And you wouldn't believe the celebrities who did cameos! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for guest star roles on “The Simpsons” that we recognized right off the bat versus those that took a little Googling.
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00:00I learned that I can make men do whatever I want.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:06And today we're counting down our picks for guest roles on The Simpsons that we recognized right off the bat,
00:11versus those that took a little googling.
00:13We won't, however, be looking at celebrities with recurring roles in the animated series,
00:18such as Kelsey Grammer's sideshow Bob.
00:20Use your lightsaber.
00:21What, and break it?
00:22You know, George Lucas makes me pay for these.
00:25Number five we knew immediately.
00:28Lucy Lawless as herself.
00:30From 1995 until the show's end in 2001,
00:33Lucy Lawless played the title role in Xena, Warrior Princess.
00:36Ah, Xena.
00:38I think I found your disguise.
00:41The assistant to Centarius would wear no less.
00:43Any less and there wouldn't be.
00:45Stick to the philosophy, not the fantasy.
00:48While she's appeared in several other series since,
00:50such as Battlestar Galactica and Parks and Recreation,
00:53Xena will forever be connected to the New Zealander's legacy.
00:56In The Simpsons episode Treehouse of Horror 10,
00:59Lawless played herself in her Xena character at a convention
01:02before she's abducted by the Collector,
01:04a.k.a. comic book guy, as a supervillain.
01:07Behold, I am the Collector, and I'm here to add you to my collection.
01:12She spends most of the time pointing out that she's not Xena, but an actor.
01:16After super-powered Bart and Lisa help free her and the other celebs,
01:19Lawless beats the Collector with a move we just know her character would have loved.
01:24Got your limbs?
01:30You tricked me.
01:31With a ruse so hackneyed, it would make Stan Lee blush.
01:35Shadda.
01:36No. 5 surprised us.
01:37Michelle Pfeiffer as Mindy Simmons.
01:39Die-hard fans of The Simpsons will remember Mindy Simmons' introduction
01:42in The Last Temptation of Homer and how the family was nearly destroyed.
01:47So, let's have a conversation.
01:50I think we'll find we have very little in common.
01:53Can't talk.
01:54Eden.
01:55Hey, my favorite.
01:57Raspberry swirl with a double glaze.
01:59Brought in as the nuclear power plant's first woman employee,
02:02Homer finds himself attracted to Mindy.
02:05Essentially a lady version of himself, they get very close,
02:08even having a lady-in-the-tramp moment with a chili dog.
02:12Foot-long chili dog.
02:18No.
02:26It's a sign!
02:27The actress behind Mindy is none other than Pfeiffer.
02:31Best known for her work in The Fabulous Baker Boys,
02:33Dangerous Liaisons, Batman Returns, and the MCU,
02:37the performer was quite the coup for The Simpsons
02:39given that a year before her episode aired,
02:41she'd received her third Oscar nomination.
02:44Homer, you know how I feel.
02:49So, it's up to you.
02:52Look in your heart.
02:54I think you'll see what you want.
02:56No.
02:58Lisa Kudrow as Alex Whitney.
03:00In the late 90s, Lisa Kudrow was cast as Alex
03:03in the episode Lard of the Dance.
03:05Lisa, I'd like you to meet Alex Whitney.
03:08Your name's Lisa?
03:09Shut up!
03:10I love that name!
03:11Did you just tell me to shut up?
03:13Take it outside.
03:15Instantly recognized for her iconic voice,
03:18Alex is introduced as a new pupil
03:20at Springfield Elementary School,
03:22who Lisa, the character, not the actress,
03:24takes under her wing.
03:25Hey, calm down, Lisa.
03:26D-M-Y.
03:27What's D-M-Y?
03:29Don't mess yourself.
03:30Ew.
03:31Yeah, that's why we changed it to D-M-Y.
03:33We even get a nod to Kudrow's friend's role
03:35when she tells Lisa to not be a Phoebe.
03:38Thanks to Kudrow's excellent delivery,
03:40her character is likable and a lot of fun,
03:42serving as a nice reminder of the idea
03:44that it's okay to take your time growing up.
03:46They're playing in Greece?
03:48Yarg.
03:49Oh, at your age.
03:51Number four surprised us.
03:53Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Bergstrom.
03:55In 1991, the suave and sophisticated
03:58substitute teacher Mr. Bergstrom
04:00entered Springfield Elementary School
04:02and became Lisa's crush
04:03in the episode Lisa's Substitute.
04:05Did you do it?
04:06No, no, it wasn't me.
04:07I would never do anything like that.
04:09It was just one of those immature people
04:10who instead of building themselves up have to...
04:12Oh, it's neat. Can I have it?
04:13Yes, but I didn't do it.
04:14Are you sure you didn't do it? It's good.
04:16No, but I'm starting to wish I had.
04:18Yet by the end of the episode,
04:20an actor named Sam Eddick
04:22was apparently responsible for the role.
