‘The Simpsons’ Are Erasing Michael Jackson From Their Archives

In light of the distressing revelations in the Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland, The Simpsons executive producer James L. Brooks has announced the classic episode that features Michael Jackson’s voice will be removed from circulation,

Talking to The Wall Street Journal, Brooks said that the season 3 episode ‘Stark Raving Dad’ will be pulled from syndication, as well as from streaming services like Fox’s EverySimpsonEver and from all future DVD and Blu-Ray box sets.

The move comes after the airing of Leaving Neverland debuted in the US on HBO last week. Dan Reed’s two-part documentary centres on two men, Wade Robson and Jimmy Safechuck, who allege they were sexually abused and groomed as children by Michael Jackson during the late ’80s and early ’90s.

The four-hour documentary has sent shock-waves through Jackson’s fanbase, as the world reconsiders its relationship to the King Of Pop.

“The guys I work with– where we all spend our lives arguing over jokes — were of one mind on this,” Brooks said in the interview. “It feels clearly the only choice to make.

In ‘Stark Raving Dad’, Homer is committed to a mental institution and meets a man named Leon Kompowsky, who believes he is really Michael Jackson. For years there were questions about whether or not Jackson had actually voiced the character, but this move pretty convincingly confirms that Michael Jackson voiced the character under a pseudonym.

Mr. Brooks said he found Leaving Neverland convincing and heartbreaking.

“The documentary gave evidence of monstrous behaviour, he 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.”

He pointed out that pulling the episode was important because of the need to show compassion for Michael Jackson’s alleged victims.

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