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The US Election Prediction The Simpsons Got Wrong
Fans thought The Simpsons had predicted a Harris presidency, but this time, the iconic show missed the mark.
Leading up to Election Day 2024, fans of The Simpsons looked to the show’s history of uncanny predictions, hoping it had once again foreseen the future. Many saw Lisa Simpson as a stand-in for Kamala Harris, expecting the animated series’ forecast of a female president might apply to her. However, as results rolled in, it was clear that Harris would not be taking the White House, marking a rare miss for The Simpsons in its record of supposed predictions.
The supposed Harris prediction traces back to the episode “Bart to the Future” from 2000, where Lisa Simpson becomes the President of the United States in the year 2030. As President, Lisa alludes to a previous administration by referencing a “budget crunch from President Trump.” This joke, made well before Trump entered politics, gained a reputation as one of the show’s eeriest predictions after his actual presidency in 2016. However, fans took the episode further, associating Lisa’s purple pantsuit with Harris’ own outfit at Joe Biden's 2021 inauguration and speculating this episode foreshadowed a Harris presidency.
When Biden exited the 2024 race, making Harris the Democratic nominee, excitement grew among viewers who believed The Simpsons had indeed predicted her presidential victory. But by early morning on November 6, 2024, Harris had not secured the votes needed, and the fan theory faltered. Even beyond the purple pantsuit, details didn’t align; Lisa, for example, mentions inheriting issues from “President Trump,” which wouldn’t fit Harris’ potential succession from Biden.
Though The Simpsons has surprised viewers with predictions before, this election season shows the limits of looking to a cartoon for political prophecies. While the Lisa-Harris theory missed the mark, fans continue to analyze the show’s satirical moments and quirky “predictions,” leaving room for speculation on what future events it might still foresee—if any at all.
ALSO READ: Why Comedian Ricky Gervais Struggled to Write The Simpsons Episodes
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