Thomas Pynchon edited Homer slight from Simpsons episode

Thomas Pynchon removed a reference to Homer Simpson's "fat ass" from an episode of the long-running cartoon series in which he made a cameo appearance, because the character is his "role model".

The show's executive producer Matt Selman revealed on Twitter the script adjustments made by the publicity-shy novelist. Famed for his desire to stay out of the spotlight, Pynchon broke his cover in 2004 to appear on two episodes of The Simpsons, with his cartoon character wearing a paper bag over his head, in reference to his reclusiveness. The author is so reluctant to appear in public that he did not attend the National Book Awards to collect a prize for Gravity's Rainbow in 1974, and when he was captured on film by CNN in 1997, he asked the network not to air the footage, telling them: "My belief is that 'recluse' is a codeword generated by journalists, meaning: 'doesn't like to talk to reporters'".

Signing off from his script edits as "Tom", with a kiss, the author makes a "couple changes" to his lines via fax, according to the script shared by Selman. As well as ruling out saying "Marge is a great cook. No wonder Homer is such a fat ass" – "sorry, guys. Homer is my role model and I won't speak ill of him," writes the Gravity's Rainbow author – Pynchon also throws in a few Pynchon-esque puns.

Instead of saying "scrumptious", when sampling Marge Simpson's chicken wings, Pynchon changes the line to "Yeah, Vi-licious!", a reference to his novel V. He also riffs on his novel The Crying of Lot 49, adding the line: "And those potato pancakes of hers! I ate 4 dozen once and was suddenly inspired by the Frying of Latke 49."

Pynchon's most recent novel was Bleeding Edge. A film of his novel Inherent Vice is set to be released later this year.