By this, I don’t mean all the recent news concerning the whole collective bargaining debate, although that did place the state on the international news agenda. Instead I refer simply to the fact that Wisconsin, and perhaps UW-Madison in particularly, have an uncanny habit of cropping up left, right and centre in a wide variety of sources.

Take this recent news article, just one example of a strange story to come out of this cheese state.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/14/vatican-official-sighting-virgin-mary?INTCMP=SRCH

 

Whenever I was reading history or politics books for my degree, I always found that Wisconsin or UW-Madison made an appearance, a recurring appearance, in such diverse topics as Civil Rights, Manifest Destiny theory, gender interactions, and US foreign policy. It often popped up in the most random of places. A very popular university.

Pop culture has a great knack for referring to the state too, in more examples than when someone mentions something about cheese or cows! In 2012, the disaster movie for example, when a tsunami takes out California, the couple there announce their regret at leaving Wisconsin. Later, Wisconsin becomes the new geographic North Pole! In Love Actually, the young protagonist heads out to America to seek his fortune and a new girlfriend, and ends up in our very own Milwaukee, WI.

Donna Moss in the West Wing, and Andrew Shepard, US President in The American President, are fictional alumni of UW-Madison (thanks Aaron Sorkin!), as is Harry Crane from the TV show Mad Men, and characters in Definitely, Maybe and He’s Just Not That Into You (Affleck actually wears a Bucky Badgers shirt!)

That’s not to the mention the long list of actual alumni, including Dick Cheney, Charles Lindbergh and Michael Mann.

Of course, Wisconsin is famous for it’s Green Bay Packers Team, and UW-Madison Football and Basketball teams.

Now naturally, other states and universities get mentioned in pop culture too, but I just can’t help but notice the relative prevalence of Wisconsin. Not that this is a scientific study or anything. I could just pay attention more when I hear Wisconsin!

Any other stories of Wisconsin cropping up people want to share? Comments appreciated as ever.