- 8 hours ago
Springfield has always been closer to reality than you'd think! Join us as we count down our picks for the iconic "Simpsons" characters most notably inspired by real-life figures! From bartenders to billionaires, the show has never been shy about drawing from the world around it. Which real-life inspiration surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments!
Transcript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the characters on The Simpsons
00:05who were most notably inspired by certain animated figures in the real world.
00:10He's exactly as rich and as famous as Don King, and he looks just like him too!
00:16Number 20. Comic Book Guy, John Brian King
00:20Matt Groening once told TV Guide that Jeff Albertson is based on every comic book store guy in America.
00:27Eat dead! A maniac cutting a swath of destruction! This is a job for the Green Lantern, Thundra, or possibly...
00:35Ghost Rider.
00:36What about Superman?
00:38Oh, please.
00:38But the cool Jack Black-voiced Milo shows that not even The Simpsons views them all as bitterly sarcastic loners.
00:45Nerdy fans spent years trading theories before veteran writer Eva Anderson appeared on the podcast Talking Simpsons in 2024.
00:52She connected Comic Book Guy to John Brian King, who worked at Los Angeles as a muck bookstore during the
00:59character's development.
01:00This was hinted at years earlier by producer George Meyer.
01:04Last Night's Itzy and Scratchy was, without a doubt, the worst episode ever.
01:10Rest assured that I was on the internet within minutes, registering my disgust throughout the world.
01:14King has since had a versatile career in photography, writing, and the film industry.
01:19While he's never commented about inspiring an animated icon, his success couldn't make Comic Book Guy feel better about his
01:26own life choices.
01:27But Aquaman, you cannot marry a woman without gills. You're from two different worlds.
01:36Oh, I've wasted my life.
01:38Number 19. Lainey Fontaine, Elaine Stritch
01:42One of the later Simpsons show-stealers is star of the stage and screen, Lainey Fontaine.
01:48And I'd like to dedicate this song to the one great love of my life, the man who was my
01:52third and fifth husband.
01:54But you never know what the future holds.
01:57Debuting in season 26, the Oscar winner is a caricature of the classic actress who won't let age or fading
02:04status get her down.
02:05There I am, on the main stage at Caesars, about to sing Do You Love Me, when who do I
02:11see sitting in the wings?
02:13Your boyfriend King Tut?
02:15No! Jack Jones. High on his success from wives and lovers, with eyes for yours truly.
02:21The real upside is that not everyone has forgotten the main model for that archetype.
02:26Elaine Stritch was a seminal Broadway star who successfully transitioned into film, and was equally renowned for her feisty personality.
02:33Fontaine was developed as a way of reminding younger viewers about this legend after her passing in 2014.
02:40The character's recurrence from there affirms that once you know about Stritch, there's no forgetting her.
02:46If this isn't love, the whole world is crazy.
02:51Number 18. Anger Watkins, Stephen A. Smith
02:55Both the real and the fictional sportscaster put the personality in broadcast personality.
03:01There is no I in team. There's no U in effort. There's no X in dog. What do Oscar the
03:07Groucher's feet look like? Nobody know!
03:09As hard as it can be to exaggerate ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith's fiery charisma, the aptly named Anger Watkins
03:16is all intensity in the season 28 episode of 22 for 30.
03:20This situation is a disgusting mockery of a repulsive joke that would make me sick to my stomach if there
03:28was one good restaurant in this town, which there is not!
03:31This caricature of sportscast energy was blatantly modeled after Smith's appearance and mannerisms.
03:37That also means he had enough charm to be elevated into a recurring character.
03:41And with every unhinged performance and anecdote, Anger really does get you fired up.
03:46We can take from Smith's appearance in the Disney Plus special, The Simpsons Fun Day Football, that he's a good
03:52sport about the parody.
03:53A father pitted against his own flesh and blood. It's ridiculous. A travesty. An insult to the game of football.
03:59And a stain on our national fabric.
04:01What kind of stain? I can't say. Maybe soy sauce or gravy. Whatever it is, it's something dark and sticky
04:08and not machine washable. No!
