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From The Times
November 20, 2003

The US visitor Blair didn't want to see — yet

By Tom Baldwin and Adam Sherwin
DOWNING Street really did try to prevent an oafish American causing trouble on a visit to London.

Tony Blair, a longstanding fan of The Simpsons, recorded his dialogue for an episode of the cartoon series at Downing Street in April.

But the episide, entitled The Regina Monologues, has been the subject of intense negotiation with Fox TV, which has claimed that No 10 prevented any tapes being released before George Bush’s visit to avoid any possible embarrassment.

Aides denied this but confirmed they had requested that the show should not be trailed in advance because “we didn’t want a lot of hoo-ha about it”.

Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair’s former communications director, is understood to have vetted the script and suggested a number of changes.

In one draft, Homer announces: “I’m going to act the way Americans act best — unilaterally.”

He then breaches security to crash a Mini Cooper through the gates of Buckingham Palace, catapulting the Queen out of her horse-drawn carriage.

The episode will be screened in the US by Fox this Sunday and given its first British airing in January.

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