A remarkable piece of Michael Jackson history found a new owner yesterday as a production script signed by Michael Jackson from his legendary appearance on The Simpsons was sold at Propstore’s Animation Art Live Auction.
Estimated at £3,000 to £6,000, the unique lot celebrated Michael Jackson’s unforgettable involvement in the iconic Season 3 premiere, “Stark Raving Dad,” which first aired on September 19, 1991.
The auction lot was far more than just a signed script. It included a hand-painted original production cel featuring Homer Simpson and Leon Kompowsky, the gentle psychiatric patient who believes he is Michael Jackson, as well as the signed shooting production script and an exceptionally rare table draft dated November 8, 1990. All three items originated from the estate of The Simpsons co-developer Sam Simon.
Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of the auction, Propstore Animation Art Expert Russell Singler described the lot as one of his personal highlights.
“One of the most exciting lots to me is the cel setup of Homer and Leon Kompowsky, who was Michael Jackson from that phenomenal episode, ‘Stark Raving Dad.’ And the episode’s been withdrawn for I don’t know how many years now, but you can’t see it online.”
Singler also reflected on the cultural impact of The Simpsons, calling it a phenomenon that has reached audiences across the world. Among the auction’s animation treasures were original storyboards, production cels and scripts, but Michael Jackson’s episode stood out because of its unique place in television history.
For fans unfamiliar with the behind-the-scenes story, Michael Jackson personally contacted series creator Matt Groening after becoming a fan of the show and offered to guest star. Due to contractual obligations with his record label, he was credited under the pseudonym John Jay Smith, providing Leon Kompowsky’s speaking voice while singer Kipp Lennon performed the songs. Michael Jackson himself wrote the memorable song “Happy Birthday Lisa” (also widely known by fans as “Lisa, It’s Your Birthday”), one of the episode’s most beloved moments.
The episode famously follows Homer being committed to New Bedlam Psychiatric Hospital after accidentally wearing a pink shirt to work. There he meets Leon Kompowsky, whose claim to be Michael Jackson leads to one of the series’ most memorable storylines.
In 2019, however, Stark Raving Dad was removed from television broadcasts, streaming platforms and future home media releases following the release of the controversial documentary Leaving Neverland. Since then, the episode has effectively disappeared from official circulation, making surviving production material increasingly scarce and highly sought-after by collectors.
The signed production script is especially significant, bearing Michael Jackson’s autograph across its cover and representing one of the few tangible connections to his secret participation in the episode.
While the final sale price has yet to be publicly disclosed, the auction once again demonstrated the enduring fascination surrounding Michael Jackson’s brief but historic appearance in one of television’s most influential animated series.
More than three decades after it first aired, Stark Raving Dad remains a landmark moment in both Michael Jackson’s career and television history. Michael Jackson’s surprise involvement in The Simpsons united the world’s biggest pop star with one of the greatest cultural phenomena ever created. The episode’s withdrawal in 2019, following the allegations reignited by Leaving Neverland, has only increased the historical importance of surviving memorabilia such as this signed script and original production artwork, preserving the legacy of an episode that can no longer be officially viewed but continues to be celebrated by fans around the world.
