The Drury Mirror

Issue date: 5/7/07 Section: Life

America's favorite yellow-skinned, somewhat dysfunctional, family could turn out to be your next-door neighbor. Or that's the hope of Springfield city officials.

Fox publicist Gwyne Ortiz said Fox has asked Springfields across the U.S. to compete for the honor of hosting the premier screening of "The Simpsons Movie" in July, according to a release by the Associated Press.

Springfield, Missouri is one of 16 cities vying for the privilege.

Fox will pick the winner after reviewing short film entries showcasing the community's positive aspects and links to the Simpsons family, who live in their own fictional Springfield.

Extensive details of the contest have not been released by FOX studios, but city officials are making plans to prepare the "pitch" film.

"We can accommodate it, we just want to make sure about what their anticipations are," said Larry Krauch of the Springfield Visitors and Convention Bureau in an interview with the Springfield News-Leader. "It's kind of open right now.

The prime-time animated series created by Matt Groening is now in its 18th season. Groening said he chose to name the town "Springfield," because it's one of the more common city names in the United States.

So why should Springfield, Missouri be chosen as "the Springfield?"

For starters, we have a lake Springfield. Secondly, the avid fan will know that the Simpson's live at 742 Evergreen Terrence, which is an actual address in Savannah, Missouri. The only problem is that Savannah, MO is in the upper Northwest part of the state and is roughly 237 miles away, or for the time-hungry driver, a four hour and six minute trek.

The school where Bart and Lisa attend, Springfield Elementary School, was once referred to by the character Superintendent Chalmers as "the most dilapidated in all of Missouri" (or in other words, the worst school in Missouri). However, he later goes on to state, "...and that's why it was shut down and moved here, brick by brick." Causing this quote to be entangled in dispute for and against Springfield, Mo.

In one episode, Springfield is split up into two area codes -- 636 and 939. The family was originally under the 636 area code, which is an actual area code in Missouri. However, the 939 area code used for "New Springfield," as it was dubbed in the show, is one of the two area codes used by Puerto Rico.

As for specific reasons against The Simpson's living in the 417, Grandpa Simpson, while hanging a flag with 49 stars, remarks in an episode "I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missouri." Grandpa Simpson's age and ability to snooze in and out of many episodes discounts much of his credibility, however, often waking up not remembering what he was talking about. Moreover, in a seperate episode Grandpa Simpson regains his driver's license and drives to Branson, in which Lisa remarks, "Branson is a thousand miles from here," which could just be a snide remark due to her anger or misunderstanding of the situation.

No matter where The Simpson's really live, the age-old question will always be up for grabs and an opportunity for a good argument.

From Springfield, Missouri to Springfield, Massachusetts -- the largest populated Springfield in the world -- to Springfield, Vermont to Springfield, Nova Scotia, even Springfield, Fife, Scotland and Springfield, New South Wales, Australia, we will always be bound by one connection -- the chance that The Simpson's could live amongst us.

D'oh!

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