The Simpsons: 10 Guest Spots That Almost Went To Someone Else
8. Sting in “Radio Bart”
One of the many excellent segments in the excellent episode that is Season 3's "Radio Bart", a group of Springfield celebrities get together to record a charity single for Timmy O'Toole, the poor boy "stuck down a well" as part of Bart's prank on the town. As if the star power of Krusty, Rainier Wolfcastle, and Sideshow Mel wasn't enough, the group got an additional boost in the form of Police frontman, Sting.
Gordon Sumner's pop alter-ego helped the group write and produce their number one hit single, "We're Sending Our Love Down The Well", although it did plummet to 97th in the charts after it was revealed that Timmy O'Toole was fictional. Sting stuck around though, helping the town's folk to rescue Bart when he actually did fall down the well.
Bart was nearly rescued by another famous singer though. Bruce Springsteen was approached for this role, as he had been involved in real world charity single, "We Are The World". Presumably angry that the writers had brought up that atrocity, The Boss said no. It wasn't just this episode that Bruce declined, as it turns out he loves to turn down The Simpsons...