Stark Raving Dad

Michael Jackson called Matt Groening and requested to voice a character on the show. He was a big fan of Bart and promised to write a number one song for him. The song he wrote, "Do the Bartman", reached number one in many European countries in 1991.

When Fox reran this episode on January 30, 1992, it featured a different opening which was produced as a response to then-President George H.W. Bush. Three days prior, President Bush said in a speech that he wanted American families to be "a lot more like The Waltons (1972) and a lot less like The Simpsons." The new opening featured Bart watching Bush's speech and stating "Hey, we're just like the Waltons. We're praying for an end to the Depression, too." This opening can be found on the season four DVD boxset.