04:24However, he doesn't exist.
04:25Instead, the name was a pun on Semitic,
04:28and the real actor was Dustin Hoffman.
04:31For an unknown reason,
04:32he contractually included a pseudonym.
04:34With that in mind,
04:35it makes the graduate reference with Edna Krabappel
04:38make a lot more sense.
04:39Since he's been gone,
04:40I've been looking for a substitute
04:42to teach me a lesson I sorely need.
04:45Mrs. Krabappel, you're trying to seduce me.
04:48Well...
04:50Getting Hoffman involved
04:51was quite the coup for the show
04:53since he was a two-time Oscar winner at that point.
04:55Bergstrom left a massive impression
04:57since he's considered
04:58one of the greatest one-off characters
05:00in the show's history.
05:01Goodbye, Lisa, honey.
05:03It'll be okay.
05:05Just breathe the nose.
05:07Number three we knew immediately.
05:09Gary Coleman as himself.
05:11When a celeb cameos as themselves in a series,
05:14it's only heightened by their willingness
05:16to ruthlessly mock themselves.
05:18Get down. Security guard.
05:23Hey, it's Gary Coleman.
05:25Case in point, Gary Coleman in The Simpsons.
05:28Known for his child star work
05:29in different strokes in The Gary Coleman Show,
05:31he debuted in the episode Grift of the Magi.
05:34Working as a bad security guard
05:36at Kid First Industries
05:37who talks on a phone that is not plugged in
05:39and practices martial arts,
05:41Coleman eventually helps The Simpsons
05:43save the town from the evil Funzo toys
05:45by battling one.
05:46Hey, look out!
05:54Well, there's something you don't see every Christmas.
05:56He was even a guest at their Christmas dinner.
05:58Cute.
05:59Coleman made his mark several times
06:01in other episodes as himself,
06:02albeit briefly,
06:03but always in memorable ways.
06:05What you talking about, everyone?
06:13With Cash's incredible legacy in music,
06:15some of which left a somber mark on us,
06:18looking at you, Hurt,
06:19it's surprising to know
06:20that he also dabbled in acting.
06:22The problem, Homer,
06:23is that the mind is always chattering away
06:26with a thousand thoughts at once.
06:28Yeah, that's me, all right.
06:30His last character role,
06:31where he wasn't playing himself,
06:33was the 1997 Simpsons episode
06:35El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer,
06:38The Mysterious Voyage of Homer.
06:40After Homer consumes an unholy amount
06:42of Guatemalan insanity peppers
06:44from a chili competition,
06:45he hallucinates.
06:46Great spiritual quest, Wolfie.
06:49My soulmate is Marge.
06:52Is it?
06:53This leads to the appearance of his spirit guide,
06:55known as the Space Coyote,
06:57whom Homer calls Wolfie.
06:59The Cash character tells Homer
07:01to find his soulmate.
07:02After a long search,
07:04he endearingly realizes
07:05he already found her in Marge.
07:07Maybe we do have a...
07:09A profound, mystical understanding?
07:12Hey!
07:13We do!
07:15Oh, Marge!
07:16We're number one!
07:18We're number one!
07:19In your face, Space Coyote!
07:21Space Coyote?
07:23Number two we knew immediately,
07:25Barry White as himself.
07:27Sometimes animated shows
07:28bring in a sound-alike
07:29when parodying a famous person.
07:31And now to open this year's festivities,
07:34here's our Grand Marshal,
07:36the Prophet of Love,
07:37Larry White.
07:38Barry White.
07:39No, it says here, Larry White.
07:41I know my own name.
07:43However, when the dulcet tones of White
07:45rang out during his guest appearance
07:47on The Simpsons,
07:48everyone knew it was the real deal.
07:50Ladies and gentlemen,
07:51my unlimited love to y'all.
07:53Popping up in the 1993 episode
07:55Whacking Day,
07:56White is there to open
07:58the snake-beating festivities
07:59in Springfield
08:00before coming to understand
08:01what the event actually entails.
08:03Lisa, desperate to stop
08:04the horrific tradition,
08:06uses White's singing
08:07to save the snakes.
08:08White followed this
08:09with a brief appearance
08:10a couple of episodes later
08:11in Krusty Gets Canceled.
08:13Everybody up here,
08:14to my square,
08:15it's safe and it's sexy.
08:16Oh, baby.
08:17Number two surprised us,
08:19Meryl Streep as Jessica Lovejoy.
08:21Early Bart showed
08:22little interest in girls.
08:23Causing havoc in the community
08:25leaves little time
08:26for such matters after all.
08:28Hi, I'm Bart Simpson.
08:30I was incredibly moved
08:31by your reading.
08:33I don't think God's words
08:34have ever sounded so plausible.
08:36Thanks, Art.
08:38Um, I have to go over here now.
