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{{short description|Fictional character from The Simpsons franchise}}
[[Image:Moe Szyslak.png|thumb|right|Moe Szyslak]]
{{Infobox character
'''Moe Szyslak''' (pronounced ''SIZZ-lack''; or, using [[Polish language|Polish]] pronunciation, ''SHIZ-lock'') is a [[fictional character]] on the [[animated series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]'', [[Voice acting|voiced]] by [[Hank Azaria]]. Moe is the proprietor of '''Moe's Tavern''' ("Where nobody knows your name"—a [[spoof]] on the ''[[Cheers]]'' [[theme song]], "Where everyone knows your name"), the regular drinking hole of [[Homer Simpson]], [[Barney Gumble]], and others.
| name = Moe Szyslak
| series = [[The Simpsons]]
| image = Moe Szyslak.png
| first = "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]" (1989)
| creator = [[Matt Groening]]
| designer = [[Dan Haskett]]
| voice = {{Plainlist|
* [[Christopher Collins]] (unaired)
* [[Hank Azaria]]
}}
| full_name = Moe Szyslak
| gender = Male
| occupation = [[Bartender]]
| family = {{Plainlist|
* Morty Szyslak (father)
* Minnie Szyslak (sister)
* Marv Szyslak (brother)
* Maya (fiancée)
}}
| religion = [[Snake handling in Christianity|Snake Handler]]
}}
'''Moammar''' "'''Moe'''" '''Szyslak'''<ref name="wayz">{{cite episode |title=The Wayz We Were|episode-link=The Wayz We Were|series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref>{{Sfn|Groening|2010|pp=299, 1192}} ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɪ|z|l|æ|k}} {{respell|SIZ|lak}}) is a [[recurring character]] from the [[animated cartoon|animated]] [[television series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]''. He is [[voice acting|voiced]] by [[Hank Azaria]] and first appeared in the series premiere [[episode]] "[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]".<ref name=tvguide>{{cite magazine|title=Flash! 24 Simpsons Stars Reveal Themselves|date=2000-10-21|magazine=TV Guide|first=Joe|last=Rhodes}}</ref> Moe is the proprietor and bartender of [[Moe's Tavern]], a [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]] bar frequented by [[Homer Simpson]], [[Barney Gumble]], [[Lenny and Carl#Lenny Leonard|Lenny Leonard]], [[Carl Carlson]], Sam, Larry, and others.


Grouchy, lonely, miserable, and prone to violent outbursts, Moe is constantly down on his luck and has attempted [[suicide]] numerous times. Other running jokes featuring him include being [[prank call]]ed by [[Bart Simpson]], running illegal activities from his bar, his ugliness and his inconsistent stories about his ethnic origin and what "Moe" is short for. Although he is generally quite disagreeable and confrontational, he is frequently shown to have a tender, aching heart beneath his cantankerous exterior.
==Name & ethnicity==
Moe's full name is either '''Momar Szyslak''' or '''Morris Szyslak'''. His [[ethnicity]] is unclear, since he is embarrassed by his past and does his best to conceal it publically. He is generally thought to be an [[Italian people|Italian]] immigrant, though he has also claimed to be [[Dutch people|Dutch]] (season 15), and from the [[U.S. state]] of [[Indiana]]. His last name, Szyslak, suggests [[Polish people|Polish]] ancestry.


==Role in ''The Simpsons''==
==Back-story==
===Moe's Tavern===
Moe claims to be one of the original [[Little Rascals]], and later became a [[Boxing|boxer]] before establishing his [[tavern]]. He was also abandoned by his parents at a camp that Homer attended as a boy of ten. This raises some dispute about his age&mdash;is he in his late thirties to early forties like [[Homer Simpson]] or around 80, like [[Charles Montgomery Burns]]? Since Moe neither looks nor behaves that old, the probable answer is that he's lying about his past.
Moe is the owner and bartender of Moe's Tavern (informally referred to as "Moe's"), frequented by [[Homer Simpson]] and other characters including [[Lenny Leonard]], [[Carl Carlson]], [[List of recurring The Simpsons characters#Sam and Larry|Sam and Larry]], and his most loyal customer, [[Barney Gumble]]. He is not a very good bartender, at one time expressing surprise that gin and tonic can be mixed together. The bar is noted for its depressing atmosphere and uncleanliness. The regular patrons of the tavern have been abandoned by Moe in several episodes in which he changes its target audience. The first of these was "[[Flaming Moe's]]", in the [[The Simpsons (season 3)|third season]]. As a running joke, Moe is sometimes seen engaging in unlicensed or illegal activities at the tavern, such as smuggling [[panda]]s and an [[orca]] in "[[Cape Feare]]" and "[[The Springfield Files]]", respectively. Particularly in earlier episodes, the Tavern was frequently [[prank call]]ed by [[Bart Simpson]], who would ask for a [[gag name]] which when said by Moe would involve [[innuendo]] or insults (e.g., Mike Rotch/"My crotch", Homer Sexual/"homosexual", Ivana Tinkle/"I wanna tinkle", and Seymour Butz/"See more butts").<ref>{{cite web |last1=Summers |first1=Megan |title=The Simpsons: Bart's 14 Best Prank Calls To Moe's Tavern, Ranked |url=https://screenrant.com/bart-simpsons-best-moe-prank-calls/ |website=ScreenRant |access-date=March 13, 2022 |date=February 4, 2021 |archive-date=January 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126224946/https://screenrant.com/bart-simpsons-best-moe-prank-calls/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Moe's Tavern==
=== Personality ===
Moe's Tavern is located on a street corner, neighboring King Toot's Music Store. Across the street was a factory formerly owned by [[Bart Simpson]], until it collapsed. The inside of the bar has a few pool tables and a dartboard. It is very dank and "smells like [[Urine|tinkle]]." A small stage stands at one end; [[Aerosmith]], [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], [[The Be Sharps]] and [[Krusty the Clown]] (during his "rebel comic" phase) have all performed there. Because female customers are so rare, Moe frequently uses the women's restroom as an office. Moe claimed that there haven't been any ladies at Moe's since 1979 (though earlier episodes show otherwise). A jar of [[pickled egg]]s perpetually stands on the bar. Moe's was briefly converted into a [[family restaurant]] called '''Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag'''. Moe also once revamped his tavern for [[yuppie]] hipsters, renaming the bar "'''M'''." When Homer's cocktail drink was popular, Moe renamed his tavern "'''Flaming Moe's'''." During this time, at least, he had many customers, including females. In "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns]]", Moe's Tavern was forced to close down because Mr. Burns slant-drilling operation near the tavern caused pollution that was unsafe.


