Movies - TV
How The Simpsons Started A War Between Two Of Scotland's Biggest Cities
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
The popular side character Groundskeeper Willie first appeared on "The Simpsons" in 1991 as more of a silly caricature than an accurate depiction of a Scottish person.
According to Mike Reiss and Mathew Klickstein's "Springfield Confidential," Dan Castellaneta made an improvised decision and gave Willie an accent while recording his two lines.
Reiss wrote, "Forty-five seconds: that's how much thought went into making Groundskeeper Willie Scottish." This decision has become the source of a rivalry between two cities.
The problem is where Willie comes from. Reiss added, "In one episode we said Willie is from Glasgow and in another we said he's from Aberdeen. Why? Because we didn't give a crap."
Both Glasgow and Aberdeen have been fighting over who gets to "claim" Willie as their own. Reiss said, "People in Aberdeen and Glasgow care deeply."
Reiss highlighted the two cities' rivalry, adding, "But these two towns are fighting over bragging rights for a drunken cartoon janitor who lives in a shack."