Page "Troy McClure" Paragraph 9

According to executive producer Al Jean, the writers often used McClure as a " panic button " and added the character when they felt an episode needed more humor.

McClure's character is most developed in " A Fish Called Selma ", which provides a more in-depth look into his private life and backstory.

Show runners Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein were fans of Phil Hartman, and wished to make an episode entirely about McClure in order to give Hartman as much to do as possible.

From this came the idea of McClure's marriage to Selma Bouvier, as she was " always marrying people ".

Animator Mark Kirkland was particularly pleased that McClure was the star of the episode.

He enjoyed interpreting Hartman's voice-over performances, and the episode allowed him and the other animators to " open up visually as a character ".

Throughout " A Fish Called Selma ", it is hinted that McClure has strange sexual behavior.

The writers did not initially know what the " unsavory " sexual preference would be, but eventually decided on a fish fetish, using a suggestion from executive producer James L. Brooks.

Josh Weinstein described the fish fetish concept as " so perverted and strange, it was over the top ".