Question

“The Simpsons” predicted Pope Francis’ 2025 death.

Answer 1

The claim that The Simpsons predicted Pope Francis' death in 2025 is entirely false. This rumor originated from a satirical TikTok video that used AI-generated imagery to fabricate a scene mimicking the show's animation style, depicting a coffin in St. Peter’s Basilica and news anchor Kent Brockman announcing the pope's death. However, no such episode exists, and the video was not created by the show's producers. Fact-checking organizations, including PolitiFact and Snopes, have confirmed that the video is not from the show and was created using artificial intelligence tools. While The Simpsons has featured a character referred to as "the pope" in past episodes, none have specified Pope Francis by name or predicted his death in 2025. The only mention of a pope's death occurred in Season 31, Episode 1, which aired in 2019, where a brief news report states that "the pope has died," without naming the pope or providing details about the date or cause of death. This incident underscores the growing prevalence of AI-generated misinformation on social media platforms.

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/apr/22/tiktok-posts/simpsons-didnt-predict-pope-francis-would-die-2025/ 

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-simpsons-pope-francis/ 

Comments

this was well insightful, and put together for someone who really wants to read into this. The detail on this answer is astounding, and well thought out. Very nice. And, the URL is easy to use.

Answer 2

The claim that "The Simpsons predicted Pope Francis' death of 2025" is false. It originated on a TikTok AI-generated video that was circling different platforms.  These videos feature inconsistencies, such as distorted text and robotic narration, which indicate they were artificially created rather than actual clips from the show. While The Simpsons has made vague references to a pope dying in past episodes, none specifically mention Pope Francis or the year 2025

PolitiFact | No, ‘The Simpsons’ didn’t predict Pope Francis would die in 2025

Fact Check: Did 'The Simpsons' really predict Pope Francis' death? - MEAWW News

Comments

Great catch on the ai generated video! I like how you pointed out the signs of it being fake, like the robotic narration and distorted text. you could make your post even stronger by adding a link to an official list or data base of Simpsons episodes to show that none of them mention Pope Francis or the year 2025.

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great fact check I love how you mentioned it was ai generated because that was the first thing I acknowledged when I watched the video and also mentioning this debunking it immediately cause ai has validity. with clips not even from the show on the TikTok video.

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Thank you for the fact check around this topic! It really seemed real to me in the beginning. The sources you used are credible and provide the necessary information to prove this claim is false. It would help to maybe include the specific episode that the AI generated TikTok was based off of for reference.

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I appreciate the call-out of the AI video, especially since it came from TikTok, which is unfortunately where a lot of people get news these days. I also like the nugget about how the Simpsons has referenced a pope dying in the past as to not make the original poster feel attacked

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This answer is clear and well-supported. It accurately highlights the origin of the false claim and explains the signs of video manipulation. Citing credible sources like PolitiFact and MEAWW News strengthens its reliability.

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This is great commentary on this claim. I like how u dissected the video and recognized the use of AI and its complications in media distribution, which is a very prominent issue and will only continue to expand.

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I totally agree that pointing out the AI-generated nature of the video is key, especially with the robotic narration and distorted text. It’s great that you mentioned how AI clips are mixed in with real show content, which makes it appear more convincing than it actually is.

I also love your idea of including a link to an official list or database of Simpsons episodes to further back up the claim that there’s no mention of Pope Francis or 2025. That could definitely strengthen the argument and provide extra transparency. I appreciate you highlighting the credibility of the sources, and I’m glad the fact check was helpful! AI videos are becoming more convincing, so it's good to debunk them early on.

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Your factcheck is really well-supported and accurate. The claim that The Simpsons predicted Pope Francis’s death in 2025 is clearly false and stems from AI-generated TikTok content, not actual episodes of the show. The factcheck appropriately cites reliable sources like PolitiFact and MEAWW, both of which debunk the claim and point out hallmarks of fabrication such as distorted visuals and robotic voiceovers. It also responsibly acknowledges that while the show has made generic references to popes, none are specific to Francis or 2025, strengthening the case for this being exaggerated misinformation.

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Interesting breakdown, but I think it would help to go deeper into why people keep believing these kinds of AI-generated "Simpsons predictions." Maybe it's not just because of the show's reputation, but also because AI clips look real enough to trick casual viewers. You mention "distorted text and robotic narration" — maybe explain how these signs can be spotted more clearly, especially for people who might not be familiar with AI-generated content. That would make your factcheck even more useful.

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Great catch on pointing out the AI-generated nature of the video. It's crucial to highlight signs of manipulation, such as the robotic narration and distorted text, as these features are key indicators of artificial content. Many viewers may not recognize these signs, especially as AI technology becomes more advanced and its output more convincing. It’s also helpful that you mentioned how the TikTok video mixed clips that weren’t from the show, making the claim appear more authentic than it truly was. Including a link to an official list or database of *The Simpsons* episodes would strengthen the post even further by showing that no episode specifically mentions Pope Francis or the year 2025.

