# What is Homer Simpson good at? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 20, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534 "2006-05-20T15:26:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cold\_cold\_night](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@cold\_cold\_night](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cold_cold_night)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/1 "2006-05-20T15:26:14Z")
Homer’s not a very talented guy. He’s rather dim-witted, has a dead-end job and is entirely unathletic. But every now and then, he’ll turn out to be very good at something. For instance, he’s a great golfer (as his playing at the country club proves) and, according to Marge, he’s more than satisfactory between the sheets (“Yeah, but none of my friends can watch me”). Apart from golf and snuggling, can we think of anything else Homer is genuinely skilled at? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/2 "2006-05-20T15:45:07Z")
He’s been shown to be fairly talented at baseball, at least where batting is concerned. He is also remarkably capable of surviving a wide variety of personal injuries. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/3 "2006-05-20T15:46:53Z")
He’s a good singer and won a Grammy Award. ---
**Author:** ![Stentor\_2.5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@Stentor\_2.5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stentor_2.5)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/4 "2006-05-20T15:52:26Z")
He has a certain perverse resourcefulness, even though it’s usually not tempered by wisdom. Also, he’s a man who isn’t afraid to follow his dreams, no matter what they may be that particular week. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/5 "2006-05-20T15:57:36Z")
Eating potato chips. Ordinarily, not a particularly useful skill, unless you happen to be on the Space Shuttle and something goes horribly, horribly wrong 😉 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/6 "2006-05-20T16:10:03Z")
He almost became world heavyweight boxing champion. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/7 "2006-05-20T16:15:31Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] He almost became world heavyweight boxing champion. [/QUOTE] That’s right, because he can take a punch in the head really well. Also, he can catch a cannon ball with his belly. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Highwayman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@The\_Highwayman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Highwayman)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/8 "2006-05-20T16:18:59Z")
Homer is good at bowling. He once bowled a perfect 300. He’s apparently not as good as Richard Nixon who, according to a plaque, bowled back to back perfect games (yeah right). Homer is good at taking physical abuse. Two by fours to the head and cannon balls to the stomach are just a few things that come to mind. “Homer, Homer Simpson, he’s the greatest guy in history. From the town of Springfield, he’s about to hit a chestnut tree…” ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/9 "2006-05-20T16:53:18Z")
Legndary fisherman, he is the only guy to have caught “General Sherman.” Beverage inventor: “The Flaming Ho..” “Moe.” Model for an award winning painting. Successful bootlegger. Discoverer and first manager of Lurleen Lumpkin. Minor league baseball mascot. Night school instructor. (Secrets of a successful marriage.) [QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] He’s a good singer and won a Grammy Award. [/QUOTE] You forgot to mention that one doesn’t have anything to do with other. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/10 "2006-05-20T17:22:02Z")
He is also extraordinary good at avoiding temptation, having had the chance to boink both Lureen & Mandy, but turning them down. While he did knock up Marge before marriage, he is a faithful husband. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/11 "2006-05-20T17:47:29Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] He almost became world heavyweight boxing champion. [/QUOTE] [Michael Buffer]\*The Brick Hithouse!!![/MB] ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/12 "2006-05-20T17:58:02Z")
Seems to be well versed on Supreme Court Justices. “Warren Burger…mmmm…burger.” ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/13 "2006-05-20T18:41:45Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] Seems to be well versed on Supreme Court Justices. “Warren Burger…mmmm…burger.” [/QUOTE] Marge: Do you want your son to become become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, or a sleazy male stripper? Homer: Can’t he be both, like the late Earl Warren? Marge: Earl Warren wasn’t a stripper! Homer: Now who’s being naive? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/14 "2006-05-20T18:56:08Z")
[QUOTE=ftg] Beverage inventor: “The Flaming Ho..” “Moe.” [/QUOTE] He also invented plenty of other stuff such as the 6-legged chair, the automatic hammer, the lazy-bowl, the everything’s O.K. alarm, and the make-up gun. Busy guy. ---
**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:** [May 20, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/15 "2006-05-20T20:23:23Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] He is also extraordinary good at avoiding temptation, having had the chance to boink both Lureen & Mandy, but turning them down. While he did knock up Marge before marriage, he is a faithful husband. [/QUOTE] Erm, let’s say he’s extraordinarily good at avoiding _sexual_ temptation. Just about any other type of temptation, and he folds like a lawn chair. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/16 "2006-05-20T20:27:25Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] Erm, let’s say he’s extraordinarily good at avoiding _sexual_ temptation. Just about any other type of temptation, and he folds like a lawn chair. [/QUOTE] He did go on a hunger strike to avoid having the Springfield Isotops moving to Albercurque. ---
**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:** [May 20, 2006, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/17 "2006-05-20T20:28:59Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] He did go on a hunger strike to avoid having the Springfield Isotops moving to Albercurque. [/QUOTE] On the other hand, he was unable to resist self-cannibalization when his head was turned into a doughnut. (Or are we not counting Halloween episodes?) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/18 "2006-05-20T20:31:15Z")
He’s a hell of a dancer. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/19 "2006-05-20T20:35:37Z")
He started a successful security business. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2006, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534/20 "2006-05-20T21:01:59Z")
He’s good at avoiding death. He has gotten into blunders that could kill most ordinary folks, and has avoided death a number of times (as pointed out in the Grimey episode). Whether it’s a skill, dumb luck, or the fact that he’s an animated TV character, we’ll never know. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-homer-simpson-good-at/357534.md?page=2)