A once-fan-favorite episode of The Simpsons was banned from circulation nearly three decades after it originally aired.
Originally broadcast on September 19, 1991, ‘Stark Raving Dad’ opened the TV show’s third season and featured a memorable guest appearance.
In the episode, Homer Simpson ends up in a mental institution, where he meets a patient named Leon Kompowsky.
Yet in 2019, the episode was pulled from streaming platforms and global syndication.
This was following renewed public scrutiny surrounding Michael Jackson, who voiced a character in the episode under the alias ‘John Jay Smith.’
Leon claims to be Michael Jackson, and although his speaking voice (provided by Jackson) strongly resembles the pop icon, the episode played it ambiguously.
The character’s singing, including the now-iconic ‘Happy Birthday, Lisa,’ was actually performed by Kipp Lennon due to contractual issues with Jackson’s record label.
Jackson was a noted fan of the show and even reached out to series creator Matt Groening to be involved.
He reportedly had a significant hand in shaping the episode’s content.
He allegedly suggested script revisions, such as changing a joke originally about Prince to one about Elvis Presley.

Despite its playful tone and musical highlights, ‘Stark Raving Dad’ became controversial years later due to the release of the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland.
Directed by Dan Reed, the film centers on Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who accused Jackson of s**ually abusing them during their childhood.
Reed described his film as a ‘study of the psychology of child s**ual abuse,’ not an effort to cancel Jackson, but to reveal his alleged misconduct.
Following the documentary’s premiere, The Simpsons producers made the decision to retire the episode.
“It feels clearly the only choice to make,” said executive producer James L. Brooks at the time, per Metro.
The Jackson estate has continually denied the allegations, noting that both Robson and Safechuck had previously testified in Jackson’s defense during past legal proceedings.
However, with a revived lawsuit against MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures set to be heard in 2026, the debate around Jackson’s legacy continues.

Meanwhile, Jackson’s connection to The Simpsons wasn’t limited to ‘Stark Raving Dad.’
He reportedly co-wrote the hit single ‘Do the Bartman,’ though he wasn’t officially credited.
He also received a mention in a later episode, ‘Bart Sells His Soul’ (1995), when Bart quips: “It’s just something parents made up to scare children, like the boogeyman or Michael Jackson.”
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