Moe is one of the darkest secondary characters in the show. He is portrayed with a generally disagreeable personality: he has a short, violent temper, a penurious nature, a crass and undiplomatic manner of speech, and a mood that rapidly vacillates between anger, indifference, and [[suicide|suicidal despair]] (the latter of which has become more apparent in later episodes of the show). He has an annual Christmas tradition of attempted suicide, but his attempts are comically unsuccessful (landing on a hot-air balloon after jumping out of a plane, for example), and he has already called the suicide hotline so many times that they've blocked his number.<ref>Vincent Terrace, ''Television Series of the 1980s'' (London: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017), 201-2. {{ISBN|1442278315}}</ref>
==Bartending abilities==
Moe's Tavern is probably not the birthplace of the [[Rob Roy (cocktail)|Rob Roy]], despite what Moe claims. Despite having a degree in bartending, Moe is horrible at mixing drinks, and [[Duff Beer]] is pretty much the only thing he serves. The only other notable drink that he mixes is the Flaming Moe (originally called the Flaming Homer, a drink in which Moe stole the recipe from Homer without acknowledging it). He once pointed out that the liquor bottles that appeared to be behind the bar were actually painted on the wall. Moe's Tavern has a [[Rhode Island]] liquor licence which expired in [[1973]] and was signed by Moe himself.


He is easily irritated, frequently threatening the patrons at his bar with a [[shotgun]] he keeps behind the counter. He is also gullible, and Bart's unending chain of successful prank calls to his bar are particularly infuriating to him, inevitably prompting a torrent of [[Tube Bar prank calls#History|Red Deutsch]]-style threats of gruesome bodily harm in return.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}
==Love life==
Moe is typically single although he had a girlfriend once for a short time named Renee (voiced by [[Helen Hunt]] - Season 9, Ep.5F12), as well as a girlfriend in the short "The Love-matic Grampa". Moe is said to be quite physically unattractive, which may partially account for his perpetual loneliness. He also has a rather chronically bad sense of judgement (not to mention lack of tact) in dealing with females, and while participating in a bachelor's auction he said his favorite quality in a woman was one who would "take their clothes off for money." Because of his loneliness, Moe is often [[clinical depression|depressed]], [[suicide|suicidal]] and mean-tempered.


He also is, however, occasionally shown to have a sentimental and caring side to his personality, such as reading to sick children and homeless people, although he is secretive about such behavior. In his interactions with his various girlfriends, he has also shown genuine selflessness and kindness (as well as an unusual improvement in his disposition), although negative elements of his personality inevitably emerge and ruin things. He has also struck up genuine friendships with both of Homer's daughters which have remained in the following episodes. In "[[Thank God It's Doomsday]]", he asks for salvation, because "I've done stuff I ain't proud of. And the stuff I ''am'' proud of is disgusting."<ref>[http://download.lardlad.com/sounds/season16/doomsday7.mp3 Audio snippet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407094306/http://download.lardlad.com/sounds/season16/doomsday7.mp3 |date=2014-04-07 }} from ''[[Thank God It's Doomsday]]''</ref> He donated $25,000 to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2V8cvXqP0k&ab_channel=AniDom Moe donating to Puerto Rico]</ref>
He does have a gentle side, having been known to read books for sick children and [[homeless]] people. Moe did threaten [[Ned Flanders|Ned]] with violence should he reveal this fact about him.


