The Simpsons Season 37 Recasts A Side Character With The Perfect Voice Actor

"The Simpsons" is an institution, a show that's redefined not only animation but television itself. It's a show full of memorable characters who populate the town of Springfield and make it come to life. These side characters are so unique and distinct that an episode dedicated to telling side stories with them ranks as one of the all-time greatest "Simpsons" episodes (according to us).

That being said, "The Simpsons" has not been free of controversy. Like many other animated projects, the show keeps some costs down by giving actors multiple roles, including giving white voice actors several characters of color — some of which are little more than ugly stereotypes. This, of course, isn't restricted to "The Simpsons," but has plagued animation since its inception, with iconic characters like Speedy Gonzales starting out as little more than a crude caricature before Latin American audiences embraced the character as one of their own.

Since the pandemic, characters like Apu and Bumblebee Man have been pushed to the background, barely seen let alone heard. It makes sense, of course, and it's a better choice than to continue to write them as racist stereotypes. And yet, the latest episode of "The Simpsons" shows a better way, a way to not only keep these characters in the forefront, but make them more relevant than ever and pay homage to their history.

This starts with a recast of Bumblebee Man. Originally voiced by Hank Azaria from 1992 to 2020, the character was briefly recast with Eric Lopez voicing the character from 2020 until 2022. Now, at least for one episode in season 37, it is Humberto Vélez who voiced the character in his very first all-English role in the show — and he's the perfect choice for the future of Bumblebee Man.

Humberto Vélez has been a voice actor for over 42 years. He's an absolute legend in the Spanish-speaking world, serving as the Latino Spanish voice of Homer Simpson for the first 15 seasons of the show, and again since season 32. He's also voiced Professor Farnsworth in the first four seasons of "Futurama," Farquaad in "Shrek," did the Spanish voice of Tony Soprano, and Gomez Addams in the two '90s movies and also "Wednesday."

The casting of Vélez as Bumblebee Man is a perfect choice, and hopefully something that sticks for the future of "The Simpsons." The episode tells the untold origin story of Bumblebee Man, exploring how he moved from Mexico to the U.S. to chase the Hollywood dream — before ending stuck in Springfield. The episode rightfully portrays the character as a comedy superstar, a TV icon as big as Krusty (but not as washed up) who is beloved not only by Spanish-speakers, but even Homer and Bart — who appreciate the international language of getting hit in the crotch comedically.

Having someone like Humberto Vélez, who is an institution in and of himself in the Spanish-speaking world, breathe life into Bumblebee Man in his first big episode focus, is an excellent choice. It makes the episode a love letter to Latin American fans of "The Simpsons," and also validates the skills of dubbing voice actors as proper voice actors by giving Vélez the first episode centered around Bumblebee Man and the first episode where the character mostly speaks English. That casting choice, together with the character's new origin, makes Bumblebee Man a deeper and more nuanced character than just a guy who speaks in short Spanish sentences and gets hit in the face with a pie.