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{{Character
  
{{Character
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|image = <gallery>
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|name = Mona Simpson
  
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|image = IMG 1693.PNG
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IMG 1693.PNG|Current
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Mona Leaves-a 30.JPG|Adult
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Mona Simpsonknfglnere.png|Younger
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Mona Leaves-a 82.JPG|Dress
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Mona Leaves-a 80.JPG|Inmate
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My Mother the Carjacker 23.JPG|Disguised
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My Mother the Carjacker 61.JPG|Formal
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2918 (34).jpg|Apron
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</gallery>
 
|sex = {{Female}}
  
|sex = {{Female}}
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|status = {{Deceased}}
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|status = {{Deceased}}
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|alias = Grandma Simpson, Mona Stevens, Martha Stewart, El Mono, Muddy Mae Suggins, Anita Bonghit, Mom, Sunny
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|alias = Sunny<br>Penelope Olsen<br>Mona Stevens<br>Martha Stewart<br>Muddy Mae Suggins<br>Anita Bonghit<br>Grandma Simpson<br>El Mono
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|hair = Gray, formerly maroon, dyed purple
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|hair = Gray<br>Maroon (Naturally)<br>Purple (Dyed; Formerly)
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|job = Waitress (Formerly)<br>Housewife (Formerly)<br>Political activist (Formerly)<br>Convict (Formerly)
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|job = Hippie and political activist (formerly)
  
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|relatives = '''Mother:''' [[Mona Simpson's mother|Unidentified]] (Deceased)<br>'''Brother:''' [[Uncle Fester|Fester]]<br>'''Sister or Ex Sister-in-Law:''' [[Aunt Hortense|Hortense]] (Deceased)<br>'''Ex Husbands:''' [[Mona Simpson's ex-husbands|Unidentified]] and [[Abe Simpson II]]<br>'''Son:''' [[Homer Simpson]]<br>'''Daughter-in-Law:''' [[Marge Simpson]]<br>'''Ex Daughter-in-Law:''' [[Amber Simpson]] (Deceased)<br>'''Grandchildren:''' [[Homer's Sperm Donation Offspring|Sperm Donation Offspring]], [[Bart Simpson]], [[Lisa Simpson]] and [[Maggie Simpson]]<br>'''Grandson-in-Law (Future):''' [[Milhouse Van Houten]]<br>'''Ex Granddaughters-in-Law (Future):''' Three unidentified women and [[Jenda]]<br>'''Great Grandchildren (Future):''' [[Zia Simpson]], [[Skippy Simpson]], [[Jiff Simpson]] and [[Maggie Simpson, Jr.]]<br>'''Sister-in-Law:''' Unidentified<br>'''Niece:''' [[Cousin Francine|Francine]]<br>'''Ex Parents-in-Law:''' [[Orville Simpson]] and [[Yuma Simpson]] (Deceased)<br>'''Ex Brothers-in-Law:''' [[Hubert Simpson]] (Deceased), [[Tyrone Simpson]], [[Cyrus Simpson]], [[Bill Simpson]] and [[Chet Simpson]]<br>'''Ex Grandparents-in-Law:''' [["Old Tut" Simpson]] (Deceased), [["Happy" Dinsdale|"Happy" Simpson]] (Deceased), [[Willard Hickman]] (Deceased) and [[Theodora Hutshing|Theodora Hickman]] (Deceased)<br>'''Ex Aunts/Uncle-in-Law:''' [[Twitta Simpson]] (Deceased), [[Elrita Simpson]] (Deceased), [[Bonita Simpson]] (Deceased) and [[Zeke Hickman]] (Deceased)<br>'''Uncle or Ex Uncle-in-Law:''' [[Great-Uncle Boris|Boris]] (Deceased)<br>'''Ex Niece/Nephew:''' [[Valerie Togasaki-Rothman]] and [[Omar Simpson]]<br>'''Ex Niece/Nephew-in-Law:''' [[Marnie Simpson]] and [[Dave Togasaki-Rothman]]<br>'''Ex Grandnieces/Nephews:''' [[Lily Simpson]], [[Magpie Simpson]], [[Brit Simpson]] and [[Stanley Simpson]]<br>'''Other Relatives:''' [[Simpson Family]]
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|relatives = '''Father:''' [[Bjorn Olsen]]<br>
  
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'''Mother:''' [[Linnea Penelope]]<br>
  
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'''Brother:''' [[Karl Olsen]]<br>
  
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'''Nephew:''' [[Bernie Olsen]]<br>
  
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'''Grandfathers:''' [[Linnea Penelope's Father|Unnamed]] and [[Jordan Olsen]]<br>
  
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'''Grandmothers:''' [[Linnea Penelope's Mother|Unnamed]] and [[Linda Jones]]<br>
 
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'''Husband:''' [[Abraham Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Son:''' [[Homer Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Stepson:''' [[Herbert Powell]]<br>
  
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'''Stepdaughter:''' [[Abbey|Abbey Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Daughter-in-Law:''' [[Marge Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Grandson:''' [[Bart Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Granddaughters:''' [[Lisa Simpson]] and [[Maggie Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Father-in-Law:''' [[Orville Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Mother-in-Law:''' [[Yuma Hickman]]<br>
  
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'''Brothers-in-Law:''' [[Bill Simpson]], [[Chet Simpson]], [[Tyrone Simpson]], [[Cyrus Simpson]] and [[Hubert Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Sister-in-Law:''' [[Hortense Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Co-Sisters-in-Law:''' [[Cyrus' 15 wives]]<br>
  
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'''Nephew-in-Law:''' [[Frank Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Niece-in-Law:''' [[Valerie Rothman]]<br>
  
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'''Co-Nephew-in-Law:''' [[Dave Rothman]]<br>
  
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'''Grandnephew-in-Law:''' [[Stanley Simpson]]<br>
  
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'''Co-Mother-in-Law:''' [[Jacqueline Bouvier|Jacqueline Gurney]]<br>
  
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'''Co-Father-in-Law:''' [[Clancy Bouvier]]
  
 
|appearance = "[[Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?]]"
  
|appearance = "[[Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?]]"
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|voiced by = [[Glenn Close]]<br/>[[Maggie Roswell]] (formerly)<br />[[Pamela Hayden]] ("D'oh!" in "[[Mother Simpson]]")<br>[[Tress MacNeille]] ("[[D'oh-in' in the Wind]]")
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|voiced by = [[Glenn Close]]<br>[[Maggie Roswell]] (Formerly)<br>[[Pamela Hayden]] ("D'oh!" in "[[Mother Simpson]]")<br>[[Tress MacNeille]] ("[[D'oh-in' in the Wind]]")
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|mentioned = "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]"
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|age = 66
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|age = 82
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}}
  