=== Relationships ===
==Shady business==
Moe has an almost non-existent love life due to his vulgarity towards women and his ugly appearance. Despite this, he has had a number of romantic experiences, including sleeping with his waitress Collette,<ref name="flamingmoes2">{{cite episode |title=Flaming Moe's|episode-link=Flaming Moe's |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=Cohen, Robert; Moore, Rich; Smart, Alan|network=Fox |airdate=1991-11-21 |season=3 |number=10}}</ref> dating a woman named Renee,<ref name="dumbbell">{{cite episode |title=Dumbbell Indemnity|episode-link=Dumbbell Indemnity |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref> and briefly enjoying the company of many women after he had [[plastic surgery]].<ref name="plasticsurg">{{cite episode |title=Pygmoelian|episode-link=Pygmoelian |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref> He also has a relationship and proposed to a [[Dwarfism|dwarf]] named Maya, but Moe could not adjust to the difference in height, to the point where his ultimate plan to have his own leg bones shortened led Maya to leave him. He has long been infatuated with [[Marge Simpson]], whom he usually calls "Midge", and has on occasion tried to win her away from Homer,<ref name="marge">{{cite episode |title=Secrets of a Successful Marriage|episode-link=Secrets of a Successful Marriage |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref><ref name="mommie">{{cite episode |title=Mommie Beerest|episode-link=Mommie Beerest |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref> although later episodes have shown him actively working to keep the two together.<ref name="moho">{{cite episode |title=Moho House|episode-link=Moho House |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref> He has been romantically involved with [[Edna Krabappel]]<ref name="neverending">{{cite episode |title=The Seemingly Never-Ending Story|episode-link=The Seemingly Never-Ending Story |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |credits=Maxtone-Graham, Ian; Persi, Raymond|network=Fox |airdate=2006-03-12 |season=17 |number=13}}</ref> as well as Marge's sister [[Patty and Selma#Selma Bouvier|Selma Bouvier]]. Moe's romantic attractions have resulted in run-ins with the law; he has stalked [[Maude Flanders]] and other townspeople, he must register as a [[sex offender]], and he has a [[restraining order]] placed upon him. At one point, he is seen on his way to a "[[venereal disease|V.D.]] clinic".<ref name="lostlisa">{{cite episode |title=Lost Our Lisa|episode-link=Lost Our Lisa |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref> Despite his disturbing approach, Moe has shown to be a caring and devoted lover. While dating Renee (and previously Edna), he wholeheartedly spoiled them with whatever they wanted and vowed to give up his bar and take them away from Springfield forever, even if it means losing his own money and doing illegal acts to make more money. When he thought he finally won Marge's heart, he promised to be "the best man she'd ever had".<ref name="mommie"/>
In one episode, he had a [[panda]]-smuggling ring on the side; in another, a killer-whale smuggling ring. His claim to fame was the "Flaming Moe", a lit specialty drink whose secret ingredient is [[Krusty the Klown]] brand cough syrup. It stood to make him a fortune until Homer, the true inventor of the drink, exposed the secret ingredient allowing several competitor knockoff drinks to spawn.


In "[[Pygmoelian]]", Moe and his three closest friends assess him as a gargoyle with cauliflower ears, lizard lips, little rat eyes, a caveman brow, and a fish snout, who is not pleasant to look at, listen to or be with.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/character/ch0002982/quotes|title=Moe Syzlak quote from 'Pygmoelian', IMDB|website=[[IMDb]] |access-date=2018-06-30|archive-date=2016-10-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025135059/http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0002982/quotes|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Prank calls==
Moe is frequently the victim of prank telephone calls from [[Bart Simpson]], often followed by a violent threat of vengeance from Moe. Bart's calls to Moe have asked for:
* Maya Buttreeks
* Anita Bath (Both this and Maya Buttreeks were used by Bart as fictious childrens names when Moe was applying as a Substitute for Bart's Class in "The PTA Disbands")
* Al Coholic
* I.P. Freely
* Oliver Clothesoff
* Olly Tabooger (backfired; Homer was running the bar at the time and didn't understand the joke)
* Jacques Strap
* Seymour Butts
* Homer Sexual
* Mike Rotch
* Bea O'Problem
* Amanda Huggenkiss
* Hugh Jass (backfired; there was a Hugh Jass present)
* Ivana Tinkle
* Heywood U. Cuddleme (This prank call was done on a [[telegraph]], as the Simpsons were living in a house from 1895 when Bart did this one)
* I'm a stupid moron, with an ugly face, and a big butt, and my butt smells, and I like to kiss my own butt. (When Bart had a [[Twilight Zone]]-esque power to transform people, in a Halloween episode, and Moe still didn't get it)


In "[[The Wayz We Were]]", Maya returns to Springfield, and she and Moe reconnect, but Moe's fear of commitment overpowers him. At Homer's suggestion, Moe proposes to Maya, which she accepts.
[[Homer Simpson|Homer]] once called and asked for "Eura Snotball", the gag intentionally backfiring so Homer can threaten Moe.
[[C. Montgomery Burns|Mr. Burns]] once tried to call [[Waylon Smithers|Smithers]] when he was on vacation and typed in SMITHERS on his "telephone machine". Asking for Waylon Smithers, Moe presumed it was a prank and threatened him.


