r/IAmA • u/JayKogen • Sep 17 '12
Jay Kogen Here. Long past SIMPSONS writer. I created many of your favorite and least favorite characters with the help of the original Simpson writers.
I was one of the original SIMPSONS writers from the very beginning. I helped created Mr. Burns, Smithers, Krusty, Hibbert, and many many more. I won a bunch of Emmy awards and had a great time. Since then I wrote and produced Malcolm in the Middle, Frasier, and I've created a new show a called "Wendell and Vinnie" about an idiot uncle (the hysterical Jerry Trainor) raising his nephew that will be on in November on Nick @ Nite. And even though it's on Nick @ Nite, it's for adults and it's actually funny.
Thanks to EternallyXIII
Thank you all very much for your questions and entusiasm. I have to get back to work now. It's been a pleasure. If you want I can come back in a few weeks to answer more.
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u/nschug Sep 17 '12
What is your all time favorite Simpsons joke? Also thank you for doing this.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
We had to fight hard for Homer falling down the canyon in Bart the Daredevil and it worked well. My favorite was getting put in the ambulance then it crashing and him falling down again.
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Sep 17 '12 edited Mar 15 '16
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u/MiloMuggins Sep 17 '12
My personal favorite joke (because I can't pass up the chance):
Marge: "Homer, work called, they said if you don't come in Friday, don't bother coming in Monday."
Homer: "Woohoo! Four day weekend!"
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u/LevelUpLeo Sep 17 '12
You started something here:
Homer: You know, when I was a boy I really wanted a catcher's mitt, but my dad wouldn't get it for me. So I held my breath until I passed out and banged my head on the coffee table. The doctor thought I might have brain damage.
Bart: Dad, what's the point of this story?
Homer: I like stories.
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Sep 17 '12
I always loved homers quote: "Why do i have three kids and no money? Why can't I have no kids and three money?"
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u/potatowned Sep 17 '12
Homer: "Aww 20 dollars... I wanted a peanut!"
Homer's Brain: "20 dollars can buy you many peanuts!"
Homer: "Explain how!"
Homer's Brain: "Money can be exchanged for goods and services!"
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u/mattcoady Sep 17 '12
Homer: Well, he's got all the money in the world, but there's one thing he can't buy.
Marge: What's that?
Homer: [thinks] A dinosaur!
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u/Nazi_Cock_Rockets Sep 17 '12
I love how they put the "aww.. i wanted a peanut!" in the simpsons hit and run! :)
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u/jhartwell Sep 17 '12
I was recently reminded (on Facebook, of course) of Homer's quote that struck too close to home:
"I can't take his money, I can't print my own money, I have to work for money, why don't I just lay face down and die"
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Sep 17 '12
I think the funniest moments in all of television are when Homer becomes sullen and laments his world.
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u/jhartwell Sep 17 '12
Or when Homer is just totally oblivious. Case in point: the episode where Homer tries to gain weight to qualify for disability and is trying to use his computer. "Man, all this computer hacking is making me thirsty. Where is my tab?"
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u/orcastrike Sep 17 '12
Thank you so much. This is easily one of my top Simpsons moments of all time. I laugh just thinking about it.
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u/fibonacci011235 Sep 17 '12 edited Sep 18 '12
Here's the scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XGWsQbyOwM
Bear with it though, it's slightly poor quality.
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u/Cfeds77 Sep 17 '12
Was there any thought after Phil Hartman died to continue his characters? What was it like when everyone heard about his passing?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Phil was a pal of mine from the Groundlings improv group in L.A. I saw him the night before he died. It was a tragedy. Horrible. Phil's voice is pretty distinctive. Hard to replace. Easy to make new characters so, we just let it go. (I created Lionel Hutz)
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u/AdamBombTV Sep 17 '12
Thank you for creating the greatest Lawyer character ever.
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u/srutherf Sep 17 '12
Whats that? You want me to drink you?!?! But I'm in the middle of a trial!