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|country of birth = [[United States]]}}
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{{Quote|You awful, awful man, get out of my son's grave|Mona Simpson|Mother Simpson}}
  
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{{Quote|It wasn't your fault sweetie|Mona Simpson}}
  
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{{Quote|You awful, awful man, get out of my son's grave!|Mona Simpson|Mother Simpson}}
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  ⚫
{{Quote|It wasn't your fault, sweetie.|Mona Simpson}}
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'''Mona Penelope Simpson''' (née '''Olsen'''), also known as '''Sunny''',<ref name="coot">[[Let's Go Fly a Coot]]</ref> and formerly '''Penelope Olsen''',<ref name="The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album">[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]]</ref> was the mother of [[Homer Simpson]], mother-in-law of [[Marge Simpson]], paternal grandmother of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson]] and first wife of [[Abe Simpson II|Abraham Simpson II]].
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  ⚫
==Personality==
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Mona was strong-willed, righteous and caring, always doing what she knew or thought was the right thing no matter what. She cherished the relationship she had with her son and later her grandchildren and daughter-in-law. Despite her friendly nature, she was shown to hold distaste for her ex-husband and Homer's father Abe due to his irritability, intolerance and questionable parenting methods concerning their son, even berating him for telling Homer she had died. She also disapproved of those with ill intentions, as seen when she joined a radical group protesting biological warfare experiments and other unscrupulous activities by [[Charles Montgomery Burns]].
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Overall, she seemed to bring out a more vulnerable side of Homer reminiscent of the innocent child he was before she left.
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==Early Years==
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Due to being a fugitive from the law from her 30s onward that used fake identification and aliases, Mona's age was unclear. Various driver's licenses issued in the 1990s gave her date of birth as May 10, 1920 March 15, 1929; May 5, 1931; November 26, 1934; July 18, 1933; and February 27, 1926.<ref name="Mother Simpson">"[[Mother Simpson]]"</ref>
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In the 1950s, she married [[Abe Simpson II|Abraham Simpson]].<ref name="coot"/>
   
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At some point after her marriage she learned that Abe fathered [[Herbert Powell]] with a carnival worker named [[Gaby]]. Shortly after Homer was born, she made him promise to never talk about the incident at the carnival as she wanted Homer to grow up respecting his father.<ref>[[Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?]]</ref> However, she often found herself looking out for Homer while Abe could've cared less due to the circumstances of his conception,<ref>[[Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy]]</ref> much to her dismay.
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'''Mona Penelope J. Simpson''' (nee '''Olsen'''), also known as '''Sunny'''<ref>[[Let's Go Fly a Coot]]</ref>, (March 15, 1929 - July 14, 2001)<ref>[[Mother Simpson]] Mona's driver's license in the episode "Mother Simpson" gives her date of birth as March 15, 1929. This would make her 66 years old when the episode aired in 1995.
  
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</ref><ref>died in[[Mona Leaves-a]]</ref> was the mother of [[Homer Simpson]], the wife of [[Abraham Simpson]], the mother-in-law of [[Marge Simpson]], the niece-in-law of [[Zeke Hickman]], the granddaughter-in-law of [[Willard Hickman]] and [[Theodora Hutshing|Theodora Hickman]], and the paternal grandmother of [[Bart Simpson|Bart]], [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] and [[Maggie Simpson]]. Most importantly, she is also the daughter-in-law of [[Orville Simpson]] and [[Yuma Hickman|Yuma Simpson]].
  
   
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Despite her hippie activism, Mona's life was on a floating timeline, and while one episode cited [[Joe Namath (Character)|Joe Namath]]'s sideburns during a Super Bowl in the 1960s as the start of her political activism and subsequent disappearance,<ref name="Mother Simpson"/> another episode placed this circa the 1980s to 1990s, about 30 years before the [[New England Patriots|Patriots]] traded [[Tom Brady|Brady]].<ref name="Other Strangers">"[[Mothers and Other Strangers]]"</ref>
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== Early Years ==
  
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Mona was born on March 15th, 1929 Her parents Bjorn Olsen a entrepreneur form Scandinavia who immigrated to the U.S in the mid 1920's with his family. Her mother Linnea Olsen (nee Penelope) who had German ancestry was a fashion designer who worked with high class clothing and high class designing she once worked for Daphne Burns "Mr. Burns mother". She had 1 brother Karl also known as "Eddie" who fought in the Vietnam War. He lost his hearing in his left ear after a grenade blast. Mona did not like her brothers choices in fighting in the war. There relationships grew sour over the years and have not improved. This is evident in the episode [[Mona Leaves-a]] where he did not attend his sisters funeral. However this could not be the case as he is possibly deceased.
 
   
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Mona took Homer and Abe to [[Wikipedia:Woodstock|Woodstock]], where Homer ended up being influenced by hippies.<ref name="D'oh-in' in the Wind">[[D'oh-in' in the Wind]]</ref> Unfortunately, her frequent protesting eventually led to Homer developing his eating disorder to cope with her absence.<ref name="Mona Leaves-a">"[[Mona Leaves-a]]"</ref> When Homer was either about six<ref>"[[Gone Abie Gone]]"</ref><ref>"[[To Cur, with Love]]"</ref> or nine,<ref name="Other Strangers"/> and when Mona was in her early 30s, she and other activists protesting germ research entered a facility owned by Mr. Burns, destroying all the biological warfare experiments and curing [[Clancy Wiggum]] of asthma. While escaping, she made the mistake of stopping to tend to Burns who threatened her with arrest. She then left her husband and son; Mona kissed Homer on the head while he was asleep, which Homer thought he dreamed. Abe told Homer that she had died while he was at the movies,<ref name="Mother Simpson"/> although in another episode's flashback Abe told Homer she was dead when she had already been missing for a while.<ref name="Other Strangers"/> Abe went as far to point out a grave, telling him it was Mona's, although the grave actually belonged to [[Walt Whitman]].<ref name="Mother Simpson"/> A few weeks prior to Mona's departure, Abe took Homer on a fishing trip that ended with Homer nearly drowning, but Abe rescued him and took him back home. This resulted in a brief reconnection between Mona and Abe.<ref>"[[How I Wet Your Mother]]"</ref> Unfortunately, they went back to bickering amongst themselves when Mona revealed she only married Abe to get back at her mother.<ref>[[Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?]]</ref>
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== Personality ==
  
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Mona was a strong-willed wanted criminal. She had to leave her husband, Abraham, and her son, [[Homer]], when Homer was 9 years old so she could protect them from danger. Another reason she left was because she could not stand her husband's intolerance.<ref>[[Homer's Paternity Coot]]</ref> At some point before Homer's birth, she learned that Abe fathered [[Herbert Powell]] a child with a carnival worker, [[Gaby]], before he married her. Shortly after Homer was born, she made him promise never to tell Homer about the incident at the carnival, as she wanted Homer to grow up respecting his father. <ref>[[Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?]]</ref> Comedy author S.G.Mune suggested this hints that [[Krusty]] is, in fact, Homer's secret half brother and his kids' stolen uncle.
  
