The Simpsons Almost Didn’t Predict Trump Would Be President (And Their Original Pick Was Unbelievable)

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People have long joked that The Simpsons can foresee the future. The show, which has been on Fox for decades, has a strange habit of making jokes that later come true – like Donald Trump becoming president. While not every prediction from Springfield actually happens, one of the show’s longtime producers recently revealed the story behind what might be the very first instance of this phenomenon. Surprisingly, the original joke, which focused on Lisa Simpson becoming president, wasn’t about Trump at all – another celebrity was initially used instead.

I recently read an interview with Al Jean, the longtime showrunner of The Simpsons, as he prepares to step down next month. He was talking about all the times the show seemed to predict the future, and one story really stood out. Apparently, the famous 2000 episode featuring President Lisa Simpson originally mentioned Johnny Depp instead of Donald Trump! Jean said they tried the Depp line for a while, but ultimately decided it just wasn’t as funny as referencing Trump, especially after he was elected in 2016. It’s amazing how that one joke took on a life of its own!

Jean explained that back in 2000, suggesting Trump as a potential president wasn’t as far-fetched as it seems now, because he was considering a run with the Reform Party. She clarified that many of their ‘predictions’ are really just informed guesses. While she wouldn’t say whether Trump’s presidency is positive or negative, she pointed out he wasn’t the most surprising choice for the joke they made. She also reminded everyone they previously said Lisa would be next, and with Trump re-elected, she still hopes Lisa will be their future prediction.

The Simpsons Predictions That Shocked The Showrunner

After discussing the show’s surprisingly accurate predictions, Al Jean revealed that some still bother him. He pointed to a 1997 New York-themed episode featuring a brochure with “New York, $9” printed next to an image of the Twin Towers that resembled the number 11. Jean found this particularly unsettling, and even the episode’s writer, Ian Maxtone-Graham, was shocked by the eerie coincidence.

Jean also shut down the idea that the writers predicted world events because of their education. He explained they didn’t foresee any of it, and the notion that they did – often fueled by the fact they’re Ivy League graduates – is ridiculous. He also pointed out a frustrating trend: people falsely claiming The Simpsons predicted events by creating fake screenshots that never actually appeared on the show. Now in its thirty-seventh season, it remains to be seen if the show has any other surprises in store.

Isn’t it amazing how The Simpsons seems to predict things that actually happen? Share your thoughts in the comments and discuss it with other fans on the ComicBook Forum!

Via MIT Technology Review

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/feature/the-simpsons-reveals-a-fan-favorites-origin-story-at-last-it-features-a-surprise-marvel-movie/embed/#

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2025-10-30 16:44