One of the most memorable 鈥楽impsons鈥� episodes featuring a character voiced by Michael Jackson has been pulled from circulation following the release of a new documentary about the late pop star.
The episode in question, titled 鈥淪tark Raving Dad,鈥� aired as the show鈥檚 third season premiere in 1991. Jackson voiced the character of Leon Kompowsky, a patient who meets Homer Simpson at a mental institution and claims to be the famed singer.
Although Jackson wasn鈥檛 credited for his role in the episode for contractual reasons, one of the show鈥檚 writers and executive producers Matt Groening confirmed it was the star鈥檚 voice behind the character years later.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, the cartoon鈥檚 executive producer James L. Brooks said he, Groening, and screenwriter Al Jean decided to remove the Jackson episode from cable TV stations, streaming services, and future DVD box sets after watching the HBO documentary 鈥淟eaving Neverland.鈥�
Brooks said he and the others felt it was 鈥渃learly the only choice to make鈥� in light of the explosive allegations against the late superstar. In the documentary, two men claim Jackson sexually abused them as children.
Before his death in 2009, Jackson adamantly denied he molested any children. The star鈥檚 family attempted to block the documentary from airing and is currently suing HBO.
Brooks, on the other hand, said he found the allegations made in the documentary heartbreaking and convincing.
鈥淭his was a treasured episode. There are a lot of great memories we have wrapped up in that one, and this certainly doesn鈥檛 allow them to remain,鈥� he told The Wall Street Journal.
Representatives for The Simpsons did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Simpsons producers said it will be some time before the episode is completely removed from all platforms, but they have started the process.
鈥淚鈥檓 against book burning of any kind. But this is our book, and we鈥檙e allowed to take out a chapter,鈥� Brooks said.