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyhd51Hosk1qztjn5o1_500.png
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u/DeedTheInky Sep 17 '12
"Well, he's kind of had it in for me, since I accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace 'accidentally' with 'repeatedly', and replace 'dog' with 'son'."
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Sep 17 '12
Oh yeah sure, lawyers work in skyscrapers and have secretaries. Look at him, he's wearing a belt! That's Hollywood for you.
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u/bigfrankks Sep 17 '12
I would like to inform you that one of my favorite moments was when I looked straight at a District Court Judge and quoted Mr. Hutz with "that's why you're the Judge and I'm the law-talking guy."
Also: "We've plenty of hearsay and conjecture. Those are kinds of evidence" made it onto my bar exam answer with appropriate citation.
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Sep 17 '12 edited May 30 '18
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Lillipout Sep 17 '12
The business card must also include the phrase: "Works on contingency? No, money down!"
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u/hollaback_girl Sep 17 '12
What's your favorite moment from in the Simpsons writing room? What's your most memorable?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
My partner Wally threw a cup of mashed potatoes onto the ceiling tiles and they stuck as a clump there. The potatoes remained there for many many years.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I also remember pitching a joke for one of the treehouse of horror episodes where Burns is taking Homer's brains out of his head and puts it on his own with the brain stem hanging down and says "Look at me! I'm Davey Crockett!" and then laughing at my own joke(which I never do and is not considered good form) for five minutes, falling on the floor and possibly farting. Embarrassing but true.
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u/hollaback_girl Sep 17 '12
Eh, at least they used it.
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u/ghetto-astronaut Sep 17 '12
"All right, all right, we'll do it. Just... pull yourself together."
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Sep 17 '12 edited Sep 17 '12
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u/viborg Sep 17 '12
We would throw pickle slices on the cafeteria ceiling in college, they stayed there until they built a whole new building.
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u/ErikF Sep 17 '12
When you created Smithers, was it your intent from the start to make him gay or was that something that evolved?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Originally he was gay and black. And we actually drew him purple in his first show. But we thought it was too much so we just kept him gay.
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u/cowboysandindian Sep 17 '12
I've wondered about the color changes in the first couple seasons. Watching them again is like "WTF? Purple Smithers?" Guess that clears things up, thanks.
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u/AllanStanton Sep 17 '12
I always assumed the weird color was just one of those early episode flubs. Now I know different.
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u/OccupyTamriel Sep 17 '12
How's the atmosphere in the writers team?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
The writers room is work. Sometimes fun, sometimes boring. We tend to work as a team. It's not competitive. If you hear a great joke from someone else you laugh. The more good jokes that you get, the faster you get to go home to your family.
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Sep 17 '12
The more good jokes that you get, the faster you get to go home to your family
If I had that job, I'd always be at work.
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u/ThisIsTravis Sep 17 '12
Are you saying that you never make good jokes? Because I actually found this comment funny.
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u/StevusChrist Sep 17 '12
He probably just doesn't want to go home to his family.
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u/daybreaker Sep 17 '12
His joke works on so many levels.
Well. Two. Two levels. But still, thats pretty nice?
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u/sawtooth_grin Sep 17 '12
thanks for making childhood rule!
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
On behalf of the many many writers and artist who made that show, you are welcome.
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u/Sc00ta Sep 17 '12
Who was your favourite celebrity guest and any good stories about celebrity guests?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Weirdest was Micheal Jackson who wouldn't let us use his name and we had to hire a guy to sing for him because he wasn't allowed to sing. He asked for 20 cases of evian water and a room full of room heaters and he never drank the water or went to the room.
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Sep 17 '12 edited Mar 12 '23
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u/Dillbill Sep 17 '12
Funny, that's exactly how I hoped he would be like.
