Michael Jackson definitely appeared on 'The Simpsons', confirms Matt Groening

It’s long been debated whether or not Michael Jackson actually did appear on the 1991 Simpsons episode Stark Raving Dad.

Jackson himself never confirmed it and rumours suggested that it was in fact an impersonator behind the voice (which it sort of was, but more on that later).

“We really did have him,” Groening told Australian TV show The Weekly.

In the episode, Homer is accidentally sent to a psychiatric unit after Bart fills in an assessment of his sanity.

There he meets a large man by the name of Leon Kompowsky, a fellow patient who believes himself to be Michael Jackson (or, as he’s described by an orderly ‘the big white guy who thinks he’s the little black guy’).

Groening added that when Jackson called up the office, proclaiming that he was a massive fan and offering to do a guest spot, he presumed that it was a prank.

“He has the voice of someone doing a Michael Jackson bit,” Groening said. “He did the show, he didn’t want credit for it – it was some kind of deal with his record company or whatever.

“So when it came time to sing the songs, he had a soundalike singer. And he stood there and watched the guy who was so nervous, who had to sound like Michael Jackson.”

That part was performed by a singer and guitarist called Kipp Lennon.

It remains one of the all time great Simpsons episodes too.

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