Doh! We wuz robbed!
Inexplicably, the "official" home of The Simpsons - at least, as voted on by readers of USA Today - is now Springfield... Vermont?!
With just 15,367 votes, Vermont beat out Illinois and Oregon - with 14,634 votes and 13,894 votes respectively.
"We're so excited," says Patricia Chaffee, vice president of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce. "We came in at the last minute, and for us to win, we feel like the underdogs, which makes this so big and so great for us."
No reaction yet from Oregon officials, or Matt Groening - the Oregonian who created The Simpsons (and, as everyone knows, modeled Springfield after Portland, Oregon.)
It's unclear whether the USA Today vote is official in Simpsons-land -- or just a movie promo tie-in.
In any case, Governor Jim Douglas of Vermont issued a statement for disappointed Oregonians: "Don't have a cow, man."
No response yet from Governor Ted Kulongoski.
Discuss.
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July 10, 2007
Posted in in the news 2007. |
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connect with blueoregon
Jul 10, '07
Blue Oregon: Thank you so much for supporting Springfield's entry in the contest. We did everything we could to get the vote out. Mayor Leiken thanked Blue Oregon by name during his media briefing this morning on the contest. Here is his official comment on the contest: From Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken: I want to thank the community of Springfield and everyone across Oregon and the world who supported this fun project. I want to congratulate the great city of Springfield Vermont. It was a fun and engaging contest and they did a great job.
While we didn’t get the Simpson’s movie premier, the city is enjoying a tremendous positive benefit from participating. The contest allowed us to promote the livability and economic diversity of our city to people all over the world.
People of different demographics were able to join together and simply have fun. Most of all I, along with many city officials, connected with our community in a way never before possible. Connections, especially with our young people, that will serve us well for years to come.
I would like to personally thank Governor Kulengoski, Tony Hawk, Steve Woodward and KLSR Fox, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, the Springfield Beacon, CVALCO, the Gateway Mall, Springfield employees, our friends in Eugene and a cast of thousands that provided support and encouragement. Thank you to our City Hall staff who took on the marketing and provided service for the national and international media. Finally, thank you once more to our great community.
Thanks Blue Oregon! Niel Laudati City of Springfield
Jul 10, '07
Blue Oregon: Thank you so much for supporting Springfield's entry in the contest. We did everything we could to get the vote out. Mayor Leiken thanked Blue Oregon by name during his media briefing this morning on the contest. Here is his official comment on the contest: From Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken: I want to thank the community of Springfield and everyone across Oregon and the world who supported this fun project. I want to congratulate the great city of Springfield Vermont. It was a fun and engaging contest and they did a great job.
While we didn’t get the Simpson’s movie premier, the city is enjoying a tremendous positive benefit from participating. The contest allowed us to promote the livability and economic diversity of our city to people all over the world.
People of different demographics were able to join together and simply have fun. Most of all I, along with many city officials, connected with our community in a way never before possible. Connections, especially with our young people, that will serve us well for years to come.
I would like to personally thank Governor Kulongoski, Tony Hawk, Steve Woodward and KLSR Fox, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, the Springfield Beacon, CVALCO, the Gateway Mall, Springfield employees, our friends in Eugene and a cast of thousands that provided support and encouragement. Thank you to our City Hall staff who took on the marketing and provided service for the national and international media. Finally, thank you once more to our great community.
Thanks Blue Oregon! Niel Laudati City of Springfield
3:11 p.m.
Jul 10, '07
i remember years ago there was a contest to come up with a nickname for Joe Montana. the winner was "Big Sky," which is the nickname for the State of Montana: Big Sky Country. in Joe's case, the nickname went nowhere. only strange 49er fans who grew up in Montana would remember something like that.
Springfield is in Oregon, it always has and it always will be, and no lame contest (with fewer voters than will visit this blog over the course of a week) will change that.
the Simpsons are Oregon. cowabunga, dude.
Jul 10, '07
WTF. Okay, I'm a transplanted Vermonter, so it may be expected that I'd be pleased, but ever since learning all the Oregon connections to the Simpsons, I figured Oregon was a shoo-in. I'm puzzled.
Jul 11, '07
The video showed only a brief cameo of the NE Flanders street sign. What about (Mayor) Quimby, (Sideshow Bob) Terwilliger, (Milhouse) Van Houton, (bully) Kearney and (reverend) Lovejoy streets? Sure, they're all in Portland, but they all clearly show the Oregon connection. Oh well.
12:50 a.m.
Jul 11, '07
I gotta say... Springfield Oregon tried to claim in the video that "Max's Tavern appeared to be the inspiration for Moe's"... which is clearly PR-flackery.
Everyone knows that the inspiration for Moe's is Joe's, at NW 21st and Pettygrove in Portland.... just a hop/skip/jump from where Groening grew up.
1:40 a.m.
Jul 11, '07
Yea, from what I can see, the inspiration is definitely Portland, just with a different name.
Jul 11, '07
I was actually impressed that the mayor mentioned Blue Oregon in his comments to the press yesterday. Considering his is a republican and he mentioned Blue Oregon, it is obvious he pays attention to what all sides are thinking and doing. What other city put together a press conference where they didn't win the contest and practically claimed victory. It looks like to me he uses the Bill Clinton playbook.
Jul 11, '07
Must be a slow news day for all us dreamy Oregons out in Blue Land. Good for Vermont, the Green Mountain State is twice that of the Beaver State...
Jul 11, '07
All this over a cartoon show. Sheesh.
Yes, calling TV and the movies a medium is correct. This is because anything that is well done is rare.
3:56 p.m.
Jul 11, '07
Not just over a cartoon. Bringing an event like that into town is going to bring a huge amount of money with it.
Jul 12, '07
"Springfield is in Oregon, it always has and it always will be"
So where's the nuclear power plant?
And anyway, do we really WANT people to think Homer Simpson lives in Oregon?
Jul 12, '07
Let's remember, this was not a contest on which Springfield is the actual home of the Simpson's, it was a contest on which Springfield would hold the world premier of the movie. If the contest was about which Springfield is more like the Simpson's Springfield then Illinois would win it hands down. They literally have 50 points comparing themselves to the television show, from the nuclear power plant, Shelbyville near by, and even a contaminated lake that would probably have 3 eyed fish.
Bottom line, it was great marketing by 20th century fox.
Jul 12, '07
So where's the nuclear power plant?
Are you serious here dartagnan? I guess you've never heard of Trojan Nuclear Power Plant. . .