Kelsey Grammer Explains How He Came Up With Sideshow Bob's Voice

Where did Emmy Award-winner Kelsey Grammer come up with the iconic voice for his recurring The Simpsons character Sideshow Bob?

Well, you're in luck: actor Kelsey Grammer, appearing on a British talk show, has revealed where that voice came from: somebody he'd worked for years before he ever became famous.

"Sam Simon, who created The Simpsons was one of the writers on Cheers years ago. And as is my wont, I would walk onto the stage sometimes and I would usually sing 'Ohhhh, the good life!' in my best Tony Bennett," Grammer explained on The Graham Norton Show. "And he called me one afternoon and said, 'Can you still sing, Kels? Could you sing the Cole Porter song "Every Time We Say Goodbye?"' I said, 'Of course I could. I love that song.'"

From there, Simon told Grammer that after toiling away in silence, the showrunners wanted Sideshow Bob to speak, finally, and that Grammer should do it, and that he would be singing that song.

"He was very cultured," Grammer said. "And I'd borrowed -- at that time, it seemed like the opportunity -- I had logged away a voice years ago when I worked for a man named Ellis Raab....When I was working for him, I was painting his bathroom and hanging his wallpaper, stuff like that. Ellis would regale me with his stories when he'd come home from work, always."

He went on to relate that Sideshow Bob's voice was Raab's, and "When I read the script for Sideshow Bob, I said 'This guy's Ellis Raab,' and I went immediately into 'Ohhh, Bart. I just despise you.'"

You can see the full clip above. Expect more Sideshow Bob in the coming season, since it wasn't Grammer's character who died last year as some had expected.