Amazingly, considering how well-known his characters are, Hartman only “appeared” in 52 episodes of “The Simpsons” (none more memorable than “A Fish Called Selma,” where he stars in the hit Broadway musical, Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off, which contains the immortal line, “I hate every ape I see, from chimpan-A to chimpan-zee”), playing not only Troy and Lionel, but also Moses, Plato, con man Lyle Lanley, and Bill Clinton. If quoting is any indication of popularity, and we all know it is, then Hartman had two of “The Simpsons”‘ most popular characters (McClure and Hutz) and sang its most beloved song (“The Monorail Song”) in maybe its best episode (“Marge vs. the Monorail”). Not too bad for a guy who once tried to sound like Bill Murray, only to, in his words, “[make] myself a career by doing a bad imitation of another comic.”

In 1995, after having already played a major part in two of the greatest comedies of all-time, he found himself on another classic sitcom, “NewsRadio,” which still hasn’t received the respect it deserves, playing Bill McNeal, a live action Troy McClure, but with even lower standards (he thinks being called the “most pompous, overbearing, self-centered, cocky bastard I have ever met in my entire life” is a compliment). Hartman made small appearances in other TV shows and movies, like “3rd Rock from the Sun” and Jingle All the Way, but for the most part, until 1998, he was Bill McNeal.

Then came the morning 13 years ago tomorrow, whose specific events we don’t need to discuss any further. I don’t know where Hartman’s two kids are today and how they’re coping after an event as traumatic as the one they went through, but I hope they’re doing well and I think I speak for every fan of pop culture when I say to them: Phil Hartman meant so much to so many people, and, speaking personally now, I honestly couldn’t imagine how much shi*tier life would be without “The Simpsons.” It’s one of the few things that has consistently brought me joy through elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and awful, awful post-college, and Hartman is a major reason why. Another way of putting it: talking about Phil Hartman is the only time I’ll admit on Warming Glow that I cried about something.

We miss you, Phil.