Simpsons fans convinced 25-year-old episode predicted the Epstein files
A 25-year-old episode of The Simpsons is back in the spotlight—and fans think it “predicted” the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Social media has erupted after viewers resurfaced a 2000 episode titled The Computer Wore Menace Shoes, claiming its plot bears unsettling similarities to the real-life case involving Epstein’s private island.
In the episode, Homer Simpson launches a gossip website under the alias “Mr. X.” When he runs out of real scoops, he starts making things up—until one fabricated story accidentally turns out to be true. Homer is then kidnapped and taken to a mysterious island where powerful figures allegedly control global events from behind the scenes. At one point, the island’s authority figures warn that no one leaves.
After escaping, Homer publishes a final blog post claiming that “creeps on an island somewhere are secretly running the world.”
In the wake of newly released Epstein-related documents, some fans are drawing parallels between the fictional island in the episode and Epstein’s private Caribbean properties, Little Saint James and Great Saint James. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, was accused of operating a sex trafficking ring involving underage girls. He died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.
Online reactions have ranged from amused disbelief to full-blown conspiracy speculation. Some users have pointed to the show’s long-running reputation for appearing to “predict” major world events, from Donald Trump’s presidency to technological innovations.
The renewed attention has also brought up the fact that Simpsons creator Matt Groening was named in previously unsealed court documents related to Epstein. In those documents, Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre claimed she gave Groening a foot massage on Epstein’s private jet when she was 16. She did not accuse Groening of any sexual misconduct.
There is no evidence that the 2000 episode was based on knowledge of Epstein’s activities, and the storyline was written as a satire of conspiracy culture and the 1960s television series The Prisoner.
Still, for fans who believe The Simpsons has an uncanny knack for mirroring future headlines, the island plotline is the latest example fueling internet fascination.
