Not all Springfields want Simpsons

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., June 1 (UPI) -- Not all Springfields in the United States are clamoring to compete to be the host city for the premiere of "The Simpsons" movie this summer.

While some Springfields dream and scheme to be the real counterpart to Homer's fictional home, at least two Springfields -- one in Minnesota and another in Georgia -- told 20th Century Fox they weren't interested, the Springfield (Ill.) State Journal-Register reported Friday.

"There's a bunch of people in town who don't want nothing to do with that show," said Mac Tilberg, city manager of Springfield, Minn.

Springfield, Ga., doesn't have the time, either. "We've got to be focused on how the city runs before we can worry about extras," Deputy Clerk Amber Nettles told the State Journal-Register.

Meanwhile, other Springfields received packages of props from 20th Century Fox, which supplied each town with a camera and asked for a short film highlighting Simpson-like features.

Tim Farley, executive director of the Springfield, Ill., Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the competition is all in fun and worth the time, the newspaper said.

"You will have your nay-sayers, obviously," he said in the State Journal-Register article. "I've never seen anything with this much interest locally. It's about getting free publicity for the city."