Binghamton Ignored in “Simpsons” Salute to Upstate New York

Upstate New York was given prime time attention on "The Simpsons" but the program chose to snub the Binghamton area.

On Sunday night's episode, Homer Simpson drove his family to a section of the Empire State most Americans don't know about. He told his wife and kids that they were "heading to the one place that can never decline because it was never that great!"

While they were treated to the region's crumbling infrastructure and closed big box stores, they didn't have an opportunity to enjoy any carousels or balloon launches in the Southern Tier.

Homer was shown eating chicken wings with a state trooper in Buffalo but he never took the family to Endicott to sample any spiedies.

The program acknowledged the demise of Kodak in Rochester but made no reference to the critical economic losses caused by the shutdown of Endicott Johnson's factories or the elimination of thousands of IBM jobs.

The episode highlighted the ongoing migration of people away from upstate communities with a rapidly-declining population clock for Utica.

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com

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