Entertainment
Did The Simpsons predict the Coronavirus? Top 15 times The Simpsons predicted the future
With 31 Seasons and counting on the air, The Simpsons is undeniably a television phenomenon. It is both the longest-running American sitcom and longest-running animated program. Furthermore, the critically acclaimed cartoon is widely recognized as one of, if not, the best shows of all time for its humorous satire of everything from politics and pop culture to everyday family life.
In fact, throughout its more than 680 episodes, creator Matt Groening and his team have been so on top of the country’s cultural pulse. They’ve even managed to predict several major historical events along with a few less momentous happenings.
From Game of Thrones to Lady Gaga’s Halftime Show and Donald Trump’s Presidency, here are 15 times The Simpsons made eerily accurate predictions about the future.
1 – Lady Gaga’s Halftime Performance
Lady Gaga’s Halftime show, Season 23 Episode 22 entitled “Lisa Goes Gaga”. It was predicted in 2012 and it came true in 2017. Nearly 5 years before Lady Gaga descended from the roof of the Houston’s NRG Stadium for the Halftime show of Super Bowl 51. Her Simpson doppelganger performed a song for the residents of Springfield while suspended in the air. The two mother monsters even wore similar silver ensembles for their shows.
2 – President Donald Trump
The Simpsons have correctly predicted Donald Trump Presidency, in its Season 11 Episode 17 entitled “Bart to the Future”. It was predicted in 2000 and it came true in 2016. When Bart flashes forward into adulthood, viewers learned that Lisa not only becomes President but inherits quite a budget crutch her predecessor Donald Trump. In a cabinet meeting, she offhandedly mentions, “We inherited quite the budget crunch from President Trump.”
Eventually, we remain uncertain to what extent this prophecy from The Simpsons will be correct. He is now the current US President, will he ravage America’s economy?
3 – Game of Thrones’ Final Season
In the fifth episode of Game of Thrones Season 8 and final season, we saw Daenerys take her last remaining dragon and furiously torch King’s Landing. Back in 2017 The Simpsons first episode in Season 29 entitled “The Serfsons”. Similarly, a dragon just so happens to burn the family’s village down.
4 – Roy Horn’s Tiger Attack
Roy Horn’s Tiger Attack, Season 5 Episode 10 “Spring (or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)”. It was predicted in 1993 and it apparently came true in 2003. After Springfield decided to legalize gambling, Mr. Burnes opens a casino where German magicians Gunter and Ernst perform a routine seeming to spoof the long-running Las Vegas Siegfried and Roy show.
Tragically a bit in which animated duo was attacked by their tiger came to fruition 10 years later when Roy Horn was mauled on stage by White Bengal Tiger, leaving him partially paralyzed and ending the long-running production.
5 – Autocorrect Fails
Season 6 Episode 8 entitled “Lisa on Ice”. It was predicted in 1994 and it came true in 2007. During a Springfield elementary school assemble, Kearney asks fellow bully Dolph to take a memo to “Beat up Martin” on his Newton, Apple’s early attempt at a personal digital assistant. However, the machine translates the message into ‘’Eat up Martha” instead. Foreshadowing the common messaging errors people blame on iPhone’s autocorrect technology.
6 – Video Calling
In Season 6 Episode 19 entitled “Lisa’s Wedding”, video calling was predicted in 1995 and it came true in 2010. In this futuristic installment, Lisa talks with Marge using her phone’s video chat capabilities. IT has predicted the popular Skype / FaceTime / Google Duo feature of today’s smartphones by 15 years.
7 – Faulty Voter Machines
Season 20 Episode 4 entitled “Treehouse of Horror XIX”. It was predicted in 2008 and it came true in 2012. In a bid inspired by the 2008 presidential election, Homer tries to vote for Barack Obama, only to have a voting machine record his selection as John McCain several times. Coincidentally, when it came time for Obama to run for the second term in 2012, video footage emerged of a Pennsylvania machine switching his vote from Obama to one for his Republican opponent Mitt Romney. The machine was reportedly taken out of the commission.
