10 Greatest Musician Cameos On The Simpsons

With the show in its pomp, season four of The Simpsons ended with a vulgar display of star power. Elizabeth Taylor, Luke Perry, Hugh Hefner and more were invited into The Simpsons’ world for “Krusty Gets Kancelled”, in which Springfield’s pre-eminent entertainer stages a comeback-seeking variety show.

Perhaps the funniest moment in the episode is given over to Bette Midler, who is convinced to attend by Bart and Lisa while she attempts to clear the highways of trash. Snake, on a pleasure cruise, chucks a can out of the window, only for Midler to chase him down on foot and run him off the road. Later, she hurls another piece of garbage back at a litterer, causing him to careen into a mountain and presumably die a fiery death.

Highlighting her anti-litter initiative was Midler’s demand for appearing on the show. The quality of the scene, whose theme was dictated by the guest star, highlights just how great the Simpsons writers’ room of this era was, able to take an idea essentially foisted upon them and turn it into something great.