Fact Check: About the Rumor 'The Simpsons' Creator Matt Groening Is a Former CIA Agent

Claim:

Matt Groening, the creator of "The Simpsons," is a former CIA agent.

Rating:

Rumors have long swirled around Matt Groening, the creator of "The Simpsons," suggesting he's a time traveler. Now, social media users are circulating the claim that the cartoonist and writer is also a former CIA operative.

In April 2024, a rumor alleging that Groening has ties to the CIA began to spread on social media platforms, particularly X. For example, users such as @QFs_Global have perpetuated the claim in their tweets, in that case receiving 3.7 million views, at the time of writing.

On April 30, 2024, the X account @BGatesIsaPyscho shared a clip along with the post, "Did you know Matt Groening who created The Simpsons is allegedly a Former CIA Agent? This probably explains how The Simpsons managed to prophetize so accurately future events from decades ago."

Although the origins of the rumor that Groening was a CIA agent remain unclear, and no specific website or outlet definitively originated the rumor, it appears to be a hoax that started from social media platforms. There is no credible evidence to support this claim, and it is nothing more than unfounded speculation.

Groening's background, education and career trajectory have been extensively documented, with no indication of involvement in clandestine activities or intelligence operations.

"The Simpsons" is not only the longest-running animated series on television, it's also the longest-running sitcom, having first graced our screens in 1989. The series has frequently been cited by conspiracy theorists as a prime example of predictive programming, purportedly due to its satirical portrayal of contemporary issues and apparent ability to seemingly predict real-world occurrences.

Predictive programming is a theory suggesting that elements within various forms of media, like TV shows, movies and music, contain hidden messages or symbols that anticipate future events or societal shifts. Advocates of this theory propose that these messages are intentionally inserted by influential entities, such as governmental agencies or clandestine organizations, to precondition the public's awareness and acceptance of forthcoming developments.

Episodes of "The Simpsons" that coincided with significant cultural and political events, such as Donald Trump's presidency or the COVID-19 pandemic, sparked speculation about hidden motives or insider knowledge among the show's creators. However, media watchers and online commentators argue that these apparent predictions are more likely coincidental, satirical, or reflective of general cultural commentary rather than deliberate attempts at prophecy.

While discussions of predictive programming often implicate the CIA and other intelligence agencies, alleging their involvement in shaping public perception through popular media, concrete evidence of systematic predictive programming by such entities remains elusive.

Although "The Simpsons" has occasionally depicted real-life events or phenomena with uncanny accuracy, such instances are primarily coincidental or the result of astute observation and commentary on societal trends, as well as the fact that there have been more than 760 episodes since the series first began airing in the late '80s. The show's writers have acknowledged that any perceived predictions are usually a reflection of exaggerated satire rather than genuine clairvoyance.

Al Jean, a longtime writer and executive producer for "The Simpsons," told NME in 2021 of the show's apparent knack at predicting future events, "One of our writers, the guy whose episode predicted Donald Trump as president, said it best: 'If you write 700 episodes, and you don't predict anything, then you're pretty bad. If you throw enough darts, you're going to get some bullseyes.'"

The claim that Groening is a former CIA operative remains unfounded. This rumor likely originated on social media platforms and lacks credible evidence to substantiate it.

Snopes has previously written about "The Simpsons," including predictions that turned out to be internet hoaxes, and whether the animated series accurately predicted the censorship of Michelangelo's "David."

Sources:

"17 Times The Simpsons Accurately Predicted the Future." TIME, 9 Mar. 2017, https://time.com/4667462/simpsons-predictions-donald-trump-lady-gaga/.

Gault, Matthew. "The Only Thing 'The Simpsons' Predicted Is Our Stupidity." Vice, 19 Aug. 2020, https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7gjeb/the-only-thing-the-simpsons-predicted-is-our-stupidity.

"Https://Twitter.Com/AB54281675/Status/1785020837999075573." X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/AB54281675/status/1785020837999075573. Accessed 2 May 2024.

"Https://Twitter.Com/Abarnes014/Status/1784740731950624943." X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/abarnes014/status/1784740731950624943. Accessed 2 May 2024.

"Https://Twitter.Com/BGatesIsaPyscho/Status/1785263816512512377." X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/BGatesIsaPyscho/status/1785263816512512377. Accessed 2 May 2024.

"Https://Twitter.Com/ChronicRealityy/Status/1784752086904717727." X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/ChronicRealityy/status/1784752086904717727. Accessed 2 May 2024.

"Https://Twitter.Com/QFs_Global/Status/1784493878483304554." X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/QFs_Global/status/1784493878483304554. Accessed 2 May 2024.

"List of Longest-Running Animated TV Shows in America." IMDb, http://www.imdb.com/list/ls039957188/. Accessed 2 May 2024.

Lloyd, Brian. "How Do The Simpsons Predict so Much? Matt Groening's a Freemason, According to One Conspiracy Theory." Entertainment.Ie, 10 Mar. 2018, https://entertainment.ie/tv/tv-news/how-do-the-simpsons-predict-so-much-matt-groenings-a-freemason-according-to-one-conspiracy-theory-202863/.

Matt Groening | The Evergreen State College. 1 May 2012, https://www.evergreen.edu/faces-evergreen/matt-groening.

Matt Groening's Connection with Jeffrey Epstein | The MacFarlaneverse. https://macfarlaneverse.boards.net/thread/1559/matt-groenings-connection-jeffrey-epstein. Accessed 2 May 2024.

McCormick, Colin, and Gabriela Silva. "The 20 Longest-Running TV Sitcoms, Ranked By Duration." ScreenRant, 19 Nov. 2020, https://screenrant.com/longest-running-tv-sitcoms-duration-ranked/.

McMahon, James. "'The Simpsons' Showrunner on Uncanny Predictions: 'The 9/11 One Was Bizarre.'" NME, 16 Nov. 2021, https://www.nme.com/news/the-simpsons-al-jean-predictions-911-3096871.

(NEED TO KNOW) RESTORED REPUBLIC VIA A GCR: UPDATE AS OF TUESDAY 30 APRIL 2024 (THE UN-REDACTED VERSION). https://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=239757. Accessed 2 May 2024.

Predictive Programming | The Psychology of Extraordinary Beliefs. https://u.osu.edu/vanzandt/2018/04/18/predictive-programming/. Accessed 2 May 2024.

"Predictive Programming Films." IMDb, http://www.imdb.com/list/ls514033924/. Accessed 2 May 2024.

Shore, Matt. "Predictions from 'The Simpsons' Can Actually Be Explained." Collider, 4 Feb. 2023, https://collider.com/the-simpsons-predictions-explained/.

The Pat McAfee Show. Pat McAfee Talks About How Matt Groening Is A Time Traveler. 2017. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og6z3X3MdJw.

"The Simpsons Episodes Are Not Evidence of 'Predictive Programing.'" Reuters, 16 Aug. 2021. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N2PN1VW/.