It looks like Katy Perry will get to sing with a puppet on TV after all. Although Sesame Street has decided that Perry’s “Hot N Cold” duet with Elmo is too hot for TV, The Simpsons is rolling out the yellow carpet for the pop star. EW.com has learned that Perry will guest in a Christmas-themed episode of the animated comedy—and in an unusual way: She appears as herself in a live-action segment that features Simpsons characters as puppets. “In the wake of Elmo’s terrible betrayal, the Simpsons puppets wish to announce they stand felt-shoulder-to-shoulder with Katy Perry,” quipped series executive producer Al Jean in a statement to EW.com. Not only does the singer wind up leading Homer & co. in a rendition of “The 39 Days of Christmas,” she plays the unlikely role of… Moe’s girlfriend! Yes, from Elmo to Moe she goes. (And her sartorial choice—adorned with Simpsons characters, not visible in the photo above—probably wouldn’t have been Street-approved either: The PBS show announced on Sept. 23 that it wouldn’t air Perry’s performance after previewing it on YouTube and receiving complaints about her cleavage-revealing outfit. By the way, her Simpsons bit was shot in mid-September, prior to the fuss.) Perry, the musical guest on Saturday Night Live tonight, won’t be the only celebrity gracing this episode; Martha Stewart also pops up, but in cartoon form. “The Fight Before Christmas” airs Dec. 5 on Fox.
