Springfield Comes to Universal As Guests Careen Along With Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie in All-New Simpsons Adventure

May 2008 (Medialink) - Where can you find blue Marge wigs, hundreds of screaming fans and tons of yellow confetti? At the grand opening of “The Simpsons Ride” at Universal Orlando Resort. The new attraction, featuring America’s favorite animated family, officially opened and plants guests smack in the middle of a brand-new Simpsons adventure - a ride adventure so big, so funny and so thrilling it’s no surprise it took years to make.

“The Simpsons Ride” showcases everything the hugely popular television series has made famous and that Simpsons fans love . . . a great story, humor and irreverence that are pure Simpsons.

The mega-attraction is a result of an unprecedented collaboration between Executive Producer James L. Brooks, Creator Matt Groening and Executive Producer Al Jean in association with 20th Century Fox Television and the creative teams of Gracie Films and Universal Theme Parks.

The attraction is larger than life - from the 28-foot-tall Krusty the Clown at the entrance (guests walk through Krusty’s mouth on his extended tongue) to the giant wrap-around cinematic experience created for this great new adventure. Guests soar through Krustyland and Springfield on a ride that features the world’s first-ever cork screw that’s animated.

Contact:
Lisa Zlotnick, 212.812.7129
Lana Kim, 212.812.7132
Nicola Blount, 212-812-7184

We get more and more cool emails from the simpsons fan blog readers! If you would like to drop an email to us feel free to do so…

Here is one of the interesting email I got from one of the fans:

hi, nice simpsons site. I´m Paul from Czech republic, and our class
have graduation
photograps panel with simpsons  look here
http://skolacr4b.rajce.idnes.cz/Tablo_4.B/ and if you like it,
you can vote for us
(click at “Hlasování”)  thanks  

So if you like it then vote for it people!

Hello all Simpsons fan blog readers. I just got one interesting email and I thought I will share it with you so here it goes:

Hi Andrius,

My name is Angie Read, and I’m writing on behalf of
Hallmark Cards.
Since you’re obviously crazy about The Simpsons, I thought you would be
interested in the newest way to experience America’s funniest animated
family. Hallmark is introducing an exclusive new collection of greeting
cards featuring The Simpsons. Twelve cards are currently available, and
an additional 36 cards will be released throughout 2008.

To capture the show’s unique brand of humor, Hallmark writers and
designers actually worked with the show’s creators in the development of
the collection. Hallmark’s greeting cards featuring The Simpsons
represent an exclusive card licensing deal in the U.S. with The Simpsons
franchise. By partnering with The Simpsons, Hallmark is providing a new
way to connect with loved ones in a fun, unorthodox, and unexpected way
(as only The Simpsons can do).

If you think your fellow fan club members/readers would be interested in
the cards, you can find them at Hallmark Gold Crown stores and other
fine retailers nationwide. You can learn more Hallmarks’ New Humor
collection by visiting www.hallmark.com/funny

Also she mentioned that she may even be able to give some of the cards away to the Simpsons fan blog readers, so if you would be interested in that just simply post a comment or drop me an email at andrius@simpsonsfanblog.com

I hope to hear from you soon!

Coltrane (Snowball IV) was the Simpsons’ fourth cat, who slightly resembles Bart. Lisa adopts him from an animal shelter shortly after the death of Snowball III. Originally, she was not sure whether she wanted another cat, but his original name (Coltrane) won her over due to its resemblance with the famous John Coltrane. Upon bringing him home, Lisa decides to play some music for Snowball IV, but the music frightens Snowball IV and he jumps out the window, to his death. Snowball IV was the only cat (except for Snowball I) that was actually white whereas previous and future cats named “Snowball” are black or brown.

Snowball V (a.k.a. Snowball II) is the Simpsons’ fifth cat and looks exactly like Snowball II. In “I, D’oh-Bot”, the Crazy Cat Lady throws a cat at Lisa while she is mourning the death of the other three cats that appear in the episode. Lisa then tells the cat to leave, because any cat that she owns is unlucky and is certain to be killed. As the cat starts to cross Evergreen Terrace, a car driven by Gil drives past. Gil swerves; his car hits a tree and bursts into flames, thereby giving Gil insurance compensation for his meals. Since the cat is unhurt, Lisa takes it as a sign of good luck and adopts her.

Lisa renames Snowball V “Snowball II” at the end of the episode, in her words “to save money on a new dish”, also vowing to pretend the whole thing never happened.

In this video you can see real life Simpsons opening scene. Enjoy!