04:10Number 17. Birch Barlow. Rush Limbaugh.
04:15You could tell who this character is modeled after if you just heard him on the radio.
04:18Now, why are we doomed to this quimby quagmire, you ask? Oh, reasonable listener.
04:24Because this town is under the stranglehold of a few tie-dyed tree-huggers who would rather play hacky sack
04:30than lock up the homeless.
04:31Season 6's politically charged, Sideshow Bob Roberts, introduces Birch Barlow as the quintessential hot-headed, full-throated conservative commentator.
04:40Another intelligent conservative here, railroaded by our liberal justice system, just like Colonel Oliver North, Officer Stacey Coon, and cartoon
04:51smokesperson Joe Camel.
04:52That whole wing of the political media industry was influenced by Rush Limbaugh.
04:57Springfield's local KBBL station may not have the same reach as Limbaugh's platforms, but Barlow is a key player in
05:04the town's frantic political climate.
05:06He remained a staple of the Simpsons' spoofs of the Republican establishment as the show itself became more political.
05:13As far as Barlow pushes that spoof, the writers must have also taken notes from Limbaugh about playing to a
05:19political demographic.
05:20Mayor Quimby, you're well-known, sir, for your lenient stance on crime.
05:26But suppose for a second that your house was ransacked by thugs, your family tied up in the basement with
05:31socks in their mouths.
05:32You try to open the door, but there's too much blood on the knob.
05:36What is your question?
05:38My question's about the budget, sir.
05:39We have something for every demographic on the WatchMojo Pop Culture livestream.
05:44Scan the QR code to dive into more interesting and entertaining contents running 24-7.
05:49Well, we're still on 346 consecutive hours.
05:54Number 16.
05:55Quillaby, Morrissey
05:57Lisa learns a harsh lesson in disillusionment after discovering the music of 90s British indie singer Quillaby.
06:04Every day I try to smile, but can't help but frown.
06:09This charming man's eccentric style and left-wing themes, as well as the episode titled Panic on the Streets of
06:15Springfield, are obviously referencing Morrissey.
06:18So, for those keeping up with the former The Smiths frontman by 2021, would find the twist in Lisa attending
06:24a concert equally obvious.
06:26Shut your gobs, you wankers!
06:30Woo-hoo!
06:33Wankers!
06:34Can't you see this show is just a cash grab?
06:37I'm only here because I lost my fortune suing people for saying things about me that were completely true.
06:43While Morrissey has shocked fans with his behavior and views on immigration, he didn't care for the image of a
06:49boorish coot.
06:50The suggestion that he'd abandon his impassioned veganism was particularly offensive.
06:55Quillaby may represent a greater phenomenon of radical artists selling out, but he especially resembles a certain person we know.
07:03Lisa dear, don't let him happen to you. Try not to sneer at everything, and listen to others at least
07:09a bit.
07:10Perhaps one out of five times, but I can't tell you which times.
07:14Number 15.
07:15Persephone O'Dare
07:17Elizabeth Holmes
07:18Mr. Burns meets his match in a young college dropout with a questionable water purification product.
07:24Together, we can disrupt big salt water.
07:27You mean the ocean?
07:29Exactly. Or should I say...
07:32Excellent.
07:33While Persephone O'Dare is meant to represent the folly of tech entrepreneurship, the same has been said about Elizabeth Holmes.
07:40The former head of Theranos was known for her idiosyncratic persona and stare long before she was convicted of fraud.
07:47Persephone adapts those qualities blatantly and quickly rivals the cottage industry of documentaries about Holmes.
07:53Why do you doubt a female CEO but believe the silhouette of a man sitting in the dark?
07:59Newsflash! Women have faces now!
08:01Season 35's Thirst Trap, a corporate love story, parodies modern capitalism beyond that dangerous fake-it-till-you-make-it
08:08philosophy.
08:09But the facade of Persephone as a completely fictional character wasn't meant to hold up.
08:15Christiane, have I ever told you about my grandfather's experience on a lifeboat?
