Is it possible to determine what state The Simpsons live in? I claim yes, my friend says no. If it is, do you know where they are supposed to live?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Since the beginning of the show, this question has created endless speculation on Simpsons forums such as the newsgroup alt.tv.simpsons . There isn’t a specific location, and the writers even play with the audience’s curiosity by including contradictory clues. Although there’s a Springfield in Matt Groening’s home state of Oregon, he says he used that name since it sounds so generic (as one of the most common city names in the US) and since it’s the setting for what he claims is the Simpsons’ antithesis, Father Knows Best. (AP thinks that once you get past the superficial characteristics, there’s not as big a difference as people assume.) They’ve used these generic place names on TV shows for years, such as the Mayfield of Leave It to Beaver fame (a show in which the university was known simply as “State”). For more details, see the a.t.s FAQ item “Where IS Springfield, anyway?” http://www.snpp.com/guides/lisa-3.html#3.2.1 Be sure to follow the “Where is Springfield?” link, too, at the bottom of the essay. These people are obsessive; don’t follow in their footsteps!