OLIVER ON GUARD

TV host wary of tackling Trump

Gaze at the beautiful bald head of Homer Simpson and what will you find? Dents from his bonecrushing accidents? Wayward Cheetos crumbs? Perhaps. But savvy fans say that, much like a crystal ball, you might also see … the future. (Cue a spooky recording of Carmina Burana.)

After the animated Fox comedy appeared to have predicted Donald Trump’s presidency, eagleeyed viewers noted that Lady Gaga’s airborne stunt during the Super Bowl LI halftime show also seems to be ripped from The Simpsons.

In the 2012 episode Lisa Goes Gaga, the singer performs a show in Springfield in which she flies through the air dangling from wires, just as Gaga did last Sunday. Gaga even wore an outfit custom-made by Atelier Versace that looked eerily similar to the one on The Simpsons — though it was missing the fire-blasting bra.

Other apparent predictionscome-true include rigged voting machines (see the 2008 episode Treehouse of Horror XIX) and Europe trying to get rid of Greece (see the 2013 episode Politically Inept, With Homer Simpson).

Also, in 1993, The Simpsons showed Siegfried and Roy being mauled by their tiger, only for it to happen for real in 2003.

Trump’s presidency, incidentally, was foreseen in the 2000 episode Bart to the Future, in which a Native American oracle shows Bart visions of what’s to come. In one segment, he sees Lisa as “the first straight female president” who has inherited “quite a budget crunch from president Trump.” Lisa’s aide, Secretary Milhouse Van Houten, explains that Trump has left the country broke.

In Sunday’s episode Fatzcarraldo, however, seems to be more reactionary. When Springfield’s fast-food restaurants switch to healthier menus, Homer is forced to turn to the area’s final frontier for greasy food. (Fox, Global)

THE GRAMMY AWARDS

There’s always some part of me that wishes the Grammy Awards would honour actual grammys — spunky grandmothers of steel will and stellar accomplishment. But, giving out kudos for deserving musicians seems almost as good. This year, The Late Late Show host James Corden will MC the festivities live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. (CBS, City)