===Family and biography===
== Customers ==
Moe's ethnic origins are a [[running joke|running gag]] in the show, with his origins always varying. The show's many conflicting stories as to Moe's heritage have been sent up in the [[List of The Simpsons books|tie-in book]] ''The Book of Moe'' (2008), where Moe is depicted in several different foreign national [[folk costume]]s and commenting on them, including [[Culture of Hungary|Hungarian]] and [[Culture of Poland|Polish]]. From early in the series, Moe was depicted as a European immigrant to the United States. In "[[Much Apu About Nothing]]" (1996), Moe is depicted taking his [[United States citizenship test]];<ref name="muchapu">{{cite episode |title=Much Apu About Nothing|episode-link=Much Apu About Nothing|series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref> previously, "[[Bart's Inner Child]]" (1993) had depicted Moe's own [[inner child]] chastising him for abandoning his native [[Italian people|Italian]] accent. Later, in "[[Bart-Mangled Banner]]" (2004), he reveals himself to be [[Dutch people|Dutch]]; he claims his grandfather was [[Irish people|Irish]] while visiting Ireland in "[[In the Name of the Grandfather]]" (2009); and in "[[Lisa Goes Gaga]]" (2012), Moe describes himself as "half monster, half [[Armenian people|Armenian]]". Moe is also hinted to be Armenian in "[[Judge Me Tender]]" (2010), claiming that Armenian Idol is his favorite show. As for indications, he was born in America, in "[[Homer the Heretic]]" (1992), Moe claims, "I was born a [[Snake handling in Christianity|snake handler]], and I'll die a snake handler" while in "[[Day of the Jackanapes]]" (2001) he claims to have been born in [[Indiana]].<ref name="Indiana">{{cite episode |title=Day of the Jackanapes|episode-link=Day of the Jackanapes|series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref> Azaria has said he sees Moe as being from [[Queens]], New York City and portrays him with a Queens accent.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Hank Azaria Says 'Brockmire' Has Been With Him For Years|url=https://www.npr.org/2017/05/13/528157708/hank-azaria-says-brockmire-has-been-with-him-for-years|series=[[Weekend Edition]]|first=Scott|last=Simon|author-link=Scott Simon|network=[[NPR]]|date=2017-05-13|quote=Moe is a New York guy, he's from Queens....|access-date=2018-03-31|archive-date=2018-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401005222/https://www.npr.org/2017/05/13/528157708/hank-azaria-says-brockmire-has-been-with-him-for-years|url-status=live}}</ref>


[[File:MoeSzyslak-TheLittleRascals.png|thumb|210px|Moe (left) as "Smelly" in ''[[Our Gang|The Little Rascals]]''.]]
===Barney Gumble===
Numerous conflicting versions of Moe's childhood have been depicted across the show. In "[[Radioactive Man (The Simpsons episode)|Radioactive Man]]" (1995), he is depicted as having been one of the original ''[[The Little Rascals|Little Rascals]]'', but was fired after killing the "[[Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer|original Alfalfa]]". However, charges were not pressed against him as the "original Alfalfa" was, in fact, an orphan owned by the studio. As Homer's boxing coach in "[[The Homer They Fall]]" (1996), he shows photographs from throughout his own boxing career, stating that his ugly appearance was the result of competing in the sport. Moe's college years are also depicted in "[[Homer the Moe]]" (2001), which shows Moe as having attended "bar-tending school" at Swigmore University (a play on [[Skidmore College]]) before opening what became Moe's Tavern.<ref name="tavern1">{{cite episode |title=Homer the Moe|episode-link=Homer the Moe |series=The Simpsons |series-link=The Simpsons |network=Fox }}</ref> In "[[Springfield Up]]" (2007), footage from a [[documentary]] called ''Growing Up Springfield'' shows an 8-year-old Moe claiming that his father was a [[circus freak]]. He was unsure which one but liked to think it was a little of all of them.<ref>"[[Springfield Up]]"</ref> This is further reinforced in "Sleeping With The Enemy" when he briefly asserts himself as a member of the Muntz family. After Nelson's father returns, blaming his absence on having been stolen away by the circus due to a peanut allergy disfiguring his face. Teenage Moe is shown again in "[[She Used to Be My Girl]]" (2004), where he is depicted working in the school cafeteria, given as his first job "since prison"; Marge is responsible for having him sent back there. "[[The Seemingly Never-Ending Story]]" (2006) depicts scenes set years before the series present in which Moe and schoolteacher [[Edna Krabappel]] are shown to have had a brief love affair. In "[[Them, Robot]]" (2012), a flashback scene depicts a young child being stomped on by an elephant, and his face then changes to Moe. In "[[King Leer]]" (2018), Moe's father, Morty, and his siblings, Marty and Minnie, are introduced, and he is shown in flashbacks as a child in Springfield.
[[Barney Gumble]] is single, an alcoholic (after being introduced to beer by [[Homer Simpson]] as a teenager), and living in a incredibly messy apartment near the state penitentary, Barney arguably remains Homer's best friend. His desperation for alcohol has been the source of many jokes. He remains friendly and good-natured despite his unfortunate condition. In early episodes, he appears to be a parody of [[Barney Rubble]] -- similar appearance, hair color, clothing color, just much larger in size. Barney has demonstrated considerable talents as a singer, filmmaker, astronaut, orator, painter, helicopter pilot, and snow plow driver, but keeps getting foiled by his various addictions. Once he even drank a can of turpentine!


Much like Moe's ethnic origins, his full name is also treated inconsistently as a gag. In "[[Flaming Moe's]]" (1991), he is called Morris by his lover. In "[[The Springfield Connection]]" (1995), Homer refers to Moe in the Arabic "[[Muammer|Moammar]]". In "[[Eeny Teeny Maya Moe]]" (2009), he suggests that he only changed his name to Moe when he purchased Moe's Tavern. His last name Szyslak is Polish in origin,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.namespedia.com/details/Szyslak|title=Szyslak - Names Encyclopedia|access-date=2021-10-17|archive-date=2021-10-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017063617/https://www.namespedia.com/details/Szyslak|url-status=live}}</ref> and is written as Szyślak.
In "Days of Wine and D'ohses", Barney finally kicked the alcoholism and transferred his addiction to espresso, which led to the disappearance of his trademark belch. Happily, he had a relapse in "I'm Spelling as Fast as I Can" and was back on the sauce in "My Big Fat Geek Wedding" (in a scene that was a parody of [[Jimmy Stewart]]'s ''Harvey''). By the end of season 15 he was back in all his fat, lovable, belching glory.


