Remembering when “Weird Al” Yankovic appeared in ‘The Simpsons’
The Simpsons and “Weird Al” Yankovic are two of the most treasured features of modern comedy, particularly when focusing on satire, so there can be no surprise that the two have converged on a handful of occasions over the years.
The Simpsons needs no real introduction. A cartoon satirising American life via the titular yellow family, it is the longest-running American sitcom in history, with it first hitting our screens way back in December 1989. Coveted by its diehard fans, the Simpsons universe is so multifaceted that the rewatchable nature of the show is remarkable, despite the fact that many argue its golden period ended nearly twenty years ago. Noted for the high volume of celebrity guests it’s welcomed over the years, a range of legends, including Leonard Nimoy, Michelle Pfeiffer and even country legend Johnny Cash have all lent their voices to a myriad of characters.
As for “Weird Al” Yankovic, he is arguably the most famous satirist in music, with his career starting aged just 16 when one of his comedy songs aired on The Dr. Demento Radio Show in 1976. Since then, he’s delivered many iconic reworks of classic hits, including Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’, Chamillionaire’s most famous song with ‘White & Nerdy’ and ‘Smells Like Nirvana’, a close rendition of Nirvana’s breakout anthem.
So, when The Simpsons dropped their season 14 episode ‘Three Gays of the Condo’ in 2003, everyone was pleasantly surprised to see “Weird Al” make an in-person appearance. Famously, Marge hires the musician to write the love song ‘Homer and Marge’ for her and Homer after the two have an argument that leads him to leave Evergreen Terrace and live with Julio and Grady.
Yankovic looked back on that exciting time when appearing on the Everything’s Coming Up Simpsons podcast in 2016. Asked how much involvement he had with writing ‘Homer and Marge’, he revealed that it was minimal, saying: “From what I remember I had zero involvement. Yeah, I mean, you know, when you’re dealing with an institution like The Simpsons you don’t worry too much about ‘Is it gonna suck?’. These guys know what they’re doing, and they do incredible work, and I had no doubt that anything they put in my mouth I’d be happy to say.”
Interestingly, this wasn’t the last time Yankovic would appear in the show. In the 2008 episode ‘That ’90s Show’, he did a parody of the Sadgasm song ‘Shave Me’ in the form of ‘Brain Freeze’. Fans of the show will remember that his appearance is different here, with it closely resembling what it was like in the early 1990s when grunge and the like were at their peak. Elsewhere, The Simpsons showrunners showed their love for “Weird Al” by including him on Lisa’s list of “cutest” vegetarians.
