Conan O’Brien has been making late night TV audiences laugh for over 20 years now. It's a feat that can only be topped in comedy nerds’ minds by his pre-host days as a writer and producer on The Simpsons during what are arguably the series’ best years. He’s heading back to Springfield in a very unique way, as he will appear for at least one of the live Simpsons events coming to the Hollywood Bowl in September. But he won’t just be standing around.
He’ll be gliding softly like a cloud for a live performance of the “Monorail Song,” the iconic musical number that O’Brien co-wrote for the Simpsons episode “Marge vs. the Monorail,” widely considered one of the series’ finest moments. O’Brien revealed this wonderful bit of news in an interview with Buzzfeed while discussing the longevity of that story’s impact. He says fans will still bring up “Marge vs. the Monorail” with him, quoting lines that he has long forgotten. And here’s what he had to say about the live show.
…Two days before I left to come to England my phone rang and it was The Simpsons. And they said that they were doing a live show at the Hollywood Bowl, and all the actors are going to do the voices, and, 'Would you be a special guest star and sing ‘The Monorail Song’ with the Los Angeles Gay Men’s Choir?' And the answer there is 'YES,' so I am going to do that I think in September.”
Let’s celebrate by singing along with that shyster Lyle Lanley in the video below.
Lanley was one of many characters voiced by the late, great Phil Hartman, so we can perhaps expect a bit of reverence thrown the comedian’s way during the show. Scheduled for three nights – September 12-14 - The Simpsons Take the Bowl will bring together cast members like Hank Azaria (who is hosting), Yeardley Smith and Nancy Cartwright, along with fan-favorite guest stars like Beverly D’Angelo, Jon Lovitz and “Weird Al” Yankovic. The cast will be running through beloved scenes from the series’ long history as well as performing new material, and creator Matt Groening will be there for the sharing of amusing anecdotes. Then, fireworks.
This won’t be the first time that O’Brien will lend a voice to a Simpsons character, as his late night gig made a cameo on the episode “Bart Gets Famous.”
What other surprises can audiences expect from The Simpsons Live at the Bowl? Perhaps a 200-foot-tall chalkboard? A Duff blimp? Find out in September. And don’t forget the Simpsons will be back on Fox for its 26th season this fall.