I agree with the feedback about diving deeper into why AI-generated "Simpsons predictions" continue to deceive people. While the show’s reputation for making outlandish predictions contributes to the belief, AI clips are getting so realistic that they can easily fool casual viewers. Explaining how to spot AI content—such as by identifying robotic voices or distorted text—could make the factcheck even more accessible for those unfamiliar with these technologies. Overall, your factcheck is solid, and the credible sources you referenced, like PolitiFact, provide strong evidence to debunk the claim.

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Amazingly, I also utilized and informed my audience about the AI-generated tomfoolery that was occurring. Thank you for such a clear and informative response, past just the AI-generated scandals. Including the link to the original episode where it was sourced from was also an amazing way to back your credibility. Nice response.

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I think your factcheck is very well written and your sources are very clear and helpful. I also think that it is important to point out that it was AI and how to tell how things are written by AI with the specific text and narration.

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Your factcheck is thorough and efficient in answering any speculation behind the truth of if the SImpsons correctly predicting Pope Francis' death in 2025. The Simpsons has history in predicting future events when the episodes release. However,  your sources prove efficiently how the show has never specified Pope Francis' name or the year 2025. If the quote in the article merely said that the Simpsons accurately predicted the death of a pope, then the statement would be true. Also, the sources you use are credible.

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Nice job explaining how AI videos can twist the truth, especially with confusing or fake audio and visuals. I think it would be even better if you added how people often take jokes from The Simpsons and turn them into fake predictions. That kind of media tip could help others avoid falling for stuff like this. piece would prevent viewers from being duped by such arguments in the future.

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I liked how you mentioned the AI generated aspect of the video. This is a very important detail that helps debunk the original claim that was being made. I like how you went into detail about how the AI generated video has signs that it IS clearly edited, from the way the voices of the character sound, to they mis-spelled text in the video. I would like it if you further explained how AI editing generally works in a broader approach but other than that, you did an amazing job of debunking this claim!

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I agree with your perspective 100%, reminding viewers that AI is an important component especially when it comes to them short videos online that spread like crazy. Many people often believe that what they see online is in fact true, but a lot of the stuff we see online is AI manipulated, and it is really important to bring awareness to the dangers of AI editing. Great job!

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Your fact check is very well put together and pushes your argument across in an intelligent way. The sources provided were also very helpful.

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This was a well-put, simple, and easy way to fact-check this claim. You didn't add too much, but you added just enough evidence, including the URL. Very nice.

Answer 3

There’s a claim going around that The Simpsons predicted Pope Francis would die in 2025, but that’s not true. The rumor started on TikTok, where a user named @edriansalas0 posted a video claiming the show made this prediction. But if you look into the account, it mostly shares dramatic or fake content and isn’t connected to The Simpsons or any real news source. Reputable fact-checkers like PolitiFact and Snopes both say the video isn’t from an actual episode—it was made using AI to look like the show. These kinds of fake videos have been popping up more on social media lately, and they’re easy to fall for if you don’t double-check. So no, The Simpsons didn’t predict the Pope’s death, and the original source of this idea seems to be those AI-edited TikTok clips trying to pass off fiction as fact.

Sources:

TikTok video: https://www.tiktok.com/@edriansalas0/video/7495690307334360338

PolitiFact: https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/apr/22/tiktok-posts/simpsons-didnt-predict-pope-francis-would-die-2025/

Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-simpsons-pope-francis/

Yahoo News: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/articles/fact-check-simpsons-did-not-183200436.html

Comments

Nice job referencing the actual post that started this rumor.  I like that you pointed out that this content is fake and AI generated and then backed up your claims with reliable sources.

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Your amount of sources, including the original video being discussed in this claim, strengthens your assertion that it is false. Looking into the account and finding that they often post dramatic AI-generated content also strengthens your response as it diminishes the credibility of said account.

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Your response is very well-crafted and thoughtful. The amount of sources used strengthens your commentary, along with including the original video that surfaced around the internet.

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Your response is really good! You do a great job providing extensive sources especially even looking into the account to show how they often post false fabricated information.

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I really appreciate that you referenced the actual post that began the rumor and attached it for others to see. I also like that you looked further into the page that posted it to see that they post other false information. Overall I think your response is very thoughtful and helpful!

Answer 4

The claim that the Simpsons predicted the death of Pope Francis is false as the claim was created by an AI video on TikTok. After looking further into the source PolitiFact states that the 2019 episode did not mention any specific details regarding the name of the pope, the year in which it happened, or the cause of death. The TikTok video was highly exaggerated and did not mention any of these points. The article states that the media has created many false claims about the Simpsons predicted major world events. The account that posted the video makes a random assortment of content with many of them being videos of drawings. This was a video to get more engagement and state a claim that would get people talking in the comments.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-simpsons-pope-francis/

https://api.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/apr/22/tiktok-posts/simpsons-didnt-predict-pope-francis-would-die-2025/

Comments

Great job referencing the original post that sparked the rumor about *The Simpsons* predicting Pope Francis' death. You did an excellent job pointing out that the content is AI-generated and supported your claims with reliable sources. By looking into the account behind the video and highlighting its history of posting fabricated content, you effectively diminished the credibility of the source. The extensive use of credible sources strengthens your response and makes your factcheck even more convincing.