   
  ⚫
After leaving [[Springfield]], her exact movements are unknown, although it is later revealed she resided at the hippie commune [[Groovy Grove Natural Farm]] for several years, painting murals of Homer.<ref name="D'oh-in' in the Wind"/> She sent Homer care packages each week, although Homer was unaware of this, only collecting the packages many years later ("That's what happens when you don't tip your letter carrier at Christmas").<ref name="Mother Simpson"/> During this time, she also cheated on Abe, having a ''ménage a trois'' relationship at Groovy Grove with [[Seth]] and [[Munchie]], who later fondly remembered her as a "pretty groovy chick" and "a demon in the sack", with Abe humorously remaining oblivious to this fact despite being present during the hippies' reminiscence. <ref name="D'oh-in' in the Wind" /> Abe remained unaware of her whereabouts throughout all these past events.
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During the 1960s, while Homer was a small child, she became increasingly involved in a hippie movement and political activism. She cites Joe Namath's long hair during Super Bowl III as igniting her beliefs. She takes Homer and Abe to the Woodstock Music Festival, where Homer ends up having been influenced by the hippies. She and other activists, protesting germ research, enter a facility owned by [[Charles Montgomery Burns]], destroying all the biological warfare experiments and in the process curing [[Clancy Wiggum]] of asthma. While escaping, she stopped to tend to a fallen Burns, who threatened her with arrest. She leaves her husband and son, with Abe later telling Homer that she had died while he was at the movies. Abe even goes as far to point out a grave, telling Homer it is Mona's, although the grave belongs to [[Walt Whitman]]. Almost a week prior to Mona's departure, Abe once took Homer on a fishing trip that ended badly, with Homer nearly drowning, but Abe rescues him and takes him back home. This resulted in a brief re-connection between Mona and Abe.<ref>[[How I Wet Your Mother]].</ref>
  
   
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She was found in Utah by Abe and 16-year-old Homer, but Homer lost her to save Abe. She was the disguised pediatrician for Bart after he was born.<ref name="Other Strangers"/>
⚫
After leaving [[Springfield]], her exact movements are unknown, although it is later revealed she resided at the hippie commune [[Groovy Grove Natural Farm]] for several years, painting murals of Homer.<ref name="D'oh-in' in the Wind">[[D'oh-in' in the Wind]]</ref> She sent Homer care packages each week, although Homer was unaware of this, because of his refusal to tip his letter carrier, only collecting the packages many years later.<ref name="Mother Simpson">[[Mother Simpson]]</ref> During this time, she also cheated on Abe, having a ''menage a trois'' relationship at Groovy Grove with [[Seth]] and [[Munchie]], who later fondly remembered her as a "pretty groovy chick" and "a demon in the sack".<ref name="D'oh-in' in the Wind" /> Abe, in the meantime, remained unaware of her whereabouts.
  
 
[[File:Mom....jpg|190px|thumb|right|Homer meets his mother again, after thinking she is dead]]
  
[[File:Mom....jpg|190px|thumb|right|Homer meets his mother again, after thinking she is dead]]
   
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=== Return to Springfield ===
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===Return to [[Springfield]]===
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When Homer faked his death to avoid work, Mona hears of her son's death on the news and visits her son's still open grave, finding Homer in the grave, who accidentally fell in. She initially told him off for lying in her son's grave until both realized who the other was, with her also learning from Homer how the latter thought ''she'' had died. She returns to the [[742 Evergreen Terrace|Simpson house]], spending time with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. She meets Abraham again, although Abraham continues to harbor resentment over her leaving him and Homer. Mona gets angry after learning he had told Homer she was dead although Abraham states to her that he did not want Homer to find out about the fact that she was a wanted criminal on the run for 27 years. When Homer and Mona go to the post office, to collect years worth of care packages, she is spotted and recognized by Burns. Mona is forced again to leave Springfield, on the run from the police, although the now Police Chief, [[Clancy Wiggum]], aides her escape as she had helped cure his asthma.<ref name="Mother Simpson" />
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When Homer faked his own death to avoid work, Mona hears of her son's death on the news and visits her son's still open grave, finding Homer in the grave, who accidentally fell in. She initially told him off for lying in her son's grave until both realized who the other was. She returns to the [[742 Evergreen Terrace|Simpson house]], spending time with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. She meets Abraham again, although Abraham continues to harbor resentment over her leaving him and Homer. Mona gets angry after learning he had told Homer she was dead although Abraham states to her that he did not want Homer to find out about the fact that she was a wanted criminal on the run for 27 years. While this episode insisted that Homer first discovered Mona was alive after she finds him in his grave<ref name="Mother Simpson"/> a different episode has him learn this when he was 16.<ref name="Other Strangers"/> When Homer and Mona go to the post office, to collect years worth of care packages, she is spotted and recognized by Burns. Mona is forced again to leave Springfield, on the run from the police, although the now Police Chief, [[Clancy Wiggum]], aides her escape as she had helped cure his asthma.<ref name="Mother Simpson"/>
   
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=== Second return to [[Springfield]] ===
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===Second return to [[Springfield]]===
 
Sometime later, Homer discovers a hidden message in a newspaper, left by his mother, to meet her under a bridge. Homer and Bart do so and reunite with Mona, although she is discovered by the police at a diner and is arrested, later put on trial. She is acquitted because of evidence given by Homer, although she is later imprisoned, thanks to Mr. Burns, for signing into a federal park under a false name. Homer attempts to break his mother out of prison on a prison bus, with a police chase ensuing. The chase ends when she apparently dies, after the bus drives off a cliff and into some water, where it explodes, which sets off a rock avalanche, burying the bus. Mona narrowly escapes the bus before it went off the cliff. She again goes on the run, where she sends another hidden message in a newspaper to Homer, written while eating a Rhode Island-style clam chowder.<ref>[[My Mother the Carjacker]]</ref>
  
