This is starting to get freaky. It would appear as though yet another episode of The Simpsons has correctly predicted future events, after it was pointed out that the same episode that seemed to foreshadow the coronavirus pandemic also included a plot about a swarm of murderous bees. It's definitely not a new concept that The Simpsons writers are basically psychic, considering they seemed to have predicted tons of major occurrences like Donald Trump becoming president, but this one hits the nail on the head a little too closely.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images for Fox
Back when the coronavirus first began spreading, folks pointed out that the events in an episode of The Simpsons from 2004 called, "Marge in Chains" beared a striking resemblance to the real world events going on in the present day. In the episode, a worker at an overcrowded factory in Asia accidentally sneezes on a box of juice to be shipped to Springfield. Homer later opens the box, and unintentionally kicks off the "Osaka Flu" pandemic in the United States. While the connections between this storyline and the current global health crisis have already been made, a plot that occurs later in the episode proves that the writers weren't even trying to hide the fact that they can totally see into the future.
After the Springfield citizens are told that there isn't a real vaccine for the new virus yet, they begin searching boxes in an open truck to find placebos. However, the townspeople instead come into contact with a swarm of "killer bees." As you may know, it was recently revealed that a species of "murder hornets" have made their way to the United States, because 2020 was already going so well.
We may need to start studying The Simpsons from now on if we want to prepare ourselves for the worst.
Did "The Simpsons" Predict Tom Hanks’ Coronavirus Isolation?
Fans are claiming that Tom Hanks' appearance in "The Simpsons Movie" from 2007 predicted his coronavirus diagnosis.
Once again, The Simpsons has predicted another major world event. Depending on how much of a conspiracy theorist you are, you'll be mind-blown to watch the following video, which apparently predicted Tom Hanks' isolation due to the coronavirus.
This is definitely a bit of a reach but fans of the long-running television series believe that the actor's cameo in The Simpsons Movie from 2007 is indicative of yet another time when the creators of the show predicted a major world event.
The show, which has also predicted Donald Trump's eventual presidency, showed Tom Hanks advertising a "new Grand Canyon" and bashing the government by saying they have lost credibility. However, it's something he says about himself that has people going crazy.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
"This is Tom Hanks saying if you see me in person, please, please leave me be," utters the actor.
Of course, this makes zero reference to the coronavirus, or any illness at all, but people are using it as another example of The Simpsons' creators being psychic mind-readers.
Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for COVID-19 after being tested in Australia. They are expected to make a full recovery according to their children.
Do you think this is a reach or are the fans onto something?
"The Simpsons" Star Hank Azaria Will No Longer Voice Apu Character
It was a mutual decision between the voice actor and the show.
Hank Azaria has officially announced that he will no longer be voicing the character, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, an Indian Kwik-E-Mart owner on The Simpsons. Hank, who has voiced plenty of characters on the show since it debuted in 1989, revealed in an interview, “I won’t be doing the voice anymore, unless there’s someway to transition it or something. What they’re going to do with the character is their call. It’s up to them and they haven’t sorted it out yet.” However, he notes that the decision was somewhat unanimous. “All we’ve agreed on is I won’t do the voice anymore. We all made the decision together. We all agreed on it. We all feel like it’s the right thing and good about it.”
Michael Nagle/Getty Images
Hank’s decision to no longer voice the controversial character has been a few years in the making now. After comedian Hari Kondabolu released the documentary, The Problem With Apu, in 2017, public outrage over the character’s allegedly racist depiction of Indian people rose immensely. The documentary explored how people of South Asian descent were impacted by having Apu, a character riddled with stereotypes, as their only form of representation on American television. Creator Matt Groenig spoke out about these complaints at the time, saying, “I’m proud of what we do on the show. And I think it’s a time in our culture where people love to pretend they’re offended.” The show went on to address the issue in a 2018 episode, which was met with even more criticism. When Lisa says to her mother, Marge, “something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?” the camera pans over to a framed image of Apu on Lisa’s nightstand with the phrase “Don’t Have a Cow” written on top.
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Hank condemned the way that the show handled the whole ordeal, revealing that “It was a late addition that I saw right around the same time everybody else in America did, so I didn’t know it was going to be in it until I saw it. I think that if anybody came away from that segment thinking that they should lighten up or take a joke better or grow a thicker skin… that’s certainly not the way I feel about.” Instead, he sympathized with those who have been negatively affected by the character. “The idea that anybody, young or old, past or present, was bullied or teased based on the character of Apu, it just really makes me sad. It certainly was not my intention. I wanted to bring joy and laughter to people. And the idea that it’s brought pain and suffering in any way, that it’s used to marginalize people, it’s upsetting, genuinely.” He was even willing to step down from voicing the character back then, as he felt that “the most important thing is to listen to Indian people and their experience with it. I really want to see Indian, South Asian writers in the writers room…including how [Apu] is voiced or not voiced. I’m perfectly willing to step aside. It just feels like the right thing to do to me.”