Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
The Simpsons' Springfield Becomes Hipster Hellhole, NYT Trend Piece
By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 10, 2012
Modified Dec 10, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 7
By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 10, 2012
Modified Dec 10, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Last night The Simpsons went deep into hipsterfication, essentially transforming the show into a 22-minute animated New York Times trend piece. In this episode the hipsters flock to Springfield, where they even embrace Flanders, saying: "I like him... he talks in rhyme and owns a whimsical store in a failing mall... he's like the dad in a Wes Anderson movie."
Also featured are artisanal doughnuts, monoyards, Dwell magazine call-outs, Marge discovering The Onion, Hipster Homer, factory parties, breastfeeding controversy, DIY gift giving, midnight bike rides, humblebragging, composting, The Decemberists, and familiar voices like Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, and Patton Oswalt. But the best part is when Springfield lands on the cover of the New York Times travel section as "America's Coolest City," which of course means "Springfield is played out." Even the paper's David Itzkoff took note, Tweeting: "OMG, @TheSimpsons has heard of the New York Times!"
Tagged
hipsterfication
hipsters
springfield
television
the simpsons
tv
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Sep 26, 2026
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.
By
Hannah Frishberg
How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest
By
Sonia Rao
NYC’s creative workers are increasingly self-employed, report says
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .