Jump to content

Moe Szyslak: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
←Replaced page with '.... MOE! HI MOE!'
Line 1: Line 1:
.... MOE! HI MOE!
{{Simpsons character
| image= [[Image:Moe Szyslak.png|222px]]
| name=Moe Szyslak
| age=45
| gender=[[Male]]
| hair=Curly and black, later grey <!-- The template does not currently support this field -->
<!-- | born= {{born age|1958|9|6}} -->
| job=Owner and proprietor of [[Moe's Tavern]]
| relatives='''Mother:''' (unnamed) <br> '''Children:''' Little Moe Szyslak
| appearance="[[Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire]]"
| voiceactor=[[Hank Azaria]]<br> [[Christopher Collins]] (deceased)
| based on=[[Rich Hall]],[[Louis "Red" Deutsch]]
}}
'''Morris "Moe" Lester Szyslak''' (pronounced /{{IPA|'sɪz.læk}}/) is a [[fictional character]] on the [[animated series]] ''[[The Simpsons]]'', [[Voice acting|voiced]] by [[Hank Azaria]]. Moe is the proprietor and [[bartender]] of "[[Moe's Tavern]]", a [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]] [[bar]] frequented by [[Barney Gumble]], [[Homer Simpson]], [[Carl Carlson]], [[Lenny Leonard]] and others.

==Biography==
{{See also|Moe's Tavern}}
Moe's ancestry is of uncertain origin, being noted throughout the series as [[Poles|Polish]], [[Albanian people|Albanian,]] [[Italian people|Italian]], and [[Dutch (ethnic group)|Dutch]]. His ancestors supposedly included the bartenders of the [[Russia]]n [[tsar]].<ref name="russia">
{{cite web
|url = http://www.snpp.com/episodes/8F08.html
|title = Flaming Moe's - Transcript}}</ref> In the episode ''[[Springfield Up]]'', Moe reveals to Declan Desmond that his father was a circus freak but he never knew him. He also revealed that as a child, he lived with his mother.

Moe Szyslak either immigrated to the United States<ref name="muchapu">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Much_Apu_About_Nothing&oldid=133457689
|title = Much Apu About Nothing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|date = 2007-05-25
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref> or was born in [[Indiana]].<ref name="indiana">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Day_of_the_Jackanapes&oldid=132287109
|title = Day of the Jackanapes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|date = 2007-05-20
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref> As a child, he played the part of "Smelly", a tough kid, on ''[[The Little Rascals]]'' until he killed [[Carl Switzer|Alfalfa]] for stealing his bit and was fired. At some unspecified time during his childhood, his parents dropped him off at summer
camp, never to return to pick him up.<ref name="waywewerent">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=The_Way_We_Weren%27t&oldid=132057437
|title = The Way We Weren't - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|date = 2007-05-19
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref> As a young man, Moe became a professional boxer, going by the names "Kid Gorgeous", "Kid Presentable", "Kid Gruesome", and "Kid Moe". Moe blames his boxing career for making him ugly. According to Moe, his boxing career ended because of politics, and because he was knocked out 40 times in a row. Moe's ugliness caused him to audition unsuccessfully for a part in "It Never Ends," a [[soap opera]]. His current appearance has been described as consisting of "[[cauliflower ear]], lizard lips, little rat eyes, caveman brow and fish snout" in [[Pygmoelian]].

After attending bartending school at Swigmore University (a play on [[Swarthmore College]]), Moe opened up his own drinking establishment, "Moe's Tavern."<ref name="tavern1">
{{cite web
|url = http://www.snpp.com/episodes/CABF20
|title = Homer the Moe - Transcript
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref> As an adult, Moe's life centers around running Moe's Tavern where, except for the few instances where he hires temporary help, he is the only employee. His most loyal customer is Barney Gumble, with other regulars including Homer Simpson, Lenny Leonard, Carl Carlson, Sam, and Larry. Moe is notoriously cheap with his customers, refusing to give them free drinks, or throwing them out when they are out of money.

