10 Times Ned Flanders Was Indeedily-Doodily The Funniest Character In The Simpsons

From his taste in snug skiwear to his infamous breakdown, The Simpsons' Ned Flanders is hilarious!

By Chris Littlechild /

Many sitcoms have that token ‘doesn’t follow what everybody else is talking about’ character, such as Joey Tribbiani of Friends fame. The fact is, they’re a great source of cheap laughs (for everybody else at their expense) and sitcoms thrive on that sort of thing.

Advertisement

For much the same reason, Homer is often regarded as the funniest character on The Simpsons, for his zany antics, bumbling ways and oh-so-quotable lines. His do-gooding neighbour Ned Flanders can be just as hilarious, though, playing off Homer just as much as Homer plays off him (not that Ned means to much of the time).

The strait-laced, tightly wound Ned, who famously enjoys plain white bread with “a glass of water on the side for dipping,” is just as unintentionally hilarious. In fact, his lines, acts and mannerisms are the root of some of the most memorable Simpsons moments ever.

From his taste in snug skiwear to his infamous breakdown, here are some moments that prove Old Steady Neddy is just as funny as the rest of the Springfield regulars. Perhaps sometimes the funniest of them all.

10. When He Serenaded Maude In The Most Hilarious Way

Ned Flanders always seems to manage to make Homer look worse by association. He doesn’t mean to do it, but he’s just that much of a good neighbour (and the bar is set so darn low where Homer is concerned).

Being the lovable family man he is, Ned often had something special planned for his beloved wife Maude. One Valentine’s Day, he serenaded her dressed in the cheesiest heart-shaped costume imaginable. So far, so Ned, but it was the song he chose that made this one of the most hilarious Flanders moments ever.

In a PG-rated parody of Rod Stewart’s iconic Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?, he sang, “If you think I’m cuddly and you want my company, come on wifey let me know.”

This little ditty neatly defines everything we know and love about Flanders: he’s almost hatefully cheery and wholesome, and most of the jokes his involved with are made at his expense. In his own way, though, he’s just as funny as any other Springfield resident.

Advertisement