7. Chief Clancy Wiggum
Over the course of the Simpsons' illustrious extended history, Wiggum has gone from being merely comically inept and occasionally disinterested to criminally lazy, negligent and completely unworthy of being either a police officer or a father. But, he is held in great affection, because the quirks of the character far outweigh his negative characteristics: he is kind-hearted, and though he is shown to be lazy in the line of duty, he is more a stumbling buffoon, in the vein of Homer Simpson, rather than maliciously detached. Wiggum's comic appeal comes in the shape of his baffling origin, and how he managed to rise to the top of Springfield's police force - though there is definitely a ribald sense of irony in the fact, that mirrors the conscious parody in his almost porcine appearance. Again, the character is underpinned by an excellent vocal performance by Hank Azaria, who seems to be the master of supporting characters, and who thankfully dropped his early attempt to reference to David Brinkley in favour of a more comical performance based on Edward G Robinson's immediately recognisable nasal voice.
Select Quote: "Stop, in the name of American squeamishness!"