Thread by @dailysimpsons

#OnThisDay #OTD #30YearsAgo September 19, 1991, "Stark Raving Dad" first aired on the Fox network. Wr: @AlJean & @MikeReissWriter. Dir: @_rich_moore. Guest starring @michaeljackson (speaking) and Kipp Lennon (singing) as Leon Kompowsky. #TheSimpsons

"Stark Raving Dad" was written specifically for Michael Jackson, a fan of the show, who had called Simpsons creator Matt Groening one night and offered to do a guest spot. Jean and Reiss wrote the script based on an idea pitched by @canyonjim.

@canyonjim Groening and co-executive producer @simonsam also contributed significantly to the writing. Jackson pitched several story ideas. He also requested a scene in which he and Bart write a song together and asked that a joke about Prince be changed to one about Elvis.

@canyonjim @simonsam According to Al Jean, Jackson would not commit until after a read-through of the script. The read was held at Jackson's manager's house, and Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer) was 30 minutes late. Jean recalls that "no one said a word, we just sat there waiting".

@canyonjim @simonsam During the 2nd table read, Jackson stipulated his singing voice would be performed by a soundalike (Kipp Lennon), due to contractual obligations with his record company. Jean, @theharryshearer and @YeardleySmith talked about the experience in 2007.

@canyonjim @simonsam @theharryshearer @YeardleySmith Jackson's demo of "Lisa, It's Your Birthday" (which he wrote) is available on YouTube. Unlike in the episode, he actually sings on the track.

@canyonjim @simonsam @theharryshearer @YeardleySmith Yeardley Smith and @nancycartwright sang "Lisa, It's Your Birthday" with Kipp Lennon at the 2014 live show "The Simpsons Take the Bowl". (video: LiLPicki on YouTube)

@canyonjim @simonsam @theharryshearer @YeardleySmith @nancycartwright The January 30, 1992 rerun of the episode featured a 15 second added opening, which was written in response to a comment made by the then President of the United States George H. W. Bush three days earlier.

@canyonjim @simonsam @theharryshearer @YeardleySmith @nancycartwright A year after "Stark Raving Dad" aired, the writers planned a sequel in which Kompowsky returns, this time claiming to be the pop star Prince. The script was written by freelancers and polished by @ConanOBrien.

@canyonjim @simonsam @theharryshearer @YeardleySmith @nancycartwright @ConanOBrien Prince agreed to voice Kompowsky and sent notes about what his character would wear, but the writers discovered that Prince was referring to a script that had been written by his chauffeur. Prince disliked their script and demanded the other one be used, but the writers refused.

@canyonjim @simonsam @theharryshearer @YeardleySmith @nancycartwright @ConanOBrien The script became one of the few un-produced Simpsons scripts, although excerpts from the script were released via Al Jean on Twitter in 2016 shortly following Prince's death.

https://twitter.com/AlJean/status/723893322926809088

@canyonjim @simonsam @theharryshearer @YeardleySmith @nancycartwright @ConanOBrien Here is the @TVGuide ad for the episode. It's surprisingly generic, especially given the fact that this is such a landmark episode of The Simpsons.

Michael Jackson went on to produce the Simpsons single "Do the Bartman". Nancy Cartwright talked a bit about this in an interview in 2011.

After Jackson's death in 2009, Fox reran "Stark Raving Dad" on July 5 in tribute. Producers had intended to air the episode on June 28, three days after Jackson's death, but could not resolve problems with syndication rights, so the "Do the Bartman" music video was aired instead.

In March 2019, following the release of the documentary film Leaving Neverland, "Stark Raving Dad" was pulled from circulation. The episode has been withheld from the streaming service Disney+, and its removal is controversial. mercurynews.com/2019/03/13/sim…