==Character==
===Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoo===
===Creation===
Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoo has the worst name Moe ever heard, and is a friend to Barney and a patron of Moe's Tavern. Homer once inadvertently offended him while trying to make up a fake name.
The creator of ''The Simpsons'' [[Matt Groening]] based Moe on [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]], who was made famous when he was repeatedly prank-called by two [[Jersey City, New Jersey|Jersey City]] residents. [[Tube Bar prank calls|These prank calls]] were the inspiration for Bart Simpson's [[Recurring jokes in The Simpsons#Bart's prank calls|repeated prank calls to Moe]], and Deutsch's often profane responses inspired Moe's violent temper.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|title=Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC|access-date=2007-10-26|date=2005-08-10|newspaper=The Hudson Reporter|first=Ricardo|last=Kaulessar|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925085614/http://www.hudsonreporter.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15354520&BRD=1291&PAG=461&dept_id=523586&rfi=6|archive-date=2008-09-25}}</ref> Comedian [[Rich Hall]], an acquaintance of ''The Simpsons'' writer [[George Meyer]], has stated that he believes further inspiration was drawn from himself and that Groening has verified this to him.<ref>{{cite news |last=Holt |first=Richard |date=24 September 2007 |title=Comic claims he is Simpsons' Moe the Barman |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1564051/Comic-claims-he-is-Simpsons-Moe-the-Barman.html |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=6 January 2018 |archive-date=7 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107120119/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1564051/Comic-claims-he-is-Simpsons-Moe-the-Barman.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Moe's surname "Szyslak" was revealed in "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]". Writers [[Bill Oakley]] and [[Josh Weinstein]] found the name in a phone book and gave it to Moe so that he would have the initials M.S., and hence be a suspect in the Burns shooting.<ref>[[Bill Oakley|Oakley, Bill]] (2005). Commentary for "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Moe was designed by animator Dan Haskett and his facial appearance was modeled after a [[gorilla]].<ref>[[David Silverman (animator)|Silverman, David]] (2001). Commentary for "[[Bart the General]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete First Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref><ref>[[Mike Reiss|Reiss, Mike]] (2004). Commentary for "[[Homer's Barbershop Quartet]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Animator [[Mark Kirkland]] said that he often lets off-model drawings of Moe pass through production because the character is so ugly that no one will notice.<ref>[[Mark Kirkland|Kirkland, Mark]] (2004). Commentary for "[[Bart Sells His Soul]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref>


===Guy Incognito===
===Voice===
[[File:Hankazaria05.jpg|thumb|right|125px|[[Hank Azaria]]]]
Guy Incognito was someone who looks exactly like Homer but has a moustache. When Homer was (temporarily) banned from Moe's bar, Guy walked in with a phony-sounding accent, and was quickly thrown out.
Moe was the first voice [[Hank Azaria]] performed for the show. During the time of his audition, Azaria was doing a play in which he had the part of a drug dealer, basing his voice on actor [[Al Pacino]] in ''[[Dog Day Afternoon]]''. He used the same voice in the audition and was told by Matt Groening and [[Sam Simon]], who was directing him, to make it more gravelly like Deutsch's voice. Groening and Simon thought that it was perfect and took Azaria over to the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox network]] recording studio. The result is Moe's pronounced [[New York accent]]. Before he had even seen a script, Azaria recorded several lines of dialogue as Moe for the episode "[[Some Enchanted Evening (The Simpsons)|Some Enchanted Evening]]".<ref name=freshair>{{cite interview|last=Azaria|first=Hank|interviewer=[[Terry Gross]]|title=Fresh Air|work=[[National Public Radio]]|publisher=[[WHYY-FM]]|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4679119|location=Philadelphia|date=2004-12-06|access-date=2007-08-15|archive-date=2008-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419064355/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4679119|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=barbershop>[[Hank Azaria|Azaria, Hank]]; [[Al Jean|Jean, Al]] (2004). Commentary for "[[Homer's Barbershop Quartet]]", in ''The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season'' [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.</ref> Moe was originally voiced by [[Christopher Collins]] who recorded several lines as Moe which never aired.<ref name=barbershop/> Azaria explained that he did not discover this fact for several years and that according to Groening, "that guy's" acting was fine but other staff and actors found him "a dick".<ref>{{Citation|title=Hank Azaria Breaks Down His Iconic Simpsons Voices and Movie Roles {{!}} GQ| date=14 June 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5TaYFi4UVA|language=en|access-date=2018-06-25|archive-date=2018-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617160545/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5TaYFi4UVA|url-status=live}}</ref>


==Reception==
===Misc. regulars===
In 2001 and 2003, [[Hank Azaria]] won [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance|Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance]] for voicing Moe and various other characters.<ref name=Emmy>{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php|title=Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search|publisher=Emmys.org|access-date=2008-12-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215195726/http://www.emmys.org/awards/awardsearch.php|archive-date=2009-02-15|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Lenny, Carl, and occasionally Charlie, Homer's colleagues at the nuclear plant, also frequent Moe's.


===Burns and Smithers===
==See also==
* [[Tube Bar prank calls]]
Having sold the nuclear plant, Mr. Burns and Smithers stopped in for a drink before being kicked out.
{{Portal bar|The Simpsons|Animation}}


===Others===
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
Barflies named Sam and Larry, the owner of King Toots, all the characters in the show voiced by [[Jon Lovitz]] drinking at once (a good sight gag), a man with glasses that are out of focus, an unnamed person who has a [[cowlick]] and easily passes out, a [[homosexual]] man who was under the impression that it was a gay bar, and a woman from Seasons 2-4 have appeared. As animation goes, though, they were mostly pushed out of the show. Now Moe's usually has Barney, Homer, Lenny, Carl, and people with problems (i.e. Apu's romantic gifts, cold feet at the altar, etc.).


