A 1991 episode of The Simpsons, titled “Stark Raving Dad,” featured a character named Leon Kompowsky, a voluntary mental patient who impersonated Michael Jackson. The Simpsons creator Matt Groening finally confirmed a long-standing rumour that it was, in fact, Michael Jackson voicing the character.
“We really did have Michael Jackson,” Groening told Australia’s The Weekly. “He said that he loved Bart [Simpson] and wanted to be on the show.”
The rumours circled every school playground in the 90s – was M.J. on #TheSimpsons? @Briggs ask the man himself, Matt Groening. #TheWeekly pic.twitter.com/8SSxqhKY7i
— The Weekly (@theweeklytv) August 29, 2018
Groening went on to say that Jackson was never credited for the role due to a dispute with his record label at the time. The voice work was credited to John Jay Smith, which served as a pseudonym for Jackson.
“Stark Raving Dad” was Jackson’s only appearance as Kompowsky on the show, although the character resurfaced in a season 29 episode but voiced by Kipp Lennon.