08:20Even that was a lie. Her grandfather wasn't in the war, and he didn't die on a lifeboat.
08:25He's a CPA whose hobby is fixing British spellings on Wikipedia.
08:30Number 14. Declan Desmond, Michael Apted, and David Attenborough.
08:35Two legendary British documentarians became characters themselves when they stepped in front of the camera.
08:41Now, when you think of documentaries, you probably think of the Maisels Brothers and Barbara Koppel.
08:47Well, they're not good enough to wipe my lens.
08:51Declan Desmond is specifically modeled after the appearance of Michael Apted,
08:55whose long-running Up series chronicled people's lives across decades.
08:59The Simpsons adapted that premise for the season 18 episode, Springfield Up.
09:04Are you two considering children?
09:06Pfft! Kids! No way! You'll never see a couple of rugrats tying me down.
09:11You better not put this shot after the one where I said I won't have kids.
09:14That would be a devastating edit.
09:17However, guest star Eric Idle modeled Desmond's mannerisms more closely to Sir David Attenborough.
09:23These versatile filmmakers are so synonymous with one genre
09:26that Desmond more broadly stereotypes pretentious documentarians.
09:31Attenborough was considered warmer to his subjects than Apted to say nothing of Desmond.
09:36But that classic English charm keeps pulling us back in.
09:39And I say...
09:43Do you want lies with that?
09:46Number 13. Bleeding Gums Murphy. Sonny Rollins.
09:51Lisa's love of music began with saxophonist Oscar Bleeding Gums Murphy
09:55playing his blues away on a bridge.
09:58Thanks, Mr. Murphy.
09:59My friends call me Bleeding Gums.
10:01Ew, how'd you get a name like that?
10:03Well, let me put it this way.
10:05You ever been to the dentist?
10:06Yeah.
10:07Not me.
10:08I suppose I should go to one.
10:10But I got enough pain in my life as it is.
10:13As stereotypical as that sounds for jazz, the habit is specifically attributed to Sonny Rollins.
10:19So too are Murphy's signature disposition and smoky voice.
10:23I got this bratty, brother.
10:26You bugs me every day.
10:30Matt Groening told Variety in 2021 that the main goal was to make the most archetypal jazz musician possible.
10:37Nuke just hit all the right notes.
10:40Short of dying tragically young, he had a cameo as himself on a 2013 episode of The Simpsons at age
10:4682.
10:46This isn't about money, Lisa.
10:49From Tupac Shakur to Dwight Eisenhower, holograms have introduced some of our leading dead people to a new audience of
10:56people with money.
10:58Resetting, resetting.
11:00From Tupac Shakur to Dwight Eisenhower.
11:03You're a hologram, aren't you?
11:05No.
11:06Resetting, resetting.
11:07Rollins passed away 13 years later, but his coolness lives on in his music and Murphy.
11:14Oh, what the heck?
11:15One smooth from the top.
11:17Yay!
11:24Number 12, Dredrick Tatum, Mike Tyson.
11:28If there's any celebrity you don't want to throw a low blow against, it's heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson.
11:33That didn't stop The Simpsons from distilling his unmistakable mannerisms and complicated persona in Dredrick Tatum.
11:40Dredrick, what do you think of Homer Simpson?
11:43I think he's a good man.
11:44I like him.
11:44I got nothing against him, but I'm definitely gonna make orphans of his children.
11:49Uh, you know, they do have a mother, champ.
11:51Yes, but I would imagine that she would die of grief.
11:53He even has Lucius Sweet in his corner, whom Homer explicitly says looks just like Tyson's promoter, Don King.
11:59Behind the fictional heavyweight champion's docile facade is a violent streak that goes beyond the ring.
12:05I can't help myself, punch and grope, punch and grope, it's all I was taught.
12:09This characterization evolved and became more self-aware as Tyson gradually distanced himself from a controversial past.
12:16He acknowledged Tatum as inoffensive in a 2013 interview with Shortlist, certainly compared to other Tyson spoofs.
12:23At least this parody consistently gets the crowd roaring.
