Did The Simpsons predict Charlie Kirk's assassination? Here's the truth behind viral claims

Viral claims that The Simpsons predicted Charlie Kirk’s shooting are false; AI-edited images spreading this misinformation misrepresent the show’s history.

'The Simpsons' is well known for "predicting" many well-known moments in the history of the United States. But that reputation also comes with unwanted consequences. Often, things are misconstrued as having been predicted by 'The Simpsons,' and they go viral, even if the ‘prediction’ never happened.

Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University before he was shot (L) and the Ai generated image of the image as a The Simpson character going viral (R). (File Photo and X)

The fatal shooting of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk by 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson, with campus full of people at Utah Valley University watching, was undoubtedly one of the biggest events in the US in recent times. But despite viral posts claiming that ‘The Simpsons’ predicted Kirk's death, it is not real.

Over the last week, a photo of the moment Charlie Kirk was shot dead while speaking at a Turning Point USA event at UVU was rendered into a The Simpsons character using AI and was spread with the misleading claim the series had predicted it.

"The Simpsons aired his assassination years ago - How would they know??" the viral post with the image says. "They're taking the piss. The World's a State and they're all Actors."

However, as a community note on X about the image noted: "The image on the left, done in the Simpsons style, has multiple characters in the background that are missing facial features, a common issue with AI-generated images."

Here's the photo and the community note:

Meanwhile, another viral post now claims that The Simpsons was about the air an episode on Charlie Kirk's death, but it has gone unreleased because the death actually happened. However, much like the previous posts, this one is also false.

Here's the post:

The Simpsons and Predictions

The Simpsons has eerily mirrored real events over the years. In 1996, it predicted Cypress Hill performing with the London Symphony Orchestra in 2024. Lisa Simpson’s 2000 outfit resembled Kamala Harris’ 2021 inauguration look.

Lady Gaga’s 2017 Super Bowl stunt echoed a stadium descent in the show. Even the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and “murder hornets” reflected a 1993 episode featuring the “Osaka Flu” and killer bees.