Stark Raving Dad

Infobox Simpsons episode
episode_name = Stark Raving Dad


image_caption = Homer presents the citizens of Springfield with Leon Kompowsky a.k.a. Michael Jackson.
episode_no = 36
prod_code = 7F24
airdate = September 19, 1991
show runner = James L. Brooks
Matt Groening
Sam Simon
writer = Al Jean & Mike Reiss
director = Rich Moore
blackboard = "I am not a dentist"cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title= |year=1997 |publisher=Harper Collins Publishers|id=ISBN 0-00-638898-1 |pages=pp. 116–117]
couch_gag = The couch tips over backwards, sending the Simpsons through the wall.cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season3/page1.shtml|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-08-25|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC]
guest_star = Michael Jackson (credited as John Jay Smith)
Kipp Lennon
commentary = Matt Groening
James L. Brooks
Al Jean
Dan Castellaneta
Julie Kavner
Rich Moore
David Silverman
Mike Reiss (Easter Egg)
season = 3"Stark Raving Dad" is the season premiere episode of "The Simpsons"' third season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 19, 1991.cite web|url=http://www.thesimpsons.com/episode_guide/0301.htm|title=Stark Raving Dad|accessdate=2008-09-02|publisher=The Simpsons.com] In the episode, Homer is forced to wear a pink shirt to work one day and is mistaken for a "free thinking anarchist" and sent to a mental institution. He shares a room with a large white man who thinks he is Michael Jackson.

Al Jean and Mike Reiss wrote the episode while Rich Moore served as director. It was the final episode produced for the previous season and aired during the third season as a holdover. Michael Jackson guest stars as Leon Kompowsky's speaking voice, while his singing is provided by Kipp Lennon. For contractual reasons, Jackson was credited as John Jay Smith, and his role in the episode was not officially confirmed until later, although most critics assumed it was him. Kompowsky was originally set to return in a second episode, except voiced by Prince, but the episode was never produced.

During the January 30, 1992 rerun of the episode, a short alternate opening aired before the credits. The opening was produced in response to a comment made about "The Simpsons" by then-President of the United States George H.W. Bush.

Plot

Lisa wakes Bart up and reminds him that her birthday is coming up and that he neglects or forgets her birthday every year. Bart promises to get her the best present ever. Meanwhile, Bart washes his red hat with the white laundry, and Homer has no choice but to wear a pink shirt to work. As a result, Mr. Burns suspects Homer of being a "free thinking anarchist" and has him detained. Dr. Marvin Monroe administers a 20-question quiz that Homer has Bart fill out. The results cause Homer to be sent to a mental institution, where he shares a cell with a large white man who thinks he is Michael Jackson. Not knowing who that is, Homer believes him.

Marge comes to visit Homer and convinces his doctors that Bart is the primary cause of Homer's problems. Homer gets an official certificate that says he is not insane. It also turns out that Michael is only there voluntarily due to depression after an album became relatively unsuccessful. Homer calls and tells Bart that he is bringing Michael Jackson to stay for a few days. Against Homer's wishes, Bart lets the word out and all of Springfield turns out to see Michael Jackson. All the town's excitement is deflated when the faux Michael is revealed by Homer.

Lisa is upset when she realizes that Bart has yet again failed to acknowledge her birthday, due to finding out that Michael was coming. After hearing Lisa writing an angry letter to Bart, Michael convinces Bart to let him help. Together they write and perform a song specifically for Lisa's birthday called "Happy Birthday Lisa". Lisa is thrilled and hugs her brother, saying that he has given her the best present ever. Suddenly, Michael reveals that he is Leon Kompowsky, a brick-layer from Paterson, New Jersey. He explains that he does his Michael voice due to the fact he felt angry for the majority of his life and that he earned people's respect when he did the vocal impersonation. With his confidence renewed after composing a good song, he soon bids farewell to the Simpsons, singing Lisa's birthday song to himself as he strolls off down the road.

Production

"Stark Raving Dad" was the final episode in the season two production run, but aired as part of season three, over a year after it was completed. Michael Jackson performed the speaking voice of Leon Kompowsky under the pseudonym John Jay Smith. Jackson was a fan of the show,cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117467944.html?categoryid=14&cs=1|title=Gloved One secret 'Simpsons' fan|author=Ray Richmond|accessdate=2008-08-27|date=1998-20-20|publisher="Variety"] and called Matt Groening one night and offered to do a guest spot.Groening, Matt. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in "The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season" [DVD] . 20th Century Fox.] The idea for the episode was pitched by James L. Brooks and the script was written by Al Jean and Mike Reiss. In an early version of script, Homer decided to take Barney Gumble in for rehab, but whilst there Homer began acting crazily so the doctors assumed he was the one to be committed. Jackson pitched several story ideas for the episode, including Bart telling everyone in town that Michael Jackson was coming to his house. He also requested several script changes, including that he wanted to have a scene in which he and Bart wrote a song and asked that a joke about Prince be changed to one about Elvis Presley.Jean, Al. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in "The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season" [DVD] . 20th Century Fox.]

