The Story Behind How Futurama's Legendary Nixon Impersonation Came About, According to Billy West

There are only two episodes left in the TV Schedule 2024It’s almost time to say goodbye to a beloved animated series once again. However, knowing FuturamaThe fate of ‘after season 12’ In advance, none of us should worry about the imminent departure of the television child of creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen.

Now that we all know we can invest even more in one of the best animated tv shows of all time, let’s dig a little deeper into its historically hysterical repertoire of supporting characters. Specifically, I want to talk about the story of how the show’s star, Billy West, created his legendary impersonation of former U.S. President Richard Nixon.

It’s a story of creativity and childhood memories, the result being so clever that it could stage the moon landing… ON VENUS! Arooo!

Richard Nixon frowns as his head rests on a robot's body in Futurama. — (Photo credit: 20th Century Animation)

The Part of Matt Groening’s Approach That Shaped Billy West’s Nixon Impersonation for Futurama

As a hardcore Futurama As a fan, I couldn’t resist the invitation to attend the press days for the launch of season 12. With access to a room full of Billy West and Lauren Tom, there were a few things I had to educate myself on when it came to my Futurama fandom, which brought us to talk about his unique take on one Richard Milhouse Nixon.

As part of what he revealed to CinemaBlend, West told me the following story about how he was inspired to get so crazy with the ex-POTUS in the first place:

That’s not like him at all. … You know, what I wanted to do is take inspiration from Matt (Groening). He inspires me to try to put a hook on things. You know, you don’t want everything to go according to plan. You want to put something in there that makes people say, “Why the hell would someone do that?” And I like that factor. … It’s become a signature of his because, like I said, I’m inspired by Matt’s ideas. He’s never short of ideas for characters or hooks or anything. So I was inspired.
Billy West – CinemaBlend

A disembodied exaggeration of the 37th President of the United States, Futurama Nixon is a paranoid leader who will do anything to gain power. This desire led to his inclusion in some of Futurama most watchable episodeslike “A Head in the Polls,” as well as recent revivals of “The Impossible Stream” and “Rage Against the Vaccine” from Season 11.

Although not a core member of the Planet Express crew, Richard Nixon is scandalous enough to have had a memorable impact on the world(s) of Futurama. And why wouldn’t it be, given This is this how the episode introducing the happy boy ended?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve revisited this clip since it first aired almost 25 years ago. can I would say I absolutely had to rewatch this episode as I was preparing for the Futurama interviews in general. And yes, it does indeed resist the purpose of modern viewing.

Since that East a series co-created by Matt Groening, having a memorable stable of recurring characters could more than likely be the key to the oft-canceled series’ longevity with fans. And anyone who questions that claim can always check out this list The Simpsons popular characters after season 1with the possibility of correcting their opinion.

Groening’s madness and giving his characters hooks was just the beginning of Richard Nixon’s comedic resurrection. For the rest of this story, we must return to Billy West’s childhood, because a historical first left a lasting impression on the California politician who would go on to form a classic Futurama character trait.

Richard Nixon's head screams while sitting on a desk in Futurama.

(Photo credit: 20th Century Animation)

How Billy West’s Childhood Memories of Richard Nixon Inspired His Futurama Character

It wouldn’t be a Futurama A story without a bit of childhood trauma, right? This point is undoubtedly present throughout Season 12’s recurring themes of dark dystopian capitalism and abandonment issues. However, this is the continuing adventures of the Planet Express, which means injecting humor into heavy topics.

Which fits perfectly with the recurring portrayal of the controversial political figure in Hulu’s original film. Even Richard Nixon’s most vehement detractors probably couldn’t have predicted how Billy West would turn to the world of monster movies for his version of Nixon.

And as he told CinemaBlend, the kind of “hook” the voice acting legend used to flavor his performance came from that fateful night. But first, let’s hear what Mr. West had to say about the Nixon/Kennedy debate in general:

When I was a kid, I saw the Nixon/Kennedy debate on television. It was the first televised debate. Kennedy looked like a game show host, and Nixon looked like a big sweaty pig. He matched (the set), he was sweating, and he had a beard. At the time, everybody saw it and thought, “Too bad,” because people who listened to the tape thought he won the debate. But people who watched it thought, “Wow!” including me.
Billy West – CinemaBlend

To be fair, the 1960 Nixon/Kennedy debate is one of those famous events that has left its mark on the pop culture landscape. Even the first season of Mad Men The good people at Sterling Cooper tried to get Dick Nixon elected, and they got disastrous results. But to really understand the magnitude of this moment, you have to actually see it.

In the name of cultural history lessons and enhancing the enjoyment of life Futuramafeel free to browse the first televised debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy:

Kennedy vs. Nixon: The First Presidential Debate of 1960 – YouTube

Watch on

So what does a historically bad debate performance have to do with the “Aroo” of it all? Well, Futurama The future voice actor had some very appropriate concerns at the time about the appearance of then-Vice President Richard Nixon. To tie it all together, here’s this last part of Billy West’s crucial recollection:

I said to my mom, “Mom, he looks like he’s going to turn into a werewolf.” And that was the whole concept. The writers came to me and said, “How come you’re doing this ‘Aroo’ with, with Nixon?” And I said, “What? You don’t like it?” And they said, “No, we love it. We just don’t know why you’re doing it.” And I said, “Because he was on TV and he was saying, ‘I want to be… I want to be president of the United States because Aroo. Arooo.'”
Billy West – CinemaBlend

The fact that Nixon’s Vice President Spiro Agnew was portrayed as some sort of headless Frankenstein’s monster makes even more sense in the context of Classic-Universal-Monsters. It also helps me appreciate Billy West’s efforts to create this historic addition to his stable of Futurama characters, as the emphasis on entertainment rather than historical accuracy helps further sharpen the very sharp dialogue he delivers.

Just like Darryl Hammond’s impersonation of Sean Connery in Saturday night live Celebrity Jeopardy sketches, Mr. West’s Richard Nixon will always have a place in my darkly comedic heart. I dare say that the cast and writing team of Futurama feel the same way, especially when the 2023 Hulu-era premiere featured Nixon navigating his way into the streaming era.

At this point, I’m eager to see what kind of shenanigans the ex-president will get into whenever he reappears. In fact, I wonder if he’s behind the recent trend of unresolved global catastrophes that have been introduced over the past two years. Futurama episodes? Guess I’ll have to follow the money to find out.

Futurama The entire catalog is currently available to anyone with access to a Hulu Subscription. So there’s plenty of time to catch up on Season 12 before its September 16 finale. And if you want to dive into the classics, the rest of the series is also available for anyone who wants to crank up the nostalgia and tear it all down.