12:27Your behavior is, it's unconscionable.
12:29Number 11, Kent Brockman, Hal Fishman, Jerry Dunphy and Ted Koppel.
12:35It won't be news to anyone that Channel 6's Kent Brockman has a few high-profile sources, but he so
12:41succinctly represents the quintessential American newsman that he couldn't have been based on just one.
12:47Oh, and the president was arrested for murder.
12:49More on that tomorrow night.
12:50Or you can turn to another channel.
12:53Oh, do not turn to another channel.
12:56The most immediate references for Hollywood writers in the early 90s were Los Angeles anchors Hal Fishman and Jerry Dunphy.
13:03While these journalists were nationally revered, Ted Koppel was more nationally recognizable as the first face of ABC's Nightline.
13:11These are just the three most obvious influences on the compelling yet questionable image of Springfield's most relatively trusted reporter.
13:19Tragic news tonight.
13:20120 dead in a tidal wave in Kuala...
13:24Pierre.
13:27Kuala...
13:29France.
13:30Don't let that reflect poorly on Fishman, Dunphy, and Koppel's trustworthiness as media legends.
13:37And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.
13:40Like to remind them that as a trusted TV personality, I can be helpful in rounding up others to toil
13:46in their underground sugar caves.
13:48Number 10.
13:49Edna Krabappel.
13:50June Marlowe.
13:51Prior to voice actress Marsha Wallace's death, Bart's surly teacher was more than an ever-present thorn in his side.
13:58Sit down, Bart. I'll see you after class.
14:01She was also a walking tribute to June Marlowe's work in the Our Gang shorts from the 1930s.
14:08If you don't recognize those short films, you might know them better by their revived title, The Little Rascals.
14:15As you can imagine, Marlowe's charming work as Miss Crabtree left a major impression, especially on Simpsons writers Wallace Wolodarski
14:24and Jake Hogan.
14:25When they needed a teacher character to inject some tension into Bart's school life, their imaginations wandered back to Marlowe.
14:32What are you looking at, Bart? Are those naughty dogs back again?
14:36And thus, Edna Krabappel was born.
14:39You could say, in this case, the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree.
14:44Well, Bart, it's a 59. That's another F.
14:47Number 9.
14:48Pedro Chespirito, a.k.a. Bumblebee Man.
14:52Roberto Gomez Bolaños, a.k.a. Chespirito.
14:56In the early 90s, producers of The Simpsons took one look at Roberto Gomez Bolaños' hilarious comedic timing and went,
15:04We want one of those.
15:07Ay, el estomago.
15:09Gomez Bolaños, better known by his stage name Chespirito, dazzled audiences as the incompetent superhero, the red grasshopper,
15:17in the Spanish language El Chapulín Colorado.
15:21Since he always gave 100%, The Simpsons created a character who would also never waver.
15:27Action.
15:28Ay, ay, ay, no me gustas. Ay, es grande.
15:31In the case of Bumblebee Man, though, it's because he's rarely seen without his costume.
15:36As a wink to the character's origins, Bumblebee Man shares a first name with Gomez Bolaños, his stage name Chespirito.
15:48Number 8. Dr. Nick. Dr. George Nikopoulos.
15:53If there's one thing you can always count on from The Simpsons, besides a never-ending episode count,
15:59it's not-so-subtle commentary on pop culture.
16:02For proof, you need look no further than Dr. Nick.
16:05A very pointed parody of Elvis Presley's personal physician, George Nikopoulos.
16:10Hi, everybody.
16:12Are you looking for a way to slash the cost of your medical expenses?
16:16His real-life nickname was, you guessed it, Dr. Nick.
16:20He was heavily criticized for over-prescribing, and while he was acquitted of the charges in Presley's death,
16:26he eventually lost his medical license all the same.
16:29I think I got out the window.
16:31Huh?
16:32What that translates to in The Simpsons is a doctor who's comically inept, borderline evil, and all kinds of wackadoo.
16:40It's not exactly a friendly portrayal, that's for sure.
16:44Help me.
