Last November was an especially annoying time to be a Simpsons fan. Even then, it wasn't news that the show's increasingly aging staff were being weirdos about cancel culture, but they took their made-up beef further after claiming Homer no longer strangles Bart, before backtracking.
After saying the media turned the not-serious "times have changed" bit into "clickbait," it became clear the whole thing was a publicity stunt, especially since no one ever really wanted to get The Simpsons cancelled over the long-running bit. For some reason, they're trying to revive the issue once again, this time through showrunner Matt Selman.
Selman told TMZ it was a "mistake" to joke about Homer and Bart's gag ending, since people ran with it. "[It] felt more like an announcement ... it was just a joke … and people took it in the wrong direction." After reiterating that they aren't downplaying child abuse, he said the gag is "in the DNA of the series," and that it will happen again when it can be "funny or impactful."
Beyond this tired situation, The Simpsons have at least predicted a few more things this year, including Kamala Harris's presidential bid and Cypress Hill playing with the London Symphony Orchestra.