“The Simpsons” Showrunner Says He's Still Trying to Figure Out How the Show Predicted a Spot-on “White Lotus” Parody (Exclusive)

Brenton BlanchetTue, March 3, 2026 at 1:25 PM UTC

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The SImpsons family in 2024 episode, "The Yellow Lotus"Credit: FOX -

The Simpsons' showrunner is revealing details about one of the series' highly specific predictions that left him scratching his head

Matt Selman caught up with PEOPLE ahead of the series' milestone 800th episode

Episode 800, "Irrational Treasure," is now available to stream

The Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman is opening up about one of the most talked-about topics of the beloved series — its spot-on predictions.

Since the series’ 1989 premiere on Fox, The Simpsons has been credited with predicting scenarios before they happen. There have been scenes about presidencies, pandemics, technological advances and other more out-there world and pop-culture situations that have turned into on-the-nose predictions, as fans like to call them.

But there was one recent coincidence that still has Selman scratching his head.

“We did an episode that was a parody of The White Lotus where... Wait for it, ‘Yellow Lotus,’ where Marge or someone is reading the Barbara Streisand biography,” Selman, 54, says of the season 36 episode from 2024.

As it turns out, that same book made a cameo in the third season of the actual White Lotus series on HBO, which debuted in February 2025. In it, Michelle Monaghan’s Jaclyn was seen catching up on Streisand’s book, My Name is Barbra.

Marge and Homer Simpson in 2024 episode, 'The Yellow Lotus'Credit: FOX

“We did send the script to Mike White to see if he would do a little cameo in a voice in it, which he didn't. He politely declined,” he says of the series creator.

Selman adds, “But did he read that in our script and then say, "Oh, that'll be a fun Easter egg to create a prediction?” Or is it just a massive coincidence? Mike is a playful guy, but I don't see him doing that. I see him saying, ‘Look, this is my show. I'm doing exactly what I think is right for it.’ Or maybe he read it and he subliminally took it in or he never read it. I don't know. I asked a friend of a friend to find out from him, but they didn't answer. So, maybe there's a coverup for that conspiracy.”

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After joking that “people are being 'disappeared' who know that connection,” Selman says it could all be a “self-fulfilling prophecy.” He’s leaning toward coincidence, though.

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During the catch-up with Selman, he also shared details about how the team got the cast of another HBO hit, The Pitt, to lend their voices for special guest appearances onThe Simpsons' milestone 800th episode, which aired on Feb. 15.

Noah Wyle (Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch), Katherine LaNasa (Dana Evans) and Taylor Dearden (Dr. Melissa "Mel" King) all played veterinarians, who sprung into action to help Marge Simpson's dog, Santa's Little Helper, who got sick from an Ambrosia salad.

Selman says the "pet version seemed funny" so the show was "thrilled" when the actors were willing to participate.

"And I mean, obviously Noah clearly went all in and was willing to make goof on one of the saddest parts and the realist parts of the actual Pitt show in ambrosia salad version," he says. "I think they all seem pretty excited. And I think the dovetailing of season 2 is coming out now and people are loving it. And the show won a bunch of Golden Globes and Emmys, and Noah's career is in this amazing new place. Playing himself, a version of himself, on The Simpsons is what would go with that."

The Simpsons' airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”