People are saying The Simpsons predicted 'bed bug plague' 10 years ago

17 October 2023 , 14:33

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People think The Simpsons predicted the current bed bug crisis (Image: The Simpsons/Youtube)

Cartoon series The Simpsons, which celebrated its 36th birthday this year, is responsible for some of the most iconic comedy moments in TV history. It has created more memes than any other show and coined enough quotable catchphrases to last a lifetime. It has also eerily predicted several life-changing events.

From Donald Trump's shock presidency to the 9/11 tragedy, there was also Millhouse correctly predicting Finnish economist Bengt R Holmstrom winning the Nobel Prize in Economics, which he did six years later. In 1995, Lisa’s future husband Hugh, was seen wearing a ‘smartwatch’, which realistically didn’t come onto the market until 2014.

It also appeared to predict billionaire Richard Branson going into space, the deadly pro-Trump riots at Capitol Hill on 6 January 2021, and the Japanese Prime Minister eating a fish caught from an area containing radioactive wastewater to prove it was safe.

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However, one of the most sinister predictions was the Titan submarine that went to visit the wreckage of the Titanic. The world was left shocked when the five passengers on board the tourist submarine died after it imploded.

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And once again, people think the seminal animated series has predicted yet another news-worthy crisis: bed bugs. As the six-legged critters continue to take over France, the UK, and the US, fans of the show believe we were actually forewarned many years ago.

Taking to TikTok to share their theory, user @curioususer3 captioned their video showing part of episode 18, season 24: “Bed Bugs Have Been Seen Crawling All Over Public Spaces In Paris As France Battles An Epidemic Of Insects.”

In the show, titled Pulpit Friction, the family gets a new couch after they crash land into their old one during the opening sequence. Unfortunately, it is covered with bed bugs and it isn’t long before all of Springfield is overrun by the pests. During the episode, Reverend Lovejoy is demoted and a new reverend named Elijah Hooper, voiced by Edward Norton, takes over. Bart ends up getting rid of the bed bugs by introducing a plague of frogs upon the town and eating them.

While the answer to getting rid of the pests via a horde of frogs hasn’t yet been explored, many people rushed to comment on the post. One person wrote in appreciation: “When will you learn they don't predict they control.” Another person enthused: “I think I believe in a time traveller this is crazy!” And someone else added: “Wow not again.”

Eve Wagstaff