===Bibliography===
[[fr:taverne de Moe]]
* {{cite book |last=Groening |first=Matt |author-link=Matt Groening |title=Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 |title-link=Simpsons World: The Ultimate Episode Guide: Seasons 1–20 |date=2010-10-28 |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |isbn=9780061711282 |editor1-last=Richmond |editor1-first=Ray |editor1-link=Ray Richmond |edition=1st |editor2-last=Gimple |editor2-first=Scott M. |editor2-link=Scott M. Gimple |editor-last3=McCann |editor-first3=Jessie L. |editor-last4=Seghers |editor-first4=Christine |editor-last5=Bates |editor-first5=James W.}}
[[es:Moe Szyslak]]

[[Category:Simpsons characters|Szyslak, Moe]]
==External links==
{{wikiquote|List of Simpsons Prank Calls|Prank Calls to Moe's Tavern}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070318215255/http://www.snpp.com/guides/moe.html The Moe Szyslak File] at [[The Simpsons Archive]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170211201919/http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0002982/ Moe Szyslak] on [[IMDb]]

{{The Simpsons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Szyslak, Moe}}
[[Category:The Simpsons characters]]
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1989]]
[[Category:Fictional bartenders]]
[[Category:Fictional businesspeople]]
[[Category:Fictional Armenian people]]
[[Category:Fictional Dutch people]]
[[Category:Fictional Polish people]]
[[Category:Fictional people with acquired American citizenship]]
[[Category:Fictional characters based on real people]]
[[Category:Fictional attempted suicides]]
[[Category:Male characters in animated television series]]
[[Category:Fictional stalkers]]
[[Category:Characters created by Matt Groening]]
[[Category:Animated characters introduced in 1989]]

Latest revision as of 04:55, 26 November 2024

Moe Szyslak
The Simpsons character
First appearance"Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire" (1989)
Created byMatt Groening
Designed byDan Haskett
Voiced by
In-universe information
Full nameMoe Szyslak
GenderMale
OccupationBartender
Family
  • Morty Szyslak (father)
  • Minnie Szyslak (sister)
  • Marv Szyslak (brother)
  • Maya (fiancée)
ReligionSnake Handler

Moammar "Moe" Szyslak[1][2] (/ˈsɪzlæk/ SIZ-lak) is a recurring character from the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire".[3] Moe is the proprietor and bartender of Moe's Tavern, a Springfield bar frequented by Homer Simpson, Barney Gumble, Lenny Leonard, Carl Carlson, Sam, Larry, and others.

Grouchy, lonely, miserable, and prone to violent outbursts, Moe is constantly down on his luck and has attempted suicide numerous times. Other running jokes featuring him include being prank called by Bart Simpson, running illegal activities from his bar, his ugliness and his inconsistent stories about his ethnic origin and what "Moe" is short for. Although he is generally quite disagreeable and confrontational, he is frequently shown to have a tender, aching heart beneath his cantankerous exterior.

Role in The Simpsons

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Moe's Tavern

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Moe is the owner and bartender of Moe's Tavern (informally referred to as "Moe's"), frequented by Homer Simpson and other characters including Lenny Leonard, Carl Carlson, Sam and Larry, and his most loyal customer, Barney Gumble. He is not a very good bartender, at one time expressing surprise that gin and tonic can be mixed together. The bar is noted for its depressing atmosphere and uncleanliness. The regular patrons of the tavern have been abandoned by Moe in several episodes in which he changes its target audience. The first of these was "Flaming Moe's", in the third season. As a running joke, Moe is sometimes seen engaging in unlicensed or illegal activities at the tavern, such as smuggling pandas and an orca in "Cape Feare" and "The Springfield Files", respectively. Particularly in earlier episodes, the Tavern was frequently prank called by Bart Simpson, who would ask for a gag name which when said by Moe would involve innuendo or insults (e.g., Mike Rotch/"My crotch", Homer Sexual/"homosexual", Ivana Tinkle/"I wanna tinkle", and Seymour Butz/"See more butts").[4]

Personality

[edit]

Moe is one of the darkest secondary characters in the show. He is portrayed with a generally disagreeable personality: he has a short, violent temper, a penurious nature, a crass and undiplomatic manner of speech, and a mood that rapidly vacillates between anger, indifference, and suicidal despair (the latter of which has become more apparent in later episodes of the show). He has an annual Christmas tradition of attempted suicide, but his attempts are comically unsuccessful (landing on a hot-air balloon after jumping out of a plane, for example), and he has already called the suicide hotline so many times that they've blocked his number.[5]

He is easily irritated, frequently threatening the patrons at his bar with a shotgun he keeps behind the counter. He is also gullible, and Bart's unending chain of successful prank calls to his bar are particularly infuriating to him, inevitably prompting a torrent of Red Deutsch-style threats of gruesome bodily harm in return.[citation needed]

