Krusty the Klown

In the cartoon The Simpsons, the character Krusty the Klown (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) is the long-time host of Bart and Lisa's favourite TV show. The TV show is a combination of kiddie variety-television hijinks with a sidekick, and cartoons including the Tom and Jerry parody Itchy and Scratchy. His original sidekick, Sideshow Bob has now been replaced by Sideshow Mel.

Krusty is actually a hard-living entertainment veteran who has been down and out several times (and rescued by the Simpson children) and remains addicted to cigarettes and alcohol. His profligate spending has resulted in encounters with the Mafia, not to mention schemes involving running a clown college to turn out clone Krustys to appear at birthday parties, and running a concentration camp-like summer camp[?] (Kamp Krusty). He willingly sells out to commercial interests to sell all manner of second-rate goods; he even has a generic spoken endorsement--"I heartily endorse this event or product!" Another example of the little attention he pays to the things he is involved in is the unfortunate acrostic of both his Christmas show, "Krusty Kinda Kristmas" and a tennis tournament he sponsored, the "Krusty Kharity Klassic".

It was revealed that Krusty is illiterate in the episode in which Sideshow Bob frames him. He has since been seen reading with varying ability. Other Krusty facts: he has a pacemaker, a superfluous third nipple, has a daughter named Sophie, and has small feet.

Krusty, minus his trademark clown-hair, bears an uncanny physical resemblance to Homer. The significance of this fact is unknown. (Can anyone add to this?)

Krusty's heritage is Jewish (his real name is Herschel Schmoeckel Krustofski). In one memorable episode (based on the film The Jazz Singer), he reconciled with his rabbi father, voiced by Jackie Mason[?]).

Sideshow Mel successfully removed Krusty the Klown from suspicion of having shot Mr. Burns and is known to be lactose intolerant, as Bart found out in one memorable scene. Sideshow Mel's full name is Melvin van Horne.