Simpsons producer Al Jean shares pages of script from unused Prince episode

The Music report that the episode would've slotted in as a semi-sequel to the show's legendary season three episode "Stark Raving Dad".

Mike Reiss, the writer of that episode, said that the episode's Leon Kompowsky, a bricklayer from New Jersey who believed he was Michael Jackson, would return - this time believing he was Prince, encouraging the citizens of Springfield to “loosen up, become more flamboyant; everyone becomes more sexually open, they’re dressing in paisley.”

A full script for the episode was written by Ian Deitchman and Kristin Rusk, with rewrites by Conan O'Brien (he was a staff writer during the show's 'golden era'), and the draft was reportedly sent to Prince to have a look over, with both parties falling out over edits. Apparently Prince wanted to use a script written by "an unknown party... one of Prince's friends, or his chaffeur...", but the Simpsons writers weren't keen on his version.

It would have been an episode in season five if it had been made.

Prince did cameo a few times in The Simpsons, albeit only visually, and the show made occasional references to The Purple One, but he never voiced a character.

The episode gained notoriety over the years, but now Jean (showrunner since season 13), has lifted the lid on a few dug-up pages.

Check out some of the scenes below.

.@TheSimpsons page from unproduced Prince script thank you Jacqueline Atkins for finding! pic.twitter.com/GvYaJKXxgD

— Al Jean (@AlJean) April 23, 2016

.@TheSimpsons possibly another objection Prince had to the script... pic.twitter.com/OgRxlZ5EKJ

— Al Jean (@AlJean) April 23, 2016

.@TheSimpsons Tonight fland canyon written by Burns directed by Polcino canyon by God. Here's one more prince page pic.twitter.com/eBMQR44LEq

— Al Jean (@AlJean) April 24, 2016