That Fan Theory About Michael Jackson And ‘The Simpsons’ Is Actually True

“The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening has again put a decades-old fan theory about the animated show and Michael Jackson to rest, once and for all.

Groening this week again confirmed that the King of Pop did indeed voice the character of a psychiatric patient (called Michael Jackson) who met Homer Simpson in the 1991 episode “Stark Raving Dad.”

“You don’t have to put it in quotes,” Groening told hip-hop artist Briggs on Wednesday’s broadcast of Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s “The Weekly with Charlie Pickering” after Briggs used air quotes when mentioning the singer appearing on the show.

“We really did have him,” Groening added, doubling down on the revelation that was initially made in a DVD commentary of the show but apparently not known by many fans ― including Briggs.

Check out the interview here:

Groening revealed he initially hung up a telephone call from Jackson “because he has a voice that sounds like somebody doing a Michael Jackson bit.” When they did later talk, Jackson said he “loved Bart and wanted to be on the show.”

The rumor that Jackson was not involved in the show at all probably stemmed from and continued because of his character’s birthday serenade of Lisa Simpson, said Groening, which actually fell to a “sound-alike” due to legal issues.

Jackson “didn’t want credit for, or there was some kind of deal with his record company or whatever,” Groening explained. “So when it came time to sing the songs, he had a sound-alike singer and he stood there and watched the guy, who was so nervous, who had to sound like Michael Jackson, and then he giggled.”

Check out the clip that Jackson voiced here:

Watch the segment that Jackson did not sing for here:

And watch Briggs’ full interview with Groening here:

This article has been updated to reflect the theory first being addressed in the DVD commentary.