Tag: mike reiss

“I do something most people would do for free,” said Mike Reiss, co-creator of “The Simpsons.” Reiss, who writes and creates episodes for the show, was the keynote speaker for the University of Redlands’ Homecoming convocation Friday night, to a sparse audience in Memorial Chapel. Those who were there were treated to rarely seen footage of “The Simpsons,” as well as “Queer Duck,” a cartoon Reiss created that never got air time. Reiss said that his first job after graduating college and leaving behind The Harvard Lampoon was writing jokes for the movie “Airplane II” and later for “The Late Show With Johnny Carson.” “When it’s your job to write 60 jokes a night, you can’t just get writer’s block,” he joked. “A plumber can’t go to your house and decide, I’m sorry, I can’t plumb for you, because I have plumber’s block. An accountant can’t tell you they can’t do your taxes because they have H&R Block.”

SOURCE: Redlands

Mike Reiss, the Emmy Award-winning producer of “The Simpsons” and co-creator of “The Critic” will speak at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14, in the Memorial Chapel as part of the University of Redlands Homecoming and Family Weekend. In his presentation, Reiss will show audiences rare footage from “The Simpsons” and “The Critic,” reveal behind-the-scenes information about “The Simpsons” and other comedies, and discuss the problems and solutions of today’s television. While working on “The Simpsons,” Reiss won four Emmys, co-produced more than 300 episodes and wrote 12 others. His other television credits include “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” “Alf,” and “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” where he earned an ACE Award for writing and producing. This event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Associated Students of the University of Redlands Convocation Lecture Series

SOURCE: Redlands

When he started work on the first season of The Simpsons, Mike Reiss thought the show would last six weeks. “We thought we were just doing it to amuse ourselves and six weeks was about the lifespan of a quirky, offbeat show,” he said. Reiss didn’t tell anyone what he did because he was ashamed to be writing for cartoons. Seventeen seasons and four Emmy’s later, Reiss is still part of the Simpsons’ fraternity. On the Gold Coast yesterday to address the Screen Producers Association of Australia’s conference, Reiss admits to being surprised when the show is praised for its topicality. Given that each episode takes eight to 12 months to make, he says, “the show is one of the least topical shows on television” and its makers do not set out to be subversive. “Our point of view is always just to be the funniest we can on any topic.”

“TV gets a little more outrageous all the time. Someone will pitch an episode one year and we’ll think we’ll never do it. Then a couple of years later we’ll do it and it airs without a ripple. We did the episode where Homer smokes medicinal marijuana. Fox said they wouldn’t air it. We said ‘OK, show a blank screen’. They finally aired the episode and there wasn’t one complaint.”

There are still plans for a movie, but it may be a while yet. “We’re taking our time with it,” Reiss said. “Unlike the Bewitched movie, we decided to have a script first.”

SOURCE: Sydney Morning Herald

Mike Reiss didn’t earn his job as a writer and producer of “The Simpsons” by making clean jokes. On Monday, he showed that he’s not afraid to make fun of George Bush, Jews, or sufferers of Tourette’s syndrome. “Tourette’s – it’s a funny, funny disease,” Reiss said. Reiss was brought to campus by University Union Speakers. Though his show was delayed when the venue was switched, Reiss still drew a large crowd. “It’s always been my dream to come speak at Syracuse,” he said. “Now that that dream has come true, I have to say … Shit! I mean, of all the dreams I’ve had, why is this the one that gets to come true?” Reiss’ raunchy sense of humor, punctuated with F-bombs and jokes not suitable for polite company, was well-received by the audience. Picking up on that, Reiss joked that “you guys are sick.” Read More >>>

SOURCE:

Paramount has purchased Mike Reiss’ spec script The Man Who Knew Too Much for Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo to produce through their Happy Madison Productions. The story has been described as a Capra-esque comedy-drama about the relationship between a woman and an avid reading homeless man with an amazing memory. This is the first major transaction at Paramount involving new president Gail Berman, and it could be a seven-figure deal for Reiss, an Emmy-winning writer and producer on The Simpsons.