Moe generally serves [[Duff beer]] on tap, having little knowledge of liquors or wines; the liquor bottles visible behind the bar are said to be "painted on," and in one instance, he unknowingly sells a bottle of [[Château Latour]] for a few dollars. He enthusiastically abandons his bar, its regular customers, and his friends when a better opportunity comes along, such as the drink "[[Flaming Moe's|The Flaming Moe]]", the opening of his postmodern bar "[[Homer the Moe|M]]", and the conversion of his bar into a family-themed restaurant called [[Bart Sells His Soul#Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag|Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag]].

Moe is often engaged in shady or illegal activities at his tavern, including smuggling [[panda|pandas]] and [[Orca|orcas]], hosting [[Russian roulette]] games, operating an unlicensed [[casino]], serving liquor without a license (his expired in 1973), running a [[speakeasy]] during Springfield's brief flirtation with [[Prohibition]], and performing unlicensed surgery in his bar.

Moe's temperament is characterized by a short, violent temper, coupled with [[homicide|homicidal]] and [[suicide|suicidal]] tendencies and a proclivity towards obsessive behaviors. These traits are exhibited in his behavior, including frequently attempting suicide (including an annual attempt on [[Christmas]]), keeping an [[Nixon's Enemies List|enemies list]] nearly identical to that of Richard Nixon, assuming a leading role in many of Springfield's angry mobs, kidnapping [[Talking Heads]] vocalist [[David Byrne (musician)|David Byrne]], using his [[b-boy]] skills for self-defense, shooting at Carl with a shotgun, robbing Homer of expensive pants, keeping [[Hans Moleman]] under his bar's floorboards in a subterranean torture chamber, perpetrating insurance fraud ("[[Dumbbell Indemnity]]"), and stalking various townspeople.

Moe has a strained love life due to his vulgarity towards women and his ugly appearance. Despite this, Moe has had a number of romantic experiences, including sleeping with his bartender Collette, <ref name="flamingmoes2">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Flaming_Moe%27s&oldid=132505363
|title = Flaming Moe's - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|date = 2007-05-21
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref> planning to elope with [[Edna Krabappel]],<ref name="edna1">
{{Cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=The_Seemingly_Never-Ending_Story&oldid=132873529
|title = The Seemingly Never-Ending Story - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|accessdate = 2007-05-27
|date = 2007-05-23}}</ref> dating a woman named Renee,
<ref name="dumbbell">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Dumbbell_Indemnity&oldid=132285314
|title = Dumbbell Indemnity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Enyclopedia
|date = 2007-05-20
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref> dating a woman named Betty,<ref name="betty">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=The_Simpsons_Spin-Off_Showcase&oldid=132476738
|title = The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|accessdate = 2007-05-27
|date = 2007-05-21}}</ref> and enjoying the company of many women after he had plastic surgery to correct his ugly appearance (''see image below'').<ref name="plasticsurg">
{{cite web
|url = http://www.snpp.com/episodes/BABF12
|title = Pygmoelian - Transcript
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref> He has long been infatuated with [[Marge Simpson]] (whom he often refers to as ''Midge'') and has on occasion professed his love for her and tried to win her away from Homer.<ref name="marge">
{{Cite web
|url = http://www.snpp.com/episodes/1F20.html
|title = Secrets of a Successful Marriage - Transcript
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref><ref name="mommie">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Mommie_Beerest&oldid=129898239
|date = 2007-05-10
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|title = Mommie Beerest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref><ref name="publicdomain">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Tales_from_the_Public_Domain&oldid=132277178
|title = Tales from the Public Domain - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|date = 2007-05-20
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref><ref name="wettest1">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=The_Wettest_Stories_Ever_Told&oldid=132218451
|title = The Wettest Stories Ever Told - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|date = 2007-05-20
|accessdate = 2007-05-27 }}</ref><ref name="screamingyellow">
{{cite web
|url = http://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Marge_Simpson_in:_%22Screaming_Yellow_Honkers%22&oldid=132277061
|title = Marge Simpson in: "Screaming Yellow Honkers"
|author = Wikipedia contributors
|publisher = Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
|date = 2007-05-20
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref> Moe's romantic attractions have resulted in criminal behavior and run-ins with the law; he has stalked [[Maude Flanders]] and other townspeople, he must register as a sex offender, and he had a restraining order placed upon him. At one point he is seen on his way to a "V.D. clinic".<ref name="lostlisa">
{{cite web
|url = http://www.snpp.com/episodes/5F17
|title = Lost Our Lisa - Transcript}</ref> Moe has also proposed marriage to a WNBA mascot, even knowing that the character inside the mascot is a male, [[Gil Gunderson|Gil]].