16:45Hmm.
16:45Holy smokes.
16:46You need booze.
16:49Number seven.
16:51Troy McClure.
16:52Troy Donahue and Doug McClure.
16:54Hello, I'm Troy McClure.
16:56You may remember me from such Fox Network specials as Alien Nose Job and Five Fabulous Weeks of the Chevy
17:03Chase Show.
17:04Now, to be fair, a down-on-their-luck actor could be inspired by any number of wannabe artists, but
17:11the name Troy McClure makes the origin pretty obvious.
17:14It's a composite of Troy Donahue and Doug McClure, both actors who flirted with mainstream success before seeing their Hollywood
17:21star fade into obscurity.
17:23They were both forced into low-budget genre fare or schmaltzy endorsements to make ends meet.
17:29And, surprise, surprise, that's exactly where audiences find Troy McClure in The Simpsons.
17:35What are you working on now?
17:36I've been reading a lot of scripts lately.
17:39You know, it's a lot cheaper than going to the movies.
17:41Although, something tells us the real actors didn't embrace the cheese quite as much as their animated counterpart.
17:47Thankfully, Doug McClure's daughter reported he took the homage in stride.
17:52Looking good.
17:53That wholesome stuff really helps when I'm trying to find your work.
17:56You haven't found me work in 12 years.
17:59Number 6.
18:01Rainier Wolfcastle.
18:02Arnold Schwarzenegger.
18:04Is there any action hero in cinematic history more meme-worthy than Arnie himself?
18:10The accent, the testosterone, the ludicrously over-the-top action.
18:14It's all utterly rife with potential, and The Simpsons uses every bit of it with Rainier Wolfcastle.
18:21Let me get into character.
18:25Okay.
18:26I'm McBain.
18:27You probably don't need us to tell you that, though.
18:30From the moment Rainier opens his mouth, it's extremely obvious who he's based on.
18:34That doesn't make his hilarious in-universe movies any less entertaining, though.
18:39In this department, we go by the book.
18:43Bye, book.
18:44On the contrary, the most important thing Rainier and Schwarzenegger have in common is they both
18:49know how to pull off explosive bits of violence with just the right amount of knowing irony.
18:54That's the joke.
18:56You suck, McBain!
19:00Number 5.
19:01Chief Wiggum.
19:02Edward G. Robinson.
19:04The epitome of a donut-obsessed, lazy police officer, it's both funny and a little disheartening
19:10to know Chief Wiggum is inspired by a real person, but not in the way you'd expect.
19:16I'd hate to close you down.
19:18Maybe we can reach a little, uh, understanding here.
19:21While Wiggum's appearance is heavily based on a pig, the jokes there write themselves.
19:26The officer's voice is an impression of Edward G. Robinson.
19:29If he was going to commit a crime, would he have invited the number one cop in town?
19:34Now, where did I put my gun?
19:37Oh, yeah.
19:37I set it down when I got a piece of cake.
19:39Considered one of the greatest actors of his day, Robinson is a far cry from Wiggum.
19:45But clearly, his embodiment of various gangster characters made him perfect for impressions.
19:51As they said, imitation is the highest form of flattery.
19:55Well, I know what I'm getting.
19:56Some donuts.
19:58Uh, help me out of the booth, boys.
20:01Number 4.
20:02Mayor Joe Quimby.
20:03The Kennedys.
20:05Joseph Fitzgerald, O'Malley, Fitzpatrick, Culverstone, O'Donnell, The Edge, Diamond Joe
20:10Quimby Jr. is a handful.
20:12But that's kind of the point.
20:14Just remember, you represent the office of the mayor, so always comport yourself in a
20:20manner befitting.
20:20Quick, honk at that broad!
20:22Based on the Boston accent, political leanings, and a million other Easter eggs, it's all
20:27too clear the Quimby's are the Springfield version of the Kennedys.
20:31Or are we just supposed to believe it's a coincidence that Quimby's wife wears all pink?
20:36How could you?
20:37I, uh, didn't do it.
