Homer wasn't always fat. In fact, in his teen-age years, he was an average weight. But through the years he has developed quite a large gut, and has at one point weighed 315 lbs! Let's see if he were still skinny. Well, let me first state the obvious: food costs money. So if Homer were skinnier, that would mean he would eat less, which would mean more money for the family. Which would mean that the Simpson family would have a little more of the green stuff to spare. Secondly, let me state a fact: kids develop eating habits from their parents. So if Homer didn't eat as much, the entire family wouldn't. Which means Bart wouldn't have that gut of his, which means he wouldn't have had to join the pee-wee football league, which means we would be without one of my favorite episodes. Also, if Homer weren't fat, we would be without many of some of the best moments in Simpson history. Like the episode "King-Sized Homer" or his patented out-of-this-world space-age Moon Waffles. If Homer weren't fat, we would be missing a very vital part of Homer's character. He wouldn't seem to be the same at all. Bottom line: I'm glad the Simpsons only made one episode about Homer getting skinny, because if he were, it wouldn't be that funny.