I Am Not Homer
Encyclopedia
I Am Not Homer is a 2002 comedy album by actor and comedian Dan Castellaneta
, with additional input by Castellaneta's wife Deb Lacusta
. The album is a collection of comedy sketches written and performed by Castellaneta and Lacusta, and was the follow-up to Castellaneta's previous all-music album Two Lips. The title of the album is a reference to Leonard Nimoy
's first autobiography, I Am Not Spock
, and a majority of the sketches were material that the pair had used before in their careers.
and had to be lengthened from the "two-minute bits" that they were originally, while several others were stage sketches performed in a comedy club in Santa Monica
. Additionally, "Citizen Kane", a sketch in which two people discuss the film Citizen Kane
with different meanings, was something the pair had performed at an art gallery. Castellaneta noted that "we already knew that these skits were funny, [but] some of them we polished and tightened." The skits were principally written by improvising from a basic point, transcribing the results and then editing them to the finished scene.
Castellaneta chose the title I Am Not Homer as a parody of Leonard Nimoy
's famous first autobiography I Am Not Spock
, as well as to show that most of the comedy featured "is not the typical Homer
comedy." It was also a reference to the fact that many people do not know anything about Castellaneta's comedy career away from The Simpsons
.
." She did however praise the final track "So Dumb", which features Castellaneta singing a song as his main characters from The Simpsons, Homer Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Abraham Simpson
, Barney Gumble
and Groundskeeper Willie
. Bradley Torreano found that there are "a few very funny sketches, but in the long run this is a very average comedy album that only inspires the occasional chuckle."
Dan Castellaneta
Daniel Louis "Dan" Castellaneta is an American actor, voice actor, comedian, singer and screenwriter. Noted for his long-running role as Homer Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons, he voices many other characters on The Simpsons, including Abraham "Grampa" Simpson, Barney Gumble,...
, with additional input by Castellaneta's wife Deb Lacusta
Deb Lacusta
-Personal life:Lacusta is the wife of The Simpsons star Dan Castellaneta...
. The album is a collection of comedy sketches written and performed by Castellaneta and Lacusta, and was the follow-up to Castellaneta's previous all-music album Two Lips. The title of the album is a reference to Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
's first autobiography, I Am Not Spock
I Am Not Spock
I Am Not Spock is Leonard Nimoy's first autobiography. Published in 1975, between the end of Star Trek: The Original Series and the production of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the book received criticism from some fans due to the perception that he was rejecting the character Spock...
, and a majority of the sketches were material that the pair had used before in their careers.
Production
A majority of the sketches had been written and performed before the CD was recorded, and Castellaneta thought that it would be a good idea to preserve them "since [he and Lacusta] don't perform them much anymore." Some came from their sketch series on a local radio station in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and had to be lengthened from the "two-minute bits" that they were originally, while several others were stage sketches performed in a comedy club in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
. Additionally, "Citizen Kane", a sketch in which two people discuss the film Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American drama film, directed by and starring Orson Welles. Many critics consider it the greatest American film of all time, especially for its innovative cinematography, music and narrative structure. Citizen Kane was Welles' first feature film...
with different meanings, was something the pair had performed at an art gallery. Castellaneta noted that "we already knew that these skits were funny, [but] some of them we polished and tightened." The skits were principally written by improvising from a basic point, transcribing the results and then editing them to the finished scene.
Castellaneta chose the title I Am Not Homer as a parody of Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Nimoy
Leonard Simon Nimoy is an American actor, film director, poet, musician and photographer. Nimoy's most famous role is that of Spock in the original Star Trek series , multiple films, television and video game sequels....
's famous first autobiography I Am Not Spock
I Am Not Spock
I Am Not Spock is Leonard Nimoy's first autobiography. Published in 1975, between the end of Star Trek: The Original Series and the production of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the book received criticism from some fans due to the perception that he was rejecting the character Spock...
, as well as to show that most of the comedy featured "is not the typical Homer
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
comedy." It was also a reference to the fact that many people do not know anything about Castellaneta's comedy career away from The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
.
Reception
A Canadian writer Jenny Yuen gave the CD a mixed review, noting "some funny moments," but "the sketches barely match annoying bickering one could listen to on an episode All In The FamilyAll in the Family
All in the Family is an American sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS television network from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. In September 1979, a new show, Archie Bunker's Place, picked up where All in the Family had ended...
." She did however praise the final track "So Dumb", which features Castellaneta singing a song as his main characters from The Simpsons, Homer Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Abraham Simpson
Abraham Simpson
Abraham J. "Abe" Simpson, often known simply as Grampa, is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and he is also the patriarch of the Simpson family, the father of Homer Simpson, and the grandfather of Bart, Lisa, and Maggie Simpson...
, Barney Gumble
Barney Gumble
Barnard "Barney" Gumble is a fictional character on the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. The character is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the town drunk and Homer Simpson's best friend. His capacity for...
and Groundskeeper Willie
Groundskeeper Willie
William McDougal, usually referred to as Groundskeeper Willie, is a recurring character on The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. He is head groundskeeper at Springfield Elementary School. Willie is a Scottish immigrant, almost feral in nature and immensely proud of his homeland...
. Bradley Torreano found that there are "a few very funny sketches, but in the long run this is a very average comedy album that only inspires the occasional chuckle."
Track listing
All skits are performed by Castellaneta and Lacusta, except for "So Dumb" which is just Castellaneta.- "AM Therapy" – 8:04
- "Badger Baseball" – 5:00
- "Elvus" – 5:28
- "Rocks Off" – 6:48
- "Horoscope" – 2:16
- "Dynamite Sales" – 8:14
- "Drive Time" – 10:19
- "Citizen Kane" – 4:54
- "So Dumb (Homer's Lament)" – 7:20
External links
- [ I Am Not Homer] at Allmusic