'Homer' replies to fans' messages

Simpsons fans have sent hundreds of messages to an email address Homer used in a recent episode - and received replies.

In the show, Homer hired a private detective to follow Lisa - and asked him to send emails to chunkylover53@aol.com.

But undettered by the fact it's a cartoon, fans started sending their own emails.

Producer Matt Selman registered the address when he wrote the episode, and the morning after the show aired in the US found his mailbox full to overflowing.

Executive producer Al Jean told the New York Post: "He logged in the night that the episode aired and it was immediately filled with the maximum number of responses.

"He's tried to answer every one of them and then as soon as he answers a hundred, a hundred more pop in.

"It's like letters to Santa Claus, he's trying to answer them as Homer."

The publicity the story has now received is unlikely to make his task any easier.

Published: 31 Jan 2003