Stephen King refused to star in an episode of The Simpsons that paid homage to him

When it got here time for the “Simpsons” to do a “Treehouse of Horror” phase on “It,” Stephen King's clown-filled ebook that was not too long ago made right into a two-part movie adaptation, they determined to vary slightly about issues. . They did the phase in episode size, which gave them simply sufficient time to do the story justice. The seven-person good friend group from the supply materials was remodeled into the five-person good friend group consisting of Homer, Marge, Moe, Lenny, and Comedian Ebook Man. The love triangle between Invoice, Beverly and Ben turned the principle theme of the story, this time with Homer and Comedian Ebook Man preventing over Marge.

The episode “Not It” was a fantastic success, attracting many viewers who had in any other case turned away from the post-Golden Age seasons of the collection. It was additionally successful amongst Stephen King followers, particularly because the “Treehouse of Horror” collection has all the time been surprisingly gentle on parodies of King-based movies. Positive, the present did a phase on “The Shining” in Season 5 and a phase on “The Useless Zone” in Season 15, however that was about it. Contemplating the variety of “Twilight Zone” parodies the Halloween episodes gave usit's unusual that they used Stephen King so sparingly.

It's additionally slightly unusual how Stephen King was supplied the prospect to make a cameo look within the collection' newest parody of King's work, however he turned it down. “[He] refused to take part on this one,” stated showrunner Matt Selman. in a 2022 interview. “I don't actually assume he… a few of these authors don't perceive that they’ve all the ability. He's the model. He should know that; he's Stephen King. So iconic. Like, I don't even assume I’ve time to learn all of the books he wrote for the remainder of my life, not to mention have one particular person write all these books.”

Maybe one purpose for King's disinterest in “Not It” is that he had appeared on “The Simpsons” earlier than. Within the 2000 episode, “Insane Clown Poppy”, King speaks at a ebook honest. Marge asks what venture he's presently engaged on, and King says he's determined to take a break from the horror style. “I’m engaged on a biography of Benjamin Franklin,” he says. “He found electrical energy and used it to torture small animals and males of the Inexperienced Mountain… and that key he hooked up to the top of a kite? It opened the doorways of hell!”

As somebody who admittedly wasn't very impressed with King stars in his “It: Part Two” cameoI used to be pleasantly shocked after I noticed once more how effectively he delivered his traces on “The Simpsons”. Nonetheless, the funniest joke right here isn't even what King says; so when Marge says to him, “Let me know whenever you get again to horror,” King fortunately writes himself a notice saying, “Name Marge, concerning horror.” How might King know Marge's title if she by no means launched herself? That's what's actually scary right here.

Tragically, “Insane Clown Poppy” was not a popular episode. It was criticized by critics for being unfunny and unenergetic, and likewise for being a bit lazy with all of the visitor cameos. This present's penchant for quick celebrity cameos has all the time been a blended bag amongst fandoms, and “Insane Clown Poppy” is a good instance of why that's the case.

Maybe Stephen King didn't wish to star in “Not It” as a result of he wasn't impressed with the outcomes of his first collaboration for the collection. Or perhaps he refused simply because he was busy; it’s tough to make certain. However with so many Stephen King books and movies for “Treehouse of Horror” segments to draw inspiration fromit's unlikely that “Not It” would be the final time the present invitations him again.