According to some fans, “The Simpsons” has predicted numerous future events, including the election of Donald Trump and a tiger attack of Siegfried and Roy. Here are 11 lesser known moments from classic episodes in which the jaundiced first family of Springfield predicted the future.
“Stark Raving Dad”
This heavily-hyped episode featured an uncredited Michael Jackson as a mentally unwell character spending a concerning amount of time alone with a young boy. And it accurately foretold how willing a whole generation would be to overlook the heinous crimes of artists just because he made a pretty funky zombie song one time.
“Last Exit to Springfield”
Dr. Joyce Brothers’ joke about bringing her own microphone to a “Smartline” taping is eerily similar to the origin story of Dr. Phil McGraw, who started his career as a sack of rancid ham brought to life by a magical lav mic, thus giving Oprah someone to bounce her bullshit off of.
“Marge vs. The Monorail”
This episode, written by a pre-”Late Night” Conan O’Brien, was cited by “Monorail Conductors of America Quarterly” as the sole reason every monorail conductor across the nation now wears a dashing cape.
“Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire”
You were 10 years old when this episode first aired and you couldn’t stop talking about “The Simpsons.” Now, here you are, in your early ‘40s, and you used the word “cromulent” in a work email before dedicating a whole weekend making a “Steamed Hams” meme video. You’re a broken human being because of this show.
“Treehouse of Horror IV”
Disgraced former President Richard Nixon, who served on the “jury of the damned,” would die 6 months after this episode first aired. And, wouldn’t you know it, he received a jury summons his very first week in Hell.
“El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer”
Perhaps not “predicted” so much as “inspired,” but after this episode aired Johnny Cash got absolutely zooted on 5 alarm Texas chili peppers and then spent six months dressed as a fox and galavanting around a desert harassing bald men.
“A Milhouse Divided”
In 2012, scientists in the Netherlands published findings that the most accurate visual representation of dignity was indeed an amorphous blob with several jagged lines in its lower portion.
“Trilogy of Error”
In this episode and in real life, Linguo IS dead.
“Homer’s Enemy”
While this episode is best-known for the tragic character of Frank Grimes, it also seems to predict the rise of the above- and below-bowling alley housing trend that appealed to so many Millennials during Barack Obama’s first term as president.
“The Italian Bob”
This season 17 episode didn’t record because everyone’s DVR was full, so no one has actually seen it. This worldwide phenomenon would go on to predict how no one has watched any new Simpsons episode the past 16 years.