Michael Jackson Wanted Prince's Name Removed From Simpson's Script

In an interview with the U.K. newspaper, the Sunday Express, producer of The Simpsons, Al Jean, commented on Michael Jackson's guest role on the show...

When a guest star is involved, scripts are usually sent to them early on in the writing process.

"Sometimes they'll request changes," says Al. "Michael Jackson wanted us to change a joke about Prince. We wanted Michael to play a 300lb white guy in a mental asylum. Michael said if we changed Prince to Elvis, he'd do it."

I have no recollection of what the actual joke was. Any Simpson's fans out there???

Is Prince and MJ cool?

According to http://www.snpp.com/episodes/7F24.html

This dialogue went down when the mental patient called the Simpsons home from the hospital:

Man: Hello? Who's this?
Bart: I'm Bart Simpson. Who the hell are you?
Man: I'm Michael Jackson.
Bart: Michael Jackson? [makes scoffing sound] No way!
Man: It's true. I'm with your father in a mental institution.
Bart: Uh huh. And is Elvis with you?
Man: Could be. It's a big hospital.




** Don't know why Michael wouldn't want Prince mentioned here. If you read through this and insert Prince ... it actually is more funny.
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[This message was edited Mon May 31 10:22:51 2004 by SynthiaRose]
[This message was edited Mon May 31 10:23:12 2004 by SynthiaRose]

if I remember correctly on the DVD for that season there is something said about that on the commentary track by the creators...Prince's name was scripted but was changed and I think MJ had something to do with it...I need to re-watch that again to be sure.

doegx said:

metalorange said:

The show aired in 1991 so MJ wasn't with Lisa yet. He probably didn't want to mention Prince's name because at that time Dangerous would have been getting ready to go head to head with D&P. If I remeber correctly it was Remember the Time(MJ) and Save the Best For Last(Vanessa Williams) that kept the song D&P out of the #1 spot.

June7 said:

metalorange said:

Well, it sounds to me like MJ knew that it would come across like he was continuing this age long 'mythical' battle between him and Prince - side-stepping a very very small bullet, so to speak. I think it is actually a case of MJ respecting Prince!

So instead he had a dig at his ex-wife's father. Far more sensible....errr.....

I would tend to agree with your statement.

I think D & P knocked Remember The Time out of the top spot on the R&B singles chart.
Anyway, interesting story, considering the way things eventually turned out.

I NEVER WATCH THE SIMPSONS EVEN THOUGH ITS A GREAT SHOW BUT I DID SEE THAT SHOW AND IF PRINCE'S NAME WOULD HAVE MENTIONED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A BIG STIR IN THE INDUSTRY. JUST LIKE PEOPLE TALKIN BOUT LIFE"O"THE PARTY. PRINCE STATED THAT IT WAS NOT SLAMMIN MJ BUT REPORTERS KEEP BRINGING THAT UP.

KIDEROTICA said:

not to mention that mj is known as the 'king of pop' and elvis is known as 'the king'.

U know Michael Jackson wrote Lisa it's Your Birthday as "Amadeus Mozart" like Prince...lol.

prime said:

I think Prince and MJ respects each other coz I know Mj has gone too see PR movie and Prince did go to see Victory Tour of Jacksons

Mike is kind of classy he doesnt give a shit to have a go at Prince in a cartoon...Actually Mike doesnt give a shit about nothing(including Prince) its always Prince who writes bad lyrics about MJ
[This message was edited Tue Jun 1 2:28:44 2004 by LightOfArt]

CalhounSq said:

prime said:

Is Prince and MJ cool?

Not necessarily - Michael is in love w/ Princey, has been for ages