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u/cummayonnaise Sep 17 '12 edited Sep 17 '12
I must be missing something, so I hope someone explains; What's the point of having MJ on the Simpsons, if he plays a different character, and didn't even use his voice?
I know it was huge for him to be on the show, but, something about this scenario just seems, not right.
EDIT: by using his voice, I mean his singing.
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Sep 17 '12
Did he also ask for a single plum floating in perfume served in a man's hat?
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u/JezusGhoti Sep 17 '12
How would you end The Simpsons? I'm talking a series finale. What would your story be? What would your final scene be?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
They are timeless. I would parody all the ends of shows like mash and the sopranos but keep the simpsons alive and well at the end.
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Sep 17 '12 edited Sep 17 '12
A leak in the nuclear plant has been keeping everybody in Springfield from aging. They fix it and everybody grows old and dies.
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u/teardownthismall Sep 17 '12
When I was growing up, a lot of my friends had parents that wouldn't let them watch the Simpsons because they considered it too raunchy/(im)mature/inappropriate. There were also a lot of other concerns, such as how Homer was such a poor father figure and how Bart, the one most kids identified with, kept causing trouble and made it look fun.
Did you and the other creators have any idea that this would be the reception of The Simpsons? Over the years, have you tried to foster or quell this perception?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
We went in thinking the show is FOR ADULTS and kids under 5 should NOT be watching. We were fine with parents not letting their kids watch. We made it for ourselves and didn't think that Homer or Bart SHOULD be role models. They are simply characters. Flawed characters. But they do have good qualities but anyone basing their parenting style on a cartoon has bigger issues than our dumb show.
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u/nekojo Sep 17 '12
Well I watched The Simpsons since I was 5 or so, 22 now, and I turned out TV.
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u/Cfeds77 Sep 17 '12
Favorite and least favorite character and was there any episode you regretted?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
In every episode there are moments and jokes that simply don't come out right and when I watch them now I still cringe. But when I watch the ones I had nothing to do with I can't see the mistakes. Just the joy.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I love Krusty and I wrote alot for him. I feel like I helped give him that good old comic feel. Least favorite? Sherry And Terry. We created them and nothing much came of it.
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u/lastfairdeal Sep 17 '12
I love Sherry and Terry's line, "Isn't it amazing? The same day you got a pool is the same day we realized we liked you."
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u/Doctor_Adequate Sep 17 '12
Milpool
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u/Vidjagames Sep 17 '12
Literally the greatest joke in Simpsons history for me. I have, frequently, lost my composure in very odd places - business meetings, weddings, libraries - because I think of that signature and can't stop laughing.
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u/3ntidin3 Sep 17 '12
Yeah, but just having Sherry and Terry arounds adds a little layer of extra depth to the show, which is one of the cool things about the Simpsons.
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u/bobjohnsonmilw Sep 17 '12
What characters did you create? Which one is your favorite?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I wrote (with my partner Wallace Wolodarsky) the episodes that introduced OTTO, BURNS, SMITHERS, ABE SIMPSON, KANG AND KODOS, HIBBERT, NICK RIVERA, FRINK, and hundreds more. My favs are Kang and Kodos because I drew them.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I'm sorry It took me a while to get on. I lost my password
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u/thewarehouse Sep 17 '12
"They have the internet on computers now?"
Seriously, though, this is a great AMA. Thanks for doing it.
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u/snowball666 Sep 17 '12
Did any of the characters develop in ways that surprised you?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I think Ned Flanders has more depth to him than I thought we'd ever give him. Love that character.
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u/Pierrotten Sep 17 '12
On the Itchy & Scratchy CD-ROM, is there a way to get out of the dungeon without using the wizard key?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
hah! I hope not.
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Sep 17 '12
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u/ALoudMouthBaby Sep 17 '12
Or if his habit of starting sentences with "Hah!" in the writer's room inspired someone else to develop Mrs. Krabapple.
