuality, and perhaps even more so because of the sympathetic portrayal of its gay character (which stands in contrast to many shows today, like The Simpsons, which portray gays as often overtly effeminate and comical characters).
Ez is viewed by Jim as older and wiser; as a result Jim often seeks his advice for important personal problems, particularly romantic and sexual problems. Fred and Pamela (and to a certain extent Yvonne) consider him a bad influence, pointing out that his advice rarely works and that he often encourages bad habits.
Trivia
- One of his featured traits is green hair, which has become synonymous with the punk lifestyle. However, Ez wears his hair in a mullet, implying that he identifies more with a blue-collar than a punk crowd.
Reception
Initially, Ez was one of the less well-received characters; in unofficial magazine surveys he ranked near the bottom, usually only ahead of Slade Oglethorp and Barbara McStacey. Hmorgin believed that this was because he did not have much character development. For this reason (and due to a personal desire to make the character more "interesting" to him) he began leaving hints that Ez might be gay throughout the second and third seasons of the show. Finally, in In Defense of Ez, Ez's last appearance before being written out of the show, he publicly acknowledges his sexuality to the great chagrin of his uncle. After this point, fans were much more fond of Ez, believing that his character had finally achieved a certain pathos and sympathy more in line with the other characters in the show.
References
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Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to Otto Mann.
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| Factfiles from Simpsons World the Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1-20
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| Season 14
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| Rock Stars • Audrey McConnell, Third Grade Teacher • Dr. Velimirovic, Plastic Surgeon • Mitch Hartwell, the Reality Channel Producer • Junior (AKA Frank Grimes, Jr.) • Teacher of the Year Award Nominating Committee • Dexter Colt, Private Eye • The Mugger • Larry H. Lawyer, Jr. • Baby Stink-Breath • Booberella • Sara Sloane, Hollywood Movie Star • Cookie Kwan, Red Coat Realtor • Stark Richdale • Declan Desmond • Julio and Grady • Luke Stetson, Junior Wrangler • Suds McDuff, Spokesdog/Mascot for Duff Beer • Marriage Counselor • Jim Proudfoot • Don Castellaneta
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