Several hundred Western students were thrilled and entertained Thursday night when Nancy Cartwright appeared at Van Meter Hall and spoke of her life as a 10-year-old boy.

Cartwright is the voice of Bart Simpson and several other beloved characters on the Fox animated series “The Simpsons,” which is now in its 17th season.

The lecture and multimedia presentation was sponsored by the Campus Activities Board and was part of Leadership Celebration Week.

Cartwright barely went a minute without slipping into character as she told students about her career and life experiences, frequently spitting out catch phrases in the voices of Bart, schoolyard bully Nelson Muntz and the lovably dim Ralph Wiggum.

When Louisville senior Daniel Trujillo, CAB’s lecture chair, had trouble starting a DVD dramatizing a day in Cartwright’s life, she heckled him in Nelson’s voice.

“You need some help?” she said gruffly.

Cartwright told an eclectic array of anecdotes, which kept the audience laughing almost constantly.

One was about a flight to England in 2000 to promote her book, “My Life As A 10-Year-Old Boy,” where a flight attendant recognized her and asked if she would meet the pilots. Once in the cockpit, Cartwright spoke over the public address system in Bart’s voice and told passengers when they would be landing.

The only moment when the audience wasn’t laughing came was when Cartwright told the story of a boy from El Paso, Texas whose dream was to see Universal Studios Hollywood and eat lunch with Bart Simpson.

The boy wasn’t healthy enough to fly to California, so Cartwright came to El Paso. Soon after her visit, his health improved enough to make the trip, but he died soon after.

“He had the dream to do it, and he did it,” she said, almost tearfully.

The story touched on Cartwright’s belief in pursuing one’s dreams. She told students that now was the time in their lives to strive for what they truly wanted out of life.

At the end her presentation, Cartwright opened the floor for questions, and a line of gushing “Simpsons” fans approached a microphone in front of the stage.

Louisville freshman Jeremy Lane asked her if she would join him for a cup of coffee at Starbucks, leaving everyone in the auditorium howling.

After a few more questions, Lane came back and asked, “Can I clarify? Is that a yes?”

“Oh God, change the channel!” Cartwright shouted, laughing alarmedly. “Could you please sit down?”

Trujillo said he was pleased with the turnout and was glad Cartwright could come and tell students how she used her natural talents to get a job she loved.

Scottsville junior Randi Dossey said it was inspiring to see how a girl from Dayton, Ohio could make it to Hollywood and accomplish her goals. Dossey said she wasn’t as big a “Simpsons” nut as some in the crowd, but still considered herself a fan.

“I know most of the Halloween episodes by heart,” she said.

Reach Hawkins Teague
at features@wkuherald.com.