Why Are The Simpsons Funnier in Latin American Spanish?

The web is saturated with clips, dialogues, and other famous scenes from The Simpsons, but this is especially true when we focus on the version with Latin American Spanish audio. In fact, its high level of popularity in Latin America revolves around Homer Simpson, and that means one thing: To understand why The Simpsons are funnier in Latin American Spanish, you have to understand the man behind Homer's voice, Humberto Vélez.

“Are we in India yet?”, “The other day I wanted a beer so badly that I went into the football stadium and licked the floor under the seats”, “I want to live, Marge! Let me live, Marge!”, “Oh, I will never be the little sheep of the so-called model citizens, who roll their tongues, twist their beards, and deliberate on what to do with that Homer Simpson!”

Admit it: You have repeated all of those phrases trying to imitate his voice. Given that it is a series with unquestionable international success, many voice actors faced the titanic challenge of lending their voice to Homer Simpson. However, one case stands out above the rest: The dubbing for Latin American markets. Fans swear time and again that The Simpsons are funnier in Latin American Spanish. 33 seasons and more than 700 episodes later, the debate has not ended. Why?

Are The Simpsons Funnier in Latin American Spanish?

The answer comes down to the work of one man, Humberto Vélez. Obviously, his career goes far beyond Homer: From Naruto to The Sopranos, through Game of Thrones and House of Cards, his voice has adapted to incredible characters. But in August 2018, Humberto was interviewed by the folks at Great Big Story to explore a little more closely the “best-worst father” of animated television family. His first analysis is quite direct: If you take a fool, turn him into a cartoon, make him a drunk, then a lecher, and finally make him lose control, you have the basis for Homer Simpson.

Another detail that Humberto explores in the interview is translation: From his experience, it is impossible for a joke told in English to be understood in Latin America because “nothing is the same”, and to that we add the fact that “Latin America” is a group of twenty countries with huge differences among themselves. Therefore, tropicalization or localization of content is mandatory, to adapt it to a warmer culture of easy laughs and explosive situations.

The process is very complex, and Humberto has not hesitated to use personal experiences so that Homer has a new line. But in the end, Humberto sums up that Homer Simpson is popular because he is one of us: He tries everything, and fails at everything. Inevitably, at some point, we will feel identified with that...