‘The Simpsons’ writers talk about animation predictions

Since its debut in 1989, ‘The Simpsons’ It won the hearts of the public by portraying, in a satirical way, the daily life of a typical middle-class North American family.

The series has transcended its status as a simple animation to become a true cultural phenomenon, captivating generations with its satirical humor and, occasionally, its surprising predictions.

With more than 760 episodes and counting, the series follows the lives of television’s most famous yellow family, offering an intelligent satire of American life.

But how can an animated series ‘predict’ events, from Donald Trump’s election to the tragic September 11th?

The show’s own writers, Al Jean and Stephanie Gillis, offer fascinating insights into the creative process behind these supposed premonitions.

Fruit of the imagination of funny people

In an interview with BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat, writers Al Jean and Stephanie Gillis shared the routine of their creative process and how real-world events influence the series’ plots.

Jean, who has followed Bart Simpson’s journey from the beginning, describes the work environment as a room full of funny people, where even the most unusual situations become material for jokes.

“You’re in a room with 10 to 20 really funny people,” he said. “So maybe the best thing that could happen is that Trump does something stupid, and then you have a lot of people who can make jokes about it right away.”

Gillis highlights the importance of discussions about world events in the creative process, stating that many conversations outside of work end up influencing the episodes. This, in turn, explains why the ‘Simpsons’ seem to ‘predict’ important events.

Episode in which Trump becomes president – ​​Image: Fox Pictures/Reproduction

A notable example is the prediction that donald trump would become president of the United States, made in 2000.

According to Al Jean, the idea came up while they were looking for a funny celebrity who could become president in history.

The prospect was not so unlikely, since, at the time, Trump had already expressed his interest in running for office.

However, not all predictions are easily explained. The episode related to the tragic September 11, 2001, for example, generated conspiracy theories.

Al Jean clarifies that the image of Twin Towers in a New York guide with the number ‘9’ next to it, representing the price of the product, it was pure coincidence.

The combination of the number 9 and the image of the Twin Towers in the American format (9/11) was just a coincidence, not something decided so seriously.

So, while the series continues to surprise fans with moments that seem to anticipate the future, the writers claim that many of these situations are the result of a unique combination of creativity, observation of the world and, of course, a dash of coincidence.