Sunday Kudos to the Springfield VT Simpsons Volunteers!

In an all-too familiar scenario (for instance, though John Totleben and I won numerous comics industry awards during our Swamp Thing tenure, including Eagles and Kirbys, we never saw the awards or received copies -- or even photocopies!), the folks who actually appeared in the Simpsons video that landed Springfield, VT the world premiere of The Simpsons movie were sadly shut out of the resulting celebratory events.

Kudos to the folks who made it all happen -- Big-time BOOOOoooooooooooos to the stage-hogging Springfield bigwigs who stole the spotlight, and shame on the responsible The Simpsons and 20th Century Fox promo and premiere crew for not seeing to the real local heroes. Surely a special midnight or 'Simpsons Volunteers' showing (there were around 200, enough to fill the theater) would have been possible?

Here's the link to the brand-new site seeking to redress the wrongs (which cannot be dismissed as mere oversight), which I encourage you to visit!

"Welcome... This website is dedicated to all those who answered the casting call to appear in the Springfield Vermont entry in The Simpsons Movie Springfield Challenge video contest. When our video actually won the competition, it made our town world famous as the official hometown of the Simpsons and host of the world premiere of The Simpsons Movie. The 200 or so supporting cast members were never publicly given any of the credit for the win. They were not invited to view the movie's world premiere. Our local players deserve better recognition for their help in turning out a winning video." Agreed, website-founder Edwin Fransen of North Springfield, VT, and thanks for bringing this to our attention!

Have a great Sunday, one and all...

Deck the Halls --

Well, actually, Deck the Deck. This morning at 6:30, work began on Marge's outdoor screened-in porch, constructed on the house's back deck. This has been Marge's key construction project for our new Windsor home, as work continues on my basement library/office through July and August. We're here, but we're getting there.

Lightning and thunderstorms hammered our neck of New England all day yesterday; at one point, the rain was coming down so hard, the CCS summer workshop students broke from drawing and dashed to the front of the CCS Colodny Building to watch the spectacle of the downpour. By the time I headed home for dinner, a fire hose was dangling from the flat roof of the venerable Coolidge Hotel across the street, drooped down over two stories and spurting water in rhythmic bursts, like an artery. Hartland, betwixt White River Junction (home of CCS) and our home in Windsor, suffered heavy wind, hail and lightning damage, splintering trees, downing power poles and lines, and basically trashing the burg. Luckily, no one was hurt.

We're still resetting clocks and checking the damage around our digs. So far, a little water in the basement (nothing of consequence, and nothing structurally wrong) and swelling of the front door frame seems to be the only issues here -- we've lucked out thus far. More storms are predicted for today, with sunny weather tomorrow, and a respite.

The big local news is Springfield, VT winning 20th Century Fox's Simpsons movie premiere competition, beating out Springfield IL (second place) and my pal Marty Langford & his crew, who produced a corker short campaigning for Springfield MA (placing fourth) -- hmmmm, did Senator Kennedy's appearance and email for votes help -- or hinder?

Off to CCS for day three of the summer comics creation workshop. Having laid the groundwork, we're going great guns into making comics all day long, with Robyn Chapman supervising the hands-on production & publication of the comic itself tomorrow. Wish us all luck!

Have a great Wednesday, one and all.