The passing of Professor Stephen Hawking last week sparked an outpouring of emotion from across the entire globe, with countless tributes to one of the greatest minds of modern history flowing in from celebrities, contemporaries, and world leaders alike. You can now add The Simpsons to that list.
Hawking was a frequent guest in the town of Springfield, having appeared as himself on four separate occasions – season 10’s ‘They Saved Lisa’s Brain,’ season 16’s ‘Don’t Fear The Roofer,’ season 18’s ‘Stop or My Dog Will Shoot!,’ and season 22’s ‘Elementary School Musical.’ Hawking also appeared in non-vocal cameos in season 11’s ‘Behind the Laughter‘ and season season 29’s ‘Mr. Lisa’s Opus,’ which aired in December of last year.
Fans, however, are most likely to more readily remember Hawking’s first appearance, in which he arrived to solve a dispute with the local Springfield chapter of MENSA after Lisa joins the group and they unwittingly take control of the city’s legislature.
The Simpsons aired its thirteenth episode of Season 29 a short while ago, and chose to pay tribute to Hawking with a very simple and moving freeze frame; one of Lisa happily sitting on Hawking’s lap as he flies off and above Springfield in his helicopter wheelchair.
The Simpsons dedicated tonight’s episode to Stephen Hawking 🙏 pic.twitter.com/O1xQ4TqOrW
— UPROXX (@UPROXX) March 19, 2018
Hawking’s love of the show was reportedly so great that he’d drop in to table readings from time to time to watch and banter with the show’s writers and cast as they read through new episodes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH8s4N15zdg
Whenever the wind whistles through the leaves, we might all think “Lowenstein,” but any pissing contest over IQs is bound to remind us all of the Springfield Stephen Hawking. And by gum, we’re all absolutely richer for that.
