The premiere of the 36th season of “The Simpsons” was novel. Matt Groening’s animated sitcom has been airing for so long — so … so long! — that audiences have frequently begun to wonder how the zeitgeist-defining hit should come to an end. Will it tap out at season 40? At 50? And if so, how would the series actually close? Perhaps to take the pressure off, the showrunners decided that the premiere of season 36 should be a preemptive series finale, giving a retrospective of the entire “Simpsons” oeuvre before the show actually ends. The episode, called “Bart’s Birthday,” was presented as an awards-show-style screening, projected in a theater stuffed with celebrities (“Weird Al” Yankovic! Penn & Teller! The Unknown Comic!). Conan O’Brien, playing himself, hosted the finale in wistful terms, bidding farewell to the long-running series.
Of course, many famous people are in attendance, and sharp-eyed fans will be able to scan the audience of the finale theater and spot any number of celebrities. In addition to the few mentioned above, Tony Hawk was there, as were Mick Jagger, Gordon Ramsay, Katy Perry, Tom Hanks, Dolly Parton, Ron Howard, John Waters, Serena Williams, Seth Rogen, Mr. T, and many others. One might catch Rogen’s laughter, but none of these celebrities have any lines (although Hanks will chime in later on).
In a quick cutaway from one of O’Brien’s jokes, one can see celebrated director Kevin Smith in attendance as well, wearing his trademark trenchcoat, backward ballcap, and outsize hockey jersey. Smith’s cameo came as a big surprise, it seems, to Smith himself. On his Instagram account, Smith posted a screenshot of “Bart’s Birthday,” declaring that he was “shocked and delighted” to see himself on screen.
Kevin Smith learned he was on The Simpsons at the same time as everyone else
Smith’s entire post read:
“I was shocked and delighted to discover that I was on the season premiere of ‘The Simpsons!’ I don’t have any lines (like the first time I was on the show) but you can see me in an audience shot, Silent Bobbing it! Honored to be included as an extra on a show I’ve loved since day one of its existence! Holy s***! Everything’s coming up Milhouse!”
“Silent Bobbing it” refers to Silent Bob, a largely non-speaking character that Smith has played in most of his own directorial efforts.
The first time Smith was on “The Simpsons” was in the episode “Highway to Well” (March 22, 2020), an episode that follows Marge (Julie Kavner) as she takes a job a Sprinfield’s newest cannabis dispensary. Marge is shocked that she is selling weed, but proves to be a good saleswoman. Her efficiency impresses her boss, and Marge gets invited to host the opening of a new weed-based resort. She also, along the way, shuts down an attempt by Homer (Dan Castellaneta) to open a rival dispensary.
Homer, trying to sabotage Marge’s resort opening, sneaks into the opening, claiming to be Kevin Smith’s father. Smith, as his fans well know, is an open marijuana advocate. Later in the episode, Smith randomly appears on-screen and, perhaps bafflingly, calls Homer “dad.”
As of this writing, “Bart’s Birthday” and “Highway to Well” are the only two times Smith has appeared on “The Simpsons.” In 2020, Smith was interviewed by NJ.com and said he considered his cameo on “The Simpsons” to be a “career milestone.” Smith later learned, as he kind of predicted, that he wasn’t the producers’ first choice for “Highway.” They originally wanted Seth Rogen.
Whatever. Rogen’s loss is Smith’s gain.
