This news has sent the online community into a frenzy. On the evening of July 17, during Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres concert in Boston, a couple was caught on the “kiss cam” displayed on the big screen, embracing affectionately amidst a sea of fans. Instead of kissing like other couples, they hurriedly covered their faces and tried to blend into the crowd. Within hours, netizens uncovered their identities: the man was Andy Byron, CEO of tech company Astronomer, and the woman was Kristin Cabot, the company’s HR Director. The shocking revelation that both were married sparked widespread outrage online.

The couple was exposed not only to the tens of thousands of concertgoers but also to countless netizens worldwide. Within a week, a global trend of “dodging the cam” emerged, with people playfully avoiding cameras at outdoor events. As the buzz began to fade, a bombshell dropped: was this “caught in the act” moment predicted 9 years ago? The claim stemmed from netizens revisiting episode 10 of season 26 of the hit series The Simpsons, aired on January 4, 2015.

In the episode titled The Man Who Came To Be Dinner, a scene allegedly showed a couple caught on a kiss cam during a performance, bearing a striking resemblance to Byron and Cabot—down to their clothing and jewelry. Many fans believed The Simpsons had once again eerily predicted a future event. However, diehard fans of the show debunked the claim, stating no such scene exists in the episode. Reputable outlets like WION and Marca confirmed the viral animated image was AI-generated and not part of any official Simpsons episode. Al Jean, head of the show’s production team, also clarified: “We make satirical films, not prophecies. Any similarities are purely coincidental.”

Over its 30+ years on air, The Simpsons has become a cultural staple, renowned for its uncanny ability to “predict” future events, from Donald Trump’s presidency to global pandemics and futuristic technology. While most of these predictions are chalked up to coincidence, the phenomenon continues to captivate audiences and fuel conspiracy theories.

The show has also had its share of music-related coincidences. In a 1996 episode, Homer takes Bart and Lisa to a music festival where hip-hop group Cypress Hill performs with the London Symphony Orchestra—an absurd pairing at the time. Yet, nearly 30 years later, in July 2024, Cypress Hill took the stage at Royal Albert Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra, performing for thousands. Rather than a “prophecy,” many see this as a decades-long joke brought to life by fans of both the band and the show, just for fun.

Thanks to the “hidden affair” moment at their concert, Coldplay’s music catalog saw a 30% surge in daily on-demand streams in the U.S. Their 2000 track Sparks climbed to #42 on the U.S. Spotify Top 50 chart. On July 17, Coldplay even dominated the top three spots on the chart—a rare feat.

The “caught in the act” scandal inadvertently boosted Coldplay’s streaming numbers, proving that even controversy can spark a chart-topping comeback.