Sometime later, Homer discovers a hidden message in a newspaper, left by his mother, to meet her under a bridge. Homer and Bart do so and reunite with Mona, although she is discovered by the police at a diner and is arrested, later put on trial. She is acquitted because of evidence given by Homer, although she is later imprisoned, thanks to Mr. Burns, for signing into a federal park under a false name. Homer attempts to break his mother out of prison on a prison bus, with a police chase ensuing. The chase ends when she apparently dies, after the bus drives off a cliff and into some water, where it explodes, which sets off a rock avalanche, burying the bus. Mona narrowly escapes the bus before it went off the cliff. She again goes on the run, where she sends another hidden message in a newspaper to Homer, written while eating a Rhode Island-style clam chowder.<ref>[[My Mother the Carjacker]]</ref>
   
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=== Final return and death ===
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===Final return and death===
 
[[File:DaDeath.jpg|right|202px|thumb|Homer, preparing to apologize to Mona, shortly before discovering she is dead.]]
  
[[File:DaDeath.jpg|right|202px|thumb|Homer, preparing to apologize to Mona, shortly before discovering she is dead.]]
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Mona returns to Springfield again, visiting Homer. Homer has grown sick of his mother's constant leaving and returning and refuses to reconcile with her in order to keep himself from feeling hurt. Later, feeling guilty, he attempts to apologize to his mother, only to find out she had passed away sitting in front of the fireplace.
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Mona returns to [[Springfield]] again, visiting Homer. Homer has grown sick of his mother's constant leaving and returning and refuses to reconcile with her in order to keep himself from feeling hurt. Later, feeling guilty, he attempts to apologize to his mother, only to find out she had passed away sitting in front of the fireplace.
   
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She is cremated and, sometime after her cremation, the [[Simpson family]] watches her recorded will. She leaves Bart her Swiss-army knife, Lisa her rebellious spirit (although Lisa takes her earrings) and Marge an old purse made of hemp, asking Homer to release her ashes from the top of a specific mountain at 3:00 pm. Homer completes his mother's wish, releasing the ashes, which are sucked into a missile launch computer within the mountain, owned by Mr. Burns. The ashes stop the missile from launching, preventing the [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant|nuclear power plant's]] waste being blasted to the Amazon rain forest. Homer is arrested, but manages to escape, with help from Marge, Bart and Lisa, destroying the base and fulfilling his mother's final wish.<ref>[[Mona Leaves-a]]</ref>
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She is cremated and, sometime after her cremation, the [[Simpson family]] watches her recorded will. She leaves Bart her Swiss-army knife, Lisa her rebellious spirit (although [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] takes her earrings), and Marge an old purse made of hemp, asking Homer to release her ashes from the top of a specific mountain at 3:00 pm. Homer completes his mother's wish, releasing the ashes, which are sucked into a missile launch computer within the mountain, owned by Mr. Charles Montgomery Burns. The ashes stop the missile from launching, preventing the [[Springfield Nuclear Power Plant|nuclear power plant]]'s waste from being blasted to the Amazon rain forest. Homer is arrested but manages to escape, with help from Marge, Bart and Lisa, destroying the base and fulfilling his mother's final wish.<ref name="Mona Leaves-a"/>
   
 
===Homer's dreams===
  
===Homer's dreams===
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Mona continues to live on in Homer's dreams. When Homer develops a bed wetting problem after taking Bart on a fishing trip (which brought back his memory of his disastrous fishing trip with Abe), the rest of the family ventures into his dreams to find the cause of the problem. Eventually, they come across Mona after she saves them, under the guise of Death, from being crushed by a pair of gears. She provides them the answer to Homer's bed wetting problem via movie theater. Mona also tells Homer that he misinterpreted everything that happened between her and Abe after the fishing trip and shows him a video of what really happened. She tells Homer she will always live on in his memory along with younger versions of Homer and Abe. She then tells them to leave the dreams and to wake up, with Homer saying goodbye to his mother one last time. Homer's dream then collapses (due to [[Professor Frink]] and [[Clancy Wiggum|Chief Wiggum]] fighting), and he and the rest of the family return to the real world.
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Mona continues to live on in Homer's dreams. When Homer develops a bed wetting problem after taking Bart on a fishing trip (which brought back his memory of his disastrous fishing trip with Abe), the rest of the family ventures into his dreams to find the cause of the problem. Eventually, they come across Mona after she saves them, under the guise of [[Death]], from being crushed by a pair of gears. She provides them the answer to Homer's bed wetting problem via movie theater. Mona also tells Homer that he misinterpreted everything that happened between her and Abe after the fishing trip and shows him a video of what really happened. She tells Homer she will always live on in his memory along with younger versions of Homer and Abe. She then tells them to leave the dreams and to wake up, with Homer saying goodbye to his mother one last time. Homer's dream then collapses (due to [[Jonathan Frink, Jr.|Jonathan Frink]] and [[Clancy Wiggum]] fighting), and he and the rest of the family return to the real world.
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==Physical Appearance==
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Mona had straight, light blue hair as well as the distinctive large, round eyes and small, rounded nose typical of Simpson family members. However, in flashbacks she was shown to have dyed her hair maroon.
   
 
==Behind the Laughter==
  
==Behind the Laughter==
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=== Creation ===
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===Creation===
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[[File:Mona Simpsonknfglnere.png|left|thumb|225x225px|Baby Homer and his mother in "[[Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?|Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?]]"]]
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[[File:Mona Simpsonknfglnere.png|left|thumb|260px|Baby Homer and his mother in "[[Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?|Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?]]"]]
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Prior to [[Season 7|the seventh season]], Mona Simpson had only made two brief flashback appearances, the first being [[Season 2]]'s "[[Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?]]", appearing again in the [[Season 6|sixth season]] episode "[[Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy]]" (albeit without her face shown). In both episodes she was voiced by [[Maggie Roswell]].<ref name="IGN" />
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Prior to [[Season 7|the seventh season]], Mona Simpson was mentioned once and only made brief flashback appearances. Homer Simpson first mentions his mother in the [[Season 1]] episode "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]" when he claims she called Homer a disappointment, very contrary to her normal behavior. The first flashback appearance is in the [[Season 2]] episode "[[Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?]]" and another flashback appearance in the [[Season 6]] episode "[[Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy]]" (albeit without her face shown). In both of those episodes, she was voiced by [[Maggie Roswell]].<ref name="IGN" />
   
