0304 - Tony Bennett
Added 2024-02-08 09:00:00 +0000 UTCPersonally, I find this one to be quite significant! When Tony Bennett passed away last year, one of my first thoughts was about he was the very first celebrity to voice themselves on The Simpsons, a tremendous achievement considering how many others did it after him. What a trendsetter!
Yes, prior to this the show has had guest stars (Albert Brooks, Penny Marshall,) and we've had real-life figures appear (Benjamin Franklin certainly counts as a celebrity), but Bennett was the first person to voice himself, which in itself heightens the weird reality of the series. In the world of The Simpsons, Tony Bennett is a celebrity, and the Simpson family have briefly crossed paths with him. This sets a precedent for all kinds of unlikely famous encounters to come!
It's such a minor appearance, almost quaint by later standards, but he performed it well, and the song he sings is very catchy. When I was little I didn't even realise it was a song made up for the show - I thought Capital City was a real American city, and this "New York, New York" parody was just a real song.
The further I get into this project, the more I realise how dumb I am.
This post is part of my "Every Simpsons Character Ever" series. For a list of my rules in this project, click here.