He also is, however, occasionally shown to have a sentimental and caring side to his personality, such as reading to sick children and homeless people, although he is secretive about such behavior. In his interactions with his various girlfriends, he has also shown genuine selflessness and kindness (as well as an unusual improvement in his disposition), although negative elements of his personality inevitably emerge and ruin things. He has also struck up genuine friendships with both of Homer's daughters which have remained in the following episodes. In "Thank God It's Doomsday", he asks for salvation, because "I've done stuff I ain't proud of. And the stuff I am proud of is disgusting."[6] He donated $25,000 to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. [7]

Relationships

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Moe has an almost non-existent love life due to his vulgarity towards women and his ugly appearance. Despite this, he has had a number of romantic experiences, including sleeping with his waitress Collette,[8] dating a woman named Renee,[9] and briefly enjoying the company of many women after he had plastic surgery.[10] He also has a relationship and proposed to a dwarf named Maya, but Moe could not adjust to the difference in height, to the point where his ultimate plan to have his own leg bones shortened led Maya to leave him. He has long been infatuated with Marge Simpson, whom he usually calls "Midge", and has on occasion tried to win her away from Homer,[11][12] although later episodes have shown him actively working to keep the two together.[13] He has been romantically involved with Edna Krabappel[14] as well as Marge's sister Selma Bouvier. Moe's romantic attractions have resulted in run-ins with the law; he has stalked Maude Flanders and other townspeople, he must register as a sex offender, and he has a restraining order placed upon him. At one point, he is seen on his way to a "V.D. clinic".[15] Despite his disturbing approach, Moe has shown to be a caring and devoted lover. While dating Renee (and previously Edna), he wholeheartedly spoiled them with whatever they wanted and vowed to give up his bar and take them away from Springfield forever, even if it means losing his own money and doing illegal acts to make more money. When he thought he finally won Marge's heart, he promised to be "the best man she'd ever had".[12]

In "Pygmoelian", Moe and his three closest friends assess him as a gargoyle with cauliflower ears, lizard lips, little rat eyes, a caveman brow, and a fish snout, who is not pleasant to look at, listen to or be with.[16]

In "The Wayz We Were", Maya returns to Springfield, and she and Moe reconnect, but Moe's fear of commitment overpowers him. At Homer's suggestion, Moe proposes to Maya, which she accepts.

Family and biography

[edit]

Moe's ethnic origins are a running gag in the show, with his origins always varying. The show's many conflicting stories as to Moe's heritage have been sent up in the tie-in book The Book of Moe (2008), where Moe is depicted in several different foreign national folk costumes and commenting on them, including Hungarian and Polish. From early in the series, Moe was depicted as a European immigrant to the United States. In "Much Apu About Nothing" (1996), Moe is depicted taking his United States citizenship test;[17] previously, "Bart's Inner Child" (1993) had depicted Moe's own inner child chastising him for abandoning his native Italian accent. Later, in "Bart-Mangled Banner" (2004), he reveals himself to be Dutch; he claims his grandfather was Irish while visiting Ireland in "In the Name of the Grandfather" (2009); and in "Lisa Goes Gaga" (2012), Moe describes himself as "half monster, half Armenian". Moe is also hinted to be Armenian in "Judge Me Tender" (2010), claiming that Armenian Idol is his favorite show. As for indications, he was born in America, in "Homer the Heretic" (1992), Moe claims, "I was born a snake handler, and I'll die a snake handler" while in "Day of the Jackanapes" (2001) he claims to have been born in Indiana.[18] Azaria has said he sees Moe as being from Queens, New York City and portrays him with a Queens accent.[19]

Moe (left) as "Smelly" in The Little Rascals.

Numerous conflicting versions of Moe's childhood have been depicted across the show. In "Radioactive Man" (1995), he is depicted as having been one of the original Little Rascals, but was fired after killing the "original Alfalfa". However, charges were not pressed against him as the "original Alfalfa" was, in fact, an orphan owned by the studio. As Homer's boxing coach in "The Homer They Fall" (1996), he shows photographs from throughout his own boxing career, stating that his ugly appearance was the result of competing in the sport. Moe's college years are also depicted in "Homer the Moe" (2001), which shows Moe as having attended "bar-tending school" at Swigmore University (a play on Skidmore College) before opening what became Moe's Tavern.[20] In "Springfield Up" (2007), footage from a documentary called Growing Up Springfield shows an 8-year-old Moe claiming that his father was a circus freak. He was unsure which one but liked to think it was a little of all of them.[21] This is further reinforced in "Sleeping With The Enemy" when he briefly asserts himself as a member of the Muntz family. After Nelson's father returns, blaming his absence on having been stolen away by the circus due to a peanut allergy disfiguring his face. Teenage Moe is shown again in "She Used to Be My Girl" (2004), where he is depicted working in the school cafeteria, given as his first job "since prison"; Marge is responsible for having him sent back there. "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story" (2006) depicts scenes set years before the series present in which Moe and schoolteacher Edna Krabappel are shown to have had a brief love affair. In "Them, Robot" (2012), a flashback scene depicts a young child being stomped on by an elephant, and his face then changes to Moe. In "King Leer" (2018), Moe's father, Morty, and his siblings, Marty and Minnie, are introduced, and he is shown in flashbacks as a child in Springfield.

Much like Moe's ethnic origins, his full name is also treated inconsistently as a gag. In "Flaming Moe's" (1991), he is called Morris by his lover. In "The Springfield Connection" (1995), Homer refers to Moe in the Arabic "Moammar". In "Eeny Teeny Maya Moe" (2009), he suggests that he only changed his name to Moe when he purchased Moe's Tavern. His last name Szyslak is Polish in origin,[22] and is written as Szyślak.

