'Simpsons' Character Smithers Comes Out as Gay

— -- After 27 years on the animated series "The Simpsons," character Waylon Smithers Jr. came out of the closet on Sunday night's episode.

Smithers, voiced by Harry Shearer, is the longtime personal assistant and bestie of Mr. Burns, also voiced by Shearer, the maniacal head of Springfield's nuclear power plant, where Homer Simpson works.

Smithers decided to come out of the closet in an episode titled "The Burns Cage." After he and Burns went skydiving, Smithers realized the love he has for his boss was unrequited.

Frustrated, Smithers took it out on his employees, including Simpson, who is voiced by Dan Castellaneta. To get back in their boss' good graces, the employees decided to help find a man for Smithers to date. The three take to Grindr to invite the town's gay guys for a soiree at Simpson's house.

But when Smithers walked through the door, he saw through his employees' plan. "I see what's going on here," he told Simpson. "Fix up your boss so he won't be so hard on you."

Still, Smithers found someone at the party: Julio, played by Hank Azaria. And the two hit it off!

Their romance was short-lived however; Smithers eventually went back to Mr. Burns, who was dealing with a crisis of his own. Although Mr. Burns lured Smithers back with a million dollars, Smithers settled for an outstanding performance review instead.

It looks like the bromance is back on...for now.