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Mona's first major appearance was in [[Season 7|the seventh season]] episode "[[Mother Simpson]]," which was pitched by [[Richard Appel]], who was desperately trying to think of a story idea and decided that he had to really reach for an idea and decided to do something about Homer's mother, who previously had only been mentioned once.<ref name="Appel">{{cite video|people=Appel, Richard|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> The writers used the episode as an opportunity to solve several little puzzles, such as where Lisa's intelligence came from.<ref name="Appel" />
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Mona's first major appearance was in [[Season 7|the seventh season]] episode "[[Mother Simpson]]," which was pitched by [[Richard Appel]], who was desperately trying to think of a story idea and decided that he had to really reach for an idea. He decided to do something about Homer's mother.<ref name="Appel">{{cite video|people=Appel, Richard|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> Many of the writers could not believe that an episode about Homer's mother had not previously been produced.<ref name="Appel" /> Part of the fun of an episode about Homer's mother for the writers was that they were able to solve several little puzzles, such as where Lisa's intelligence came from.<ref name="Appel" />
   
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The character is named after Richard Appel's wife, whose maiden name is Mona Simpson.<ref name="Appel" /> Mona Simpson was designed in a way so that she has a little bit of Homer in her face, such as the shape of her upper lip and her nose.<ref name="Silverman">{{cite video|people=Silverman, David|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> There were several design changes because the directors were trying to make her an attractive older and younger woman, but still be Simpson-esque.<ref name="Silverman" />
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The character is named after [[Richard Appel]]'s wife, whose maiden name is Mona Simpson.<ref name="Appel" /> Mona Simpson was designed in a way so that she has a little bit of Homer in her face, such as the shape of her upper lip and her nose.<ref name="Silverman">{{cite video|people=Silverman, David|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson"| medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> There were several design changes because the directors were trying to make her an attractive older and younger woman, but still be Simpson-esque.<ref name="Silverman" />
   
 
The inspiration for the character comes from Bernardine Dohrn of the far-left revolutionary group Weather Underground, although the writers acknowledge that several people fit her description.<ref name="Oakley" /> Her crime was intentionally the least violent crime the writers could think of, as she did not harm anyone and was only caught because she came back to help Mr. Burns.<ref name="Oakley" />
  
The inspiration for the character comes from Bernardine Dohrn of the far-left revolutionary group Weather Underground, although the writers acknowledge that several people fit her description.<ref name="Oakley" /> Her crime was intentionally the least violent crime the writers could think of, as she did not harm anyone and was only caught because she came back to help Mr. Burns.<ref name="Oakley" />
   
−
[[Glenn Close]], who was directed in her first performance by [[Josh Weinstein]],<ref name="Oakley">{{cite video|people=Oakley, Bill|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> was convinced to do the episode partially because of [[James L. Brooks]].<ref name="Groening">{{cite video|people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> When Mona gets in the van, her voice is done by [[Pamela Hayden]] because [[Glenn Close]] could not say "[[d'oh]]!" properly<ref name="Oakley" /> and thus they used the original temp track recorded by Hayden.<ref name="Appel" />
 +
[[Glenn Close]], who was directed in her first performance by [[Josh Weinstein]],<ref name="Oakley">{{cite video|people=Oakley, Bill|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> was convinced to do the episode partially because of [[James L. Brooks]].<ref name="Groening">{{cite video|people=Groening, Matt|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson"|medium=DVD|publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> When Mona gets in the van, her voice is done by [[Pamela Hayden]] because [[Glenn Close]] could not say "[[D'oh]]!" properly<ref name="Oakley"/> and thus they used the original temp track recorded by Hayden.<ref name="Appel"/>
   
−
Mona was originally voiced by [[Maggie Roswell]], before [[Glenn Close]] took over in the episodes "[[Mother Simpson]]", "[[My Mother the Carjacker]]", "[[Mona Leaves-a]]" and "[[How I Wet Your Mother]]". [[Tress MacNeille]] voiced her flashback appearance in the episode "[[D'oh-in' in the Wind]]". [[Pamela Hayden]] has also voiced Mona, due to Glenn Close's inability to properly say '[[D'oh]]'.
 +
Mona was originally voiced by [[Maggie Roswell]], before [[Glenn Close]] took over in most of her appearances from [[season 7]]'s "[[Mother Simpson]]" to [[season 33]]'s "[[Mothers and Other Strangers]]". [[Tress MacNeille]] voiced her flashback appearance in the episode "[[D'oh-in' in the Wind]]", which aired between Close's portrayals of Mona in "[[The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular]]" and "[[My Mother the Carjacker]]".
−  
−
===Development===
  
−
[[Glenn Close]] recorded original material for another episode, [[Season 15|season fifteen's]] "[[My Mother the Carjacker]]", and a deleted scene featuring Mona from "[[Mother Simpson]]" appeared in [[Season 7|season seven's]] "[[The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular]]." Mona also had a speaking appearance in [[Season 10|season ten's]] "[[D'oh-in' in the Wind]]" episode, this time voiced by [[Tress MacNeille]]. [[Glenn Close]] returned as Mona for the third time in the nineteenth season episode "[[Mona Leaves-a]]".<ref name="TVguide">{{cite news|title=Simpsons Writers Dish on Movie and New Season|publisher=TV Guide|url=http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Tv-Guide-News/Simpsons-Writers-Dish/800019303|accessdate=2007-07-28}}</ref>
  
   
 
==Reception==
  
==Reception==
Line 91: Line 88:
   
 
==Trivia==
  
==Trivia==
−
*Homer said that his mother said to him that he was a big disappointment<ref>[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]</ref>, long before Mona was introduced.
 +
*A year before her debut in a flashback in "[[Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?]]", Homer said in "[[There's No Disgrace Like Home]]" that his mother said to him that he was a big disappointment.
  +
*Mona was voiced in flashbacks in [[season 2]]'s "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" and [[season 6]]'s "[[Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy]]", though not by [[Glenn Close]], who voiced her in many major and minor appearances from [[season 7]] onwards.
−
*Mona had already made two early appearances on ''[[The Simpsons]]'' before her formal introduction in [[Season 7]].
  
  +
*In ''[[The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album]]'', she appeared as Penelope Olsen, which according to "[[Mother Simpson]]" was one of her aliases.
−
*Mona's maiden name 'Olsen' is of Scandinavian origin. That could mean that her family is from [[Ogdenville]], a city which has a large Scandinavian population.
  
