"When I turned 21, my expectations were reduced to zero. You probably know this already because there's been a movie about it. It was important that I came to appreciate what I did have. Although I was unfortunate to get motor neurone disease, I've been very fortunate in almost everything else," he told Radio Times in an interview.
"I've been lucky to work in theoretical physics at a fascinating time, and it's one of the few areas in which my disability is not a serious handicap. It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can lose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."
Hawking appeared in numerous episodes of The Simpsons, and his lines always included hilarious commentary about himself.
His roles in shows like this solidified his status as a pop culture icon as well as world renowned physicist (not many people can be even one of those things, let alone both).
His willingness to make fun of himself contributed greatly to bring science to the masses.
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In recent years, his recurring appearance in The Big Bang Theory, as himself (a self-described "creepy computer voice"), familiarised a younger audience with his genius.
He also appeared in the season six finale of Star Trek: Next Generation, where he played poker against Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton as holograms.
A self-confessed Trekkie, Hawking also saw his book A Brief History of Time adapted into a documentary by Leonard Nimoy, aka, Spock.
Comedy TV was not his only foray into entertainment.
A music lover, Hawking also lend his voice to be used in Pink Floyd's single Keep Talking, a song released on their 1994 album The Division Bell. The song used a sample of Hawking's voice recorded for a British phone company television commercial.
Guitarist David Gilmour explained in a radio interview: "This was the most powerful piece of television advertising that I've ever seen in my life.
"I don't think he even wrote the words that they used with him, but he was in it, in his wheelchair.
"He looks kind of strange. And I just found it so moving that I felt that I had to try and do something with it, or with him or something, in some way."