On occasion, Moe expresses genuine love and sentimentality. He has a cat named Mr. Snookums, of whom he is very fond. Moe is also kind towards the rats that live in his bar. On Wednesday nights, he reads to the homeless in a local soup kitchen and he also reads to sick children at the hospital. Until it was destroyed, Moe had a fondness for a jar of [[pickled eggs]]. He saved the owner of King Toot's music store and his wife from a flaming car. He saved the life of Maggie Simpson and took efforts to protect her. Moe engaged in charity work in South America or Africa, using a flying fan to fight forest fires and deliver medical supplies to peoples devastated by floods. Moe has demonstrated knowledge of automobiles and dancing.<ref name="realtybites">
{{cite web
|url = http://www.snpp.com/episodes/5F06
|title = Realty Bites - Transcript
|accessdate = 2007-05-27}}</ref>

==Origin==
Moe tends to hide his ethnicity, so his origin is unclear. He could be [[Italian people|Italian]]; he has claimed to be [[Russians|Russian]] and [[Dutch (ethnic group)|Dutch]]. His last name suggests that he could be [[Albanians|Albanian]] or [[Slavic peoples|Slavic]].

==Prank calls==
[[Image:Moe at his Bar.gif|thumb|right|200px|Moe receiving a prank call from Bart Simpson.]]
In the early years of ''The Simpsons'', Moe was the frequent target of [[Bart Simpson]]'s [[prank calls|prank phone calls]]. Bart would call Moe's Tavern and ask for an individual by his or her name. Unbeknownst to Moe, the name was a [[double entendre]]. When Moe would call aloud the individual's name (always in the context that makes the double entendre funny -- for example, "Hey, fellas, I need Amanda Hugginkiss!"), the bar's patrons would laugh and Moe, realizing he had been had, would utter a series of threats into the phone (eg: If I ever find out who you are, I'm gonna gut you like a fish, and drink your blood). Some of the names used by Bart in these phone calls include:

* Al Coholic ("Alcoholic") from ''[[Some Enchanted Evening]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Oliver Clozsoff ("All of our clothes off") from ''[[Some Enchanted Evening]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* I.P. Freely ("I pee freely") from ''[[Homer's Odyssey]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Jacques Strap ("Jock strap") from ''[[Moaning Lisa]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Seymour Butz ("See more butts") from ''[[One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Mike Rotch ("My crotch") from ''[[Blood Feud]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Hugh Jass ("Huge ass" This actually backfired on Bart when a man with the same name answered the call) from ''[[Flaming Moe's]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Bea O'Problem ("[[body odor|B.O.]] problem") from ''[[Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Amanda Hugginkiss ("A man to hug and kiss") from ''[[New Kid on the Block]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Ollie Tabugar ("I'll eat a booger") (backfired when Homer was running the tavern, who didn't know about the prank) ''[[Homer the Moe]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Heywood U. Cuddleme ("Hey would you cuddle me") (via morse code) from ''[[Helter Shelter]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Ivanna Tinkle ("I wanna tinkle") from ''[[New Kid on the Block]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />
* Homer Sexual ("Homosexual") (Bart was supposed to call his father for Seymour Skinner) ''[[Principal Charming]]''<ref name="moecallguide" />