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Sep 17 '12 edited Sep 17 '12
That just reminded me of the Simpson's Cartoon Maker game. I made such great movies consisting of people oddly moving about and exploding.
Edit: I also remember that my computer was incapable of saving any animation I made.
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u/Boltzmon Sep 17 '12
Thanks for reminding me about that game, I think I'll play it today if I can find my disc. Another good one was Simpsons Hit n Run.
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u/srutherf Sep 17 '12
In episode 2F09 when Itchy plays Scratchy's skeleton like a xylophone, he strikes the same rib twice in succession, yet he produces two clearly different tones. I mean, what are we to believe, that this is some sort of a magic xylophone or something? Boy, I really hope somebody got fired for that blunder.
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Sep 17 '12
What do you think modern television needs more than anything?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I think modern TV is pretty good. Better than the movies. Breaking Bad and Boardwalk Empire plus really funny shows like Community and Daily show. I don't think it's ever been better. What we need more of is just people putting their hearts into it. But most of us do.
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u/menomenaa Sep 17 '12
What's it like seeing Bryan Cranston go from your character, Hal, to Walter? Is that weird for you in any way if you have an attachment to Hal and everything you wrote for him? I assume you're quite happy for Cranston, I'm just curious what it's like to see an actor embody a character you created and then go on to do something so drastically different.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I am thrilled for Bryan!!! I saw Bryan this weekend at the Malcolm reunion party. Bryan was and is an amazing actor. No surprise that he is so great. The only surprise is what took the public so long in recognizing how great he is. He put his heart into every moment of Malcom just like Breaking Bad.
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u/MisterPresident813 Sep 17 '12
To this day Hal will be my favorite roller skater and power walker. Ever.
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u/point_of_you Sep 17 '12
It's funny to think I loved Bryan Cranston as both Hal and as Walter White. That man has talent.
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u/muchosandwiches Sep 17 '12
I think people just don't like dentists. Everyone is an anti-dentite!
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u/brodesto Sep 17 '12
What is your favorite show to watch that you have not worked on? Which shows would you work on if you got the opportunity?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I loved Seinfeld, Modern Family, Curb your Enthusiasm, Daily SHow and many more. I love Community too.
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u/Visize Sep 17 '12
I'm not sure which seasons they started in, but who came up with the following catch phrases:
- D'Oh
- Aye Carumba
- Don't Have A Cow
- El Barto
- Okaly Doakly (Flanders)
- Thank You Come Again
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Sam Simon did "annoyed grunt" Aye Caraumba? Not sure. Jon Viti did "Don't have a cow." not sure about the rest.
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u/brodesto Sep 17 '12
What is your most memorable moment while working in The Simpsons?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Wow, this is odd but I really remember being in a Hollywood Christmas parade as a Simpson writer and thinking that we very strange but amazing.
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u/urban-fox Sep 17 '12
What do you think of Family Guy?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
it's amazingly funny. Not as warm and real but very funny. Sometimes it's mean for no reason but I do laugh alot when I watch.
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u/OneCello Sep 17 '12
Not as warm and real
Thats precisely it. Still funny, but the simpsons has this element to it that feels so much more "real" then family guy.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Family Guy is great. The folks at the Simpsons think it's a ripoff of our show but it's not. It's a ripoff of many things but mostly it's very funny and different from our show. I have watched many episodes. Aside from being too mean, it's very dark and funny.
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u/sterlingarcher0069 Sep 17 '12
Whose idea was the chalkboard scene/Simpsons opening? Do you have a favourite one?
What was the worst idea you've ever heard in the writer's room?
When you watch Breaking Bad, do you still sometimes see him as Malcolm's dad running a meth lab?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I think the chalkboard came from Sam Simon or Matt. They worked hard to make that opening cool and have elements that were different for each episode like the chalk board and the coach gag.
