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The Simpsons pulls Michael Jackson episode from syndication

“It feels clearly the only choice to make,” says executive producer James L. Brooks.

The Simpsons episode “Stark Raving Dad” has been dropped from TV syndication following allegations raised in HBO documentary Raising Neverland.

Michael Jackson infamously provided a voice for the episode, which aired in Season 3 premiere on Sept. 19, 1991. His involvement was uncredited, and only rumoured to be Jackson’s voice until it was finally confirmed to actually be him, years later (Kipp Lennon provided the singing voice).

“It feels clearly the only choice to make,” executive producer James L. Brooks told the Wall Street Journal. Fellow executive producers Matt Groening and Al Jean also agreed with the decision. “The guys I work with — where we spend our lives arguing over jokes — were of one mind on this,” Brooks said.

“This was a treasured episode. There are a lot of great memories we have wrapped up in that one, and this certainly doesn’t allow them to remain,” Brooks told the newspaper. He said it would take time, however, for the show to be removed from syndication.

“I’m against book burning of any kind. But this is our book, and we’re allowed to take out a chapter,” he told the Journal.

Source: Variety

21 Responses

  1. All of his mess is trial by media. I think it is a bit silly for everyone to burn all their MJ products, when they were produced by ‘so many others who put their heart and soul into its production.’
    I still have my ‘two little boys’ record by Rolf Harris — and my ‘Fat Albert’ Record by Bill Cosby.
    I hate the possibility of these accusations against MJ, being true , but that is where it should end.
    All these people did a lot of good and put a lot of other joy into our lives from when they were very young and innocent themselves.
    Unfortunately some people go on to get some things terribly wrong and many we don’t her about.

    1. Don’t agree. That “Leaving Neverland” show (which I just watched) has made just looking at, or hearing the sound of, Jackson a huge struggle. And I was once a huge MJ fan.

      1. That is a perfect example of ‘Trial By Media’.
        I’ll wait for a verdict after ‘cross examination’ and a jury decision. Not one by viewers of a TV set.
        T.B.M. can be a dangerous sad thing.

  2. Agree this seems like an overreaction

    The character isn’t even MJ and the joke always was how he looks nothing like him
    He was uncredited anyway
    MJ wasn’t particularly famous for this episode considering we all thought it was a voice actor for many years anyway

  3. meh…
    any simpsons fan has the dvd / blueray episodes….

    while not the best episode, its still better then the dribble they are now punching out.
    I’ll still be watching my on my plex server

  4. i feel this is bit of an over reaction too. Its not the same as radio not playing MJ’s music, that is more understandable as songs played are random, someone might be listening to a station & not want to hear his music anymore. But with a TV episode, people can see what episode is coming up on the guide & not watch it.

    1. its from 1991, S03E01, even if you’re too young to see the original airing it would’ve been repeated numerous times on the Ten reruns at 6pm

          1. Yes! Nostalgia! “Lisa it’s your birthday, happy birthday Lisa”, was a lovely song at the time with Bart in a duet. Naww.

            A shame now.

  5. Seven don’t seem to have rights to anything pre-S10 (1998/1999) anyway, haven’t aired a single episode yet from before that and seems similar in other international territories. Something to do with the modern ‘full screen’ versions the studio re-did.

    Though I’m sure Fox8 here has it and will swiftly remove or be requested to by the studio?

    1. I agree with you. MJ was found not guilty, the prosecution didn’t appeal. Both men now claiming they were abused testified under oath that they weren’t.

    2. trust me, you can’t get “proven facts” where the perpetrator ensures it’s done in secret and threatens the victim to say nothing (apart from their age). Perhaps if you had been in that situation or knew of somebody who was, the concept of jury convictions would be irrelevant.

      1. That is understandable for people to feel that way but by the same token imagine what it would be like to be accused of such a horrible crime you did not commit, also the effect it would have on his kids too. I am not saying MJ is guilty, or not guilty, no one really know except him & the alleged victims, we can’t just throw out the court system & have people trialed by media.

          1. But all u have to do is study the first case , elaborate on that and be convincing.
            I’m 50/50 and a huge fan. There’s something about Wade that’s not 100 per cent . The other guy is more connectable.

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