−
*She appears in many of [[Homer]]'s fantasies.
 +
*She appears in many of Homer's fantasies.
 
*When she died, there was a video of what she wanted the family to receive and what she wanted [[Homer]] to do with her ashes.
  
*When she died, there was a video of what she wanted the family to receive and what she wanted [[Homer]] to do with her ashes.
 
*She is responsible for Wiggum's police career.
  
*She is responsible for Wiggum's police career.
  +
*She once worked in a garage.
   
 
==Gallery==
  
==Gallery==
−
{{Charactergallery|image1 = IMG 1693.PNG}}
 +
{{Charactergallery|image1=Mona Leaves-a 30.JPG}}
   
−
== Appearances ==
 +
==Appearances==
 
Episodes where she has a major role are in bold.
  
Episodes where she has a major role are in bold.
   
  +
{{Scroll|
⚫
{{Scroll|*{{Ep|There's No Disgrace Like Home}} (mentioned)
  
  +
*{{Ep|There's No Disgrace Like Home|(mentioned)}}
−
*{{Ep|Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?}} (flashback)
  
−
*{{Ep|Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy}} (flashback)
 +
*{{Ep|Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?|(first appearance, flashback)}}
  +
*{{Ep|Homer the Heretic|[[Homer]]'s dream)}}
−
*'''{{Ep|Mother Simpson}}'''<nowiki> (first physical appearance)</nowiki>
  
  +
*{{Ep|Brother from the Same Planet|(picture)}}
⚫
*{{Ep|The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular}} (flashback)
  
  +
*{{Ep|Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy|(flashback)}}
⚫
*{{Ep|Dumbbell Indemnity}} (mentioned)
  
−
*'''{{Ep|D'oh-in' in the Wind}}''' (flashback)
 +
*'''{{Ep|Mother Simpson}}'''
  ⚫
*{{Ep|The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular|(flashback)}}
  ⚫
*{{Ep|Dumbbell Indemnity|(mentioned)}}
  +
*'''{{Ep|D'oh-in' in the Wind|(flashback)}}'''
  +
*{{Ep|Gump Roast|(mentionned ; Homer is shown as a baby, in her belly)}}
 
*'''{{Ep|My Mother the Carjacker}}'''
  
*'''{{Ep|My Mother the Carjacker}}'''
−
*{{Ep|Homer's Paternity Coot}} (photo)
 +
*{{Ep|Homer's Paternity Coot|(photo)}}
−
*{{Ep|The Seven-Beer Snitch}} (falsly mentioned)
 +
*{{Ep|The Seven-Beer Snitch|(falsely mentioned)}}
  +
*{{Ep|Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind|(flashback)}}
−
*'''{{Ep|Mona Leaves-a}}'''<nowiki> (death)</nowiki>
  
−
*{{Ep|In the Name of the Grandfather}} (Mentioned)
 +
*{{Ep|Treehouse of Horror IX|Starship Poopers|(mentioned)}}
−
*{{Ep|Moe Letter Blues}} (photo)
 +
*'''{{Ep|Mona Leaves-a|(death)}}'''
−
*'''{{Ep|How I Wet Your Mother}}'''(dream)
 +
*{{Ep|In the Name of the Grandfather|(Mentioned)}}
  +
*{{Ep|Moe Letter Blues|(photo)}}
⚫
*'''{{Ep|Love is in the N2-O2-Ar-CO2-Ne-He-CH4}}''' (hallucination)
  
  +
*{{ep|The Winter of His Content|(briefly mentioned)}}
⚫
*'''{{Ep|Fatzcarraldo}}''' (flashback)
  
−
*'''{{Ep|Forgive and Regret}}''' (flashback)
 +
*'''{{Ep|How I Wet Your Mother|(dream)}}'''
−
*{{Ep|Mad About the Toy}} (Seen in a photo)
 +
*{{Ep|The Yellow Badge of Cowardge|(flashback)}}
−
*{{Ep|Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me}} (flashback and also seen in heaven)
 +
*{{Ep|Let's Go Fly a Coot|(flashback)}}
  ⚫
*'''{{Ep|Love is in the N2-O2-Ar-CO2-Ne-He-CH4|(hallucination)}}'''
  ⚫
*'''{{Ep|Fatzcarraldo|(flashback)}}'''
  +
*'''{{Ep|Forgive and Regret|(flashback)}}'''
  +
*{{Ep|Mad About the Toy|(Seen in a photo)}}
  +
*{{Ep|Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me|(flashback and also seen in heaven)}}
  +
*'''{{Ep|Mothers and Other Strangers|(flashback)}}'''
  +
*{{game|The Simpsons Game}}
 
*{{game|The Simpsons: Tapped Out}}
  
*{{game|The Simpsons: Tapped Out}}
 
*{{Bk|The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album}}
  
*{{Bk|The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album}}
 
}}
  
}}
  +
{{AppearancesS2|15 = minor}}
  +
{{AppearancesS6|10 = minor}}
  +
{{AppearancesS7|8 = major}}
  +
{{AppearancesS10|6 = minor}}
  +
{{AppearancesS12|21 = minor}}
   
 
==Citations==
  
==Citations==
−
{{Reflist}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Mona}}
 +
{{Reflist}}
  +
{{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson, Mona}}
   
 
{{Maggie Roswell}}
  
{{Maggie Roswell}}
 
{{simpsons characters}}
  
{{simpsons characters}}
 
{{Simpson Family}}
  
{{Simpson Family}}
−  
 
[[de:Mona Simpson]]
  
[[de:Mona Simpson]]
 
[[es:Mona Simpson]]
  
[[es:Mona Simpson]]
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[[lt:Mona Simpson]]
  
[[lt:Mona Simpson]]
 
[[sv:Mona Simpson]]
  
[[sv:Mona Simpson]]
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[[pt-br:Mona Simpson]]
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[[pl:Mona Simpson]]
  ⚫
[[pt:Mona Simpson]]
 
[[ru:Мона Симпсон]]
  
[[ru:Мона Симпсон]]
 
[[cs:Mona Simpsonová]]
  
[[cs:Mona Simpsonová]]
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[[Category:Seniors]]
  
[[Category:Seniors]]
 
[[Category:Female characters]]
  
[[Category:Female characters]]
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[[Category:Characters]]
  
 
[[Category:Simpson family]]
  
[[Category:Simpson family]]
 
[[Category:Recurring characters]]
  
[[Category:Recurring characters]]
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[[Category:Siblings]]
  
