Springfield Flap: Mock Sour Grapes
Now that Springfield, Vermont has been chosen to host the premiere of the Simpsons Movie, there has been an agitated response by some of the other, spurned towns. For example, an Oregonian politician is “demanding” an investigation into the internet poll that crowned the winner. According to the Boston Herald:
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Springfield is still piqued that his hometown wasn’t chosen to host the premiere of the upcoming animated film “The Simpsons,” particularly since “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening is an Oregon native.
In fact, he smells a rat, and has asked U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez to investigate _ sort of.
In a spoof letter from DeFazio’s office to Gonzalez, he points out that Springfield, Ore., with around 52,000 residents, lost out on the right to hold the premiere to Springfield, Vt., which won a contest sponsored by 20th Century Fox, despite having only 9,000 residents.“Unless they passed a law giving cows the right to vote, this smacks of election fraud,” DeFazio writes, tongue planted firmly in cheek. “It also once again highlights the need for electronic voting with a valid paper trail. Was Diebold in any way involved in tabulating the results?”
The letter, of course, while a “joke” still contains a subtle political message about electronic voting. That said, DeFazio has used several smaller things to keep his letter in the joke category, and that involves invoking Ned Flanders:
The letter concludes in true Simpsons fashion: Instead of signing off “Sincerely,” or “Yours Truly,” DeFazio concludes with an “Okiliydokily.”
December 17th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
[...] out to promote something, the sights have been set large. For example, Groening and company got the Springfields of the United States to squabble over the rights to host a “yellow carpet” premiere of the film, as well as the honor of being [...]