8 – The God Particle
Season 10 Episode 2 entitled “Wizard of Evergreen Terrace”. It was predicted in 1998 and it came true in 2012. Homer Simpson predicted the mass of the elementary Higgs Boson Particle more than a decade before scientists did. The existence of Higgs Boson or God Particle, a breakthrough that helps explain how everything in the universe has mass, wasn’t confirmed by physicists until 2012 was predicted 14 years before it was discovered.
9 – Smartwatches
Season 6 Episode 19 entitled “Lisa’s Wedding”. It was predicted in 1995 and it came true in 2014. When Lisa Visits a fortune teller at a renaissance fair, viewers are transported 15 years into the future to 2010. A time when wristwatch communication technology exists. However, even the Simpsons’ future society was a little ahead of its time. As modern recognition enabled smartwatches weren’t rolled out until 2014.
10 – US Ebola Outbreak
Season 9 Episode 3 entitled “Lisa’s Sax”. It was predicted in 1997 and it came true in 2014. This installment saw Marge offered to read a depressing part of a book titled “Curious George and the Ebola Virus”. This moment was widely circulated during the 2014 American Ebola Outbreak when a YouTube user “The Controversy 7” created a video laying out a theory revolving around the Simpsons predictive tendencies.
11 – FIFA’s Corruption Scandal
Season 25 Episode 16 entitled “You Don’t Have to Live Like A Referee”. It was predicted in 2014 and it came true in 2015. Although the world football federation representative who asks Homer for help preparing the organization’s image isn’t explicitly named as a member of FIFA. His arrest turned out to be uncannily similar to those of the real-life FIFA officials who were arrested on corruption charges About a year later. Not to mention, the episode also correctly predicted Germany’s defeat of Brazil in the 2014 World Cup.
12 – The Nobel Prize
Season 22 Episode 1 entitled “Elementary School Musical”. It was predicted in 2010 and it came true in 2016. Bengt Holmstrom may not have won the Nobel Prize in economics until 2016 but one of the Simpson’s characters was betting on him six years prior. In a scene from season 22 premiere in which martin holds up a scorecard depicting his Nobel Prize betting pool with Lisa Milhouse and database. The MIT Professor is clearly marked in one of Milhouse’s squares numbers.
13 – Disney Owns Fox
Season 10 Episode 5 entitled “When You Dish Upon A Star”. It was predicted in 1998 and it came true in 2017. After a trip to Springfield, director Ron Howard pitches a screenplay that Homer wrote to producer Bryan Glazer of 20th Century Fox. At the beginning of the scene, A sign can be seen at the Fox Studio lot that reveals that the company is now a division of Walt Disney Co. Cut to nearly 20 years later and this sale is officially underway with the news breaking Disney has reached to acquire $66.1 Billion worth of Fox on December 14th 2017.
14 – Team USA’s Olympic Curling Win
Season 21, Episode 12 entitled “Boy Meets Curl”. It was predicted in 2010 and It came true in 2018. Team USA’s men’s curling team defeated Sweden in a shocking upset at the 2018 Olympics that brought yet another Simpsons storyline to real-life vision. Mirroring events from a 2010 episode in which Marge and Homer made it onto U.S. mixed doubles curling team. The Americans came from behind in their February 25th matchup with Sweden to capture gold at the winter games in PyeongChang.
TVB Fact Checker
15 – Coronavirus Outbreak
According to some Twitter users, The Simpsons predicted the current global situation of Coronavirus Outbreak (Covid19) in 1993. The episode entitled “Marge in Chains” from Season 4 Episode 21 is said to have predicted the current pandemic.
However, the above image is altered to spread the wrong information as it was actually referencing the fictional “Osaka Flu”. In this episode, A staff of Japanese assembly line worker coughs in a box of Juice Loosener, which was then shipped to Springfield which infects many people across the town.