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I really appreciate how you used the original video to point out the inconsistencies in this claim. The steps you took to identify both the AI and clipped aspect of that video, as well as the motivation behind it did more than just debunk, but fully dove into the reasoning and motive.

Answer 5

The claim of the Simpson predicting Pop[e Francis’ death in 2025 is false. The video is an AI generated video with no evidence that it was any sort of prediction. Even if the Simpson did predict the Pope’s death, there is no sort of evidence from the creators of the Simpson that it is a prediction especially because the Simpson is just a cartoon show with their main goal is to entertain the audience with their dark humor jokes.

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/apr/22/tiktok-posts/simpsons-didnt-predict-pope-francis-would-die-2025/

Comments

I’d suggest digging a bit deeper than just stating the presence of AI—one reason people believe these kinds of predictions is because The Simpsons have made many eerie real-world parallels in the past, like the Trump presidency. You might strengthen your argument by referencing a few verified examples of these “predictions” and showing how they differ from the Pope example (e.g., satire vs. manipulated media). Also, the phrase “even if they did predict it” could be misread as leaving room for doubt. Since the Politifact article confirms it was generated with no basis in any actual episode, maybe just stick to the clear-cut debunk: no episode, no prediction. Overall good factcheck, just more to elaborate on and some things to simplify

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Good catch on the video being AI-generated, but I would touch more on why you know the video is AI. I'd also check the grammar of your claim before you post it. Other than that, your fact-check was well done, good job!

Answer 6

The viral TikTok falsely claims that The Simpsons predicted Pope Francis’ death in a "little-known" episode showing a coffin at the Vatican and reporting his death at 11:11 from bronchitis. However, this claim is fake and the video is AI-generated and not from a real episode. While The Simpsons did depict a pope’s death once in 2019, it didn’t specify a name, date, or cause. Similar false claims have been made about the show predicting other major events, but many of them stem from satire or AI, not actual episodes.

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/apr/22/tiktok-posts/simpsons-didnt-predict-pope-francis-would-die-2025/

Comments

I like you response, I think you did a good job of including the time stamp and of course it being AI generated. Yes they did have a scene where the pope died but does not make it true like you said.

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I appreciate your elaborate, yet concise response. As AI gets more advanced, we must continue to identify what is real and what is fake. It is getting scary how accurate AI is becoming. Nonetheless, you could have perhaps given a little more insight to what other times the show has portrayed events like this, as it could give your more credibility to your claim. Otherwise, really quality of a response!

Answer 7

This claim is false. Many consumers of media fall victim to AI generated videos and content that circles around the internet. The clip of "The Simpsons" that resurfaced was an AI generated video, in which many people believe. These episodes do not specifically address the Pope, and do not have direct correlations to his death, making it also purely based on assumptions. 

https://news.meaww.com/fact-check-did-the-simpsons-really-predict-pope-francis-death 

Answer 8

The claim that The Simpsons predicted Pope Francis’ death in 2025 is completely false. This rumor started from an AI-generated TikTok video that is not based on any real episode of the show. The video shows clear signs of being fake, such as distorted text, a very robotic voiceover, and an animation that doesn’t match The Simpsons’ actual style in the show. While the show has made general jokes about popes in the past, there is no mention of Pope Francis or the year 2025 in any episode.

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/apr/22/tiktok-posts/simpsons-didnt-predict-pope-francis-would-die-2025/

Comments

This is a great example of how easily AI-generated content can spread misinformation, especially when it's made to look like a trusted source like The Simpsons. It's important to check facts before sharing viral claims—tools like PolitiFact and Snopes are essential for sorting truth from fiction. Thanks for breaking this down clearly.

Answer 9

This claim is completly false. With this video surfacing on Tik-Tok and being Ai generated there is no way that the Simpsons could have predicted his death. The time stamp on the video was 11:11 and was pronounced dead at 7:35am local time. There is no specific name mentioned of a pope. With this the Simpsons is a show and could have never predicted the popes death in the future it is unrealistic.

'The Simpsons' did not predict date of Pope Francis' death | Snopes.com

Answer 10

The claim that the tv show "The Simpsons" predicted Pope Francis' death this year is not true. The only supporting evidence is a minute long Tik Tok video, posted by a user who has just over 1000 followers. It is a conspiracy theory that is not backed up with hard evidence and the source given is unreliable. The voice over and edits made in the video suggest that this information could have came from anywhere or could have been entirely made up.

According to the website "POLITIFACT", the video had been found to be AI generated. It's showed in the Tik Tok of what's supposed to be the Simpson's, is not actually the same cartoon style as the original show. There are mis-spellings and overall information in the Tik Tok that does not align with the original tv show.

https://api.politifact.com/factchecks/2025/apr/22/tiktok-posts/simpsons-didnt-predict-pope-francis-would-die-2025/

Comments

Your response is helpful because it clearly debunks the claim with verified sources, explains the origin of the misinformation (an AI-generated video), and distinguishes between real Simpsons content and fabricated material. It also emphasizes the importance of checking the credibility of viral content, especially when it involves sensitive subjects like a public figure’s death.