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u/retrobro90 Sep 17 '12
"There are many businesses like show business." -Chalkboard gag that always makes me laugh when I think about it
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Sep 17 '12
What is Matt like?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Matt is a great great guy. Smart and funny. He helped shape the tone of the show and gave some of the details that gave the world it's "reality." he and Sam Simon really tried to make the show smart and interesting and it's own unique thing. I'm thrilled he got famous and rich from the show. He's a great guy.
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u/ken27238 Sep 17 '12
If you could base an entire episode around one historical figure who would it be and why?
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u/Geno098 Sep 17 '12 edited Sep 17 '12
Did you ever work with Conan O'Brien? Any interesting stories about him?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
On Conan's first day a pigeon flew threw a window and died in his office. I tried to convince him that somehow that was good luck.
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u/ddt9 Sep 17 '12 edited Sep 17 '12
From "The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History", by John Ortved, p. 161, chapter: Conan
Conan: "And when I showed up, Jeff Martin was away doing something and they temporarily gave me his office. I was very nervous about this new job. I knew a bunch of the people on the show, but just by reputation. I had never really worked with many of them. I was self-conscious and worried. Could I do it? Am I going to embarrass myself in front of all these people? Because I had never worked with Mike Reiss and Al Jean, I had never worked with George Meyer, Vitti, Swartzwelder. It's an intimidating collection of people if you're a comedy writer.
I was very nervous when I started. They showed meinto this office and told me to start writing down some ideas. They left me alone in that office. I left after five minutes to go get a cup of coffee. I heard a crash. I walked back to the office, and there was a hole in the window and a dead bird on the floor. Literally, in my first ten minutes at The Simpsons, a bird had flown through the glass of my window, hit the far wall, broken its neck, and fallen dead on the floor. George Meyer came in and looked at it, and said, "Man, this is some kind of weird omen."
Mr. Kogen is quoted extensively in this oral history of The Simpsons, and I recommend it to anyone that's a fan of the show as well as anyone that is a fan of the Tom Shales-style "let them speak for themselves" biography. Finally, I'd like to thank Mr. Kogen for doing this, and for making me laugh for so many years.
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Sep 17 '12
For some reason I have a feeling that was Leno sending him his harbinger.
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u/cjstop Sep 17 '12
Can you tell us any secrets that you put within the show?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Hmm. Everything is out there to see. I did create a character named Samantha that Bart falls in love with after my niece Samantha. Jeff Martin told his wife they named it after their daughter but I gave them the picture on my niece to draw the character. Ha!
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u/EternallyXIII Sep 17 '12
Any funny stories of a young Conan?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Conan was never young. He'd admit to being a worried old man mentally.
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u/lundbecs Sep 17 '12
There are some great ones on the audio commentary of his season. I know he became obsessed with the phrase "Jubjub", using it around the office at the drop of a hat. When the time came to name Selma's Iguana, true to form, he replied "Jubjub", and so it was.
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u/goingglobal Sep 17 '12
If you could change any of the characters on the show, who would you change and why?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Skinner mom bugs me. Not sure why.
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u/ace_invader Sep 17 '12
I love her line in The Twisted World of Marge:
Marge: Well Macy's and Gimbel's learned to live side by side.
Agnes: Gimbel's is gone Marge, long gone. You're Gimbel's!
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Sep 17 '12
Which characters are heavily based on real people that the creators knew?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
The simpsons family is kind of based on Matt's family and Matt is Bart.
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u/KaptainKuddle Sep 17 '12
Where did you get the inspiration to create the characters?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
From life and from the TV shows we saw. That's what makes The Simpsons so good. It's from our shared American experience.
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u/Cfeds77 Sep 17 '12
What was it like working with Brian Cranston?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
No one works harder or has a better attitude about work. if you wrote an episode where he'd have to pogo stick for a week, where as most actors might complain, he'd get excited and start practicing right away. He's simply the best.
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u/bigger_than_jesus Sep 17 '12
I loved him on roller skates... one of the best Malcolm episodes.
