Does anybody know what Sam Simon's contribution to the show was? He is hardly mentioned in the DVD commentaries or in articles about the show.
I know he created the Itchy and Scratchy theme song and wrote some of the material that appears in the first couple of seasons, and I've read where he was the one responsible for hiring most of the writers. What else did he do? Why did he leave the show so early on?
I've seen him get credit for character design in the first season. Does anybody know what characters he designed?
I've heard rumors that Matt Groening hated him. Can anyone confirm this?
Rumor has it that Simon is an old drinking buddy of Groening's. During the time of the Tracy Ullman show, Groening and Simon had a huge falling out over a gambling debt. A short time later, Groening was proved to be wrong in the matter, which is why he gave Simon a cushy, almost no-show job on the "Simpsons".
Of course, this rumor was started by me, so I can't vouch for it's validity!
Wow! sounds good to me! I shall start spreading the news immediately over all newsgroups and message boards. I can't believe that Simon and Groening were alcoholic, whoring, drug-addicted gamblers who had a homosexual affair together that Groening is trying to hush up! That must be why he had Simon "whacked" and buried somewhere outside of Vegas.
But in all seriousness, anyone really know the answer to this guy's question? To my knowledge there was some falling out between the two (or something to that effect...I don't know if James L. Brooks was involved), but I dont' really know what....just that Simon left after season 4 and hasn't spoken either to Groening or Brooks or both since.
As for his involvement in the series, he basically approved all of the scripts and storyboards, and was also largely responsible for developing the characters; while Groening created the Tracey Ullman characters with the flat personalities, Simon was largely responsible for making them more three-dimensional. For instance, it was his idea to make Lisa an intelligent and underappreciated middle child, rather then the "girl Bart" of the shorts. Other then all that I'm not sure what else he did though, other then that "Homer at the Bat" was basically his episode idea, and that he co-wrote Two Cars in Every Garage, Three Eyes on Every Fish with John Swartzwelder. The show itself was very much a colaboration between him, Brooks, and Groening.
Like Brooks, Simon was already established as a successful TV producer by the time 'Tracey Ullman' and 'The Simpsons' rolled around (I've seen him listed as a producer and writer on many episodes of 'Cheers,' for one). I recall reading a 'New York Times' article where Groening said Simon was a brilliant writer, but a very unstable, unpleasant human being. He cited Simon's first-season catch phrase "Thirteen and out," meaning the show didn't have much of a future after the "7G" episodes. He also said, "That's why nobody talks about Sam Simon anymore." The other writers interviewed didn't seem too happy with that assessment, and pointed out that Simon was the true comic genius on the staff, and the guy they were all writing for. For his part, Simon said he tries to be nice to Groening when he bumps into him on the street, but said something along the lines of, "I can't give him credit for what he didn't do."
I know there was some strain on the Groening-Brooks relationship too, when "A Star Is Burns" aired. Groening basically went to the press and said Brooks was turning his show into a thirty-minute advertisement for 'The Critic,' and Brooks countered by basically calling Groening a baby, and saying he was sorry that the press had to see the side of him they all put up with in private. They seem to have put it behind them, though. Presumably Groening and Simon couldn't forget their differences.
But if Simon is completely detached from the show now, why does he still get an Executive Producer credit? Is it merely because he helped develop the show? (isn't that what his "Developed by" credit is for?) Does he still finance the series? (since that's a large part of the EP's duties, as I understand it). It must be weird to have your name on 225+ episodes of a series that you weren't involved in creatively.
Do you remember what year that article is from? I would like to look it up and read it.
I did read about that one. Interesting the type of fueding that goes on behind the scenes.
Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any interviews with Sam Simon. There seems to be plenty with Groening and even Brooks. I would love to hear Simon's version of events.
November '01. It's the most candid article on the show I've ever read - it was the first time I recall seeing any of the writers acknowledge Homer's "dumbing-down," for instance. Very interesting read (even if the 9/11 refs make it seem a bit outdated).