[[Category:Siblings]]
 
[[Category:Sisters]]
  
[[Category:Sisters]]
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[[Category:Wivies]]
 +
[[Category:Wives]]
 
[[Category:Superheroes]]
  
[[Category:Superheroes]]
 
[[Category:Stepmothers]]
  
[[Category:Stepmothers]]
 
[[Category:Minor Characters]]
  
[[Category:Minor Characters]]
−
[[Category:Olsen family]]
 +
[[Category:French characters]]
  ⚫
[[Category:In-Law Characters]]
  +
[[Category:Democrats]]
  +
[[Category:Abe Simpson]]
  +
[[Category:Ex-Wives]]
  +
[[Category:Purple Haired Characters]]
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[[Category:Mr. Burns' Enemies]]
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[[Category:Abe Simpson's enemies]]
  +
[[Category:Abe Simpson's love interests]]

Latest revision as of 10:36, 25 March 2024

“You awful, awful man, get out of my son's grave!”
―Mona Simpson[src]
“It wasn't your fault, sweetie.”
―Mona Simpson

Mona Penelope Simpson (née Olsen), also known as Sunny,[1] and formerly Penelope Olsen,[2] was the mother of Homer Simpson, mother-in-law of Marge Simpson, paternal grandmother of Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson and first wife of Abraham Simpson II.

Personality

Mona was strong-willed, righteous and caring, always doing what she knew or thought was the right thing no matter what. She cherished the relationship she had with her son and later her grandchildren and daughter-in-law. Despite her friendly nature, she was shown to hold distaste for her ex-husband and Homer's father Abe due to his irritability, intolerance and questionable parenting methods concerning their son, even berating him for telling Homer she had died. She also disapproved of those with ill intentions, as seen when she joined a radical group protesting biological warfare experiments and other unscrupulous activities by Charles Montgomery Burns.

Overall, she seemed to bring out a more vulnerable side of Homer reminiscent of the innocent child he was before she left.

Early Years

Due to being a fugitive from the law from her 30s onward that used fake identification and aliases, Mona's age was unclear. Various driver's licenses issued in the 1990s gave her date of birth as May 10, 1920 March 15, 1929; May 5, 1931; November 26, 1934; July 18, 1933; and February 27, 1926.[3]

In the 1950s, she married Abraham Simpson.[1]

At some point after her marriage she learned that Abe fathered Herbert Powell with a carnival worker named Gaby. Shortly after Homer was born, she made him promise to never talk about the incident at the carnival as she wanted Homer to grow up respecting his father.[4] However, she often found herself looking out for Homer while Abe could've cared less due to the circumstances of his conception,[5] much to her dismay.

Despite her hippie activism, Mona's life was on a floating timeline, and while one episode cited Joe Namath's sideburns during a Super Bowl in the 1960s as the start of her political activism and subsequent disappearance,[3] another episode placed this circa the 1980s to 1990s, about 30 years before the Patriots traded Brady.[6]

Mona took Homer and Abe to Woodstock, where Homer ended up being influenced by hippies.[7] Unfortunately, her frequent protesting eventually led to Homer developing his eating disorder to cope with her absence.[8] When Homer was either about six[9][10] or nine,[6] and when Mona was in her early 30s, she and other activists protesting germ research entered a facility owned by Mr. Burns, destroying all the biological warfare experiments and curing Clancy Wiggum of asthma. While escaping, she made the mistake of stopping to tend to Burns who threatened her with arrest. She then left her husband and son; Mona kissed Homer on the head while he was asleep, which Homer thought he dreamed. Abe told Homer that she had died while he was at the movies,[3] although in another episode's flashback Abe told Homer she was dead when she had already been missing for a while.[6] Abe went as far to point out a grave, telling him it was Mona's, although the grave actually belonged to Walt Whitman.[3] A few weeks prior to Mona's departure, Abe took Homer on a fishing trip that ended with Homer nearly drowning, but Abe rescued him and took him back home. This resulted in a brief reconnection between Mona and Abe.[11] Unfortunately, they went back to bickering amongst themselves when Mona revealed she only married Abe to get back at her mother.[12]

After leaving Springfield, her exact movements are unknown, although it is later revealed she resided at the hippie commune Groovy Grove Natural Farm for several years, painting murals of Homer.[7] She sent Homer care packages each week, although Homer was unaware of this, only collecting the packages many years later ("That's what happens when you don't tip your letter carrier at Christmas").[3] During this time, she also cheated on Abe, having a ménage a trois relationship at Groovy Grove with Seth and Munchie, who later fondly remembered her as a "pretty groovy chick" and "a demon in the sack", with Abe humorously remaining oblivious to this fact despite being present during the hippies' reminiscence. [7] Abe remained unaware of her whereabouts throughout all these past events.

She was found in Utah by Abe and 16-year-old Homer, but Homer lost her to save Abe. She was the disguised pediatrician for Bart after he was born.[6]

Mom...

Homer meets his mother again, after thinking she is dead

Return to Springfield

When Homer faked his own death to avoid work, Mona hears of her son's death on the news and visits her son's still open grave, finding Homer in the grave, who accidentally fell in. She initially told him off for lying in her son's grave until both realized who the other was. She returns to the Simpson house, spending time with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. She meets Abraham again, although Abraham continues to harbor resentment over her leaving him and Homer. Mona gets angry after learning he had told Homer she was dead although Abraham states to her that he did not want Homer to find out about the fact that she was a wanted criminal on the run for 27 years. While this episode insisted that Homer first discovered Mona was alive after she finds him in his grave[3] a different episode has him learn this when he was 16.[6] When Homer and Mona go to the post office, to collect years worth of care packages, she is spotted and recognized by Burns. Mona is forced again to leave Springfield, on the run from the police, although the now Police Chief, Clancy Wiggum, aides her escape as she had helped cure his asthma.[3]

Second return to Springfield

Sometime later, Homer discovers a hidden message in a newspaper, left by his mother, to meet her under a bridge. Homer and Bart do so and reunite with Mona, although she is discovered by the police at a diner and is arrested, later put on trial. She is acquitted because of evidence given by Homer, although she is later imprisoned, thanks to Mr. Burns, for signing into a federal park under a false name. Homer attempts to break his mother out of prison on a prison bus, with a police chase ensuing. The chase ends when she apparently dies, after the bus drives off a cliff and into some water, where it explodes, which sets off a rock avalanche, burying the bus. Mona narrowly escapes the bus before it went off the cliff. She again goes on the run, where she sends another hidden message in a newspaper to Homer, written while eating a Rhode Island-style clam chowder.[13]

Final return and death

DaDeath

Homer, preparing to apologize to Mona, shortly before discovering she is dead.

