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Carl Carlson

Wikisimpsons - The Simpsons Wiki
Carl redirects here. For Homer's one-time secretary, see Karl.
"See, Statements like that are why people think we're gay."
―Carl[src]
Carlton Carlson
Carl Carlson.png
Artwork of Carl by Matt Groening
Character Information
Gender:
Male ♂
Status:
Alive
Hair: Black
Occupation: Springfield Nuclear Power Plant worker
Relatives: Ancestor: Ellis
Biological father: Wyatt
Biological mother: Unnamed[1]
Sister: Carlotta Carlson
Adoptive Father: Carl Carlson, Sr.
Adoptive Mother: Sigrin Siguðardóttir
First appearance: "Homer's Night Out"
Voiced by: Harry Shearer ("Homer's Night Out")
Hank Azaria (Season 1-31)
Alex Désert (Season 32-Present)


Carlton "Carl" Carlson is the supervisor of Sector 7-G at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant[2] and the best friend of Lenny Leonard.

Biography[edit]

Carl Every Simpsons Ever.png
Carl's character folder in the Hall of Records on The Simpsons website.

Carl is an African-Icelandic-American, and a Buddhist with a master's degree in nuclear physics, fond of bowling and drinking at Moe's Tavern. Carl demonstrated his talent for science[3] and is frequently said to be among the most attractive men in Springfield.[4] It is suggested that he might be diabetic.[5]

Personality[edit]

Carl often serves as a taciturn straight man to Homer and company, probably because of his harsh opinions of others. On one occasion, he makes everyone in Moe's Tavern cry and then turns to the camera, explaining: "See, this is why I don't talk much.[6]"

Relationship with Lenny Leonard[edit]

There is a constant allusion to homo-eroticism in Lenny's and Carl's relationship, although no one seems to care much about it. Lenny dreamily recalled carving "Mount Carlmore", a huge bust of Carl in the side of a hill, during "one wonderful summer". When Homer asks Lenny what Carl thought of it, Lenny replies "You know, we've never discussed it.[7]"

When various characters looked at the stars to "see into their souls" during a blackout in Springfield, Lenny sees an image of Carl, and Carl sees an image of himself.[8] On another occasion, Lenny and Carl are at the Springfield Baseball Stadium, watching the Kiss Cam, and Lenny says: "Hey Carl, remember when we used to kiss like that...[pause] with our respective girlfriends?" Lenny once said he can't tell apart the remains of his sculpture with Carl's remarking "I don't know where Carl ends and I begin!", Carl then says "it's stuff like this that makes everyone think we're gay.[9]" Implying that they view themselves as being of the straight orientation. (His and Lenny's straight orientation is also implied in The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson when he and Lenny drunkenly suggest to Barney that he take them to the Playboy Mansion and the Girls College, respectively.) At times, Carl gets annoyed at Lenny. When Carl learns that he is paired with Lenny in a team-building exercise on a power plant retreat, his irritated response is, "Aw, nuts. I mean... aw, nuts.[10]" Carl, along with Lenny share a similar styled surname: Carlson and Leonard. At one point, Lenny mentioned, when a fire was about to hit the flammable district during Springfield's massive fire, that their mother was working there.

Job[edit]

Carl works in sector 7G, along with Homer and Lenny but was later promoted to supervisor after Ted, the previous supervisor, left.[2]

Family[edit]

Carl was given up for adoption when he was too young to remember his parents. His biological father was Wyatt, a man who was descended from cowboys and became a bull rider. Wyatt's ancestor Ellis was a slave at a ranch in Texas before he was freed and became a cowboy. When Carl was given up for adoption, the only thing he had from his birth parents was a belt buckle with an engraving of his father fighting against a bull.[1]

Carl was adopted by an Icelandic couple, Carl Carlson, Sr. and Sigrin Siguðardóttir.[11]

Romantic relationships[edit]

Carl has on occasion dated Lainie Leonard, the sister of his best friend Lenny.[12][13] He has also dated Naima, a woman who owns a restaurant called the SoulHouse. Their first date didn't go well when Naima realized that Carl didn't really know himself that well. However, after Carl learned about his family history, he and Naima started seeing each other again.[1]

Non-canon[edit]

Donut Homer.png The contents of this article or section are considered to be non-canon and therefore may not have actually happened or existed.

Video Games[edit]

In the Simpsons Game, Carl and Lenny are shown arguing while bird-watching, and having forgotten Lisa and Bart's names when they save Lenny and Carl from logging machinery, even though Lenny and Carl have known them all their lives. During a conversation in the Springfield Hub, Carl and Bernice Hibbert are hinted to have had a past relationship, that Carl wants to rekindle. He also mentions in this game his support for Obama.

The Simpsons: Tapped Out[edit]

Default[edit]
This section is transcluded from The Simpsons: Tapped Out characters/Plant Workers. To edit it, please edit the transcluded page.
Carl
Image Cost Unlock method Unlocks with Unlock message
Tapped Out Unlock Carl.png Cash.png47,250 Level 27
Buddha's Got Back Pt. 1 (with Lenny)
Springfield Buddhist Temple This reminds me of my Icelandic boyhood.
Technical Information ID Groups Internal Name
58 Regular Characters, Regular Male, Barflies, Adult, Krustyland Goers, Plant Workers, Moe's Regulars, Normal Springfielders, Golfers Carl
Number 14[edit]
This section is transcluded from The Simpsons: Tapped Out characters/Stonecutters. To edit it, please edit the transcluded page.
Number 14
Image Cost Unlock method Unlock message Costume of Yearbook
Number 14.png Stonecutter Emblems Tapped Out.png28,000 Stonecutters
Prize (with Number 12 and Number 5)
Who keeps Springfield off the map? We do! Tapped Out Unlock Carl.png
Carl
Character is available via the Yearbook Mystery Box
Donut Tapped Out.png30
Donut Tapped Out.png50 Stonecutters Black Market Sale, The Buck Stops Here and Not Yet Spring Cleaning
Premium
Technical Information ID Groups Internal Name
25011 N/A Number14

Behind the Laughter[edit]

Character origins[edit]

In the early seasons, Carl was rarely seen with Lenny and did not have a consistent voice - on some occasions, he can be heard with Lenny's voice and vice versa. In an early 1991 episode, "Principal Charming", Carl's name is spelled "Karl".

Trivia[edit]

  • Carl's IQ is 214.[14]

Appearances[edit]

Episodes:Specials:Adverts:Simpsons Illustrated:Simpsons Comics and Stories:Simpsons Comics:Bartman:Radioactive Man:Bart Simpson's Joke Book:Treehouse of Horror:Bart Simpson:Futurama Crossover:Comic Strips:Holiday Humdinger:Super Spectacular:Winter Wingding:Summer Shindig:Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book:Annuals:Homer for the Holidays:One-Shot Wonders:Other Comics:Video Games:Books:

References[edit]

The Saga of Carl - title screen.png Wikisimpsons has a collection of images related to Carl Carlson.