Throughout 30+ seasons and a movie (and an upcoming sequel), The Simpsonshas featured a few constants. Homer (Dan Castellaneta) will somehow manage to hold onto his job as a nuclear safety inspector no matter what misfortune befalls him. His wife Marge (Julie Kavner) stands by him through thick and thin. Bart (Nancy Cartwright) is a fountain of chaos. Even though the cast of The Simpsons might not age, they’ve gone through plenty of changes, and one of the most prominent is thanks toRichard Gere, who was a guest star in Season 13’s “She of Little Faith.”
“She of Little Faith” Sees Lisa Simpson Converting to Buddhism, Thanks to Richard Gere
“She of Little Faith” begins with Homer accidentally wrecking Springfield’s church when launching a rocket. After searching for funds, the church council turns to the wealthy, yet extremely evil Mr. Burns (Harry Shearer). Burns rebuilds the church, but plasters it with electronic advertisements, which causes Lisa (Yeardley Smith) to renounce Christianity. While searching for a new religion, she enters a Buddhist temple where Gere is meditating and starts learning about the core concepts of Buddhism.
While “She of Little Faith” is way past what Simpsons fans consider the show’s “Golden Age,”it still packs plenty of the humor and heart that fuels the series. On the hilarious side, you have outlandish advertisements in Burns’ church, especially the “Godcam” which acts like a “Kiss Cam” in a baseball stadium. On the emotional side, Lisa is dealing with a crisis of faith, while Marge attempts to win her back to Christianity. The best parts are the one that feature Gere, who had a hand in crafting the episode’s direction.
Richard Gere Had Three Requests Before He Appeared on ‘The Simpsons’
In the official DVD commentary for “She of Little Faith,” showrunner Al Jeanrevealed that Richard Gere had three requests before he would guest star on The Simpsons. The first was that Buddhism be portrayed respectfully. The second was that Lisa’s conversion to Buddhism should be a permanent one. The third was that Lisa would shout “Free Tibet!” in reference to Gere being part of the movement to free Tibet from Chinese rule. Only the first two demands were met, with Gere being the one to say “Free Tibet!”; Lisa would actually say the phrase in the Season 14 episode “I’m Spelling As Fast As I Can.”
“She of Little Faith” does portray Buddhism in a respectful light, as Lisa (and by extension, the viewers) learns about its teachings under Gere’s guidance. A major moment concerns Lisa having a panic attack when her family tries to trick her into going back to Christianity, with Gere telling her that a major part of Buddhism is love and compassion for all, even if you don’t agree with them.
Another ‘Simpsons’ Guest Star Was Responsible For A Major Change to Lisa
While Richard Gere was responsible for Lisa’s permanent conversion to Buddhism, another Simpsons guest star would contribute their own long-lasting change. Season 7’s “Lisa The Vegetarian” finds Lisa deciding to become a vegetarian after an encounter with a cuddly lamb. This brings her into conflict with Homer and Bart, who tease her for being a vegetarian. Lisa soon meets Paul McCartneyand his wife Linda, both of who are real life vegetarians.
McCartney, like Gere, agreed that he would guest star on the condition that Lisa’s vegetarianism remain a permanent part of The Simpsons. The show has honored his wish, as Lisa’s remained both a steadfast vegetarian and Buddhist. Lisa’s episodes often tend to be the most groundbreaking in The Simpsons canon, and fans can thank Richard Gere for one of the biggest changes to her character.
The Simpsons is available to stream on Disney+.
- Release Date
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December 17, 1989
- Network
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FOX
- Directors
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Steven Dean Moore, Mark Kirkland, Rob Oliver, Michael Polcino, Mike B. Anderson, Chris Clements, Wes Archer, Timothy Bailey, Lance Kramer, Nancy Kruse, Matthew Faughnan, Chuck Sheetz, Rich Moore, Jeffrey Lynch, Pete Michels, Susie Dietter, Raymond S. Persi, Carlos Baeza, Dominic Polcino, Lauren MacMullan, Michael Marcantel, Neil Affleck, Swinton O. Scott III, Jennifer Moeller
- Writers
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J. Stewart Burns, Michael Price, Brian Kelley, Bill Odenkirk, Dan Vebber, Kevin Curran, Stephanie Gillis, Dan Castellaneta, Deb Lacusta, Billy Kimball, Jessica Conrad, Cesar Mazariegos, Daniel Chun, Jennifer Crittenden, Conan O’Brien, Valentina Garza, Elisabeth Kiernan Averick, Christine Nangle, Broti Gupta, Loni Steele Sosthand, Megan Amram, Bob Kushell, David Isaacs, David Mandel
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Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)
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Julie Kavner
Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)
