The Simpsons has a long history with Donald Trump - the show predicted he'd be president way back in 2000. Screenshot / Fox Broadcasting
The Simpsons has a long history with Donald Trump - the show predicted he'd be president way back in 2000. Screenshot / Fox Broadcasting
The Simpsons' writers have slipped in a last-minute pre-election sledge against US President Donald Trump with a savage list of his most cringe-worthy blunders and controversies.
In the Halloween episode which aired in the US over the weekend, Homer is seen mulling over who to vote for in the pollingbooth to the astonishment of his politically savvy daughter Lisa, who reminds him of "all that's happened over the past four years".
Cut to a rolling list of 50 of Trump's most infamous moments, including: "Paid $750 in taxes, said to swallow bleach, withdrew from the WHO, called white supremacists 'fine people' and tweeted classified photo of Iran missile site."
"Pft, who you gonna make fun of now late-night comics," Homer laughs as he votes, presumably for Joe Biden.
Homer hits the polling booth. Screenshot / Fox Broadcasting
The clip is the opener to The Simpsons' spooky annual Treehouse of Horror episode, which sees Homer eventually realise he's slept through polling day without filling out a ballot – the programme's last-ditch effort to convince Americans to vote in time.
In case forgetting to vote isn't scary enough, here is the Trump list in full as reported by Variety:
• Made it okay to shoot hibernating bears • Put children in cages • Called Mexicans rapists • Imitated disabled reporter • Looks lousy in a tennis outfit • Can't get wife to hold hand • Called third world countries a**eholes • Called Tim Cook 'Tim Apple' • Said Jewish people who vote Democrat are disloyal • Showed top secret documents at Mar-A-Lago restaurant • Called white supremacists 'fine people' • Leaked classified information to Russian ambassador • Asked the president of Ukraine to investigate the Bidens • Called for China to investigate the Bidens • Walked into the dressing room at Miss Teen USA pageant • Pressed the Australian prime minister to help Barr investigate Mueller • Talked about grabbing p**sy • Lied about the size of his inauguration • Refused to release tax returns • Gutted the EPA • Confiscated and destroyed interpreter's notes after meeting with Putin • Tweeted classified photo of Iran missile site • Called Baltimore a 'disgusting, rat and rodent-infested mess' • Described Meryl Streep as 'over-rated' • Leaked information to the press about the 2017 Manchester arena bombing • Did not attend any White House correspondents' dinner • Said Megyn Kelly had 'blood coming out of her whatever' • Called Carly Fiorina 'horseface' • Ruined impeachment • Brought Ivanka to the G7 summit • Corrupted Congress • Appointed and didn't fire Betsy DeVos • Put Jared in charge of Mideast • Served McDonald's to Clemson football team • Destroyed democracy • Lost Hong Kong • Threatened Marie Yovanovitch • Pulled the US out of climate agreement • Allowed bounties on soldiers • Invaded Portland • Withdrew from WHO • Bragged about knowing the date • Commuted sentences • Said to swallow bleach • Person, woman, man, camera, TV • Destroyed post office • Paid $750 in taxes • Wants third term • Wanted to be on Mount Rushmore • And we haven't even said the worst one
The beloved cartoon comedy has a history of taking not-so-subtle digs at Trump, including during the last election.
In a 2016 episode, Homer goes to cast a ballot for Hillary Clinton, only to be confronted by Vladimir Putin disguised as a Red Sox fan who ultimately tells Homer that he's hacking the election.
Trump's list of shame. Screenshot / Fox Broadcasting
Of course, the show is famous for predicting Trump's presidency way back in 2000.
In the episode "Bart to the Future", Lisa Simpson is president and has to clean up Trump's mess — 15 years before he even announced he was running for office.
Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, told news.com.au last year: "They literally thought, 'What's the silliest, most outrageous, dumbest idea for a president we can possibly think of?'"
"He [Donald Trump] was doing The Apprentice at the time," she added.
Meanwhile, showrunner Al Jean has been a vocal Trump critic on Twitter in the lead-up to the election, urging his followers to vote.
It goes without saying that Trump himself is not a fan of the long-running show.
