The Simpsons creator has two “dream” cameos that will never come true

One of the distinguishing features of The Simpsons was how quickly the show amassed enough cultural cachet to attract big-name guest stars. Already in the first season, Albert Brooks played the French bowling instructor Jacques in the movie “Life on the fast road.” Since then, celebrities have continued to flock to the series, to the point that best guest stars on the simpsons include some of the most famous and influential cultural figures of the last three decades.

From A-list actors like Michelle Pfeiffer and Dustin Hoffman to music legends like Johnny Cash, the show has drawn talent from across the cultural spectrum – though Bruce Springsteen is still turning down a cameo on The Simpsons. But even Bruce Springsteen isn’t as hard to get as producer Al Jean’s two dream cameos. These two figures are as prestigious as any to appear on The Simpsons, but there are a few issues preventing them from appearing – the main one being that they’re both dead.

There are many reasons why celebrities agree to guest star on The Simpsons even in an era where most people agree that the series is long past its prime. Besides the fact that lending their voice is often a lot easier than appearing in a live-action cameo, the show still retains some of its cultural appeal. A cameo or guest starring role on The Simpsons is kind of a right of passage for any big name these days, regardless of the quality of the show. Unfortunately, longtime producer and showrunner Al Jean would never be able to land his major guest stars.

Gene joined the first season of The Simpsons back in 1989, co-hosting the show with his writing partner Mike Rice for seasons three and four. Although Gene left the series after the fourth season, he returned in season 10 and remained in the series until the 33rd season. But even within the first four years, he saw Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson and even Ringo Starr grace the series.

But it turns out that another member of The Beatles will forever be the main guest star of The Gene That Never Was. Talking to NME, the former showrunner said: “Many of the ones I would say were dreams will never be shown like John Lennon.” The legendary songwriter died in 1980, nearly a decade before The Simpsons aired, so a guest appearance was ruled out before the show even started. But Gene’s second choice could very well have landed on the show in his lifetime, making him a truly runaway Simpsons guest star.

Although The Simpsons had Buzz Aldrin, the second man to ever walk on the moon, they never managed to get the first. It’s a shame, considering Neil Armstrong was alive until 2012 — before the series began — and also makes one of Al Jean’s dream cameos.

Fans of the show may remember Armstrong’s appearance in the Season 10 episode “Mayored to the Mob,” where he showed up at a booth at the Springfield Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con only to be completely ignored by those in attendance . This particular appearance was actually voiced by Homer’s voice actor, Dan Castellaneta. Likewise, John Lennon appeared in the series, but was voiced by cast member Hank Azaria.

Elsewhere, Armstrong’s real voice did appear on the show, but only in the form of archive audio from his famous quote about the moon landing: “One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” In that sense, Gene at least got his dream cameo. The showrunner also revealed that another “Holy Grail” guest star would be the President of the United States, but all the presidents approached said no. one type of “Simpsons” guest star could never land – Well, they and Bruce Springsteen.