Mmm, doughnuts! Vermont town hosts 'The Simpsons'
Thousands attend the 'hometown' movie premiere
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. -- On one end of the town square, Ben & Jerry's passed out samples of ice cream made with Homer's favorites: chocolate doughnuts and beer (cream stout, to be exact).
On the other end, former Phish keyboardist Page McConnell played a jam-band version of "The Simpsons" theme song as fans anxiously awaited the arrival of stars such as Matt Groening, the creator of the series, who would walk down a yellow carpet spread out in front of this quaint town's sole movie theater.
The premiere of "The Simpsons Movie" yesterday was as Los Angeles as small-town Vermont can get, a few thousand people milling about the tiny shops and cafes of Main Street, enjoying live music and the summer heat.
They stood in front of the Springfield Theater snacking on "Simpsons"-themed treats such as "Apu's Gujarati carrot and corn salad," named after the "Kwik-E-Mart" convenience store owner, and "Lisa's (Politically Correct) cage-free egg salad." They celebrated the fact that, out of all of the Springfields in the country, this town of about 9,000 won the chance to host the "hometown premiere" of the much-anticipated "Simpsons" movie, which is to be released nationally Friday.
"Eat my shorts, Hollywood," is the way one of the many T-shirts sold at the premiere party yesterday put it.
Festivities started at about 11 a.m. with food, games, and greeters dressed as "Simpsons" characters, like Krusty the Clown and Homer. Local vendors sold homemade doughtnuts, raspberry squishees, and maple syrup. And despite the line of paparazzi -- which included reporters from Fox News, "Inside Edition," BBC Radio, and TV Guide -- the dress code was flip-flops and shorts, rather than Dolce & Gabbana.
The only fans who looked remotely Hollywood (or did their best) were Miles Cota, 15, and Trevor Fuller, 16. The two fans from the nearby town of Bellows Falls stood out in the crowd because they attended the 80-degree event in tuxedos.
Why?
"It's a premiere," Fuller said with some sarcasm.
Cota said he had borrowed the family tux, but Fuller had purchased his at
"I got it for this and maybe next year's prom," he said as he clutched a papier - mache Bart he had made in school last year.
McConnell, who appeared on "The Simpsons" with Phish in a 2002 episode called "Weekend at Burnsie's," warmed the crowd with a set of tunes and invited former Phish bassist Mike Gordon to the stage for a few numbers.
McConnell closed the set by announcing, "Thank you , Springton! There will be no encore!" It was an inside joke for fans of who remembered a "Simpsons" episode that featured Spinal Tap.
At about 1 p.m., spectators, most of whom wore bright yellow T-shirts, crowded the stage to hear pep talks from local politicians. US Representative Peter Welch, a Democrat who is the state's lone member of the House, told the group that US Representative Peter DeFazio, Democrat of Oregon, was sore that his state's Springfield had lost its bid for the premiere and had accused Welch and constituents of rigging the national vote that won Vermonters the prize.
"Well, so what?" Welch said. "Homer would be proud."
Bruce Hyde, Vermont's commissioner of tourism, was next, and proudly likened Springfield's success to "Milhouse's swift rise to fame as Fallout Boy," another inside joke for Simpson's fans.
After the local leaders had spoken , the fathers of "The Simpsons" took the stage as fans screamed. Producer James L. Brooks, Groening, writers Al Jean and Mike Scully, movie director David Silverman, and producer Richard Sakai accepted the key to the town and thanked the community.
Groening said he had never been to Springfield, Vt., but it was "great to be home."
After "whoo-hoo"- ing the crowd Homer-style, they walked the yellow carpet for the first of a series of screenings for residents who had won tickets through a raffle.
Brooks stopped to greet fans and took his time signing comic books and posters. He acknowledged to some that it took writers and producers years to feel confident about making a "Simpsons" film, knowing there would be high expectations. He said the day had been a dream, adding, "I never expected to have a town."
Even Mike Scully, a native of West Springfield, Mass., was in good spirits, as he made his way to the theater. He found the bright side of his home state's loss.
"If I had to go back to Springfield, Mass.," he said, "I probably would have run into people I owe money to."
Meredith Goldstein can be reached at mgoldstein@globe.com. 