The One Condition That Led to Paul and Linda McCartney Guest Starring on The Simpsons

It is well known that both Paul and Linda McCartney were stout vegetarians. In consequence, the two became massive influences in the movement. Linda went on to write a cookbook and start a vegetarian, food company, and to this day, Paul has supported organizations such as PETA and HSUS. With all that in mind, one of their oddest forms of vegetarian advocacy occurred in an episode of The Simpsons.

Yes, in 1995, Linda and Paul voiced and played themselves in The Simpsons’ episode titled “Lisa the Vegetarian.” The cameo became a staple episode of the show due to their presence and garnered much attention for both the show and Linda and Paul. Consequently, Linda, Paul, and The Simpsons won an Environmental Media Award and a Genesis Award from the Humane Society of the United States.

Paul McCartney’s One Condition

Prior to the recording and airing of the show, The Simpsons had to meet one condition voiced by McCartney. The condition, Paul and Linda would only do the show if the character, Lisa Simpson, stayed a vegetarian for the remainder of the show. Well, 17 seasons and a couple hundred episodes later Lisa Simpson was still a vegetarian. However, the exception to McCartney’s condition is that Lisa started eating bugs in order to treat her iron deficiency. But that’s a story for another time…

Regardless of this detail, Paul’s condition aimed to spread the word and the benefits of vegetarianism across mainstream culture. In the show, Lisa is scrutinized for wanting to become a vegetarian after connecting with a lamb at a petting zoo. Though, with the help of animated Paul and Linda, Lisa solidified her decision. Thus, Lisa became one of the first major fictionalized television characters to openly be a vegetarian.

Showrunner David Mirkin’s Gift to The McCartneys

Once the show was green-lighted The Simpsons’ infamous showrunner, David Mirkin, who was a vegetarian himself, flew to the UK with a thing of meatless turkey to start recording the infamous cameo. Upon his arrival and before the recording, Mirkin gave Linda and Paul McCartney the meatless treat. He later recalled, “The two of them are eating it directly out of the container, shoving it into their mouths and shoving it into each other’s mouths because they loved it so much,” per Slate.

Regardless of the gift, the episode changed the trajectory of the vegetarian movement. That being so, who would have thought this to happen on The Simpsons?

Photo by Reg Lancaster/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images