‘The Simpsons‘ writer Josh Weinstein has pointed out that the show may have predicted the rogue squirrel that appeared at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
The squirrel narrowly avoided death during Austrian snowboarder Daniela Ulbing‘s parallel giant slalom heat.
The squirrel appeared on the course as the athlete was hurtling around a bend, and missed her board by a fraction of a second.
Squirrel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Alive!!!!!!!!! #PeyongChang2018 #PyeongChang2018 #snowboard #Olympics #Olympics2018 pic.twitter.com/bCER0fGajd
— Yongwon Lee (@Ingyowon411) February 24, 2018
Close up look of the squirrel. pic.twitter.com/y5T07mlhAt
— Carlos (@_sweet_bread) February 24, 2018
‘The Simpsons’ writer Josh Weinstein jokingly tweeed that ‘Simpsons predicted it’, posting an image of the squirrel, and a still from the show’s ‘Mountain of Madness’ episode.
The episode is from the eighth season of the show, where Homer gets trapped in a cabin with Mr Burns during an avalanche, on a team-building exercise in the mountains.
The episode first aired on 2 February, 1997.
Simpsons predicted it pic.twitter.com/pSMb4FVP3p
— Josh Weinstein (@Joshstrangehill) February 24, 2018
Of course, Twitter was quick to point out that the episode has nothing to do with the Olympics, but that doesn’t escape the fact that ‘The Simpsons’ has predicted an awful lot in the past.
Predictions include rigged voting machines, smartphone autocorrects and Donald Trump becoming president.
That episode of Simpsons is nothing do with the Olympics.
— Tom (@TomBLock91) February 25, 2018
In fact, a 2010 episode also predicted the USA curling team’s recent triumph against Sweden in the curling finals.
In the ‘Boy Meets Curl’ episode, which aired on 14 February, 2010, Marge and Homer end up competing in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, taking home the gold.
Writer Rob LaZebnik tweeted: ‘Congrats to @USACurling2018 on their gold! Not the first time the US beat Sweden, though. Marge and Homer did it eight years ago.’
Congrats to @USACurling2018 on their gold! Not the first time the US beat Sweden, though. Marge and Homer did it eight years ago.https://t.co/HLAHXDBhgh
— Rob LaZebnik (@Rlazebnik) February 24, 2018
Meanwhile, the show’s animator, David Silverman, recently shared loads of sketches from a 1995 writer’s retreat for the show.
Amongst the sketches are the very first illustrations of bit-part character (and fan favourite) Frank Grimes, the initial ideas board for ‘The Simpsons Spin-Off Showcase’, and some early sketches for ‘Lisa The Simpson’.
The show’s creators were unimpressed with Ted Cruz’s claims that the whole family – aprt from Lisa – would vote Republican.