The Simpsons regular Yeardley Smith has revealed Michael Jackson hand-picked the impersonator who would play him on the hit cartoon series 20 years ago.
Jackson's cartoon likeness sang Happy Birthday to Yeardley's Lisa Simpson character on an episode in 1991, and she tells Tmz.com the late King of Pop was not allowed to perform on the show.
She says, "He literally hand-picked a guy to sing like him."
In the episode, Jackson was supposed to provide the voice for a mental patient who thought he was Michael Jackson - but his record label bosses didn't like the plot and advised the star not to sing.
According to Smith, the singer selected a man named Kipp Lennon.
She insists the guest did an amazing job: "How unnerving would it be to sing like Michael Jackson in front of Michael Jackson?"