True Story Behind WWE Legend Bret Hart's Cameo On The Simpsons
Bret "The Hitman" Hart very nearly played a "Mad Viking" on The Simpsons.
Speaking to Fightful, Bret "The Hitman" Hart recently revealed that his legendary appearance on The Simpsons very nearly looked completely different.
According to Hart, he was originally set to appear as a "Mad Viking" despite the fact that he wanted to be drawn as himself on the show. In the end, Hart agreed to record his lines in the style of the "Mad Viking" as he still thought it'd be fun to fly out to L.A. to record the role.
In Hart's own words:
"I think the funny story about the Simpsons cartoon is they initially were not going to draw me in it as me. But, I had just lost the title to Shawn Michaels at the Iron Man match in Anaheim. This is maybe a week or two later. They flew me in, I was just gonna be the Mad Viking or something like that. I was gonna be some other wrestling persona that was made up, a fictional one. I tried really hard to get them to draw me in as myself. They finally said, ‘It’s just the part for Mad Viking, take it or leave it,’ and I said, ‘Okay, I’ll still take it. It’ll be fun to go to L.A. and do the voice for the Mad Viking.’ But, anyway, I did the whole thing in about five minutes. I drove there in a big limo, went into the studio, and I did my lines in less than five minutes. Did it every which way you could think of. ‘More mad,’ ‘Okay, not quite so mad.’"
However, things suddenly took a turn when Hart's limo driver left to get some gas for the vehicle. With Hart left to sign various FOX workers' merchandise, it suddenly dawned on the director of the wrestler's episode how big a star they were dealing with here:
"My limo driver had driven off, had gone to get gas, so I got stuck sitting there for about a half-hour ‘cause I got done so quick. All these workers that were working at FOX Studios came out of the woodwork. I’m talking over a hundred people came out and they had programs and pictures and figures. So, I just signed. I had nowhere to go anyway. So, I just signed all their stuff. I remember when I was sitting there after I’d signed for maybe 30-40 minutes, I remember the guy who was the director of my episode came up to me and he goes, ‘I had no idea you were this big of a star. If it’s okay with you, we’re gonna draw you in as yourself now. ‘Cause we had no idea.’ So, I always thought just by being a good sport and being nice, taking my time and being friendly with people and signing autographs, they drew me in ad myself. Never hurts to be a nice guy. I thought it was always an interesting story that it paid off. ‘Cause I think it was a much bigger deal being drawn in as Bret ‘the Hitman’ Hart and having caused Mr. Burns to go bankrupt and taking his house and all that."
So, in the end, Hart was brought to life in the episode dressed in his trademark gear. Yet, some fans still weren't convinced it was actually "The Hitman" behind the voice of the character due to the rather specific way he was delivering his lines. There's a reason for this.
As Hart noted:
"I did all the lines and everything as the Mad Viking. That’s why people sometimes hear it, ‘That’s not Bret Hart. It doesn’t’ sound like him.’ Yeah, I was supposed to be doing the Mad Viking. So, I wasn’t supposed to be Bret Hart. So, I was trying to have a different voice a little bit. But, it’s me. Again, they didn’t change anything except for the artwork. I think Hitman was better than the Mad Viking anyway."
Though Hart's appearance on the show is still cherished by wrestling fans today, you can't help but wonder what his 'Mad Viking" alternative would've looked like had his limo driver not forgotten to gas up before the gig.