[TV] The Simpsons Remembers Michael Jackson
Posted by Ashish on 10.11.2009
Staff members recall what it was like when Jackson appeared on show...
A few members of The Simpsons crew reminisces about Michael Jackson's guest appearance on the show in the upcoming The Simpsons: Unauthorized and Uncensored book.
Writer Wallace Wolodarsky said that Jackson requested a rehearsal at his manager's house, something that they had never done before. He described it all as "a crazy environment where we were all served food by Sikhs in white robes and turbans."
Hank Azaria (Moe, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy) added the following.
"I remember having to make conversation with Michael Jackson. That had to be one of the freakiest moments of my life . . . he wasn't quite the figure he's become today, but still, I remember even then, staring at his nose, and it was all about, 'Don't Stare at His Nose.'"
Editor Brian Roberts adds that he was disappointed when Jackson didn't sing.
"I literally didn't want to look at him. So I get my head buried in the script, and then at one point in the script he sang, Man in the Mirror, and I said, 'All right. How many times in your life are you sitting next to Michael Jackson and he's singing Man in the Mirror? I just gotta look.'
So I look over to Michael Jackson, and he wasn't singing! He had a sing-along guy next to him who was actually singing for him. I couldn't believe it. I was like, What kinda weird [expletive] is this?
Posted By: Propagandhi (Guest) on October 11, 2009 at 01:50 PM
I think Hank was on Conan some time ago and remembered that. Attributed to Yeardley (Lisa) Smith was this comment: "I think we can afford the speaking Michael Jackson, just not the SINGING Michael Jackson."
Posted By: MadmanJack (Registered) on October 11, 2009 at 02:47 PM
They talked about this on the commentary track to the episode.
Posted By: Nerd (Guest) on October 11, 2009 at 05:32 PM
so nothing positive to say whatsoever, nice.
Posted By: joe5566 (Guest) on October 11, 2009 at 05:37 PM
Michael did not sing not because he did not want to - but with a contract under Sony he was not allowed to sing. He wrote the song, Happy B-day Liza and have somebody sing it for him.
Gee...they make everything Michael Jackson weird, just to sell. His nose ..what's wrong with the nose. It is like saying do not look at all if not most of the entertainers nose , coz they are all almost reconstructed and oh yes, throw in the boobs too!
And for the Shikhs...Michael was following a strict vegetarian diet and his cook was a Shikh and as a practicing Shikh they wear turban and long white robes - this is a no brainer. Maybe sometimes, you guys should get out of your cubicle and get a little real world education. Geez....
Posted By: Lou (Guest) on October 11, 2009 at 06:12 PM
Makes me feel better knowing that he was a dick.
Posted By: Nick (Guest) on October 11, 2009 at 07:17 PM
The Simpsons DVD set for that season has a couple of great audio commentaries for the Jackson episodes. Everyone says he was great to work with, and didn't preform his own singing as an injoke prank on his brothers.
Posted By: Earl (Guest) on October 11, 2009 at 07:27 PM
Holy Shit! Jackson's sing-along guy sounded great in that episode, what's he doing now? Guy should've got his own deal or something.
Posted By: The Dutch (Guest) on October 12, 2009 at 12:03 AM
I loved that ep in the simpsons.. I also remember that MJ wasn in the credits for it?? wots with that??
and he was the biggest ebtertainer of all time, it obviously woulda been surreal sittin there recording a simpsons episode with MJ, but not wierd... he had his way of doin things, and it works
RIP MJ, legend!!!!
Posted By: Deano (Guest) on October 12, 2009 at 12:05 AM
MJ touched little boys, very ironic that Bart looked up to him.
Posted By: Guest#0406 (Guest) on October 12, 2009 at 01:25 PM
Say hi to Jeff Dahlmer and Hitler in Hell you boy toucher!
Posted By: Guest#0583 (Guest) on October 12, 2009 at 09:00 PM
