Although I’ve been a longtime fan, I have never been able to figure out what state the popular Simpsons cartoon family resides. It’s been mentioned that clues have been given through the years on the show itself, but I still remain unenlightened.
Any ideas?
Best,
-W-
In Homer’s case at least it is a state of confusion.
Kentucky, according to the Behind the Laughter episode.
From “The Simpsons Archive”
For more, see this link
I think Delaware, but it’s just a random guess.
Here is another thread with a bunch of guesses.
Recently there was this gag where someone said “South of the border” and Homer answered “You mean Tennessee?” This could put them in Kentucky.
More on the Behind the Laughter revelation:
This guy went hooha after the narrator’s casual reference to the Simpsons as a “Northern Kentucky family” in that episode, and provides maps showing that indeed, there are both a Springfield and a Shelbyville in close proximity in Kentucky.
However there’s a comment from one of the site’s guests saying that if you pay attention to the credits, one of the producers is listed as “Weernout F. Romky” – ie; “We’re not from KY.”
Which is pretty damned funny, IMHO – I thought that they were just tired of people asking “which state do the Simpsons live in?” and said, “Ah, to hell with it. They’re from Kentucky. Happy?”
However they also mentioned going to “the golden banana” this season, which is a fairly well-known strip club in(or near, I forget which. The sign has the biggest banana on it I’ve ever seen) Springfield, MA. There have been several other references to places in or around other Springfields in the US, so taken alone one piece of “evidence” isn’t very compelling.
Interestingly, the Flags of the World website interperets the above mentioned line as meaning that the Simpsons don’t live in Kentucky proper, but in a state in the Simpsons’ universe that’s actually named “North Kentucky.”
I don’t know why, but I find this answer pretty charming.
Say, are there any other fandoms where people debate a story’s location as much as in The Simpsons?
Ranchoth
Bigger than this ?
You’ll also note that the Simpson’s version of “Springfield” has forests, desert, mountains (with snow-capped peaks), canyons, coastline, and just about every other type of terrain/climate you can imagine! Yeah, very few states, and I don’t think any town, in the U.S. can lay claim to all of these environments.
In the new Simpsons-go-to-Brazil episode, Lisa mentions something when referring to their state of residence along the lines of “When you piece together all the clues, you’ll figure it out.” My belief is that you really have to do deduction and perhaps they’ve X’ed out 49 states so far? I remember one episode where Chief Wiggam says “No state would prosecute a baby… Maybe Texas,” and thus, Texas is eliminated. Tedious process, but the only reliable way.
Nah…it’s deliberately vague. I completely buy the Simpsons Archive explanation. I haven’t seen the Simpsons in several years now, but every episode I remember which showed a driver’s license, something with an address, or anything that would “solve” this riddle once and for all, the important information is purposely obscured. The writers are just jerkin’ everyone around. They know Simpsons geeks like to debate this topic. They’re just blue-ballin’ youse. There is no real state Springfield belongs to.
But when they reran the episode, it was changed to “Missouri”. I don’t know what it says in syndication. In other words, they’re messing with you.
Last I saw “Behind the Laughter” in syndication, they used the original “Kentucky” version.
The real answer is essentially all of them and none of them. As ski mentioned, there’s too many geographic features to be one state; thus it’s all of them.
OTOH, in (I think) the one where they’re kicked out of Florida for killing the gator, they have a big US map with every state X’ed off, and I think the only one left is North Dakota. Thus it’s none of them. So the writers are just jerking us around.
…Or Homer was confusing ‘the border’ with ‘the Mason-Dixon Line’.
Methinks Missouri…
IANASE*, but IIRC in the episode where they divide the town into 2 area codes (the episode with The Who), I believe one of the area codes was 636, which is a Missouri area code.
www.irsburger.com
this is perhaps the most comprehensive, even the saddest look at this most interesting of mass debates. it seems that kentucky is the best bet tho.
Actually, when I saw the original episode in a small town in Kansas close to Kansas City, the Simpsons were said to be from Missouri. Friends in different locations said Kentucky, and I believe a few other things. I think they just supplied several different versions for people in different parts of the country.
-b
There is a 636 area code in Missouri, but the area code for Springfield, Mo. is 417.