Vice President Kamala Harris shocked those who were in attendance at the San Diego Comic-Con presentation for The Simpsons in Ballroom 20 this afternoon, appearing in a pre-recorded video message to those on hand to celebrate the long-running animated sitcom. Harris is, of course, the Democratic hopeful who will face off against Republican choice – and convicted felon – Donald Trump, come November in what is already shaping up to be a heated race for the White House, following the news that President Joe Biden would not be seeking re-election.
Simpsons creator Matt Groening was on hand to discuss the series (via Deadline), and the upcoming 35th Treehouse of Horror Halloween episode which will feature a parody of Venom (aptly titled Denim), in what is being described as an exploration of “Homer’s deep relationship with a simple symbiotic pair of jeans.” It was then that Groening introduced the final clip of the afternoon, which was from what he called a “super fan.”
Fans were shocked when the VP came on screen, erupting in glorious applause at the sight of their possible future president. “We must move forward, not backward; upward, not forward; and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom,” Harris said, quoting a line from Treehouse of Horror VII which aired back in 1996 just ahead of the election between Bob Dole and Bill Clinton, which Clinton ultimately won. This gained even more applause from the raucous crowd, who left the panel with smiles on their faces.
Joke’s on Them. It Was an Old Clip
What many in attendance might not have realized this afternoon is this: the pre-recorded message from Harris was actually recorded in 2013 by a group of students at the University of Chicago who were given the assignment to have an elected official speak a line from The Simpsons. The clip resurfaced online recently following the news that Biden would be throwing his support behind his VP in her quest for the presidency, and apparently Groening thought it would be a good idea to show the clip given that Harris is a self-professed fan of the show.
It’s just another connection that Harris has to The Simpsons, as fans have been pointing out that the series could have predicted her White House win come November. A photo showing Lisa Simpson from the episode ‘Bart to the Future’ which aired back in 2000 eerily resembles a recent picture of Harris from 2021, with both wearing purple suits, pearl necklaces, and matching pearl earrings. Simpsons mainstay Al Jean, a former writer and showrunner on the series, said that if true, it’s a “prediction” he’s proud to be a part of.
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Whether old or new, Simpsons fans were obviously pleased to see Harris on screen this afternoon at SDCC, and have much more to celebrate in regard to the show, as it was also revealed during the con that a new wave of toys and collectibles from JAKKS Pacific and Disguise will soon be available to pre-order for a fall release. In the immortal words of Bart Simpson, “¡Ay, caramba!”
The Simpsons
is available to stream on Hulu.