The Classic Troy McClure Scene That Always Makes Simpsons Fans Laugh

One of the greatest strengths that "The Simpsons" has to offer is its memorable cast of side characters. The long-running animated sitcom has generally followed the exploits of its titular family, but a bevy of other Springfield residents have regularly stepped into the limelight over the years as well.  

Certainly one of the most memorable is famed actor and advertising shill Troy McClure (Phil Hartman). The go-to character for almost every single infomercial or educational video the show ran in its earlier years, McClure appeared in a total of 12 episodes of "The Simpsons." Sadly, the character was removed from the show after Hartman's tragic death in 1998 (via Biography). The same is true of another character he played, crooked attorney Lionel Hutz.  

Even with those sad facts in mind, Hartman's portrayal of these iconic characters lives on in some of the best classic episodes of "The Simpsons," where his gung-ho faux enthusiasm makes fans chuckle to this day. There's one Troy McClure scene, though, that fans are still singing the praises of over 25 years later (via IMDb).

In "The Simpsons" Season 7, Episode 5 ("Lisa the Vegetarian"), Lisa becomes a vegetarian. It's an important development for her character and one that has remained canon ever since (via LiveKindly). While the episode in question has a host of hilarious moments, fans especially love the ridiculous pro-meat ad that the kids of Lisa's class are forced to watch.

In the r/TheSimpsons subreddit, u/Hirsute_Sophist posted one of the funniest images from the video, a food chain where all animals point at the human in the middle. The user's caption quoted McClure saying, "Your crazy friend never heard of the 'food chain.'" Included in the absurd slide are a poodle, an alligator, a camel, and even a duck-billed platypus.

Other users were quick to quote the scene. "When I grow up, I'm going to Bovine University," wrote u/celebfan01 in the top-voted comment. "Don't kid yourself, Billy," said u/KoalaGold, quoting McClure's ridiculous warning to a young boy. "If that cow got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you ever cared about!"

"The Simpsons" has always been known for its quality satire, often heightening real-life issues to the most absurd degree imaginable to make a point. This scene serves as a classic example of the strategy and one that's just as funny today as it was all the way back in 1995.

Phil Hartman first voiced Troy McClure in Season 2, Episode 13 ("Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment") and made his last appearance as the character in Season 10, Episode 3 ("Bart the Mother"). However, you might be surprised to find out just how many memorable characters the actor portrayed in the hit animated sitcom. 

In addition to his mainstay roles as Troy McClure and Lionel Hutz, Hartman voiced a total of 13 other characters in the animated series. Most notably, these included Lyle Lanley in the fan-favorite episode "Marge vs. The Monorail," Bart's Bigger Brother Tom in "Brother from the Same Planet," and an early version of mobster Fat Tony in "A Fish Called Selma" (via Behind the Voice Actors).

Hartman also left a lasting impact on "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening. The mind behind everyone's favorite animated family wrote a moving tribute to the late, great actor in issue #37 of the comic based on the show. "The last time I saw Phil was about a week or so before his death, when he came in to audition for my new animated show-in-the-works 'Futurama,'" Groening wrote. "Phil didn't really have to audition — as far as Executive Producer David Cohen and I were concerned, he had the part. We told Phil that but he came in and blew us away with his performances."

"This is one of those times in life when words cannot express the grief that comes with the unexpected loss of a great, great guy," Groening concluded.