Manitoba viewers of Wednesday’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy may have noticed a few references to a familiar name.
The long-running U.S. hospital drama, set in Seattle, featured two mentions of Winnipeg’s St. Boniface Hospital, although the actors’ pronunciation of “Saint Bonny Face” left a little to be desired.
In one scene, a doctor takes a phone call from “Sylvia Williams at St. Boniface Winnipeg”, and in another, a character asks “St. Boniface… where is that?”
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Pronunciation aside, this isn’t the first time Winnipeg has appeared as a location – or a punchline – on American TV.
From the infamous “that’s it, back to Winnipeg” line on The Simpsons, to an entire episode of The Office set (but not shot) in the city, Winnipeg turns up in some very unexpected places.
A series of videos were made for Economic Development Winnipeg more than a decade ago, compiling pop culture references in films like Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 classic The 39 Steps (“how far is Winnipeg from Montreal?”), sitcoms like Mad About You, dramas like the Sopranos, and many more.
Based on Wednesday night’s Grey’s Anatomy mentions, it might be time for an update.