Yes, Michael Jackson appeared on The Simpsons but not as himself. Instead, he voiced a character named, Leon Kompowsky in the season 3 premiere. It was a long rumor that was finally confirmed last year by series creator David Groening, 27 years after it aired.
"We really did have Michael Jackson," he told The Weekly in an interview back in September 2018. However, because of Jackson's contract with his record label, he couldn't actually do any singing on the show, so it was a Michael Jackson impersonator who actually sang the famous tune, "Happy Birthday Lisa."
Yet in the wake of the controversial Finding Neverland HBO documentary, Michael Jackson's legacy has been further tainted as radio stations around the globe pull his songs from airwaves. Now, it seems The Simpsons will be pulling his guest spot from rotation.
Speaking to The Wall Stree Journal, executive producer James L. Brooks stated, "It feels clearly the only choice to make. The guys I work with (Groening and showrunner Al Jean) — where we spend our lives arguing over jokes — were of one mind on this."
The episode remains viewable on FXX's streaming platform but will likely disappear soon. No word yet on whether the episode will remain on future blu-ray and DVD collections.
"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," explained Brooks.