When the Disney+ streaming service launched last November, The Simpsons fans were shocked to find that one particularly memorable episode, the premiere of the series' third season, was unavailable. "Stark Raving Dad" featured the voice of Michael Jackson as Leon Kompowsky and is still considered to be a fan-favorite over 28 years since its initial release, but it was seemingly removed from circulation.
The Simpsons' showrunners have revealed that they chose to take down the episode due to concerns that it was used by Michael Jackson "for something other than what we’d intended."
Footage from the documentary Leaving Neverland, which contains testimony from two men who allege that Jackson sexually abused them as children, caused them to believe the singer secretly used his guest appearance to "groom boys."
Michael's Request To Guest Star On The Simpsons
Michael Jackson was a fan of The Simpsons' first season and called The Simpsons creator Matt Groening offering to do a guest spot in a future episode. Groening revealed in a 2018 interview with The Weekly that he initially hung up on Jackson “because he has a voice that sounds like somebody doing a Michael Jackson bit," but when they finally talked, Jackson said he “loved Bart and wanted to be on the show.”
This resulted in the creation of "Stark Raving Dad," the final episode in the production run for season two which ultimately aired as the premiere for season three, over a year after its completion.
In the episode, Homer gets sent to a mental institution where he shares a room with a man named Leon Kompowsky, who talks and sings like Michael Jackson. Michael provided the speaking voice for Leon, but the character's singing voice was performed by a soundalike due to contractual obligations Jackson had with his record company. Jackson's guest appearance was also uncredited for similar contractual reasons and wasn't officially confirmed until Groenig's 2018 interview.
In 1998, TV Guide listed "Stark Raving Dad" in its list of top twelve Simpsons episodes, and in 2011, CinemaBlend's Eric Eisenberg gave it even higher praise, saying that it "is perfectly constructed, is filled with both deep belly laughs and tears, and is simply the greatest episode of The Simpsons."
Leaving Neverland Led To His Episode Being Pulled From Syndication
Shortly after the premiere of the documentary Leaving Neverland, which details allegations against Jackson of exploiting children, The Simpsons pulled "Stark Raving Dad" from circulation. Fans quickly noticed its absence from Disney+ upon the streaming service's release last November and speculated about what might have happened.
Showrunner Al Jean justified the episode's removal by claiming that Jackson used his cameo on the show for a “false purpose," and told The Daily Beast that the decision to pull the episode, which he co-wrote, was difficult. However, while he stated that "it wasn’t something that makes me happy," he agreed with the decision “completely."
This Simpsons Showrunners Worry Jackson Used His Episode To "Groom" Boys
When Jean was asked to elaborate on what he meant by his claim that Jackson had a "false purpose" for lending his voice to "Stark Raving Dad," he said that after watching Leaving Neverland, he and his fellow showrunners believe the singer used his appearance on the popular animated series to "groom boys."
“It wasn’t just a comedy to him, it was something that was used as a tool. And I strongly believe that. That, to me, is my belief, and it’s why I think removing it is appropriate," he stated. “I think it was part of what he used to groom boys. I really don’t know, and I should be very careful because this is not something I know personally, but as far as what I think, that’s what I think. And that makes me very, very sad.”
Taking Down "Stark Raving Dad" Felt Like Their Only Option
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal last year, Simpsons executive producer James L. Brooks stood behind the decision to remove "Stark Raving Dad" from circulation.
Brooks said that it “feels clearly like the only choice to make," adding that while he initially wanted to believe that Jackson was falsely accused, Leaving Neverland "gave evidence of monstrous behavior."
“I’m against book burning of any kind. But this is our book, and we’re allowed to take out a chapter.”
While some Simpsons fans have praised the showrunners for taking a stand against Jackson's alleged sexual assault, Slate's Isaac Butler feels like Jackson's episode "no longer completely belongs to its creators" and believes that "Stark Raving Dad" should still be available to those who wish to watch it.
"Consigning “Stark Raving Dad” to the dustbin of history is a mistake, an offense against art and the medium of television, and part of a growing trend of corporations using their consolidated power and the death of physical media to do damage control by destroying works by troublesome artists," wrote Butler. "It belongs, on some level, to all of us."
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