SPRINGFIELD TO HOST 'SIMPSONS' FILM DEBUT.Byline: Jack Moran The Register-Guard SPRINGFIELD - Don't have a cow Don't have a cow may refer to:
But if you're familiar with that phrase, you'll be excited to hear that Springfield - Springfield, Ore., that is - could be the place where Bart, Homer and the rest of the cartoon Simpsons family make their big screen debut this summer. City officials have accepted an invitation from 20th Century Fox to compete against other Springfields across the country in a contest where the winner will host the premiere screening of "The Simpsons Movie," due out in July. The film is one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year. "If we're selected, that's nationwide and even worldwide exposure for us," said Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken - not to be confused with Mayor Joe Quimby Joseph Fitzpatrick Fitzgerald Fitzhenry "Joe" Quimby,[1] a.k.a. "Diamond Joe" Quimby, or simply Mayor Quimby (voiced by Dan Castellaneta), is a fictional character featured in The Simpsons animated series, as the mayor of Springfield. , of the Simpsons' fictional hometown of Springfield. "There's plenty of serious issues to talk about, but this is something that we might as well try to have a little fun with," Leiken said. Gwyne Ortiz, a Fox publicist pub·li·cist n. One who publicizes, especially a press or publicity agent. publicist Noun a person, such as a press agent or journalist, who publicizes something publicist , said Fox has asked 16 Springfields from Oregon to Massachusetts to participate in the contest. Studio execs will pick the winner after reviewing short films submitted by local officials. Each entry should showcase a community's positive aspects, and somehow link it to "The Simpsons" TV show. The megapopular prime-time animated series created by Portland-born Matt Groening Matthew Abram Groening (born February 15, 1954[1] in Portland, Oregon;[2] his family name is pronounced 'greɪnɪŋ', rhymes with raining is now in its 18th season. "We want each Springfield to express the highlights of what they do, and have it tie into the whole Simpsons element," Ortiz said. Besides landing the movie premiere, the winning city and its mayor will be included in the film's closing credits. The Springfield Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Association of Lane County Oregon will help assemble the city's contest entry. "On a personal level, this is very exciting," said Josh Alder alder (ôl`dər), name for deciduous trees and shrubs of the genus Alnus of the family Betulaceae (birch family), widely distributed, especially in mountainous and moist areas of the north temperate zone and in the Andes. , a longtime Simpsons fan who works as CVALCO's tourism public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most manager. "On a professional level, I think anything like this that could bring tourism to the area is fantastic." Certainly, some people believe that Oregon's Springfield must be considered the contest's early favorite. Because Groening is a Portland native, many speculate that he based the Simpsons' hometown on Lane County's second-largest city. It's hardly a flattering flat·ter 1 v. flat·tered, flat·ter·ing, flat·ters v.tr. 1. To compliment excessively and often insincerely, especially in order to win favor. 2. idea, considering that on the show, Newsweek ran a story calling Springfield "America's Crud Bucket." The cartoon town is a bizarre yet unremarkable place with a nuclear plant and several prisons. Scores of Web sites have tried to answer the question: Where is the Simpsons' Springfield? No one can say for sure. Groening has said that he chose Springfield because it's one of the most common city names in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . In an interview last month with Web magazine Crave TO CRAVE. To ask; to demand. 2. This word is frequently used in pleading; as, to crave oyer of a bond on which the suit is brought; and in the settlement of accounts, the accountant general craves a credit or an allowance. 1 Chit. Pr. 520. See Oyer. Online, Groening said "The Simpsons Movie" will address the question of which state the cartoon family's hometown is in. "We actually have a really good joke about that (in the movie)," Groening is quoted as saying. "Remember, I said joke." |
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