Waylon Joseph Smithers, Jr. (better known as "Mr. Smithers" or simply "Smithers") is Mr. Burns' personal assistant, executive, and self-proclaimed best friend. He lived with Burns since he was an infant, and though partly raised by him, Burns never saw Smithers as a stepson, nor as an heir to any of his possessions. In many ways, Mr. Smithers represents the stereotype of the closeted gay man, and numerous overt allusions and double entendres to his homosexuality are made (especially towards Mr. Burns), as he lives in the Gay Neighborhood. Smither's loyalty towards his boss is often portrayed as exaggerated and superfluous. He is allergic to bee stings, which can kill him. He is also lactose-intolerant.