Back in season 3 fans of The Simpsons were a bit unsure about its first episode Stark Raving Dad. The uncertainty came from whether or not Michael Jackson was indeed a guest star.
In that episode Homer is committed to a psychiatric ward and rooms with Leon Kompowsky, who believes himself to be Michael Jackson.
The credits of the episode note the name John Jay Smith but the voice sounded almost too similar to the real thing. The show’s creator Matt Groening finally put the rumors to bed once and for all in an interview on Australian TV show The Weekly.
“We really did have him,” Groening said.
PHOTO SOURCE: The Simpsons, Fox, 411Mania
Groening received a call late at night from the singer, but initially thought it was a prank and so hung up.
“He has the voice of someone doing a Michael Jackson bit,” Groening said. Turns out of course, it was Jackson, and that he loved Bart and wanted to appear.
“He didn’t want credit for it, or there was some kind of deal with his record company or whatever, so when it came time to sing the songs, he had a sound-alike singer,” Groening explained. “He stood there and watched the guy, who was so nervous, who had to sound like Michael Jackson, and then he giggled.”
All those years of speculation can now be put to rest!
Stay tuned next week for our Simpsons season 30 preview!
