The longest running animated show “The Simpsons” paid a last minute tribute to Joan Rivers in last Sunday’s premiere of Season 26, USA Today reported.
The short salute to Rivers was added at the last minute to an episode that deals with the passing of Krusty the Clown’s father, Rabbi Hyman Krustofski (whose voice belongs to Jackie Mason, who has won an Emmy for this role).
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The show’s executive producer, Al Jean, added Rivers’ short tribute in gratitude to the comedienne for lending her voice to the show as Krusty’s lover, Annie Dubinsky, in 2011.
In a closing musical number titled “Jewish Heaven, ” Rivers is sitting in the VIP section next to Rodney Dangerfield and Jesus, the “Super VIPs.” Jewish Heaven also features Albert Einstein, Golda Meir, Harpo, Chico, Groucho and Karl Marx.
“She did the show three years ago and it was really sweet, ” Jean explained. “I had met her and told her how when my parents went to Vegas in the ‘70’s, all they could talk about was seeing her act and how funny she was… About a week after she passed away, I thought that it wouldn’t be hard for us to just put her in, because she had done the show and we had the design.”
