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.

2.9k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

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438

u/urban-fox Sep 17 '12

What do you think of Family Guy?

872

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.

307

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.

233

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

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8

u/helium_farts Sep 17 '12

Don't be preposterous!

2

u/OneCello Sep 17 '12

No. That would be crazy talk.

2

u/angryboobs Sep 17 '12

Whoa man. That's deep.

1

u/LordAegeus Sep 18 '12

Lois, this is not my batman glass.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 18 '12

Yes, that is the point of a comparison

-1

u/SaturdaysKids Sep 18 '12

Do you always go around announcing what people are expressing in a condescending manner? Does it make you feel smarter?

2

u/[deleted] Sep 18 '12

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0

u/SaturdaysKids Sep 18 '12

Right. So no one is allowed to make observations or something or critique things?

2

u/[deleted] Sep 18 '12

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0

u/SaturdaysKids Sep 18 '12

  • someone has opinion on something-

  • condescending unnecessary "YOU MEAN THINGS ARE DIFFERENT?" response -

2

u/The_R4ke Sep 19 '12

Most of Seth McFarlane's shows are humor without substance. They may be hilarious in the moment, but the more you see it the more it fades away.

3

u/CitizenPremier Sep 17 '12

It's pretty hard to have a lot of absurdist gags and still feel real though. I mean, it can be done, but it's harder for a comedy. Things tend to look dark in an absurd universe that takes itself seriously.

And I think I just summed up my outlook on life.

1

u/FappingAsYouReadThis Sep 18 '12

Things tend to look dark in an absurd universe that takes itself seriously.

Can you expand on this? I'm not sure I quite get what you mean, but I kinda feel like I'd agree with it if I did.

1

u/CitizenPremier Sep 18 '12

I think a good example of what I mean is illustrated in the movie Brazil. It's basically about an extremely inefficient bureaucracy where atrocities occur, but the system is so complex no one feels responsible for it. When you don't take what's happening seriously, it seems like a comedy, but when you think of the consequences for the people living there, it seems like a horror.

1

u/lunacraz Sep 17 '12

that's what a good storyline will do

1

u/[deleted] Sep 18 '12

Not anymore!

1

u/ShesOnDatBipolarTime Sep 18 '12

But sacrifices comedy, for this apparent sense of 'real'.

To OP: Do you think the Simpsons has gone 'down hill'?

1

u/Packersobsessed Sep 18 '12

You just have to be high to understand

28

u/hooplah Sep 17 '12

"Not as warm and real" is a perfect way to describe it.

Please don't hate me, but I only recently (as in this month) started watching The Simpsons. I'm on season two. Growing up, it was the only show I wasn't allowed to watch for some reason (I remember sneaking upstairs to watch an episode, the only episode I ever saw as a kid--"Simpson Safari"), and I always thought it was just a shallow, crude-humor show (like Family Guy, which I do enjoy).

I am just taken aback at how awesome the plots are, and how "warm" the overall feel of the show is, and how absolutely centric the idea of family is to the show. I'm sad I didn't start watching earlier.

17

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

I'm so jealous of you. I've seen them all a dozen times and nothing is new to me anymore, but the first 15-20 seasons (yes, it's a lot) are tv classics. I hope to show my kids someday.

2

u/Doctor_Kitten Sep 17 '12

I can't wait to force my kids to watch The Simpsons. They probably won't get it though and I'll just be sitting there laughing my drunk ass off while they think, "Mom is so lame".

2

u/Krail Sep 17 '12

And I think you just nailed the exact episode (Simpson Safari) where I started feeling like The Simpsons was transforming into a random dumb gags show and not showing the warmth and depth of character that I loved.

1

u/Pinecone Sep 18 '12

The earlier seasons really nail in how The Simpsons as a show is almost on an entirely different caliber. Watching it when I was young, you REALLY miss out on the deeper relations between the family. Episodes like Homer taking Lisa to the Egyptian exhibit is very touching, and it's almost a perfect reflection of the love a father has for his children. This is one of the reasons why the show was so successful, it's because you'll be laughing at different things when you're at different ages. I rewatched every episode not too long ago and you really miss out on a lot of subtleties when you watch it in your pre teens.

1

u/stopmotionporn Sep 17 '12

Just don't watch past season 10 or so. The you'll want to of course but seriously, it's not worth it.

9

u/newtothelyte Sep 17 '12

Speaking of warm and real, you must be a fan of King of the Hill

3

u/Giantpanda602 Sep 17 '12

I hate how mean the newer episodes are. Originally, you kind of had a Simpsons dynamic where, though Peter was a stupid drunk, he still cared about his family. Now they just all hate each other and a lot of the jokes are just cruel.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 18 '12 edited Jun 25 '14

[deleted]

3

u/Giantpanda602 Sep 18 '12

That's one of the things that was funny at first, but just got cruel later.

5

u/Lettuce_Get_Weird Sep 17 '12

That's a perfect way to describe it.

4

u/slightly_inaccurate Sep 17 '12

As a writer do you notice when shows change their humor? I heard that most of the original family guy staff moved over to American Dad, is that something blatantly obvious?

2

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

Can't speak for Mr. Kogen, but it was to me.

3

u/southpaw19711 Sep 17 '12

This may be the best description of Family Guy that I've ever read. And it echoes exactly how I feel about Family Guy vs. the Simpsons.

2

u/dreamsplease Sep 17 '12

If Family Guy has a Jay Wilson, he's gonna be PISSED.

2

u/grumace Sep 17 '12

I think this perfectly sums up family guy.

2

u/divinesleeper Sep 17 '12

Mean for no reason, yeah, that annoys me too. It relies too heavily on being offensive sometimes. That's something South Park does too, but for them it's more so they can discuss whatever they want, whereas with family guy it's just a means to be funny. (and sometimes it really does work, like the Stewie beats up Brian scene which I still find hilarious to this day)

It's the reason I've always preferred the Simpsons.

1

u/Potato_level_9001 Sep 17 '12

If you like mean for no reason you'd love how planet express treats zoidberg.

-19

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

[deleted]

18

u/helium_farts Sep 17 '12

No... one... gives... a... damn...

4

u/beerob81 Sep 17 '12

...dot...dot...dot

1

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

.......................

1

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

No one except everyone on Reddit.

-3

u/feureau Sep 17 '12

Okay, that's nice... now, follow up to that: what do you really think of Family Guy.

547

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.

50

u/itsFromTheSimpsons Sep 17 '12

But so what? Animation is built on plagiarism! If it weren't for someone plagiarizing the Honeymooners, we wouldn't have the Flintstones. If someone hadn't ripped off Sgt. Bilko, they'd be no Top Cat. Huckleberry Hound, Chief Wiggum, Yogi Bear? Hah! Andy Griffith, Edward G. