Chalk Homer Angers British Pagans
Peter Stuart Painted The Simpsons Image Next to Cerne Abbas Giant
British pagans are in a lather after a doughnut-brandishing Homer Simpson was painted next to the Cerne Abbas giant in Dorset.
"It's very disrespectful and not at all esthetically pleasing," Ann Bryn-Evans, the joint Wessex district manager for The Pagan Federation, huffed to the BBC. "We were hoping for some dry weather, but we'll be doing some rain magic to bring the rain and wash it away."
Twentieth Century Fox Studios hired British artist Peter Stuart to paint the image in order to promote the upcoming The Simpsons Movie, which opens in the United Kingdom on July 27th. The 70-by-50 metre image of Homer Simpson, holding a doughnut as big as his jockey shorts, was rendered in water-soluble, biodegradable paint.
"I'm amazed they got permission to do something so ridiculous," continued Bryn-Evans. "It's an area of scientific interest."
Many pagans believe that the chalk image of the giant, who sports a club and a massive, erect phallus, represents ancient spirituality. Couples have held maypole dances on the site, and have copulated near the image, in attempts to increase their fertility. The National Trust owns the Cerne Abbas giant, and has used it to sell blue jeans, bicycles and condoms. They restore the image every 25 years.
Peter Stuart and his assistants used 2 days and 200 litres of paint to create the Homer Simpson image, which lies to the left of the chalk giant. Unlike the original giant, Homer is wearing underwear to hide his genitalia.
"We started very early on Sunday morning by laying the outline for the grid," said Stuart, a self-declared Simpsons fan. "Today, it's taken us over five hours to complete the painting of Homer Simpson. But it's all been worth it."
Many historians believe that the Cerne Abbas giant was actually cut during the 17th Century as a parody of Oliver Cromwell. During the English civil war, Cromwell's aristocratic enemies regularly mocked the Puritan and New Model Army general, calling him "England's Hercules."
Local records first mention the Cerne Abbas giant in 1694, unlike the White Horse in Uffington which was regularly discussed by medieval scholars.
"I think it is different and unusual," said Mike Webb, landlord of The New Inn in Cerne Abbas, about The Simpsons parody. "We've not heard any complaints here so far, but I'm not sure many of the local people will know who Homer Simpson is."
He also stated that he and his staff were amused by the image.