20:40Or that they vacation in the beachside Quimby compound.
20:44The signs are all there if you look for them.
20:47Actor Dan Castellaneta even voices Quimby with a distinct JFK-like cadence.
20:52If you like this on-the-nose brand of political comedy, then remember, vote Quimby.
20:57Thank you, Fat Tony.
20:59However, in the future, I would prefer a nondescript briefcase to the sack with a dollar sign on
21:05it.
21:05Number 3.
21:06Krusty the Clown.
21:07Rusty Nails and Bozo the Clown.
21:10Love him or hate him, James H. Allen did pick an off-putting name for his clown persona.
21:16Rusty Nails is quite an off-putting name for a clown.
21:18Rusty Nails nonetheless struck a chord with series creator Matt Groening, who repurposed his memories
21:24of his TV show into Krusty the Clown.
21:27Sorry, Sideshow, Bob.
21:28But it's her special birthday wish!
21:30Actor Dan Castellaneta, however, styled the voice after Bob Bell.
21:34After all, Bozo the Clown is so much more recognizable than Rusty Nails that fans generally
21:40assume Bell was the sole inspiration.
21:43Eww, that thing was funny for about three seconds.
21:46But the important thing is, we're like a family.
21:50Krusty, I-
21:51Shut your hole!
21:52But considering that both he and Allen were reportedly stand-up guys behind the makeup,
21:57Krusty really is a breed all to himself.
22:00You seem okay.
22:01Yeah?
22:02Well, I got news for ya.
22:04This ain't makeup!
22:06Number two, Mr. Burns.
22:08John D. Rockefeller, Barry Diller, and many others.
22:12No need to release the hounds.
22:14Sniffing out how Mr. Burns came to be is actually pretty easy.
22:17Good research shows people see you as something of an ogre.
22:20Yeah, you oughta club them and eat their bones!
22:22He's walking, talking corporate greed personified, so it makes sense why series creator Matt Groening
22:28wrote him with oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller in mind.
22:32Oil ho!
22:36The animators had their own inspirations, though, with frequent director David Silverman basing Burns' design on Fox founder Barry Diller.
22:45We could go on.
22:46Over the years, Burns' behavior has been reminiscent of dozens of greedy corporate figures, and even a few fictional characters,
22:53too.
22:53As cool as it would be to exist in The Simpsons, something tells us Mr. Burns isn't supposed to be
22:59a compliment.
23:00Take that, convenient smarts! Take that, nuclear power pla-
23:04Ooh, fiddlesticks.
23:07Before we continue, be sure to check out WatchMojo's 24-hour livestream.
23:11All of your favorite videos in one place, 24-7.
23:14Always on, always live.
23:16Are you not entertained?
23:19Number one, Moe Sislap, Louis Red Deutsch, and Rich Hall.
23:24Maybe we'd tip you if you'd smile once in a while.
23:27What do you call this?
23:31In 1975, two boys made frequent prank calls to a Jersey Tube bar, asking for absurdly named patrons.
23:39Soon enough, the owner, Louis Red Deutsch, began telling them off.
23:43Recordings of the calls went as viral as things could back in the day, and eventually led all the way
23:49to The Simpsons.
23:50Not only did it lead to the creation of Moe Sislap, but it also gave us his iconic fury towards
23:56Bart's prank calls.
23:57Last name Jazz, first name Hugh.
23:59Uh, hold on, I'll check.
24:01Uh, Hugh Jazz!
24:02No, somebody check the meds room for a Hugh Jazz!
24:05However, that's not all Moe's based on.
24:08Writer George Meyer also took a lot from the comedic work of Rich Hall, who could bring the house down
24:13in a creatively vulgar fashion.
24:15We have both Deutsch and Hall to thank for the Moe we have today.
24:19Uh, hey everybody!
24:20I'm a stupid moron with an ugly face and a big butt, and my butt smells, and I like to
24:27kiss my own butt.
24:30Do you think The Simpsons nailed it with bringing these people to Springfield?
24:34Call in a name in the comments below.
24:36Bye.
24:36Bye.