SOURCE:

Mike Reiss, a producer and writer for The Simpsons, will speak at the University of Massachusetts — Dartmouth on March 30 at 7 p.m. His presentation will include rare video clips from The Simpsons and The Critic, which has been running on Comedy Central for five seasons. Admission is free for UMass-Dartmouth students. Tickets are $5 for the public. Eric will try to be there and will ask him questions strictly about Al Jean and Family Guy’s brilliance. For information, call (508) 999-9241.

SOURCE:

From children to adults to the college student armed with “The Simpsons” paraphernalia and spiked Bart hair, about 500 fans crowded into Western Michigan University’s Bernhard Center ballroom Wednesday night. They heard behind-the-scenes gossip and watched clips narrated by Mike Reiss, the Emmy-award-winning producer and writer of the Fox TV cartoon feature. He was brought to campus by Hillel, a Jewish student organization. A lanky guy decked out in a suit coat and sneakers, Reiss walked onto stage to thunderous applause. “You can stop. Two days ago you never heard of me,” he said, joking. Read More >>>

SOURCE:

This year’s Irving Blum Memorial Seminar at Pikesville’s Beth Tfiloh Synagogue was somewhat more animated than usual — in more ways than one. Mike Reiss, a producer on the long-running hit television show “The Simpsons,” was the keynote speaker last Sunday morning, Oct. 31, at the annual event sponsored by the Young Adult Division of the Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. Mr. Reiss’ speech was perhaps a little racier than the typical fare at a modern Orthodox synagogue, although anyone who has seen “The Simpsons” would not find this surprising. “We need a little mike Viagra. I mean this mike,” he joked, gesturing toward a droopy microphone, “not this Mike!” The crowd of approximately 200 seemed packed with “Simpsons” fans, as raucous laughter followed nearly every one of Mr. Reiss’ jokes. Read More >>>

The bright, refurbished Great Hall of the Student Union was crowded Monday night. The speaker, a short, turtleneck-clad man, was a consultant for “The PJs,” helped put out “Alf” and wrote jokes for “Airplane II: The Sequel”. He also helps produce a lesser-known program called The Simpsons. Mike Reiss, a consulting producer on the show, has been behind America’s favorite four-fingered family for more than 200 episodes. His 11 years of comedy experience shone through in his rapid-fire idiosyncratic routine. “Why do they have four fingers?” Reiss said, responding to a question about the family. “It’s 20 percent cheaper.” The event ran a lighthearted 45 minutes. The auditorium that had seen a more somber Chuck D presentation less than a week ago was packed with Simpsons devotees. But Reiss didn’t neglect his responsibilities to his sponsors. He spoke of his quirky childhood in the Jewish community, tossed off with well-honed wit. Read More >>>

Sure it’s great to be an Emmy Award-winning producer and writer for a legendary television show, but Mike Reiss, who has worked for years on The Simpsons is prepared to tell students at Weber State University today about the other half of that equation. While he was the executive producer and head of the classic animated Fox series during seasons three and four, “I worked 80 to 100 hours a week, 51 weeks a year. It nearly killed me,” he said. “That’s why I ran the show for only two years and that’s why people only do it for two or three years.” At the end of the fourth season, Reiss visited his doctor and learned he gained 70 pounds while he was head of the series. “My doctor said, ‘You’re morbidly obese. Do you know what that is?'” Reiss remembered. “I said, ‘That’s what Homer is.'” Read More >>>

Duff Beer, d’oh and the delinquent acts of a yellow boy named Bart will be the topics of discussion tonight as a writer for “The Simpsons” speaks about the animated television classic. Mike Reiss, who has won four Emmy awards for his work on The Simpsons, will speak in Meacham Auditorium in Oklahoma Memorial Union at 7:30 p.m. The “Simpsons Symposium” is free and organized by the Campus Activities Council Speakers Bureau. “We’ve never put on anything like this before,” said Rebecca Johnson, CAC chairwoman. “So many students love The Simpsons, it’s just a cool thing to do that will draw a lot of students.” In addition to spilling the secrets of Springfield residents, Reiss will also share clips from The Simpsons that never aired on the show, said Nathanial Scott, CAC Speakers Bureau chairman. Read More >>>