Karl
Karl
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Character Information
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- For the regular character, see Carl Carlson.
Karl was Homer's assistant who tried to help Homer succeed as an executive.
History
After Homer was hired as the new junior executive at Springfield Nuclear Power Plant because of his newly grown hair, he had to find an assistant. All the applicants were, as Homer put it "making kissy faces" at him, until he found Karl.
Karl ended up helping Homer immensely by helping him be more confident in himself and by showing him how to dress properly. Karl also covered for Homer's forgetting his and Marge's anniversary by hiring a singing telegram to serenade Marge with "You are So Beautiful." Eventually Homer's thousand-dollar health insurance fraud was found out (Homer had used Dimoxinil to regrow his hair and charged it to the company health plan on the sly), and just as Smithers was about to fire him, Karl took the bullet for him. Karl falsely explained it was all his idea and that Homer was unaware of any fraud. Smithers then fired Karl instead of Homer.
Even after being fired, Karl still helped Homer out by writing his big speech for him, giving him his umbrella, and giving him a confidence-boosting pep talk after Homer lost his hair and was nervous about his speech. Unfortunately, it was all for naught as Homer's speech was a complete failure (the other executives ignored his ideas because he was bald), and Mr. Burns demoted Homer from his executive position back to his old job.
Behind the Scenes
Sexuality
Karl was hinted at being homosexual; when he kisses Homer in the end and explains "My mother taught me never to kiss a fool" it is suggested, but in some foreign countries physical contact among people is more acceptable than in American society. Given Karl's obvious European influence it still leaves it ambigious of Karl's sexual orientation. Another issue that leaves it ambiguous is that Karl says he is friends with many women in a typing pool, though it is unknown if he is romantically involved with any. His current profession is unknown. He was originally going to appear in Three Gays and a Condo, but Harvey Fierstein declined to reprise his role.
Trivia
- Originally, Karl was to be designed under Harvey Fierstein's likeness, but Harvey declined, as he viewed that he didn't represent the gay community well.
Appearances
Episode – "Simpson and Delilah" - Episode – "The Trouble with Trillions]" (Cameo) seen waiting in line to pay taxes
- Episode – "Bart Carny" (Cameo) seen on the glass-bottom boat ride with the Simpsons