Jackson especially liked Bart and wanted to give him a number one single, so wrote the song "Do the Bartman". He did not however receive credit for it.Brooks, James L. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in "The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season" [DVD] . 20th Century Fox.] Jackson also wrote the song "Happy Birthday Lisa" for the episode, which was later included in the album "Songs in the Key of Springfield".

Prior to the recording of the episode, the cast of the show did a read-through of the script at Jackson's manager's house, and Dan Castellaneta was thirty minutes late. Executive producer Al Jean recalls that "no one said a word, we just sat there waiting". [cite news|title=Simpsons still calling the toon 15 years on|date=2004-04-01|publisher="The Daily Telegraph"|author=Caroline Bellinger]

One of Michael Jackson's conditions for guest starring was that he voiced himself, but a sound-alike would receive credit. While he recorded the voice work for the character, all of his singing was performed by Kipp Lennon, because Jackson wanted to play a joke on his brothers and fool them into thinking the impersonator was him. Michael Jackson's lines were recorded at a second session by Brooks. Jackson showed up for the recording session alone and did not use the special trailer that was set up for him. Lennon and Jackson recorded their parts at the same time, and Jackson found Lennon's impersonations hilarious. Jackson actually did record versions of the songs, and while there have been rumors that those tracks were the ones used in the final episode, "Simpsons" music editor Chris Ledesma says the Lennon versions were used. Leon Kompowsky's normal speaking voice was recorded by Hank Azaria.Castellaneta, Dan. (2003). Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in "The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season" [DVD] . 20th Century Fox.]

The producers of the show were legally prevented from confirming Jackson guest starred at the time, although many media sources assumed it was really him. [cite news|title='Simpsons' Returns with a Big White Michael Jackson|date=1991-09-19|accessdate=2008-08-27|publisher="Press of Atlantic City"|author=Jay Sharbutt] [cite news|title=Simpsons Plays Name That Voice|date=1991-09-19|accessdate=2008-08-27|publisher="The Record"|author=Virginia Mann] [cite news|title=TV Previews - Simpsons: A Surprise Thriller|date=1991-09-19|accessdate=2008-08-27|publisher="Washington Post"|author=Tom Shales] [cite news|title=Some Clues as to why 'The Simpsons' is Simply the Best|date=1991-09-18|accessdate=2008-08-27|publisher="Daily News of Los Angeles"|author=Phil Rosenthal] After this episode the producers decided that if a celebrity wished to guest star on the show, they had to be willing to be credited under their real name and not a pseudonym. [cite news|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE3DD1338F936A35751C1A965958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1|title=The Voice Is Familiar but I Can't Place the Overbite |author=Anita Gates|accessdate=2008-09-04|date=1994-12-05|publisher="The New York Times"]

Alternate opening

The January 30, 1992 rerun of the episode featured a brief alternate opening, which was written in response to a comment made by then-President of the United States George H. W. Bush. The show had previously had a "feud" with Barbara Bush when, in the October 1, 1990 edition of "People", she called "The Simpsons" "the dumbest thing [she] had ever seen". [cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20118869,00.html|title=In the Eye of the Storm|author=Paula Chin|accessdate=2008-08-27|date=1990-10-01|publisher="People"] The writers decided to respond by privately sending a polite letter to Bush where they posed as Marge Simpson. Bush immediately sent a reply in which she apologized. Later, on January 27, 1992 George H. W. Bush made a speech during his re-election campaign that reignited the feud between the Simpsons and the Bushes. At that point, family values were the cornerstone of Bush's campaign platform. He gave the following comment at the National Religious Broadcaster's convention in Washington: "we are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons."Brooks, James L. (2004). "Bush vs. Simpsons", in "The Simpsons: The Complete Fourth Season" [DVD] . 20th Century Fox.]

The writers decided that they wanted to respond quickly like Barbara Bush had to them, and decided to add a response to the next broadcast of "The Simpsons", which was a rerun of "Stark Raving Dad" on January 30. The broadcast included a new tongue-in-cheek opening. The scene begins in the Simpson's living room. They all stare at the TV, watching Bush's speech. When Bush says "to make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons", Bart replies, "hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too."Turner p. 230–231] [cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/08/simpsons200708|title=Simpson Family Values |author=John Ortved |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=August 2007|publisher="Vanity Fair"] This opening can be found on the Season 4 DVD boxset.

