D’oh! British PM Blair Meets Homer Simpson
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Tony Blair put aside his concerns about Iraq for a few minutes to star as an animated version of himself in an episode of cult TV cartoon “The Simpsons,” a Downing Street spokesman said on Saturday.
Blair, a longtime fan of the show, spent a short time on Friday recording a few lines of dialogue for a special edition of the hit series in which the dysfunctional yellow cartoon family come to Britain for a holiday.
“The Prime Minister takes every opportunity he can to promote Britain and the script enables him to bang the drum for the tourist industry to a worldwide audience,” the spokesman said, adding that the long-planned episode had nothing to do with the war on Iraq.
U.S. citizens make up the largest number of tourists to Britain but visitor numbers have fallen sharply this year because of the war on Iraq and its lead-up.
The series is known for the steady parade of guest celebrities — including former U.S. President George Bush and actress Elizabeth Taylor — who queue up to be lampooned by lending their voices and animated caricatures in guest appearances.
Blair’s cartoon alter-ego is depicted with a big cheesy grin and sticky-out ears.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and actor Sir Ian McKellen also feature in the British episode.
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