There’s a special thing happening in Los Angeles this weekend, and even if you can’t get to the Hollywood Bowl yourself, there is so much internet coverage of The Simpsons Take The Bowl that maybe, for once, those of us not in LA may not feel the rampant jealousy we usually do when cool things happen only in Tinseltown. The event is hosted by Hank Azaria who has voiced classic Simpsons characters including Moe, Apu, Chief Wiggum, and many, many more, and features the songs and musical parodies that have been performed on the show during its soon-t0-be 26 years of productions as performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

In a beautiful memorial to the late Phil Hartman , Conan O’Brien – who wrote and produced The Simpsons from 1991 to 1993 – donned the riverboat showman costume of Lyle Lanley from one of his most memorable episodes, “Marge Vs. the Monorail” to perform the signature number from the show with assistance from the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles.

If you aren’t familiar with the episode in question, Marge goes head-to-head with the entire town when they are swindled by the silver-tongued Lyle Lanley who sells them a monorail for the town. The episode aired in the show’s 4th season, and the song featured in The Simpsons Take The Bowl allows the visiting Lanley to establish a foothold in the town. Phil Hartman performed in more than 50 episodes of The Simpsons before he died in 1998. Most notably, he voiced Lionel Hutz and Troy McClure as well as numerous other characters.

In addition to Conan’s tribute, Jon Lovitz also took the stage to remember his friend Hartman and his contributions to The Simpsons with a moving rendition of Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off! which was originally performed by Hartman as Troy McClure during season 7 in 1996, only two years before his death. If you’re lucky enough to catch The Simpsons Take The Bowl this weekend, we are extremely jealous.

Image: MSN News