Superintendent Chalmers: Skinner's superior

"SKINNER!" That cry of exasperation, torn out at the end of his patience, sums up Superintendent Chalmers's ordeal all on its own.

The principal's superior, eternally annoyed and yet clear-sighted, Gary Chalmers became cult thanks to an all-time dinner scene. Here is his profile.

Who is Superintendent Chalmers?

Gary Chalmers is the superintendent of the Springfield school district, in other words the superior of Principal Skinner. Gruff, cynical and perpetually exasperated, he is also one of the rare characters who sees straight through his subordinate. A detail slipped into the show: he is not from Springfield but from Utica, in upstate New York.

✏️ Chalmers has the whole Springfield school district under his authority, except your school bag: when school starts again, you're the one leading the inspection, and our Simpsons pencil cases are the first to pass it.

Skinner's punching bag… or the other way around

All of Chalmers's comedy rests on his relationship with Skinner. The superintendent turns up at the school regularly for inspections, and invariably leaves exasperated by the principal's cover-ups and blunders — hence his famous "SKINNER!" bellowed at the top of his lungs. An irresistible comic duo, in which authority runs headlong into incompetence again and again.

"Steamed Hams": the dinner that became a meme

Chalmers owes his worldwide fame to a single sequence: "Steamed Hams", from the episode "22 Short Films About Springfield" (season 7, 1996). Invited to dinner at Skinner's, he witnesses a festival of lies: the roast having burned, Skinner slips out to buy hamburgers at Krusty Burger and passes them off as his own home-made "steamed hams". Then comes the cult exchange about the "aurora borealis" that has, as if by magic, taken up residence in the kitchen. Barely noticed when it aired, the scene became, years later, one of the biggest memes on the internet.

👔 To host his superior for dinner, Skinner served Krusty Burger hamburgers passed off as "steamed hams" because the roast had burned; on the evening your own boss sits down at your table, one of our Simpsons ties will at least save your outfit, if not the meal.

Chalmers's voice

In the original version, Chalmers is voiced by Hank Azaria — also the voice of Moe, Apu and Chief Wiggum. His most famous line runs: "Aurora borealis? At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localized entirely within your kitchen?"

🧲 Chalmers refuses to believe in an aurora borealis localized entirely within Skinner's kitchen; in your own kitchen, though, our Simpsons magnets sit on the fridge door without a single lie.

Summary table

FAQ

• Who is Superintendent Chalmers?
  Gary Chalmers, the superintendent of the Springfield school district and Principal Skinner's superior.
• Why does he shout "SKINNER!"?
  It is his recurring cry of exasperation at the principal's lies and blunders, which he keeps catching out.
• What is the "Steamed Hams" scene?
  A season 7 dinner in which Skinner passes Krusty Burger hamburgers off as his own cooking, since turned into a worldwide meme.
• Who voices Chalmers in the original version?
  Hank Azaria, also the voice of Moe, Apu and Chief Wiggum.

Conclusion

Exasperated, clear-sighted and irresistibly funny, Superintendent Chalmers is the perfect counterpoint to Principal Skinner. Together they form one of the most memorable comic duos in Springfield — one "SKINNER!" at a time.