The creator of comedy cartoon The Simpsons has described the results of the US presidential elections as “beyond satire” after the show predicted Donald Trump’s win 16 years ago.
Matt Groening, 62, told The Guardian that Mr Trump’s presidency would provide more scope for comic material as it would be “amazing in all its horror”.
In 2000, an episode of the popular American cartoon featured an animated version of Trump announcing his candidacy.
The famous episode about a grown-up Lisa Simpson’s own rise to the White House alluded to the fictional Trump’s previous presidency and how it sent the American economy plummeting.
Groening, from Portland in Oregon, said: “We predicted that he would be president back in 2000 – but (Trump) was of course the most absurd placeholder joke name that we could think of at the time, and that’s still true. It’s beyond satire.”
Speaking before the election results came in on Wednesday morning, he said he “highly doubted” that Mr Trump would win America’s top job.
But, he told the newspaper: “(If he gets elected) I think we’ll suddenly be very inspired. Mr Trump’s election, as horrible as it would be, would be great for comedy.
“One of the things that occurs to me is the sober writing of political history is impossible for this election.
“When historians are writing about this election, after all of the other presidents, it’s the worst. Just quoting from it would be like a clown show.”
First broadcast in 1990, the show is now in its 28th season and is created by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon.