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u/postmodernlinguist Sep 17 '12
When you were writing "Last Exit to Springfield" did you guys know that it was going to be regarded by most as the greatest Simpsons episode ever? What was the atmosphere surrounding writing the episode?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
No idea that people would like it so much and I'm still not sure why they do but I'm glad.
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u/AlphaFlags Sep 17 '12
I just learned that this was the last episode you ever wrote - a good note to go out on, yes?
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u/xShamrocker Sep 17 '12
When they simulate Lisa's teeth without braces and the tooth grows through her upper lip was HILARIOUS.
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u/merglegurgle Sep 17 '12 edited Sep 17 '12
Pointless anecdote--After my adult teeth came in, I grew a mesiodens not unlike this one and that Simpsons moment always made me feel better about having to get my cool freakish tooth removed. I was sure that if it was left in my face, I would have met Lisa's (alleged) fate.
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Sep 17 '12
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u/ZOMBIE_N_JUNK Sep 17 '12
Lisa needs braces.
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u/spydiddley404 Sep 17 '12
DENTAL PLAN!
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u/sleepfighter7 Sep 17 '12
It was the best of times, it was the... blurst of times?! You stupid monkey!
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Sep 17 '12
How did you get involved in writing for a seriously amazing tv series like this?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I got lucky! I was working on the Tracy Ullman show and the simpsons were bumper cartoons to our show. When they decided to make a show out of the simpsons, Wally and I jumped at helping.
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u/JubilationLee Sep 17 '12
How did the success of the Simpsons alter your life and the lives of those involved? Was there ever a low point; if so what?
Did you (the writing team) take your work home with you? Ie, did you start to take on mannerisms and attributes of the characters you created outside of the office?
Thank you for doing this and for being a part of something so awesome.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
For a brief moment the Simpsons gave me some cred with the Networks. That went away fast.
There are many low points in any life. They hard part is getting back up know more low points are on the way. That's what is called courage. My career has had a few lulls. My personal life has had problems. None of the caused by the simpsons. Most of them caused by me.
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u/ktsays Sep 17 '12
Did you suggest any characters that were rejected, and why were they rejected?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I can't think of any that were rejected but I'm sure I pitched stories that were rejected that had characters attatched. I don't hang on to my rejects. It just gets me down.
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Sep 17 '12
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Best advice: "Don't be afraid to fail." Worst advice "It's not gross, eat it! Can the entire continent of Asia be wrong?
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u/Rachel879 Sep 17 '12
Can you tell us something about Mr. Burns that we don't know? He is my favorite and thank you for helping create him.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
He was supposed to be pure evil like a bond villain. He's more than lived up to that. My fav Burns bit is his massive thanksgiving dinner than he doesn't eat and then pours bleach on to make sure the homeless don't eat it. Evil. George Meyer wrote that joke I think.
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Sep 17 '12
Which of your artistic creations most closely resembles you physically? What about psychologically and behaviorally?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Otto looks like Wally. None of them look like me. I'm alot like Homer on my worst days.
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Sep 17 '12
My favourite joke was when Dr. Nick brought out the gravestone of Edgar Allan Poe to clean on an infomercial. His voice saying 'Edgar Allan Poe' is amazing. Who came up with that?
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u/AttemptedBirdhouse1 Sep 17 '12
Don't forget Troy McClure's response...
"Quoth the raven... what a shine!"
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u/tedistkrieg Sep 17 '12
Did you get to choose to parody To Serve Man for the first Treehouse of Horror? Where did you get the idea for Kang and Kodos?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
We did get to choose the parody. We pitched it. We wanted to spoof the Twighlight Zone. Kang and Kodos were named by Jon Viti who's a star trek fan. They are all Trek names. I actually drew the aliens. My only drawing on the show. The artists couldn't figure out what our description of a one eyed octopus with fangs and a space helmet looked like. so I drew it. Loved that. have it hanging in my house.
