Well, you may have suspected it but now it's confirmed: Twenty-five years after The Simpsons debut on television, Portland-born creator Matt Groening says the show's setting is named after Springfield, Ore.

For this revelation,

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OK, why do the Simpsons live in a town called Springfield? Isn't that a little generic?

Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon. The only reason is that when I was a kid, the TV show "Father Knows Best" took place in the town of Springfield, and I was thrilled because I imagined that it was the town next to Portland, my hometown. When I grew up, I realized it was just a fictitious name. I also figured out that Springfield was one of the most common names for a city in the U.S. In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought, "This will be cool; everyone will think it's their Springfield." And they do.

You've never said it was named after Springfield, Oregon, before, have you?

I don't want to ruin it for people, you know? Whenever people say it's Springfield, Ohio, or Springfield, Massachusetts, or Springfield, wherever, I always go, "Yup, that's right."

Yup, indeed. Take that, Ohio!



Oh, and Groening totally outs Portlanders when asked the following question:



What do you think of Portland then and Portland now?

One thing that hasn't changed is that people in Portland are in complete denial about how much it rains there.

Whatever, dude.

And finally, he sends shout outs to Powell's Books and Portlandia.



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