Bruce Springsteen has repeatedly turned down offers to be on The Simpsons, even with roles written specifically for him. Celebrity cameos on The Simpsons are a staple of the show, a motif that has continued for many, many years. Though the cameo episodes can come under fire for their repetitive nature, they are generally well-received and enjoyable. As a result, being asked to guest in the show is, for many famous faces, something to tick off the bucket list. This, however, must not be the case for Springsteen.
The Simpsons celebrity cameos even started with impressive names such as singer Tony Bennett and Aerosmith. The producers have stated that when choosing their celebrity cameos for The Simpsons they think about not how cool it would be not only to have them on the show but also to meet their heroes. It seems, however, that Springsteen won't be making any dreams come true anytime soon, having turned down The Simpsons a total of three times.
In the 1991 episode ''One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish,'' Homer believes himself to be poisoned, and he immediately starts preparing for his death. One night, he listens to the Bible on tape for comfort. The taped voice reading to Homer is that of Larry King, but it was intended for Bruce Springsteen. Later, ''Radio Bart'' from 1992 was supposed to have Springsteen rescuing Bart from a well, but when Springsteen turned down the role, it went to Sting, the frontman of The Police. Finally, instead of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, Springsteen was supposed to move to Springfield in the 1998 episode ''When You Dish Upon A Star.''
The Simpsons Hasn't Stopped Their Attempt In A Bruce Springsteen Cameo
The Simpsons is a fan of rockstar guests in particular and has already featured star-studded cameos from Red Hot Chili Peppers, U2, and even Green Day in ''Grift of the Magi'' Christmas episode. The producers hoped that he would relay his good experience on the show to Springsteen, and that perhaps The Boss would come around. Unfortunately, this didn't happen.
Springsteen himself has never given a reason as to why he continues to turn down the show, so it remains a mystery. After all, he isn't against cameos, as evidenced by his role in High Fidelity. Perhaps now that some years have ed he would be willing to finally take The Simpsons up on their offer, adding another credential to his already esteemed career.