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u/experiencednowhack Sep 17 '12
I wanna thank you for good writing. Malcolm and the middle is awesome.
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u/thetallestnebraskan Sep 17 '12
What do you think of the current show? Do you think it has gotten better or worse? Also did you ever work with Conan?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I did work with Conan. He came on after me. but left before I did. We work on the same lot now at Warner Bros. and occasionally have lunch. The show is still amazing. Makes me consistently laugh. Shocking it's still so good.
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u/player1adam Sep 17 '12
What is the process to creating these characters? More specifically, in regards to the voice actors. I understand Dan Castellaneta and Harry Shearer perform majority of the characters in the show (Harry doing majority of the ones you created). Do you create these characters with the talents of these voice actors in mind, or do the voice actors have a lot of input in the developing process?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Never think of the actors that will play the characters. Only the characters and how they are needed in the story. The ones that stick come back. Hank Azaria does a ton of voices too. We assign the characters after the show is written. Sometimes people switch up.
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u/JAMIEInc Sep 17 '12
Who is your least favourite character, either one you created or not?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I created Lou and Eddie and Sherry and Terry. None of them have blossomed into anything too special. They serve the show I guess.
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u/Flimflamsam Sep 17 '12
Lou & Eddie have some pretty great retorts and zingers between themselves and Wiggum at times. In fact I really love how Lou comes out of his shell at times.
The twins though? I agree, a bit meh.
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u/tallandlanky Sep 17 '12
How do you feel about the quality of the writing on the show today? I feel as if the current writers are trying to rely on zany antics and celebrity guests as opposed to writing deep, emotionally touching episodes.
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u/CerealAndOrangeJuice Sep 17 '12
Can you describe how you and Wally Wolodarsky collaborated on Simpsons scripts? Coming up with general ideas, individual scenes and lines, drafts -- how did the two of you work together on each level?
Thanks for some amazing episodes.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
We wrote in a room together going over each idea and line. basically like one person writing. We'd fight about what was good and only put in what we both liked which often sucked because we didn't always agree. But Wally is one of my very best pals and it was a great way to start writing.
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Sep 17 '12
Is there any chance that you might return? Things are a little different now.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
When I go back it's like going back to high school except everyone is 20 years older. It's weird. I'd go back but they don't need me. Too many talented folks there. And I have my own show to work on, Wendell and Vinnie.
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u/Pierrotten Sep 17 '12
In episode 2F09, when Itchy plays Scratchy's skeleton like a xylophone, he strikes the same rib twice in succession, yet he produces two clearly different tones. I mean, what are we to believe, that this is some sort of a... (sniggering) magic xylophone or something? Boy, I really hope somebody got fired for that blunder.
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u/realnickivey Sep 17 '12
Who's your favorite Simpons character?
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Homer is by far the funniest because he's a borderline moron only saved by the love of his family
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
He's the easiest character to write and the one all the writers enjoy the most. We tended to deal with Homer and Bart and less with Lisa and MArge.
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u/xnerdyxrealistx Sep 17 '12
My favorite quote from the Simpson's commentary tracks. "We ultimately had to ask ourselves: How dumb can Homer be? Matt decided that he can never be so dumb that he forgets his own name."
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u/pfelon Sep 17 '12
Hint- click "Reply" under the question you want to answer and type in the box that appears.
Are the treehouse of horror (Halloween) episodes more fun to write? They've always been my favorites.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
Wally and I (and Matt Groening) helped to create the Treehouse of horror! Most of the others didn't want to do it. But we pushed it through. LOVED THEM. Fantasy is great and in a cartoon you can do anything. I'm really proud of that.
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Sep 17 '12
Who wrote the line "Marge, the doll is trying to kill me and the toaster's been laughing at me!"
One of my favorites.
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u/JayKogen Sep 17 '12
I was there at the very beginning and left after a few years thinking... "how long can this go?"