The Simpsons Predicted Coronavirus

Fox’s long-running, animated dysfunctional family, The Simpsons, have had quite a storied history when it comes to predicting the future, some more believable than others. But the episode in question, “The Fool Monty” which is the sixth episode of the twenty-second season and originally aired on November 21, 2010, had a plotline where a group of TV executives plan to cause mass panic (and therefore increase ratings) by creating a fake disease caused by household cats.

During a news bulletin, news anchorman Kent Brockman is pictured alongside a graphic of a cat with the words “Apocalypse Meow” written across it. Sadly, someone with a rudimentary knowledge of Photoshop (or Microsoft Paint for that matter) decided to paste the words ‘corona virus’ on top of it, and when someone posted this doctored image online, some people truly believed the animated show really did predict the viral outbreak.

To add to the theory, others cited another episode from way back in 1993 titled “Marge in Chains” where there is an outbreak of the ‘Osaka Flu’ similar to the current pandemic. However, it is mere used as a plot device to send Marge to jail for stealing because she accidentally forgets to pay for Grampa’s bottle of Bourbon due to tiredness from having to look after the rest of her sick family. Hardly a slamdunk for the conspiracy theorists.