08:41That all changed
08:42in the aptly named
08:431994 episode
08:44Bart's Girlfriend.
08:45While at church,
08:46he becomes enchanted
08:47by Reverend Lovejoy's
08:48daughter, Jessica.
08:50Bart then spends ages
08:51trying to be good,
08:52only to find out Jessica
08:53clearly has a thing
08:54for bad boys.
08:56You're bad, Bart Simpson.
08:59No, I'm not.
09:00I'm really...
09:01Yes, you are.
09:02You're bad.
09:03And I like it.
09:04I'm bad to the bone, honey.
09:05You'd have never guessed it
09:06from listening to
09:07Jessica's voice alone,
09:08but it belongs to
09:09none other than
09:10three-time Oscar winner
09:11Meryl Streep.
09:12Unfortunately,
09:13Streep only got behind
09:14the mic for that one episode.
09:16Hi.
09:17Uh, we should get to class.
09:19Let's hurry.
09:20We could get in trouble
09:21for being late.
09:22Aw, you worry too much.
09:24Now, come on.
09:25If you stay here a while,
09:26I'll let you hold my hand.
09:28Before we continue,
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09:48Since the airing
09:49of this episode,
09:50we've had the
09:51Star Wars and Guys and Dolls
09:52mashup song
09:53Luke, Be a Jedi
09:54stuck in our heads.
09:55Luke, be a Jedi tonight.
09:58Just be a Jedi tonight.
10:01Do it for Yoda
10:03while we serve
10:04our guests a soda.
10:05It's a cartoon classic
10:06with the wonderful
10:07work of Hamill.
10:08The performer
10:09makes an appearance
10:10at a convention
10:11as his Luke Skywalker
10:12character.
10:13Hey, thanks, everybody.
10:14You know, I'm here today
10:15as Luke Skywalker,
10:16but I'm also here
10:17to talk about Sprint.
10:19But when the fans
10:20cause a riot,
10:21Homer steps into
10:22the role of bodyguard,
10:23saving Hamill
10:24and Mayor Quimby
10:25and landing himself
10:26a job with the latter.
10:28The play on words
10:29with the forks line
10:30has to be one of the most
10:31memorable jokes
10:32in the show's history.
10:33Homer, use the forks.
10:36The forks?
10:37The forks.
10:38Use the forks.
10:39Oh.
10:40Number one surprised us.
10:42Michael Jackson
10:43as Leon Kompowski.
10:44This is a weird one
10:45as four people
10:46were technically involved
10:47in the one character.
10:49In the 1991 episode
10:50Stark Raving Dad,
10:51Leon Kompowski
10:52is a patient
10:53at a mental health hospital
10:54who claims he is
10:55the legendary singer
10:56Michael Jackson.
10:57I can't believe
10:58you never heard of me.
10:59I'm a very popular entertainer.
11:01Oh, of course
11:02I've heard of you.
11:03I mean, you'd have to be
11:04living under a rock
11:05not to know.
11:06What'd you say your name was?
11:07Michael Jackson.
11:08Doesn't ring a bell.
11:09Well, have you heard of MTV?
11:10Nope.
11:11Motown.
11:12No.
11:13Beat It.
11:14You beat it.
11:15Thriller.
11:16What was that last one?
11:17Thriller.
11:18Nope.
11:19Yet if you look at the credits,
11:20as it turns out,
11:21was actually a pseudonym
11:22for Jackson,
11:23who did really lend
11:24his voice to Leon's
11:25speaking lines
11:26as he was reportedly
11:27a big fan of the show.
11:28Hello?
11:29Who is this?
11:30I'm Bart Simpson.
11:31Who the hell are you?
11:32I'm Michael Jackson.
11:33The Michael Jackson?
11:34Pfft.
11:35No way.
11:36It's true.
11:37I'm with your father
11:38in a mental institution.
11:39Uh-huh.
11:40And is Elvis with you?
11:41He could be.
11:42It's a big hospital.
11:43The pseudonym was used
11:44due to contractual restrictions,
11:45which is also the reason
11:46Kip Lennon was brought on board
11:47to impersonate Jackson
11:48singing for Leon.
11:49By the time we hear
11:50the character's real voice,
11:52it's Hank Azaria
11:53who's taken over.
11:54Well, my work is done here.
11:55Hey, Michael.
11:56What happened to your voice?
11:57This is my real voice.
11:59My name is Leon Kompowski,
12:00and I'm a bricklayer
12:01from Patterson, New Jersey.
12:03Who would you like to see
12:04guest star on The Simpsons?
12:05Matt LeBlanc?
12:06Miriam Margulies?
12:07Jensen Ackles?
12:08Let us know below.
12:09Hey, how you doing?
12:10Don't!
12:13Do you agree with our picks?
12:14Check out this other recent clip
12:15from Ms. Mojo.
12:16And be sure to subscribe
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12:19about our latest videos.