fafd/1232750068-simpsons.jpg

the plastic model that the statue will be based on. dude not included, hopefully

Thursday night at the Hollywood Neighborhood Association meeting, Ellen Bergstone Beer, executive director of Film Action Oregon, dropped by to give the neighborhood an update on what was going on with the Hollywood Theater. She spent a bit of time going over the Theater's nod from the Sundance Institute, but she also had a more low brow, but no less exciting, announcement: the Hollywood neighborhood is under consideration to be the new home of a statue commemorating the 20th Anniversary of The Simpson's. PDX TV, also celebrating an anniversary of their own, is sponsoring the statue and has already secured the funding; they are now just looking for a place to put it. Beer knew Hollywood was under consideration, though she was unsure where else PDX TV was looking. She did note that Portland Parks and Recreation had rejected an offer to house the statue in one of their parks.

Says Beer: “As the nonprofit organization that owns and operates the Hollywood Theatre, Film Action Oregon views this as a wonderful tribute to Mr. Groening, a member of the Portland creative community who has done much to impact our national culture through his visual art, literary, television and film work. We are thrilled that the statue may become an attraction in the Hollywood District.”

The statue will be a granite rendering of a plastic model that was created as part of the ad campaign for The Simpson's Movie that shows the whole family on the couch with a space for guests and picture-takers to join them. It's gonna be pretty big - 11ft by 4ft by 5ft - and it's gonna be pretty rad. Early etchings from Matt Groening may line the back of the couch. Hollywood neighbors at the meeting were enthusiastic about the possibility of the statue in their neighborhood.

Where do you think it should go?