‘Simpsons’ creator reveals town’s true identity

The Shocker: THE SIMPSONS ARE NOT FROM SPRINGFIELD, VERMONT!!

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20120411/NEWS02/704119915

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20120410/ENT/120410027/D-oh-Simpsons-Springfield-Oregon-not-Vermont

Published April 11, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
‘Simpsons’ creator reveals town’s true identity

By Christian Avard
Staff Writer

SPRINGFIELD — The sign at the Springfield Chamber of Commerce building on Main Street says “Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Home of The Simpsons.”

Now the creator of famous television show is telling the press a completely different story about the show’s true origins.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Matt Groening’s inspiration for the hit TV series was Springfield, Ore., Springfield, Vt. Groening revealed the identity in a “Smithsonian” magazine interview published online.

Groening said the idea came from “Father Knows Best,” a popular radio and television show based in Springfield, Ore., approximately two hours south from Groening’s home in Portland, Ore. Groening also said in the article that he gives fake answers when asked about the town’s true origin.

In July 2007 Springfield, Vt., hosted “The Simpsons” movie premiere and beat out 13 other Springfields across the country in a well-known contest.

Springfield, Vt., was chosen because it had several core elements of the show including a pub, a nearby nuclear power plant (Vermont Yankee in Vernon), a bowling alley and more. There was much fanfare in southern Vermont during the movie’s premiere and the film grossed $527 million worldwide, according to the website Box Office Mojo.

The news Tuesday came as a surprise to Springfield, Vt., residents.

Bob Flint, executive director of the Springfield Regional Development Corporation, said the chamber of commerce was involved in attracting the world premiere and was a huge success for the town. He laughed upon hearing Groening’s remarks and said it still won’t affect the southern Vermont town’s stature in regards to The Simpsons.

“Spiritually, we still are the home of ‘The Simpsons.’ It was a magical time in this community’s history and we’re grateful for that and ‘The Simpsons’ people for sharing their creation with us because probably there a million homes for ‘The Simpsons’ when you get right down to it,” Flint said.

Tammy Gould of the Springfield Library did not know about Groening’s comments and was surprised upon hearing the news.

“I’m sure it will be a big story once the word gets out,” Gould said with a laugh.

The Smithsonian interview can be read at http://tinyurl.com/6nn3o47.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.


April 10, 2012 5:39 PM 2 comments
Springfield, Oregon: Matt Groening announces location of “The Simpsons”

BY Frank Santo

Credit to AP Photo , twentieth century fox, matt g.jpg

Matt Groening, creator of the Simpsons, has officially identified the fictional Springfield inhabited by the yellow-hued family to be Springfield, Oregon. Since the show’s inception in 1989, the true location of Springfield has been kept secret, with the idea that fans would think of Springfield as their own regardless of where they lived, Groening said Tuesday in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine. (Photo: AP / Twentieth Century Fox / Matt Groening)

Still, speculation raged. In 2007, Springfield, Vt., won a competition to premier a film version of The Simpsons, beating some dozen other Springfields around the nation. Further muddling the issue, there are nearly 40 Springfields in the United States.

“Whenever people say it’s Springfield, Ohio, or Springfield Massachusetts, or Springfield wherever, I always go ‘yup’ that’s right,” Groening told Smithsonian.

But the speculation is over for good. Springfield is a town in eastern Oregon near Eugene, with about 60,000 residents.

As Groening told the Smithsonian, "Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon. The only reason is that when I was a kid, the TV show 'Father Knows Best' took place in the town of Springfield, and I was thrilled because I imagined that it was the town next to Portland, my hometown. When I grew up, I realized it was just a fictitious name. I also figured out that Springfield was one of the most common names for a city in the U.S. In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought, 'This will be cool; everyone will think it’s their Springfield.' And they do."

While this news may come as a surprise to some fans, ABC news reports that natives of the real Springfield, Ore., were made aware of their town’s special place in television history back in 2007, by way of a commemorative plaque signed by Groening, reading “Yo to Springfield Oregon, the real Springfield!”

Some may lament the loss of universality that the vagueness of the fictional Springfield’s whereabouts allowed the town to maintain. But in the end, who cares? The Simpson’s Springfield is a comic stand-in for all the small, off-center towns throughout America, made even more relevant by the fact that it actually exists.

Here’s to another 25 years in Springfield, Oregon.
Burlington Free Press
Written by
From staff, wire reports

Filed Under
Entertainment

D'oh! Not Vermont?
One of the best-kept secrets in television history has been unmasked, with "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening revealing the Springfield in Oregon is the basis for the hometown of his characters.

The admission came in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine published online Tuesday.
That's news to Springfield, Vt., which in 2007 beat out larger rivals from Oregon, Massachusetts, Illinois and 10 other states in a contest to determine the "real" setting of the animated television show. Vermont's Springfield was rewarded by hosting the premiere of "The Simpsons Movie" on July 21, 2007, at the Springfield Movie Theater on Main Street."Father Knows Best," which took place in a place called Springfield. Springfield, Ore., is 100 miles south of Groening's hometown of Portland.
Groening says he has long given fake answers when asked about the Simpsons' hometown.
The show has made a running joke of hiding the true Springfield's location. In one episode, daughter Lisa points to Springfield on a map, but the animated "camera view" is blocked by son Bart's head.
Since 1990, the Simpsons have lived in an imaginary Springfield in America, although the state was never identified.
In the 2007 contest, each town submitted a short video that was posted on USA Today's Web site, where the show's fans could vote. Springfield, Vt., garnered 15,367 votes -- about 6,000 votes more than the town's population -- to beat Springfield, Ill., by 733 votes. Springfield, Ore., came in third, and Springfield, Mass., was fourth.