The Simpsons: 10 Guest Spots That Almost Went To Someone Else
1. Dr Joyce Brothers In “Last Exit To Springfield”
Dr. Joyce Brothers spoke a single line of dialogue during her time on The Simpsons. Famous for introducing psychiatry to mainstream America, Dr. Brothers popped up in Season 4's "Last Exit To Springfield" on an episode of Smartline to utter the line "I brought my own mic!". She is never heard from again. There is nothing remarkable about her appearance on the show, but when it comes to who she replaced as a guest star, that's a whole other story.
The writers of the show had originally planned for a real life Simpson to join the fictional family on-screen. That's right, this spot almost went to former sportsman, actor, and murder suspect, OJ Simpson. The former running back was already an established actor by the time The Simpsons came calling, but, thankfully, he turned this cameo appearance down. The very next year, Simpson was arrested and tried for the murder of his ex-wife and her friend.
So, next time you're watching "Last Exit To Springfield" and you're wondering "who's that lady I've never heard of who vanishes after one line?" just remember that you're actually talking about one of the biggest near-misses in TV history.