The Simpsons’ Disco Stu comes out as ‘heteroflexible’ in new episode
Exclusive: "It's a very specific vibe, and I do believe he has it," The Simpsons writer Johnny LaZebnik tells Attitude.
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Disney+ and provided
The Simpsons‘ Patty Bouvier and Waylon Smithers are just two of the LGBTQs who already call Springfield home.
And now, Disco Stu is (debatably) joining their ranks, as he comes out as a self-confessed “heteroflexible” in a new episode airing in the UK tomorrow (Friday 4 March).
Look, every town has one!
“It’s impossible to tackle all of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum in one episode”
The reveal comes in the upcoming Smithers-centric special Portrait of a Lackey on Fire, when rhinestone onesie-wearing music lover Stu pops up on Waylon Smithers’ dating apps. (“Disco Stu is heteroflexible!” he says in a video, leaving no room for doubt over how he identifies.)
In Attitude’s March/April issue – out now – Johnny LeZebnik – a comedy writer who worked on the episode – said: “It’s a very specific vibe, and I do believe he has it.”
Agreed.
Left to right: Johnny and Rob LaZebnik (Photo: Provided)
LeZebnik, who is gay, also discussed the gender ambiguity of Smthers’ new puppy in the episode, saying: “It’s impossible to tackle all of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum in one episode. But I like that little nod to: ‘Hey, there are more than two genders.'”
LeZebnik is interviewed alongside his dad, the long-term Simpsons writer Rob LeZebnik, with whom he worked on the episode with. “Johnny had been helpful on research and bouncing ideas off the first time,” says Rob in reference to Smithers’ coming-out episode, The Burns Cage.
“Now he’s [Johnny] a writer in his own right, I thought: ‘this would be fun to do together’,” Rob adds.
Speaking of his influence on the episode, Johnny adds: “I was like, ‘I’m going to do a Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again reference if it kills me.’ Dad was like: ‘People won’t get the reference.’ I was, like, [raises voice]: ‘We’ve got a Chernobyl parody! We’re doing this!'”
Elsewhere in our Simpsons special, we chat to Smithers about being the most famous gay in Springfield, Marge about LGBTQ allyship and Homer on the best thing about Pride.
Attitude’s new-look March/April issue is out now.
