The Simpsons is rounding out a pretty big year. Fox’s long-running animated program reached its 25th anniversary last fall. Season 26 is expected to premiere on September 28, but to cap off the big 25 with a bang, The Simpsons invaded the Hollywood Bowl this weekend for a fun night of jokes, music and more. The night was filled with celebrity guest appearances, but Conan O’Brien’s performance of “The Monorail Song” was among the evening’s best. Check it out, below.
O’Brien may be known as a great late night host at this point in time, but it was a long haul for the comedian to get there. O’Brien started out his career with a stint on Saturday Night Live, which led him into a gig on The Simpsons. During his time on Fox’s comedy, he was a big part of The Simpsons heyday, writing “Marge vs. The Monorail,” the memorable episode “The Monorail Song” stems from. As he notes in his introduction at the Hollywood Bowl, O’Brien calls the episode the one that “has haunted him to this day.”
“I can’t go anywhere, I can’t go anywhere after 21 years in front of the camera, without someone coming out of a crowd, looking around and going, ‘Monorail Man.’”
He might have a loving disdain for the song he created 21 years ago, but “The Monorail Song” has certainly lived on in the cultural lexicon, and it’s easy to see why.
“Marge Vs The Monorail” is widely considered one of the greatest Simpsons episodes of all-time. It follows a snake oil salesman who trades in monorails. He descends on Springfield with big promises and lots of smooth talk. The townsfolk eagerly back him, but Marge sees something nefarious, careless and stupid in his plan.
O’Brien later went on to host Late Night with Conan O’Brien and The Tonight Show before settling into a role as TBS’ late night host on Conan. He’s had a great career, but it’s good to know that his work on The Simpsons is still secure in the memory of fans. And it’s also good to know he’s willing to show up and honor one of the two television shows that turned him into the cultural icon he’s since become.
The Simpsons, like Conan, has reinvented itself numerous times in order to remain on the air for so long. If you haven’t watched as often in recent years, Season 26 offers plenty of reasons to tune in, including the highly anticipated “The Simpsons Guy” special headed to the schedule on Sunday, September 28 at 8 p.m. ET. For the full fall premiere schedule, head here.