Clancy Wiggum was possibly born in Baltimore, Maryland. He mentioned he used to sell ribbons there with his father, Iggy Wiggum. Iggy was a war veteran who died in a parade float accident in 1979, along with Arnie Gumble, Sheldon Skinner, Etch Westgrin, and Griff McDonald, all members of Abe Simpson’s Flying Hellfish. He did, however, grow up in Springfield and was among the same class and age group as Homer Simpson, Lenny Leonard, Carl Carlson, Barney Gumble, and possibly Marge Simpson . At an early age Wiggum played cops and robbers with Homer and other kids his age and he showed a clear ambition to become a police officer. At the age of 16, he was a hall monitor at high school, and possibly had a part-time security guard job at Springfield State University. Wiggum was present at the University’s germ research labs when Mona Simpson and the hippie activist group she was part of sabotaged the germ experiments. Wiggum, who had suffered from asthma prior to that, was cured by antibiotics that the group released to kill the germs, and helped Mona Simpson escape the police when she was on the run twenty-five years later. In 1985 Wiggum was involved in the barbershop quartet called the Be Sharps. Wiggum was a member with Homer Simpson, Seymour Skinner, and Apu. However, a talent scout showed interest in the Be Sharps but didn’t like Wiggum as a performer, so he was thrown out of the group. When auditions were held to find a replacement for Wiggum, he attempted to be reselected for the quartet. He wore a disguise, but was found out. Early attempts to get into the Police Force when he was a teenager were unsuccessful on account of his asthma, so when it had been cured he could then pursue his ambition to become a professional police officer. Having entered the Police Academy by age 24, Wiggum managed to work around his many shortcomings and finally become a full fledged officer and by 32, he had managed to work his way up to the position of Police Chief of Springfield. It is implied that Wiggum managed to overcome his shortcomings with coaxing methods such as great skills with back massages and charm to get the position of Chief. But he actually received the job when the frustrated former Chief resolved to give it to the next person he met, which was Wiggum. Regardless, Wiggum had accomplished his childhood ambition.

Snowball II was named after Snowball I. Though Snowball I had white fur, which obviously inspired her name, Snowball II had black fur. She first appeared in “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire“, where it is explained that Snowball I had died the previous year and they had gotten Snowball II. Neither Snowball I or II were seen or mentioned in the Tracey Ullman Shorts. Snowball II received little attention in the series, although she appeared in many episodes.

Snowball II and Santa’s Little Helper have always been shown as having a good relationship; usually they are seen sleeping near each other. In the “Fly Vs. Fly” segment of “Treehouse of Horror VIII”, Santa’s Little Helper chases Snowball II into a transport device and their DNA gets mixed. Two different animals emerge: Santa’s Little Helper emerged with both pets’ heads, Snowball II with their rear ends. Snowball II also found a love interest in Scratchy in the “Terror of Tiny Toon” segment of “Treehouse of Horror IX“.

Her largest role was in the fourteenth season episode “Old Yeller Belly“, in which Snowball II saves Homer from a burning treehouse built by the Amish after Santa’s Little Helper runs away. She also had minor roles in “Bart Gets an Elephant“, where she tries to get attention; in “Two Dozen and One Greyhounds“, in which she is scared by the many puppies; and in Make Room for Lisa, in which Lisa has a hallucination in which she becomes Snowball II.

In “I, D’oh-Bot“, Snowball II was hit and killed by Dr. Hibbert’s Mercedes-Benz G500. After numerous fleeting replacements for Snowball II, the fifth (and last surviving) Snowball was named Snowball II to avoid future confusion and having to spend more money on a new bowl.

Apu and Manjula have a mostly happy marriage despite understandable marital problems caused by Apu’s workaholic nature and long hours, the strain of caring for eight children, and an instance of infidelity by Apu with the Squishee lady. When Apu was unfaithful to Manjula, one of his punishments was to legally change his name to Slime Q. Slimedog. He and his family are devotees of the Hindu gods Shiva, Ganesha and Vishnu. Homer, in a misguided attempt to play on the bride and groom’s families’ fear of the gods, arrived at Apu’s wedding dressed as the Hindu god Ganesha. The impersonation was called out by one of Apu’s relatives, who exclaimed, “You are not Ganesh! Ganesh is graceful!” (Ironically the Simpsons used this same trick later to try to keep the couple from divorcing.) Before his marriage, Apu became known as the leading ladies’ man in Springfield, because he holds a PhD and runs his own business. His sex appeal was enhanced when he admitted, “I’m not much of a talker, but I love to listen. I also like to design and build furniture and then to have a discussion about where it could be placed in a room.”