Fans Think The Simpsons Predicted Tom Hanks Getting Coronavirus
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread across the globe, countries around the world are taking extreme precautionary measures to avoid further infections. Bit by bit, the unthinkable is slowly happening: Tourist-heavy countries in Europe are heading into quarantine — meaning millions of people won't be allowed to leave their homes except for basic necessities.
On this side of the pond, it looks like certain restrictions are coming into play, too. The NBA has been suspended until further notice, Coachella was postponed, and ordinary people and celebs alike are going to extreme measures to isolate themselves from the rest of the population. One of Hollywood's greats who hasn't managed to avoid this virus? Tom Hanks.
On March 11, Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, announced to the world that they tested positive for COVID-19. In an Instagram statement, the Forrest Gump actor revealed, "Hello, folks. @ritawilson and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too." If the above doesn't break your heart, Hanks later finishes his news off with, "Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?" Considering practically everyone loves Hanks, Twitter ran amok with fans of the actor expressing concern.
Another thing that people noticed? A creepy prediction by a beloved TV show. Let's find out why fans think The Simpsons predicted Hanks getting the coronavirus.
The Simpsons Movie seemingly foreshadowed Tom Hanks' quarantine
After news broke that Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson contracted the coronavirus, celebs everywhere decided to show their support through social media. While many stood by Hanks and Wilson, other fans were quick to point out an eerie prediction: The Simpsons may have seen this coming.
The Simpsons hit the big screen for the first time in 2007 with The Simpsons Movie with many cameos from A-listers — including the Cast Away star. The aughts flick has gone viral yet again after Twitter users began posting Hanks' cameo in the movie, where he utters the line: "This is Tom Hanks saying if you see me in person, please, leave me be." While the connection may seem like a bit of a stretch, fans are convinced. "The Simpsons also nailed the prediction of Tom Hanks being quarantined," one user wrote. "OMG YALL THE CORONAVIRUS WAS ON SIMPSONS AND THEY KNEW TOM HANKS WOULD GET IT. WTF," exclaimed another.
The Simpsons also nailed the prediction of Tom Hanks being quarantined. 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/hwBYJlqZej
— GFL#13 (@GFL_13) March 12, 2020
If the Hanks prediction isn't enough to satisfy your affinity for the bizarre, what if we told you there's buzz that the coronavirus itself may have been foreshadowed by the series back in '93? Per the Independent, a Season 4 episode of the long-running cartoon showed "a visibly infected Japanese factory worker coughing into a package, which is then sent to the United States." While the package didn't originate from China (where COVID-19 is from), it hasn't stopped fans from trying to make a connection.
It's not the first time The Simpsons eerily predicted something
While predicting Tom Hanks' quarantine and the coronavirus itself may seem shocking, it's actually not the first time The Simpsons was right about a future occurrence. According to The Sun, the cartoon predicted Donald Trump's presidency back in 2000 in an episode called "Bart to the Future." As Simpsons writer Al Jean told BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat, "With the Trump one in 2000 we were looking for a funny celebrity who would be president."
Other spooky predictions? Per The Sun, a 1997 episode "showed Marge reading sick Bart a book called Curious George and the Ebola Virus," and during a news segment in the show in 2013, a "headline flashed up on screen that read: 'Europe puts Greece on eBay.' The satirical joke implies that Europe would have to raise enough to fund the bail out."
So, how is it that the writers of The Simpsons seem to have their own crystal ball? "If you make enough predictions then 10% will turn out to be right," suggested Jean to BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat. "We are sort of futurologists in that we write 10 months ahead, so we're trying to guess what is going to happen," chimed in a fellow writer, Stephanie Gillis.
How is Tom Hanks doing now?
While it's easy to get carried away with predictions and conspiracies surrounding the coronavirus, the focus should be on how those diagnosed are doing. According to the World Health Organization, "Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others."
So, how are Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson recovering? Finally posting an update from his original March 11 announcement, Hanks shared a photo of himself and Wilson smiling from their self-containment with the caption, "Hello folks. @ritawilson and I want to thank everyone here Down Under who are taking such good care of us ... We are taking it one-day-at-a-time. There are things we can all do to get through this by following the advice of experts and taking care of ourselves and each other, no? Remember, despite all the current events, there is no crying in baseball."
Hanks' son, Chet, also gave an update regarding his family's well-being. Taking to Instagram, Tom's son shared the following about his parents: "They both are fine, they're not even that sick. They're not worried about it, they're not trippin' but they're going through the necessary health precautions, obviously." We're all wishing both Hanks and Wilson a speedy recovery.