The Simpsons is known for many things, in addition to being one of the greatest animated shows of all time. It also has a weird track record of accurately predicting big world events, enough that college professors have done research as to why this happens. Unfortunately, some people incorrectly thought it predicted Diddy’s recent legal troubles and the showrunner clapped back at those responsible and those who fell for it.
Matt Selman, the current showrunner for the Fox series that is available with a Disney+ subscription, pointed out in a conversation with TMZ that The Simpsons did not predict the multiple lawsuits circling rapper Diddy. The viral image circulating is a fake image created by AI, which Selman spoke out about in the comment below:
In the current era of digital misinformation, The Simpsons ‘predictions’ (or, more accurately, ‘coincidences’) have become meaningless. Any goofball can whip up an AI image based on a current event and say ‘The Simpsons predicted it!’ — and decent-but-easily-misled folks will believe it because they so very want it to be true.
Matt Selman’s response feels somewhat sassy, and if he’s frustrated by the fact people were fooled, I wouldn’t blame him. The Simpsons has had some spooky moments where it predicted the future, but this isn’t one of them. The viral image didn’t even come from the show and was a fake, and it seems like one pops up and makes the rounds every time there’s some big news-making moment.
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It’s a different situation than when fans incorrectly credited The Simpsons for predicting the future, as they did with the Titanic submersible disaster. In that instance, viewers were connecting dots that weren’t there in a past episode when the episode itself was meant to be a satire of Denzel Washington’s Crimson Tide.
The Simpsons is likely trying to distance itself from Diddy, considering the litany of legal troubles he’s in. The latest includes the rapper apologizing for a leaked assault video of an ex-girlfriend in 2016, months after the federal agents raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami. The agents were searching for digital devices such as cell phones and laptops. As that continues to unfold, the rapper and mogul has also faced lawsuits from women who came forward and alleged sexual misconduct against him.
As for The Simpsons, it’s still well on its journey to becoming one of the greatest sitcoms. There’s no sign of the show slowing down as it heads into Season 36 and continues to make shorts involving Star Wars and Disney characters for streaming. While the efforts of AI to discredit its weird knack for predicting the future may be bothersome, they don’t seem as though they’ll have any lasting impact on the show’s legacy.
You can stream The Simpsons right now on Disney+ or catch it in primetime on Sundays on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET. It’s never a bad time to throw on an episode, so don’t hesitate to turn one on today and catch up!