Character

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Creation

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The creator of The Simpsons Matt Groening based Moe on Louis "Red" Deutsch, who was made famous when he was repeatedly prank-called by two Jersey City residents. These prank calls were the inspiration for Bart Simpson's repeated prank calls to Moe, and Deutsch's often profane responses inspired Moe's violent temper.[23] Comedian Rich Hall, an acquaintance of The Simpsons writer George Meyer, has stated that he believes further inspiration was drawn from himself and that Groening has verified this to him.[24] Moe's surname "Szyslak" was revealed in "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)". Writers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein found the name in a phone book and gave it to Moe so that he would have the initials M.S., and hence be a suspect in the Burns shooting.[25] Moe was designed by animator Dan Haskett and his facial appearance was modeled after a gorilla.[26][27] Animator Mark Kirkland said that he often lets off-model drawings of Moe pass through production because the character is so ugly that no one will notice.[28]

Voice

[edit]
Hank Azaria

Moe was the first voice Hank Azaria performed for the show. During the time of his audition, Azaria was doing a play in which he had the part of a drug dealer, basing his voice on actor Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon. He used the same voice in the audition and was told by Matt Groening and Sam Simon, who was directing him, to make it more gravelly like Deutsch's voice. Groening and Simon thought that it was perfect and took Azaria over to the Fox network recording studio. The result is Moe's pronounced New York accent. Before he had even seen a script, Azaria recorded several lines of dialogue as Moe for the episode "Some Enchanted Evening".[29][30] Moe was originally voiced by Christopher Collins who recorded several lines as Moe which never aired.[30] Azaria explained that he did not discover this fact for several years and that according to Groening, "that guy's" acting was fine but other staff and actors found him "a dick".[31]

Reception

[edit]

In 2001 and 2003, Hank Azaria won Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for voicing Moe and various other characters.[32]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The Wayz We Were". The Simpsons. Fox.
  2. ^ Groening 2010, pp. 299, 1192.
  3. ^ Rhodes, Joe (2000-10-21). "Flash! 24 Simpsons Stars Reveal Themselves". TV Guide.
  4. ^ Summers, Megan (February 4, 2021). "The Simpsons: Bart's 14 Best Prank Calls To Moe's Tavern, Ranked". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  5. ^ Vincent Terrace, Television Series of the 1980s (London: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017), 201-2. ISBN 1442278315
  6. ^ Audio snippet Archived 2014-04-07 at the Wayback Machine from Thank God It's Doomsday
  7. ^ Moe donating to Puerto Rico
  8. ^ Cohen, Robert; Moore, Rich; Smart, Alan (1991-11-21). "Flaming Moe's". The Simpsons. Season 3. Episode 10. Fox.
  9. ^ "Dumbbell Indemnity". The Simpsons. Fox.
  10. ^ "Pygmoelian". The Simpsons. Fox.
  11. ^ "Secrets of a Successful Marriage". The Simpsons. Fox.
  12. ^ a b "Mommie Beerest". The Simpsons. Fox.
  13. ^ "Moho House". The Simpsons. Fox.
  14. ^ Maxtone-Graham, Ian; Persi, Raymond (2006-03-12). "The Seemingly Never-Ending Story". The Simpsons. Season 17. Episode 13. Fox.
  15. ^ "Lost Our Lisa". The Simpsons. Fox.
  16. ^ "Moe Syzlak quote from 'Pygmoelian', IMDB". IMDb. Archived from the original on 2016-10-25. Retrieved 2018-06-30.
  17. ^ "Much Apu About Nothing". The Simpsons. Fox.
  18. ^ "Day of the Jackanapes". The Simpsons. Fox.
  19. ^ Simon, Scott (2017-05-13). "Hank Azaria Says 'Brockmire' Has Been With Him For Years". Weekend Edition. NPR. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31. Moe is a New York guy, he's from Queens....
  20. ^ "Homer the Moe". The Simpsons. Fox.
  21. ^ "Springfield Up"
  22. ^ "Szyslak - Names Encyclopedia". Archived from the original on 2021-10-17. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  23. ^ Kaulessar, Ricardo (2005-08-10). "Joke on 'Simpsons' started in JC". The Hudson Reporter. Archived from the original on 2008-09-25. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
  24. ^ Holt, Richard (24 September 2007). "Comic claims he is Simpsons' Moe the Barman". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  25. ^ Oakley, Bill (2005). Commentary for "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part One)", in The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  26. ^ Silverman, David (2001). Commentary for "Bart the General", in The Simpsons: The Complete First Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  27. ^ Reiss, Mike (2004). Commentary for "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  28. ^ Kirkland, Mark (2004). Commentary for "Bart Sells His Soul", in The Simpsons: The Complete Seventh Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  29. ^ Azaria, Hank (2004-12-06). "Fresh Air". National Public Radio (Interview). Interviewed by Terry Gross. Philadelphia: WHYY-FM. Archived from the original on 2008-04-19. Retrieved 2007-08-15.
  30. ^ a b Azaria, Hank; Jean, Al (2004). Commentary for "Homer's Barbershop Quartet", in The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  31. ^ Hank Azaria Breaks Down His Iconic Simpsons Voices and Movie Roles | GQ, 14 June 2018, archived from the original on 2018-06-17, retrieved 2018-06-25
  32. ^ "Primetime Emmy Awards Advanced Search". Emmys.org. Archived from the original on 2009-02-15. Retrieved 2008-12-10.

Bibliography

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[edit]