ALBAWABA - This time, the Simpsons were wrong about what would happen after 35 years of correctly predicting future events, particularly the US presidential election.
After Kamala Harris's unsuccessful bid for the presidency, fans of the popular comedy series were taken aback.
Many expected Harris to emerge victorious in her contest against Donald Trump, given the series' track record of accurately forecasting a wide range of events. "Bart to the Future" predicted Harris's presidential run in 2000, when "Lisa Simpson" wore purple to become the first female president. Harris wore the same outfit—including the necklace and pearl earrings—during Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021, when he defeated Trump.
In that episode, Lisa stated, "We inherited a budget crisis from President Trump," which gave the forecast a hint of cynicism. Following the announcement in July that Biden would be withdrawing from the Democratic presidential candidacy for 2024, Harris's costume became an internet sensation.
Trump and his campaign partner, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, defeated Harris, preventing him from becoming president.
The Simpsons' incorrect forecast, particularly on a matter as important as the president, shocked many viewers, who turned to X to voice their dismay.
"For the first time ever, The Simpsons got it wrong," a user said. Another participant questioned, "Does this mean that The Simpsons predictions are over because Kamala didn't win?"
Before Trump's first election, show creator Matt Groening provided The Guardian with this 2016 administration forecast: Back in 2000, we said he'd be president. But Trump seemed like the silliest name we could come up with—and it shows. It's just absurd.
Matt Salman, the show's executive producer, detailed the show's exceptional predictive abilities last month. “The shocking answer I always give that no one likes is that if you study history and mathematics, it’s impossible not to predict events,” he told People magazine.
When you say a lot of things, some of them will have an impact on reality; math is useful for that. Concerning the past, drawing inspiration from humankind's mistakes in the past leads one to anticipate future blunders, particularly as such blunders worsen. Consequently, we tend to overlook them.
