mobanmarketThe Comic Book Resource website has a feature looking back at the 1997 episode of The Simpsons cartoon that featured Bret “The Hitman” Hart as a prominent guest star.
Included in the article are comments from a 2009 interview with The A.V. Club that the WWE Hall Of Famer made after being asked by the interviewer why his voice sounded “weird” in the episode of The Simpsons that he was featured in.
Hart told the media outlet nearly eight years ago the following:
“They approached me about doing a voice as a wrestler, but not Bret Hart. It was the Mad Russian or something. I said, “I don’t want to be the Mad Russian, I want to be Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart!” We went back and forth for a while and they eventually said, very politely, “This is the way it’s written, take it or leave it.” I agreed, and flew down to FOX Studios. They had blocked off this huge chunk of time for my three lines, and were saying things like, “We need you more mad,” “Okay, not quite that mad!” I did my lines about 100 times in two minutes! I went outside to wait for my limo that had gone to get gas, and I signed autographs and took pictures for 45 minutes. The guy that was in charge of my episode came up to me and said, “I had no idea you were this big of a star! If we haven’t already started the artwork, we’re going to draw you in as yourself.” That’s why the voice doesn’t really sound like me, because I thought I was playing a crazy Russian!”
Check out the complete featured article on Bret Hart and his memorable episode of The Simpsons by visiting CBR.com