Karl


 * For the regular character, see Carl Carlson.

Karl was Homer's assistant who tried to help Homer succeed as an executive.

History
After Homer was hired as the new junior executive at Springfield Nuclear Power Plant because of his newly grown hair, he had to find an assistant. All the applicants were as Homer put it "making kissy faces" at him until he found Karl. Karl ended up helping Homer immensely by helping him be more confident in himself and by showing how to dress properly. Karl also covered for Homer's forgetfulness of Marge's anniversary by hiring a singing telegram to serenade Marge with "You are So Beautiful". Eventually Homer's $1000 health insurance fraud was found out and right as Smithers was about to fire him Karl took the bullet for him. Karl falsely explained it was all his idea and that Homer had no idea. Smithers simply replied "Then you are fired, whoever you are". Karl was fired and Homer got to keep his job as an executive, at least a little longer. Even after being fired Karl still helped Homer out by writing his big speech for him and by giving him his umbrella. Karl was hinted at being homosexual; when he kisses Homer in the end and explains "My mother taught me never to kiss a fool" it is suggested, but in some foreign countries physical contact among people is more acceptable than in American society. Given Karl's obvious European influence it still leaves it ambigious of Karl's sexual orientation. Another issue that leaves it ambigious is that Karl says he is friends with many women in a typing pool, though it is unknown if he is romnatically involved with any. His current profession is unknown. He was originally going to appear in Three Gays and a Condo, but Harvey Fierstein declined to reprise his role.

Trivia

 * Due to the fact that his name is spelled with a K rather than a C, this implies that Karl may have been born in Germany (as the Germans spell the name with a K).


 * Originally, Karl was to be designed under Harvey Fierstein's likeness, but Harvey declined, as he viewed that he didn't represent the gay community well.