Simpsons showrunner says show is political, just not South Park political

Matt Selman, the showrunner for the long-running animated series "The Simpsons," has clarified the show's political stance in light of a previous headline that made him appear “like a giant chickenshit.” In a previous interview with Entertainment Weekly, Selman had stated that addressing current politics is “not our mission statement.”

In response to criticism, Selman clarified that he should have said that “rip-the-headlines daily cataclysm humor” is best left to shows like South Park, which can produce material quickly. He added that “what we can focus on instead is the deeper recurrent themes in the dystopian world we live in.” Selman remarked that the show is not shying away from political issues but rather “freed up to do more humor about how the world has gotten dumber and worse.”

He also acknowledged that the longer production times of "The Simpsons” have made it difficult to incorporate hot-button issues, unlike South Park’s rapid response to current events. Selman expressed admiration for South Park’s more immediate impact and political statements, albeit with a note of humility, saying, “Here’s the headline: I’m not as brave as Matt and Trey.

I will stand by that quote. They are brave. They are brave American heroes, and I am a coward.” The 38th season of "The Simpsons” premiered with an episode featuring Homer escorting a children’s author (voiced by Emma Thompson) to an event at Springfield Elementary. Selman drew a minimal connection to the episode’s cultural impact, stating that the character goes through a series of self-destructive behaviors inspired by Russell Brand, but without the real-world consequences.