‘The Simpsons’ character Matt Groening called “profoundly sick and sad”
Though Matt Groening has contributed to several works of television such as Futurama and Disenchanted, he will eternally be known for creating the iconic animated sitcom The Simpsons, which is the longest-running American animated series and sitcom, first arriving on screens back in 1989.
The Simpsons has gone through so many changes in over three decades, and characters have come and gone and returned. What remained constant, though, was the focus on the titular Simpson family and the residents with whom they shared the strange and yet banal fictional town of Springfield.
Groening’s show is rammed to the brim with some of the most iconic characters in the history of television, from the dopey everyman in Homer to the more eccentric figures like Sideshow Bob and Krusty the Klown, just to mention a few. There’s a character for every kind of personality in The Simpsons, even the most dour and depressing kind of outlook.
And as far as the saddest Simpsons characters go, it’s hard to look beyond Springfield’s grumpy bartender Moe Syzslak. During an interview with USA Today, Groening explained that Moe has often provided ample scope for narrative because of his very attitude. “The writers love writing jokes for Moe because he is really a profoundly sick and sad character,” the show’s creator noted.
Groening admitted that one doesn’t have to “hold back with Moe” before pointing out his physical garishness, especially in comparison to the other residents of Springfield. “There’s a sweetness to the way the characters are designed in general,” Groening said. “They’re kind of odd looking, but Moe is really extreme, even in the world of The Simpsons.”
Voiced by Hank Azaria, Moe is the owner and bartender of Moe’s Tavern, the preferred bar of Homer and some of his friends, Barney, Carl and Lenny. Misery seems to haunt Moe, and his storylines often show him in a highly depressive or angry mood, down and out of his luck, with fortune refusing to smile upon his ventures.
As far as Moe’s inspiration goes, it was once revealed that comedian Rich Hall had influenced Groening when creating the character. In an interview with The Irish Examiner, Hall once noted, “I suspected that Moe was based on me because I used to write with George Meyer back when he was one of the original writers on the show.”
According to Hall, Groening had been a fan of the comedian’s work, and when the show came out, a number of his friends and peers told him, “You look and sound just like Moe.” Groening had later confirmed that Hall was indeed the inspiration for his bartender character, with the comedian admitting, “It’s an honour, once you get over the shock of seeing yourself as a horrible, yellow caricature.”
There are several brilliant characters in Springfield, but it’s easy to say that Moe is one of the best. He represents the anger we display at the natural cruelty of the world and the hardships we are forced to confront. However, scratching deeper between Moe’s admittedly ugly exterior and his cantankerous attitude, one will find a tender heart and a man who just wants to be loved like anyone else. Sadly, Matt Groening has exploited Moe’s innate nature time and time again, much to the bartender’s dismay.
Check out some of Moe’s best moments below.
