# Peter Griffin and Homer Simpson. One in the same? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 15, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373 "2003-08-15T12:21:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/1 "2003-08-15T12:21:37Z")
I was thinking about Family Guy, when it hit me that these two characters have a lot in common. I have a few ideas, and I am sure that we can come up with some more. I will limit myself to just a couple to start to see if anyone else has the same ideas. 1. Both have a wife, 3 kids, and a dog. 2. Both are portrayed as being ingnorant. next please…? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/2 "2003-08-15T14:44:06Z")
3.) Both seem to have their problems settled within 30 minutes. Oh wait. That’s every sitcom. ---
**Author:** ![hebesphenomegacorona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b9e5f3/32.png) [@hebesphenomegacorona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hebesphenomegacorona)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/3 "2003-08-15T14:46:57Z")
They’re both rotund. ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/4 "2003-08-15T14:58:27Z")
I just discovered a book (The Day of the Locust by Nathaniel West) that has a character named Homer Simpson! So strange to see that name in any other context than “The Simpsons!” I have always figured that Bender from Futurama is sort of a robot version of Homer. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/5 "2003-08-15T15:20:09Z")
I’d like to see them switch jobs. I think Homer is a better parent. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/6 "2003-08-15T16:13:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > \*\*I’d like to see them switch jobs. \*\* They both seem to excel in their jobs (Simpson: Safety inspector, Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Griffin: Assembly line worker, Happy-Go-Lucky Toys.), even though they don’t actually _do_ their jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/7 "2003-08-15T16:54:33Z")
One **and** the same? I don’t see them as being particularly like each other. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/8 "2003-08-15T17:04:16Z")
Hmmm, I’ll bet you’re the first person ever to discover a similarity between _The Simpsons_ and _Family Guy_! Perhaps you could apply your skills to finding a sitcom similar to _Unhappily Ever After_. Just kidding. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/9 "2003-08-15T18:27:40Z")
Homer is just plain dumb with moments of brilliance. His stupidity leads to his anger at times, but he always recoils with a moment of regret and sorrow afterwards. Peter, on the other hand, is just oblivious, not necessarily stupid. He loses his shorts at the beach due to a wave, and doesn’t even think of trying to cover himself up later. He just kinda rolls over people that happen to find themselves underfoot. In order to make him regret his actions, you REALLY need to pound the thought into his brain. Homer is like a little kid, Peter Griffin is just an airhead. ---
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/10 "2003-08-15T23:25:01Z")
They both wear white shirts for the most part. They both have one, and only one, black friend. They both live in suburbia. Thier eldest sons are both portrayed as not so smart. Their daughters are smarter. The youngsters (maggie and stewie) both have violent tendencies. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/11 "2003-08-16T00:39:53Z")
Hmm. Peter is very intelligent in many ways, far more intelligent than Homer. However, Homer generally has his children’s best intentions in mind, while Peter is 100% neglectful. Also, Peter’s wife is hot, while Marge is only hot in flashbacks. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/12 "2003-08-16T00:49:32Z")
They both aquired their dogs through unconventional means - Santa’s Little Helper at the racetrack and Brian when he washed Peter’s windshield. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/13 "2003-08-16T02:04:12Z")
Both are big drinkers. I’d say they’re about as similar as the shows they appear on, really, since they’re each the main character. They’re both prone to pretty crazy logic and flights of fancy, Peter perhaps moreso. (A great example was on the other night’s episode: “Peter: Well I’m getting something special back, too. And by special, I don’t mean special like that Clideman boy down the street, or special like Special K. What do they do with the Regular K? And for that matter, what ever happened to Kaye Ballard? If you said ‘mallard’ and you had a cold it would sound like Ballard.”) I’d agree that Homer is a better parent. The best description of him I’ve ever seen was “stupid but wily” (that’s from the Simpsons Forever book). Peter isn’t wily, and he may be stupider than stupid. He’s just on another planet most of the time. Although they do both have 3 kids and a dog, Homer’s infant child and dog don’t talk, I always thought that seemed significant. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/14 "2003-08-16T04:34:15Z")
Peter doesn’t seem to have a problem neglecting/upsetting/cheating on Lois, while Homer, for the most part, loves Marge and cares when something is wrong. Homer also doesn’t make statements like “It’s illegal for women to drive”. Though I’ve missed a lot of the latterday simpsons episodes. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/15 "2003-08-16T08:13:37Z")
The cloning hammock vignette during Treehouse of Horror XIII suggested that the difference between Homer & Peter is only a small mutation in Homer’s DNA. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/16 "2003-08-16T15:07:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by fiddlesticks \* > \*\*The cloning hammock vignette during Treehouse of Horror XIII suggested that the difference between Homer & Peter is only a small mutation in Homer’s DNA. \*\* A very harsh, but funny, gag. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/17 "2003-08-16T19:14:33Z")
Oh please. They are _nothing_ alike! Peter Griffen wears glasses. Homer Simpsons _doesn’t!_. Case closed. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e480ec/32.png) [@Peter\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/18 "2003-08-16T19:42:32Z")
Well, sir, we are not the same. He is yellow where I am Irish. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/19 "2003-08-16T19:54:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Miller \* > Oh please. They are _nothing_ alike! Peter Griffen wears glasses. Homer Simpsons _doesn’t!_. Case closed. He takes them off when he transforms… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373/20 "2003-08-16T20:06:09Z")
Actually, Homer does wear glasses from time to time. When he’s running a home business or trying to appear smart, for example. Anyhow, there’s already someone who is one and the same as Homer Simpson. And his name is [Guy Incognito.](http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/8625/guyincognito.gif) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/peter-griffin-and-homer-simpson-one-in-the-same/195373.md?page=2)