The character had a coming-out episode back in 2016
Waylon Smithers will find love with a new boyfriend in an upcoming episode of The Simpsons, which will explore a gay relationship on the show for the first time.
The character, who previously came out on the show in the 2016 episode ‘Tom Collins’, will have a gay romance storyline in an upcoming episode set to air November 21.
A synopsis for the episode, titled ‘Portrait Of A Lackey On Fire’, reads: “Smithers finds true love with a famous fashion designer, but will his new relationship destroy Springfield?”
The episode will see Smithers fall in love with fashion designer Michael De Graaf, voiced by Victor Garber (Argo, Legally Blonde).
i can finally come out of the closet as a d’ohmosexual. watch a very gay episode of @TheSimpsons on november 21, written by me and my dad
pic.twitter.com/RqlMcetIUv
— Johnny LaZebnik
(@jlazebnik) October 30, 2021
Longtime series writer Rob LaZebnik, who was inspired to write Smithers’ original coming-out episode by his son Johnny, has teamed up with him to write the episode’s script.
Speaking to the New York Post, Johnny, who has also worked on the Rugrats reboot at Paramount+, said: “So often, gay romances are a subplot or alluded to or shown in some kind of montage or as a punchline.
“And what I think I was really excited about, with this episode, we get to see – without spoiling too much – the beginning, middle and who knows how it ends of a gay relationship, of really getting into the nitty-gritty of how gay people date, how they meet, what it’s like.”
He added: “That was really special to me to get to highlight characters who are not punchlines, who are fully formed.”
The Simpsons recently spoofed prestige TV via a two-part crime thriller episode, featuring the voices of Succession star Brian Cox and Fargo’s Cristin Milioti.
To mark Disney+ Day, Homer Simpson is also set to crossover with classic Disney characters in a new short film titled ‘The Simpsons In Plusaversary’.
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