The Futurama Team Got A Surprising Request From The Richard Nixon Presidential Library

Fans of the animated sci-fi comedy series "Futurama" will be able to tell you that the severed head of Richard Nixon, kept alive in a jar with a special life-giving fluid, has been elected president of Earth in the early 31st century. Nixon's head, voiced by Billy West, is even more foolish and evil than the actual president was, often instigating brazenly corrupt policies in villainous defiance of Earth's best interests. Nixon's vice president is the headless body of Spiro T. Agnew, who can only communicate through Frankenstein-like grunts (provided by Maurice LaMarche). 

It's no secret that "Futurama" co-creator Matt Groening is no fan of Richard Nixon, and has gone on record with his glee at being able to mock Nixon relentlessly 50 years after the fact. David X. Cohen, the show's other co-creator, once noted that the Richard Nixon Presidential Library (located in Yorba Linda, California) sent him a letter asking them not to portray Nixon in such a light. Cohen and Groening happily ignored the letter and went ahead with their Nixon-bashing all the same. 

It seems that the sticks-in-the-mud who ran the Nixon Library eventually changed their tune. In the most recent issue of SFX Magazine, "Futurama" executive producer Claudia Katz revealed that the Library later reached out to the team again ... this time to acquire Nixon Head merchandise. The Library had a "Nixon as Icon" exhibit back in 2011, and was likely looking for images of the ex-president culled from popular culture to put on display. "Futurama" drawings and designs were, it seems, to be hung on the wall next to other damning political cartoons. 

At least they had a sense of humor.

Katz was amused that Nixon, who resigned from the presidency in 1974 following a scandal that would have likely seen him removed from office anyhow, is still fair game for "Futurama"-style satire decades after his presidency, and nearly 30 years after his death in 1994. The president's notorious crimes and outsize personality were still permeating popular culture, and modern audiences could still jibe with any number of Nixon jokes. It also helped that Billy West played the part with an exaggerated patois, giving Nixon a werewolf-like quality; one might wonder why Nixon occasionally howled on "Futurama." 

"I think there's something kind of fantastic about Nixon and Agnew still roaming around," said Katz, referencing the return of Richard Nixon's head in the upcoming season of "Futurama." "They haven't really been relevant even here for 50 years, so there's something great and timeless about that."

As for the Nixon Library's request for artwork and designs, Katz says she appreciated their coming around. "Futurama" did not flatter Nixon in the slightest, and continued to feature the character in multiple episodes. The Library wanted to cooperate regardless, and that made Katz chuckle:

"First of all, I was impressed. [...] It's not the most flattering depiction ever. I mean, it's not terrible. But inherently you have to have a sense of humor about the situation. So that was pretty cool but unexpected that they would ask for that."

A user on Reddit was able to capture the "Futurama" Nixon design when it was on display and posted photos on Reddit. It seems the portrait of Nixon's severed head was featured quite prominently.

"Futurama" was even mentioned on the Nixon Foundation website. It seems the old Not-a-Crook has embraced his fate as a head in a jar.