Patty and Selma Bouvier

The origin of the characters' names is unknown. Matt Groening does have an older sister named Patty, [ [http://www.snpp.com/other/interviews/groening93b.html ] The Simpsons Archive: Matt Groening FAQ. June 1993.] but this would not explain where Selma's name came from, and unlike the usage of the names of Groening's parents and younger sisters, this has not been explicitly revealed.

Development

In "There's Something About Marrying", Patty was revealed to be a lesbian and became the first openly gay character in the series. [cite news|url=http://www.eonline.com/news//article/index.jsp?uuid=fd0da574-316b-4300-80a7-8662f9a096b2&entry=index|title="Simpsons'" Smithers Part of Shrinking Minority?|author=Finn, Natalie|accessdate=2006-08-22|date=2007-11-07|publisher=E! News] Prior to the episode, the producers had revealed that a character would come out, but didn't reveal who it would be. Despite information revealing the character appearing on the internet several months before the episode aired, bookmakers in the United States and the United Kingdom were taking bets as to which character would be revealed as homosexual, and whether there would be a kiss - [http://betus.com BetUS.com] posted odds on the kiss at 7 to 5, and laid odds on Patty as the favorite to come out of the closet. [Citation | last = Waxman | first = Sharon | title = 'Simpsons' Animates Gay Nuptials, and a Debate | newspaper = The New York Times | date = February 21, 2005 | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/21/arts/television/21simpsons.html?ex=1266728400&en=04eaa677d455b960&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland | accessdate = 2007-07-07 ] Positive reviews came from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, who described this episode as a "ray of light". [Citation | title = Simpsons' gay character is Patty | newspaper = BBC News | date = February 21, 2005 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4285287.stm | accessdate = 2007-07-07 ]

References

ee also

* Bouvier family

External links

* [http://www.snpp.com/guides/patty_n_selma.html The Simpsons Archive: The Patty and Selma File]
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_patty.htm Patty Bouvier's profile] at TheSimpsons.com
* [http://www.thesimpsons.com/bios/bios_family_selma.htm Selma Bouvier's profile] at TheSimpsons.com
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