Initially called to pitch a series of shorts based on his comic strip Life in Hell, Groening instead developed a new set of characters.

He embodies numerous American working-class stereotypes: he is overweight, balding, immature, outspoken, aggressive, lazy, ignorant, unprofessional, and deeply fond of beer, junk food, and television.

While his life largely revolves around a suburban blue-collar routine, he has experienced several extraordinary adventures, including traveling to space, solo-climbing Springfield's tallest mountain, fighting former President George H. W. Bush, and winning a Grammy Award as part of a barbershop quartet.

[26][27] Matt Groening first conceived Homer and the rest of the Simpson family in 1987 while waiting in the lobby of producer James L. Brooks's office.

[28][29] Groening was invited to pitch a series of animated shorts for The Tracey Ullman Show and initially planned to adapt his comic strip, Life in Hell.

[53] Homer's typical attire includes a short-sleeved white shirt with an open collar, blue pants, and gray shoes.

[58] Director Mark Kirkland has described Homer's head shape as resembling a tube-shaped coffee can topped with a salad bowl.

[62] In "Lisa's Wedding" (season six, 1995), which is set fifteen years in the future, Homer's design was modified to reflect his older age.

[71] Castellaneta, a regular cast member on The Tracey Ullman Show, had prior experience in voice-over work, which he had done in Chicago alongside his wife, Deb Lacusta.

Initially, it was modeled as a loose impression of Walter Matthau but Castellaneta found it challenging to maintain the Matthau-inspired tone during the nine- to ten-hour recording sessions and sought a more sustainable approach.

[73][6] By the second and third seasons, Castellaneta had "dropped the voice down" and developed it into a more versatile and humorous style, enabling Homer to express a broader range of emotions.

The episode follows Homer forming a barbershop quartet called the Be Sharps, with his singing voice provided at times by a member of the Dapper Dans.

[82][83] That year, a pay dispute arose, during which Fox threatened to replace the six main voice actors and even began preparing for new casting.

In response, Castellaneta and the other main cast members agreed to a 30 percent pay reduction, lowering their per-episode earnings to just over $300,000.

[107] He frequently spends his evenings drinking Duff Beer at Moe's Tavern and, as depicted in the episode "Duffless" (season four, 1993), has exhibited signs of full-blown alcoholism.

[124] Despite his strained relationship with his father, Abraham "Grampa" Simpson—whom Homer quickly placed in a nursing home and whom the Simpson family often tries to avoid—Homer has occasionally shown genuine love and affection for him.

[128][129] Homer's low intelligence quotient (IQ) of 55[130] has been attributed to several factors: the hereditary "Simpson gene" (which causes male family members to become increasingly stupid over time),[131] frequent cranial trauma,[132] and a crayon lodged in his brain's frontal lobe.

[143][96][144] Homer was also the runaway winner in British polls that determined who viewers thought was the "greatest American"[145] and which fictional character people would like to see become the President of the United States.

[153][154] In 2004, Castellaneta and Julie Kavner (the voice of Marge) won a Young Artist Award for "Most Popular Mom & Dad in a TV Series".

[158] Homer is an "everyman" and embodies several American stereotypes of working class blue-collar men: he is crude, overweight, incompetent, dim-witted, childish, clumsy and a borderline alcoholic.

[159] Dan Castellaneta calls him "a dog trapped in a man's body", adding, "He's incredibly loyal – not entirely clean – but you gotta love him.

[160] In the book God in the Details: American Religion in Popular Culture, the authors comment that "Homer's progress (or lack thereof) reveals a character who can do the right thing, if accidentally or begrudgingly.

In the episode, Homer is portrayed as an everyman and the embodiment of the American spirit; however, in some scenes his negative characteristics and silliness are prominently highlighted.

[165][166] By the end of the episode, Grimes, a hard working and persevering "real American hero", has become the villain; the viewer is intended to be pleased that Homer has emerged victorious.

[165] In Gilligan Unbound, author Paul Arthur Cantor states that he believes Homer's devotion to his family has added to the popularity of the character.

USA Today cited the character as being one of the "top 25 most influential people of the past 25 years" in 2007, adding that Homer "epitomized the irony and irreverence at the core of American humor".

[169] Robert Thompson, director of Syracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television, believes that "three centuries from now, English professors are going to be regarding Homer Simpson as one of the greatest creations in human storytelling.

[173] On April 9, 2009, the United States Postal Service unveiled a series of five 44-cent stamps featuring Homer and the four other members of the Simpson family.

During the voice recording session for a Tracey Ullman Show short, Homer was required to utter what was written in the script as an "annoyed grunt".

[193][198] In June 2009, Dutch automotive navigation systems manufacturer TomTom announced that Homer would be added to its downloadable GPS voice lineup.