Oregon city wants ‘Simpsons’ to come home

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Later this month, one of 14 Springfields in the nation will get to “have a cow, man” and land the nation’s premiere showing of “The Simpsons Movie.”

With skateboarding legend Tony Hawk on its side, Springfield, Ore., is going up against the other 13 for the honor.

Hawk is in the four-minute video the city has entered in a competition being held by 20th Century Fox to promote its film based on the dysfunctional animated family, which lives in the fictional city of Springfield.

All 14 videos are expected to be posted by Monday at thesimpsons.usatoday.com. People can vote online through July 9.

“If people don’t vote for us, they’re just kidding themselves,” city spokesman Neil Laudati said. “I honestly believe that this is where (‘Simpsons’ creator and Portland native Matt Groening) came up with a lot of his ideas for the show.”

Cameo references to Oregon, such as Portland street names, sometimes appear in “Simpsons” shows.

Hawk’s Springfield connection in real life and on television dates to 2003, when he battled Homer Simpson for skateboarding supremacy in an episode of “The Simpsons.”

That May, Hawk showed off his skills in Oregon’s Springfield during the grand opening of a public skate park that his foundation helped build.

The Springfield entry is a parody of the 1970s television show “In Search Of …” and uses a mix of “facts and conjecture” to arrive at a plausible conclusion: Groening had Springfield, Ore., in mind.

The video includes a nudist, vandalism and a devastating fire for which Mayor Sid Leiken appears to accept partial blame.

“It’s a little strange, but we were able to tie it all together in the end. We’re in Oregon, and our video should be different from everyone else’s,” Laudati said.

He and fellow “Simpsons” fan Steve Woodward, promotions director for the local Fox television affiliate, wrote and edited the video.

“For having no budget, I think we did a hell of a job,” Woodward said.

Winning the vote could prove tough. Springfield, Ore., (pop. 56,000), is up against Springfields in Massachusetts (pop. 152,000), Missouri (151,000) and Illinois (111,000).

“We’re representing the entire West Coast,” Laudati said. “People in California, Washington and Nevada need to jump on board and vote for us.”

The winning Springfield will host the movie’s national premiere in late July, with 500 people getting free tickets.