Post by burke211 on Jul 28, 2010 13:52:57 GMT -5
One of the characters on The Simpsons is at the centre of a huge diplomatic row.
Groundskeeper Willie, who angrily tends the lawns of Springfield Elementary School, is being claimed by rival Scottish cities as their own blood.
Both Glasgow and Aberdeen reckon the Scottish janitor - who has a temper as flaming as his hair - hails from their city.
Glasgow City Council have put Willie in their online hall of fame alongside the likes of Billy Connolly and Lulu.
The city's claim stems from a 1997 episode where he tries to woo a lady.
When he fails, he moans: "Groundskeeper Willie. Suddenly the ugliest man in Glasgow wasn't good enough for her."
But Aberdeen Football Club spokesman Dave McDermid has laid claim to Willie.
He said: "Anyone who has watched The Simpsons in any detail over the years will know that Groundskeeper Willie is very much a fan of the Dandy Dons and always will be.
"As much as it may disappoint people in Glasgow, we are in no doubt that Willie is a proud Aberdonian."
In a 2003 episode 'Scuse Me When I Miss The Sky, Willie is shown awakening from a dream about football shouting: "Go Aberdeen!"
But Willie himself had claimed to originate from several different places in Scotland and frequently gives contradictory accounts of his life before he arrived in Springfield.
In episode Lard Of The Dance he reckons he is from "North Kilt Town".
It's no wonder Willie's heritage is hotly contested.
He was named "the most instantly recognisable Scot in the world" in an article in The Times in 2005 - better known than Billy Connolly, Ewan McGregor and even Sean Connery.
Simpsons creator Matt Groening said of him: "We wanted to create a school janitor that was filled with rage, sort of our tribute to angry janitors all over the world."
Groundskeeper Willie, who angrily tends the lawns of Springfield Elementary School, is being claimed by rival Scottish cities as their own blood.
Both Glasgow and Aberdeen reckon the Scottish janitor - who has a temper as flaming as his hair - hails from their city.
Glasgow City Council have put Willie in their online hall of fame alongside the likes of Billy Connolly and Lulu.
The city's claim stems from a 1997 episode where he tries to woo a lady.
When he fails, he moans: "Groundskeeper Willie. Suddenly the ugliest man in Glasgow wasn't good enough for her."
But Aberdeen Football Club spokesman Dave McDermid has laid claim to Willie.
He said: "Anyone who has watched The Simpsons in any detail over the years will know that Groundskeeper Willie is very much a fan of the Dandy Dons and always will be.
"As much as it may disappoint people in Glasgow, we are in no doubt that Willie is a proud Aberdonian."
In a 2003 episode 'Scuse Me When I Miss The Sky, Willie is shown awakening from a dream about football shouting: "Go Aberdeen!"
But Willie himself had claimed to originate from several different places in Scotland and frequently gives contradictory accounts of his life before he arrived in Springfield.
In episode Lard Of The Dance he reckons he is from "North Kilt Town".
It's no wonder Willie's heritage is hotly contested.
He was named "the most instantly recognisable Scot in the world" in an article in The Times in 2005 - better known than Billy Connolly, Ewan McGregor and even Sean Connery.
Simpsons creator Matt Groening said of him: "We wanted to create a school janitor that was filled with rage, sort of our tribute to angry janitors all over the world."
I guess we don’t have anything better to argue about…and anyway, he’s clearly Glaswegian.