The Homestar Runner

This article is about the old-timey character. For the storybook world character, see The Homestar Runner (storybook). For other uses, see Homestar Runner (disambiguation).

"Go soak your fat head."

The Homestar Runner (also known as Old-Timey Homestar) is the Old-Timey version of Homestar Runner. Accompanied by his companions Old-Timey Marzipan and Fat Dudley, he is frequently pitted against Old-Timey Strong Bad.

Characterization

The Homestar Runner lives during the Great Depression, and many of his habits reflect activities of the era. He plays "a mean worshboard", entertains himself by kicking a can of Water Soup, and has a practiced aim with spitballs fired from a straw. Matt Chapman remarked in an interview that living through "hard times" made this character smarter and wiser than the more carefree regular Homestar Runner.

While he seems to like most of the characters he meets, he dislikes Sickly Sam, whom he refers to as their "worst friend," and Rumble Red, whom he labels a "Communist fool" and eventually kills with the help of Old-Timey Marzipan's Contraption.

The Homestar Runner had a dog (unnamed, though "Old Eyelids" was ad-libbed as a possible name) who was swept away during flooding from a storm in 1928. Impromptu discussions about his friends and family during Kick the Can's commentary raised the possibility of him having a sister.

Character Design

Head shot straight-on.

He greatly resembles his modern-day counterpart (particularly earlier "fat body" designs), with an armless torso, underbite, star shirt, and a propeller cap. Design changes are mostly to fit with his purported 1936-era origins, either in character design — eyes are more circular, underbite is more curved, shoes are distinct from his feet — or fashionwear — his cap looking less like a baseball cap and more like a brimless beanie, with vertical stripes.

The Homestar Runner does not seem to be able to either hear or understand others very well, and often responds with a flat "What?" to other characters who try to converse with him. Though he does not glide consonants like his modern day counterpart, he speaks with a midland accent: for instance, pronouncing "accumulated" as "acoomalated" in Decemberween Short Shorts or "wash" as "worsh" and "robot" as "robut" in 20X6 vs. 1936.

He has the ability to make his legs longer, as demonstrated in Ballad of The Sneak and Sickly Sam's Big Outing.

All Old-Timey toons are presented in black-and-white, though The Homestar Runner's appearance in 20X6 vs. 1936 suggests that he is either wholly grayscale or carries that effect with him wherever he goes. A "Colorarization" seen in April Fool 2014 presents him with a light blue cap and shoes and a pink shirt.

Fun Facts

"E'erybody, e'erybody."

• In Marzipan's Answering Machine Version 13.2, The Homestar Runner managed to call modern-day Marzipan using an empty soup can and a length of twine.
• Both of the Brothers Chaps have given The Homestar Runner as their favorite character at various points:
  • Mike mentioned Old-Timey Homestar as his personal favorite in a 2005 profile, adding that his fondness for the entire Old-Timey series contrasted with the series' mixed fan reaction, and again in a DVD commentary later that year.
  • Matt gave Old-Timey Homestar as his favorite character in a 2014 interview, remarking that he enjoys this variation slightly more than regular Homestar.
• He appeared in an April Fools' version of the Index Page in sbemail 206.

Filmography

• Debut: Kick the Can
• Complete Filmography

See Also

• The Homestar Runner Evolution