Bart's prank calls were essentially [[self-parody|self-parodied]] on ''[[Treehouse of Horror II]]'' when Moe called out "Uh, hey, everybody! I'm a stupid moron with an ugly face and big butt and my butt smells and I like to kiss my own butt." He said it out loud due to the fact that he feared Bart's omnipotent power, like everyone.
When Moe acted as a substitute teacher at Springfield Elementary School, he unknowingly took attendance aloud in a similar manner, calling for students Anita Bath ("I need a bath") and Maya Butreeks ("My butt reeks").<ref name="moecallguide">
{{cite web
|url = http://www.snpp.com/guides/moe_calls.html
|title = Bart's Calls To Moe's Tavern - List
|accessdate - 2007-05-27}}</ref>

Moe has received calls from others, including from Homer Simpson, asking for Eura Snotball ("You're a snotball"). Moe said the phrase out loud, which prompted Homer to threaten him in the same manner Moe threatens Bart. On occasion, he has misinterpreted honest queries to be prank phone calls, including Mr. Burns asking for [[Waylon Smithers]] and Marge Simpson, as a child, asking the child Moe for [[Elvis Presley|Elvis]] [[Mick Jagger|Jagger]] [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar|Abdul-Jabbar]] (young Homer's pseudonym). Also in one episode Moe mistakes [[Tom Wolfe]] for a prank call, possibly because names with animals in them are often used for prank calls to [[zoo]]s.

Most likely due to the invention of [[caller I.D.]], Bart's calls to Moe have now stopped occuring; the last took place during the season 14 episode [[Helter Shelter]].

==Origin of character==
[[Image:Babf12.gif|thumb|right|200px|Handsome Moe after [[plastic surgery]].]]
Moe's character was based on [[Tube Bar]] owner [[Louis "Red" Deutsch]] as well as comedian [[Rich Hall]].{{fact|date=March 2007}} Hank Azaria stated that Moe's voice was based on that of [[Al Pacino]]'s character in ''[[Dog Day Afternoon]]'' with a raspy tinge, and a bar going by the name Moe's Tavern can be seen opposite the bank in the film. According the commentary to "[[Who Shot Mr. Burns?]]" (Part 1), the creators used the last name 'Szyslak' (which they got from a [[phonebook]]) so the character would have the initials M.S., and hence could be a suspect in the Burns shooting.

==References==
<div class="references-small"><references /></div>

==See also==
*[[Moe's Tavern]]

==External links==
* [http://www.snpp.com/guides/moe.html The Moe Szyslak File] at [[The Simpsons Archive]]

{{Simpsons characters}}

[[Category:The Simpsons characters|Szyslak, Moe]]
[[Category:Fictional businesspeople|Syzlak]]
[[Category:Fictional bartenders|Szyslak, Moe]]
[[Category:Suicidal fictional characters|Szyslak, Moe]]
[[Category:Prank phone calls|Szyslak, Moe]]
[[Category:Fictional Polish-Americans|Szyslak, Moe]]
[[Category:Fictional boxers|Szyslak, Moe]]
[[Category:Fictional poets|Szyslak, Moe]]

[[da:Moe Szyslak]]
[[es:Moe Szyslak]]
[[fr:Taverne de Moe]]
[[it:Boe Szyslak]]
[[nl:Moe Szyslak]]
[[no:Moe Szyslak]]
[[pt:Moe Szyslak]]
[[ru:Мо Сизлак]]
[[fi:Moe Szyslak]]
[[sv:Moe Szyslak]]
[[uk:Мо Сізлак]]

Revision as of 16:04, 28 May 2007

.... MOE! HI MOE!

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Moe_Szyslak&oldid=134099019"