h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Alluding to the joke that the Simpson's Springfield is non-existent, there was a very curious incident in the last season of the Simpsons on an episode entitled "Behind the Laughter". The narrator guy started off a sentence a bit like this: "This Northern Kentucky family..." Does this have any meaning or it it just my imagination?

I have wondered this myself. When I heard that, I must admit I was surprised. I couldn't tell if I had misunderstood the line or that they were actually stating the name of the state. People I have talked either say that they didn't actually say that they were from Kentucky, or that since it was an "external" episode (an episode that is about Simpsons episodes) that the statement is void.

Personally, I think that they are just adding to the confusion. They'll never come clean and say outright in which state Springfield exists.

Actually, if my memory serves me correctly, they've directly said it once, and indirectly twice:

- In the episode where Marge goes to an art school, and gets a reply from Ringo Starr, you see "Liverpool, England" at the bottom of the screen when you see Ringo finally finding the letter. When we switch back to the Simpsons, my memory tells me the bottom of the screen reads "Springfield, Mass."

Here's how they've indirectly mentioned the state:

- Sideshow Bob appears on the JumboVision to appear on TV in order to decry it, and Homer (ineffectively) shouts, "Go back to Massachusetts!" to the screen.
- The Simpsons are seated in AmericaTown in Tokyo, and Homer responds to the choice in table with, "Awwww, Massachusetts?! I hate that state!" (or something to that effect, at least - it's painfully obvious it's Massachusetts and he's not a big fan, though)

Although, in theory, they may actually be in Kentucky - when they were forced to transplant the town five miles down the road after Homer turns it into America's trash-hole (Shh! Ixnay on the ashhoeltray!), they may have ended up going five *states* down the road. Oops!


Put that in your Pope and smike it!

Massachusetts references may be due to the fact that several people involved with the show formerly worked on Cheers. Don't forget the town's mayor has a pronounced Boston accent, quite distinct from the rest of Springfieldian, with the possible exception of Homer (both voiced by Dan C.)

I'd always pictured Springfield as a landlocked state somewhere in the midwest - remember, we've seen lots of wide, open plains, some of it farmland, some almost desert-like. There are also some almost Roadrunner-like gorges and ravines around town, and its right across the stateline from Nevada (I think).

We have also seen a river heading through springfield, which goes along with the Mass idea(I'm from MA myself), but a few things point away from it. In more than one episode, Springfield is on the ocean(i.e. when Homer watched Burns's house and takes his boat to international waters). Also the Radio station is KBBL, radio stations in MA start with the letter W. I think they give clues to all states to confuse people, for instance, there is a Springfield and a Shelbyville in both Illinios and Tennessee. Since springfield is the capital of IL and in the Simpsons it is not a Capital, could it be Tennessee? It is close to KY for that reference too.

The accent of the mayor is used to imply the Kennedys. The mayor's association with bootlegging, his rampant womanizing, and having to bail his brother out for striking a waiter are direct references to the Kennedys, specifically John. In an episode where Homer is having a flashback about himself watching a press conference with Kennedy, the voice of the flashback Kennedy is IDENTICAL to Quimby.

There is no real state Springfield is located in. Like everything else in the show, Springfield is a stereotype. The creators have said, in many different interviews, that Springfield is anywhere in the American mid-west, an obvious caricature of the American big/small city. Even the name was chosen to imply its anonymity and feeling of being commonplace (nearly every state has a Springfield) thus, located anywhere.

Besides, it’s clearly Michigan.

One thing to keep in mind is this, Matt Groenig is from Oregon, and he has many names and references to Oregon and Portland. There is a Springfield Oregon south of Portland by about 80 miles or so. Also look for the references to the names of Portland streets, such as uimby, Terwilliger etc..

oops, Quimby
not uimby

I agree that Springfield is actually a non-existent town. It has a lake, a harbour, several rivers, icy mountains, desert plains and green pastures. Does this sound like a combination in the real world?
I think the real question is, from the beginning, how many movies/tv shows has The Simpsons really ripped off?

I believe there may be two more instances in which hints are given away to Springfield's location. In the episode "Kill the Alligator and Run" (season 11, BABF16), all of the states on the map in the final scene, all the states are crossed out (ergo the Simpsons are not welcome there) but one -- North Dakota. I am not implying that the Simpsons are welcome in their home state, but this is a fairly big hint. In another episode, "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses" (also season 11, BABF14), in Moe's home movie where the mail carrier pushes a package through the door, I think I saw a glimpse of the 2-letter state code, but I haven't had time to find it within my Simpsons/Futurama/Robot Wars archives and freeze-frame it on my VCR. Perhaps, with winter break coming up, I'll be able to have a reply. I'm back at school on the 4th of January -- I might reply then.