Simpsons insanity dies down

SPRINGFIELD — The crowds may be gone, but several times a day, somebody poses in front of that giant yellow hand delicately holding a large pink doughnut.

The yellow hand belongs to Homer Simpson, and the doughnut? It was the star of the video that won Springfield the right to host the world premiere of “The Simpsons Movie.”

It’s been more than a month since thousands of people crowded downtown to celebrate the yellow-carpeted world premiere of “The Simpsons Movie,” on July 21.

Life hasn’t changed much in Springfield, population 9,300, despite the glare of the spotlight, which landed the town on the front page of countless newspapers in New England and way beyond in late July.

“The biggest thing is that people are still stopping by, having their picture taken with the doughnut,” said Town Manager Robert Forguites.

The Hand, as it’s now being called, still stands in front of The Springfield Movie Theatre, where the premiere was held. It was autographed by the Hollywood big shots Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, Director David Silverman, and Jim Brooks, producer of the famous cartoon series and movie.

With winter around the corner, finding a permanent home for the statue, as well as what Forguites calls “The Couch,” is well under way.

As part of the promotion by 20th Century Fox for the movie’s premiere, a larger-than-life sculpture of the Simpsons — Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart and Maggie — sitting on a couch was sent to Springfield.

Since shortly after its arrival, it has been in the Springfield Movie Theater.

Patty Chaffee, the executive vice president at the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, spearheaded the effort to create the video and win the premiere for this Vermont town.

Chaffee, who finally had a chance to go on vacation in August after all the Simpson hoopla, said she was looking for a home for the Simpson memorabilia.

“I have looked at a few properties in town, but no decision has been made,” said Chaffee, who said she didn’t want the hand to be vandalized or be exposed to the elements.

She said she was looking for a “semi-public” space that would be incorporated with the chamber’s office for a Springfield visitor’s center.

“I don’t want it to be a stand alone,” said Chaffee, who said the chamber didn’t have the funds to staff such a place.

But she said she wants to have it enclosed and protected from weather at its new location.

Chaffee said that calls and inquiries have dwindled down to a few a week, from a frenetic pace of hundreds a day.

The most recent call came from the Manchester (N.H.) Monarchs, a semi-pro hockey team that wants to honor Springfield on Oct. 13, when it plays a game against Springfield, Mass., which was one of the Springfields that lost to the Vermont town in the video contest sponsored by USA Today.

The Monarchs want to show Springfield’s winning video, and have post and pre-game activities, as well as a discount to Springfield residents, she said.

“We still are getting some inquiries. There was just an article in ‘Town and Village,’” which Chaffee said was a municipal affairs magazine.

That’s a far cry from People Magazine, The Washington Post, and international media from as far away as Australia and South America.

Chaffee said the chamber still had copies of the winning video for sale for $10, and T-shirts celebrating the town’s feat for $15. It shows “our big pinky,” which Chaffee dubbed “the world’s largest doughnut.”

“I know there’s still people standing at the hand, which is fabulous,” Chaffee said.

As for that follow-up call from the Hollywood types, who promised that Vermont’s Springfield would be incorporated into future Simpson shows?

“We haven’t heard anything — yet,” said Chaffee.

Forguites, who said he’s become a Simpsons fan after the fact, pointed out that at the end of the movie, as the credits were rolling by, baby Maggie takes the pacifier out of her mouth and utters her first word.

“Sequel.”

By: Susan Smallheer
Posted: September 5, 2007