The Simpsons' Michael Jackson Episode Being Pulled From Circulation
A fan-favorite episode of The Simpsons featuring Michael Jackson is being pulled from circulation in the wake of HBO’s disturbing new documentary Leaving Neverland.
“I’m against book burning of any kind,” producer Jim Brooks tells The Wall Street Journal. “But this is our book, and we’re allowed to take out a chapter.”
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Leaving Neverland, which aired earlier this week in two parts, paints a horrific portrait of the late pop star, as two men who knew him when they were children — Wade Robson and James Safechuck — allege that they suffered years of sexual abuse at Jackson’s hands. The documentary originally premiered in Jan. 2019 at the Sundance Film Festival.
In the 1991 episode of The Simpsons, titled “Stark Raving Dad,” Homer is sent to a mental institution after being mistaken for an anarchist. There, he develops a friendship with a man who believes himself to be Michael Jackson. Following a series of shenanigans — including an iconic birthday performance for Lisa — Homer’s new pal finally accepts that he’s really Leon Kompowsky, a bricklayer from Paterson, N.J.
Hit PLAY on the video below to see a snippet of the episode in question, then drop a comment with your thoughts on it being pulled from syndication.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJHFV4eOHA4&w=640&h=360]
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