The Vermont town of Springfield has beaten 13 rivals and will host the premiere of the film about the animated family The Simpsons. The show is set in a fictional Springfield because its creator, Matt Groening, spotted that it is one of the most common place-names in the US. Vermont was chosen in an online vote after 14 towns submitted videos to argue why their town should win.
The Simpson [sic] creator Matt Groening has snubbed new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown by insisting he’ll never have a cameo on the hit animated series. While Brown’s predecessor Tony Blair guest starred on a show in 2003, cartoon genius Groening is adamant there won’t be another British statesman on the show for years. He says, “One Prime Minister per century is enough.”
Could this lead to a British boycott of The Simpsons??? Developing… [Starpulse]
“Voice acting god” and Simpsons recurring voice actor Frank Welker revealed in an e-mail to Simpsons fan Kenneth White why he hasn’t appeared in The Simpsons since Season 13:
A few years back Dan “C” did Santa’s Little Helper in a rehearsal and unfortunately for me … did it a little too good. The producers thought … “Hmmm, Dan barks pretty good, and we are already paying him and he seems to like doing the dog thing … why do we need to pay Welker who comes in here, spends less than an hour, eats all the doughnuts, refuses to come to rehearsals … let’s just give the damn dog to Dan!” Bingo … I’m out. I did do lots of shows that needed sound effects and weird sounds, but Santa is without this little helper.
…
I wanted a raise … most of what they asked me to do was wild and wacky, but it also almost always hurt my throat. So, I asked for a raise … that is why you haven’t seen me. They are really great people over there, but they have a rule about “top of the show” for guest performers and I fell under that consideration.
Welker has played Santa’s Little Helper, Snowball II, She’s The Fastest, Fred from Scooby Doo, Megatron, Milhouse’s monkey, Burns’ canine executive vice president, Africa’s wildlife, Lisa’s pony, and a dozen zoos’ worth of other animals. Life is ruff! [No Homers Club]
“Matt Groening rang me up because he’d seen The Office on a flight, ages before it was shown in America. I did a very rough sketch and wrote a song. So the only things that were mine were the song, a couple of jokes and the Wife Swap idea, which was Jane’s anyway. So I mustn’t take too much credit – I said as much once, but they said no, no, that’s always the case. Whoever it says ‘wrote’ the episode goes through the same process. So that made me feel slightly less guilty.”
Are you a young person? Do you enjoy The Simpsons? If so, you are the target demographic for the Church of England’s latest attempt to show they’re “hip” and “with it.”
Called “Mixing it up with ‘The Simpsons,'” the new book will be sent to youth advisers across the nation to give them a modern example of the church’s teachings in a more entertaining format, The Sunday Telegraph said.
Among the activities included in the book is determining whether teens can resist temptation by showing them a plate of doughnuts labeled “don’t touch.”
The book also compares Christians’ patient wait for the return of Jesus Christ to the antsy nature Bart Simpson displays toward an upcoming Krusty the Clown show.
“Jesus was a great storyteller — as are the creators of ‘The Simpsons’ — and the power of a good story lies in meeting people where they are, making them laugh and then giving them something to think about afterwards,” said the Rev. John Pritchard, the Bishop of Oxford.
Come on, isn’t Matt Groening’s ego big enough?? [The Money Times]
We’ve received some exclusive, never-before-seen storyboards of The Simpsons Movie from a top-secret source over at Film Roman!!! Check ’em out!!!
rubbercat.net/simpsons is nominated in three categories over at Simpsons Zip‘s Choice 07 Awards for “Choice Website,” “Choice Section” and “Choice Support.” Check it out and vote for rubbercat.net/simpsons. Or don’t. Whatever. See if I care. [Simpsons Zip]
Unlike those Springfield, Minnesota jerks, the citizens of Springfield, Massachusetts went all out in a bid to host the world premiere of The Simpsons Movie.
The yo-yo expert arrived first, followed by two men in one-piece orange suits and Halloween masks and three boys rolling in on skateboards like Bart Simpson in the opening credits of “The Simpsons” television show.
Then came the pooch de resistance for yesterday’s grand finale of the city’s Simpson video – a mixed-breed yellow dog that might be the deciding factor needed to push Springfield into the winner’s circle.
The city is one of more than a dozen Springfields across the country competing to become the site of the premiere of “The Simpsons Movie” based on the Fox cartoon about a fictional Springfield and due to be released on July 26.
Here’s a photo gallery. Godspeed, Springfield, Mass.! [The Republican]
Disney animators are inflexible jerks who can’t adapt to different drawing styles. Get out of the way of the progress train, you dinosaurs! CGI is here to stay! [No Homers Club]
Those knuckleheads over at TV Squad seem to think strangling your 10-year old son makes you a great father. Aye carumba! [TV Squad]