‘The Simpsons’ takes on Theranos (by another name, glub glub)

Everyone into the ‘LifeBoat’! Episode #754 of the long-running (35 seasons!) series ‘The Simpsons’ is a complete send-up of The Theranos Story in 22 minutes. This episode, which aired in the US on 29 October, transmutes Elizabeth Holmes into Persephone Odair, the young college dropout creator of a can-sized device that converts salt water to drinkable fresh water. The retrospective documentary and ‘news stories’ framing the tale trace Persephone’s and LifeBoat’s rise to fame and riches, then their fall. Set in SimpsonsWorld, the chief financier is the owner of the local nuclear plant, the zillionaire Montgomery Burns, whom she marries. There is an endless supply of in-jokes and jabs, such as Persephone at a TEDtalk saying “The doubters call this goal impossible, but I prefer to say, ‘I’m possible.’” (=”First, they think you’re crazy…”) and the blatant coverup of the technology (=Edison Lab, but here, if anyone drank the water, a competitor could steal the aqua-tech from the urine). The ‘can of oats’ converter, Persephone’s backstory, and the water, of course, are complete fails. Lots of celebrities make guest appearances, but not Judge Edward Davila or John Carreyrou, the author of ‘Bad Blood’. The plotline of “Thirst Trap: A Corporate Love Story” is featured on the WikiSimpsons here and here. It can be viewed on various streamers and can be purchased on YouTube. SFGATE, Entertainment Weekly, Photo from SFGATE screenshotted via Fox.