Unproduced sequel

A year after the episode aired, the writers decided to make a sequel where Leon Kompowsky returns, thinking he is the musician Prince. It was slated to air during the fifth season.cite news|url=http://www.nohomers.net/showthread.php?t=51876|title=Ask Bill and Josh Q&A Thread - Post #24|author=Oakley, Bill|accessdate=2008-03-04|date=2005-10-25|publisher=NoHomers.net] According to Mike Reiss, it was written by some freelance writers and polished by Conan O'Brien, however, Bill Oakley says it was written by O'Brien. According to Reiss, the plot of the episode saw Kompowsky/Prince manage to get everyone in the town to "loosen up, become more flamboyant and become more sexually open."

The script was sent to Prince who agreed to voice the character and sent back a page of notes about what he would be wearing in various scenes. The writers were confused when the notes did not correspond to the script and they soon discovered that Prince was referring to a completely different script. Accounts of who wrote the script vary, according to Reiss it was just sent to him by someone, Oakley says a friend of Prince's wrote it and in an interview Matt Groening claimed Prince's chauffeur wrote it. [cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2007/05/04/2007-05-04_at_film_fest_de_niros_lashed_picture_sho-2.html|title=In the Fox family, they live in fear of a Bart attack|author=George Rush and Joanna Rush Molloy |accessdate=2008-03-04|date=2007-05-04|publisher="New York Daily News"] Prince hated the writers' script and demanded the other one be made into an episode, but the writers did not like it. The episode eventually fell through and never made it past written form. It became one of the few completed scripts to never be produced.Reiss, Mike. (2003). Easter Egg Commentary for "Stark Raving Dad", in "The Simpsons: The Complete Third Season" [DVD] . 20th Century Fox.]

Cultural references

Many of the scenes in the hospital are references to the film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", including the character Chief. Floyd from "Rain Man" also appears at the rest home. Homer watches "America's Funniest Home Videos" where the three nominated clips are all extremely over the top violent.

Homer has no idea who Michael Jackson is. Even when he sums up several things which made him famous, such as "", "Beat It", "Thriller" and "Billie Jean". He even sings "Ben" and performs his moonwalk. When Homer starts mumbling in his sleep, Michael tells his stuffed animal: "Bubbles, it's going to be a long night." Bubbles was the name of Michael Jackson's chimpanzee. Michael says he was upset when his "Off the Wall" album only received one Grammy Award nomination. The writers included this joke because they had read that the real Jackson was genuinely upset.

Reception

On its original airing on the Fox Network, the episode had a 13.9 Nielsen rating and 23% share and finished the week ranked 33rd. [cite news|title='Simpsons' edges close to 'Cosby'|date=1991-09-21|accessdate=2008-09-13|work=The Daily News of Los Angeles] It finished second in its timeslot behind "The Cosby Show", which finished eighth with an 18.6 rating and 31% share. It was the second highest rated show on Fox behind "Married... With Children". [cite news|title=Nielsen Ratings/Sept. 16-22|date=1991-09-25|accessdate=2008-09-13|publisher=The Associated Press|work=Long Beach Press-Telegram]

Executive producer Al Jean listed the scene where Bart and Michael sing "Happy Birthday Lisa" as one of his five favorite moments from "The Simpsons". [cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2003/12/30/basimp30.xml&page=3|title=Homer and Tony – how I set them up|accessdate=2008-04-25|date=2003-12-30|work=The Daily Telegraph|publisher= Telegraph Group Ltd.|author= Lucy Broadbent] Mike Reiss commented that Jackson is "not a terrific actor [...] but he did fine." In 2006, Michael Jackson was named the fifth best "Simpsons" guest star by IGN. [citeweb|url=http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/730/730566p5.html|title=Top 25 Simpsons Guest Appearances|accessdate=2007-03-25|author=Goldman, Eric; Iverson, Dan; Zoromski, Brian|publisher=IGN]

The reaction to the song "Happy Birthday Lisa" is mixed. Ben Rayner of the "Toronto Star" listed "Stark Raving Dad" as one of the three worst episodes of "The Simpsons" and called the song a "crap tune". [cite news|url=http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/215831|title=Eye on Springfield |author=Ben Rayner |accessdate=2008-08-26|date=2007-05-20|publisher="Toronto Star"] Chris Selley of "Maclean's" magazine called the episode "an unbearably sappy episode, and that birthday song for Lisa is just... bad." [cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20070726_180440_10392|title=The life and times of Homer J.(Vol. IV)|author=Chris Selley, Marco Ursi & Jaime J. Weinman|date=2007-07-26|accessdate=2009-09-05|publisher="Maclean's"] Dave Walker of the "Times-Picayune" listed the episode as one of Michael Jackson's "many memorable TV moments" and called "Happy Birthday Lisa" "unforgettable". [cite news|title=Jacko's many memorable TV moments|date=2003-02-18|accessdate=2008-08-27|publisher="Times-Picayune"|author=Dave Walker]

Notes

References

*cite book| last = Turner| first = Chris| title =| pages =69–70| id = ISBN 0-679-31318-4

External links

* [http://www.snpp.com/episodes/7F24.html Episode Capsule at snpp.com]