Actual image from the episode below:
Entertainment
“Inside Out 2” Surpasses $1 Billion at Global Box Office, a First Since “Barbie”
Disney and Pixar’s animated feature “Inside Out 2” has achieved a remarkable milestone, crossing the $1 billion mark at the global box office. Notably, it is the first film to do so since Warner Bros.’ “Barbie.” As of Sunday, the film’s worldwide earnings stand at an impressive $1.014 billion.
This achievement is particularly significant for Disney’s Pixar animation studio, which faced challenges during the pandemic. Prior to “Inside Out 2,” no Disney animated feature from either Pixar or Walt Disney Animation had surpassed $480 million globally since 2019. The film’s success underscores the enduring appeal of compelling and entertaining movies on the big screen.
The family audience played a crucial role in driving the film’s box office performance. During its domestic debut, more than 70% of attendees were families, emphasizing the importance of catering to this underserved demographic. Additionally, “Inside Out 2” successfully attracted teenagers (aged 13 to 17), a group that had been absent from theaters in recent years.
In summary, “Inside Out 2” not only achieved financial success but also highlighted the resilience of the movie industry and the power of captivating storytelling. Audiences worldwide continue to appreciate the magic of cinema, even in an evolving entertainment landscape.
Entertainment
10-Year-Old Guitar Prodigy Maya Neelakantan Rocks ‘AGT’ Stage with Unforgettable Performance
“America’s Got Talent” may have just unearthed the next “rock goddess,” and incredibly, she’s only 10 years old. On the June 25th episode of the NBC competition series, Maya Neelakantan, who traveled all the way from India for her audition, stepped onto the stage with her guitar. With casual confidence, she began strumming the opening chords of Papa Roach’s iconic hit, “Last Resort.”
As the crowd and judges watched, Maya transitioned from headbanging to showcasing her impressive guitar skills. She flawlessly delivered the rock anthem, leaving the judges in awe. Backstage, her family cheered her on alongside host Terry Crews.
All four judges—Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel—stood up and applauded. Vergara playfully asked, “Maya, are you sure you’re 10 years old?” To which Maya sweetly replied, “I think so!”
Klum praised her energy and gutsiness, labeling it a “perfect audition.” Mandel inquired about her inspirations, and Maya mentioned watching guitarists like Adam Jones (Tool) and Gary Holt (Exodus and Slayer) on YouTube.
Cowell, known for his tough critiques, acknowledged that learning to play the guitar at 10 is challenging. He appreciated the unexpected transformation Maya displayed onstage: “You were so shy, and then you turned into, like, this rock goddess.”
Predicting a bright future, Cowell declared that Maya has a long music career ahead. All four judges gave her a resounding “yes,” propelling her to the next round.
Fans flooded the comments, calling her a rockstar and praising her talent. Even Papa Roach joined in, celebrating her audition on Instagram.
Maya, now 11 years old according to her YouTube page, expressed her gratitude: “What an honor for this early release and for playing on America’s Got Talent! Thank you for creating an unforgettable memory!” 🤘❤️🎸
Entertainment
Live-Action “One Piece” Series Reveals Three New Cast Members for Second Season
The highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga, “One Piece,” is returning for a second season. Netflix recently announced the addition of new actors who will bring iconic characters to life in the upcoming episodes.
- Mr. 9: Werner Coetser, known for his role in “Dark Matter,” will portray Mr. 9. This character is a key member of the criminal syndicate Baroque Works.
- Mr. 5: Camrus Johnson, from “Batwoman,” takes on the role of Mr. 5. Like Mr. 9, he is part of Baroque Works.
- Miss Valentine: Jazzara Jaslyn, seen in “Warrior,” will play Miss Valentine. Her character’s abilities involve manipulating her weight.
- Mr. 3: David Dastmalchian, known for “Blade Runner 2049” and “Ant-Man,” joins the cast as Mr. 3. His wax-based powers make him a formidable adversary.
These four villains will challenge Monkey D. Luffy (played by Iñaki Godoy) and his Straw Hat crew as they continue their quest for the legendary treasure, One Piece. The first season received critical acclaim, and fans eagerly await the next installment.
Stay tuned for more adventures on the high seas when “One Piece” Season 2 arrives, likely in late 2024 or early 2025!