Though the story surely lacks the gravitas to start a fully-fledged international incident, many UK fans were shocked to learn that soccer superstar David Beckham was refused a role on the Simpsons because he was reportedly not a big enough star for an American audience. The news is particularly hard to stomach since it was Beckham himself who made the initial request and was flatly rebuffed. The stars publicist could not be reached for comment on his contact here .

While it may be true that Beckham was once a purely European star, he has since relocated his family to Los Angeles where he has was signed by the LA Galaxy to a previously inconceivable 5-year quarter billion dollar contract. That not only makes Mr. Beckham the highest paid soccer player on the planet, but also one of the wealthiest athletes in the world.

But apparently these figures did not impress the creators of the Simpsons, who have had many famous athletes on their program over the years. The show has a particular affinity for pro football players, especially quarterbacks, as four of them have appeared on the show including, Dan Marino, Tom Brady, Troy Aikman, and Joe Namath.

And while it may be difficult to compete with the aforementioned, it is also true that lesser international athletes like Yao Ming (no offense) have lent their voices and caricatures’ to the show. In fact, of the 23 athletes who have been on the hit animated show, several of them are less popular with US audiences than David Beckham.

How famous is Mr. Beckham in the States? Well, he has already appeared in several high-profile television commericals and advertisements alongside super stars like Kevin Garnett and Tiger Woods. And as much as we love the Simpsons, we really think that they dropped the ball where David Beckham is concerned.