Mona returns to Springfield again, visiting Homer. Homer has grown sick of his mother's constant leaving and returning and refuses to reconcile with her in order to keep himself from feeling hurt. Later, feeling guilty, he attempts to apologize to his mother, only to find out she had passed away sitting in front of the fireplace.

She is cremated and, sometime after her cremation, the Simpson family watches her recorded will. She leaves Bart her Swiss-army knife, Lisa her rebellious spirit (although Lisa takes her earrings), and Marge an old purse made of hemp, asking Homer to release her ashes from the top of a specific mountain at 3:00 pm. Homer completes his mother's wish, releasing the ashes, which are sucked into a missile launch computer within the mountain, owned by Mr. Charles Montgomery Burns. The ashes stop the missile from launching, preventing the nuclear power plant's waste from being blasted to the Amazon rain forest. Homer is arrested but manages to escape, with help from Marge, Bart and Lisa, destroying the base and fulfilling his mother's final wish.[8]

Homer's dreams

Mona continues to live on in Homer's dreams. When Homer develops a bed wetting problem after taking Bart on a fishing trip (which brought back his memory of his disastrous fishing trip with Abe), the rest of the family ventures into his dreams to find the cause of the problem. Eventually, they come across Mona after she saves them, under the guise of Death, from being crushed by a pair of gears. She provides them the answer to Homer's bed wetting problem via movie theater. Mona also tells Homer that he misinterpreted everything that happened between her and Abe after the fishing trip and shows him a video of what really happened. She tells Homer she will always live on in his memory along with younger versions of Homer and Abe. She then tells them to leave the dreams and to wake up, with Homer saying goodbye to his mother one last time. Homer's dream then collapses (due to Jonathan Frink and Clancy Wiggum fighting), and he and the rest of the family return to the real world.

Physical Appearance

Mona had straight, light blue hair as well as the distinctive large, round eyes and small, rounded nose typical of Simpson family members. However, in flashbacks she was shown to have dyed her hair maroon.

Behind the Laughter

Creation

Mona Simpsonknfglnere

Baby Homer and his mother in "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Prior to the seventh season, Mona Simpson was mentioned once and only made brief flashback appearances. Homer Simpson first mentions his mother in the Season 1 episode "There's No Disgrace Like Home" when he claims she called Homer a disappointment, very contrary to her normal behavior. The first flashback appearance is in the Season 2 episode "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" and another flashback appearance in the Season 6 episode "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy" (albeit without her face shown). In both of those episodes, she was voiced by Maggie Roswell.[14]

Mona's first major appearance was in the seventh season episode "Mother Simpson," which was pitched by Richard Appel, who was desperately trying to think of a story idea and decided that he had to really reach for an idea. He decided to do something about Homer's mother.[15] Many of the writers could not believe that an episode about Homer's mother had not previously been produced.[15] Part of the fun of an episode about Homer's mother for the writers was that they were able to solve several little puzzles, such as where Lisa's intelligence came from.[15]

The character is named after Richard Appel's wife, whose maiden name is Mona Simpson.[15] Mona Simpson was designed in a way so that she has a little bit of Homer in her face, such as the shape of her upper lip and her nose.[16] There were several design changes because the directors were trying to make her an attractive older and younger woman, but still be Simpson-esque.[16]

The inspiration for the character comes from Bernardine Dohrn of the far-left revolutionary group Weather Underground, although the writers acknowledge that several people fit her description.[17] Her crime was intentionally the least violent crime the writers could think of, as she did not harm anyone and was only caught because she came back to help Mr. Burns.[17]

Glenn Close, who was directed in her first performance by Josh Weinstein,[17] was convinced to do the episode partially because of James L. Brooks.[18] When Mona gets in the van, her voice is done by Pamela Hayden because Glenn Close could not say "D'oh!" properly[17] and thus they used the original temp track recorded by Hayden.[15]

Mona was originally voiced by Maggie Roswell, before Glenn Close took over in most of her appearances from season 7's "Mother Simpson" to season 33's "Mothers and Other Strangers". Tress MacNeille voiced her flashback appearance in the episode "D'oh-in' in the Wind", which aired between Close's portrayals of Mona in "The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular" and "My Mother the Carjacker".

Reception

"Mother Simpson" is one of Bill Oakley & Josh Weinstein's favorite episodes, as they feel it is a perfect combination of real emotion, good jokes and an interesting story[19] and they have expressed regret about not submitting it for the Emmy Award in the "Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming less than One Hour)" category[17]

IGN.com ranked Glenn Close's two performances as Mona as the 25th best guest star in the show's history.[14] In 2007, Entertainment Weekly called Glenn Close one of "fourteen guest stars whose standout performances on TV make us wish they'd turn up in a Simpsons Movie 2."[20]

Trivia

Gallery

Mona Leaves-a 30
The full image gallery for Mona Simpson may be viewed at Mona Simpson/Gallery.

Appearances

Episodes where she has a major role are in bold.

Joystick Video game – The Simpsons Game

Joystick Video game – The Simpsons: Tapped Out

Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Let's Go Fly a Coot
  2. ↑ The Simpsons Uncensored Family Album
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "Mother Simpson"
  4. ↑ Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
  5. ↑ Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "Mothers and Other Strangers"
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 D'oh-in' in the Wind
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Mona Leaves-a"
  9. ↑ "Gone Abie Gone"
  10. ↑ "To Cur, with Love"
  11. ↑ "How I Wet Your Mother"
  12. ↑ Todd, Todd, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?
  13. ↑ My Mother the Carjacker
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Goldman, Eric; Iverson, Dan; Zoromski, Brian. Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances. IGN. Retrieved on 2007-10-06.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Appel, Richard. (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Silverman, David. (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Oakley, Bill. (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  18. ↑ Groening, Matt. (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  19. ↑ Weinstein, Josh. (2005). The Simpsons season 7 DVD commentary for the episode "Mother Simpson" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
  20. ↑ Bruno, Mike. Simpsons Movie 2: Our Dream cast. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2007-10-06.


Characters voiced by Maggie Roswell
Maude Flanders | Helen Lovejoy | Elizabeth Hoover | Luann Van Houten | Princess Kashmir | Mary Bailey | Shary Bobbins | Barbara Bush | Mona Simpson | Martha Quimby
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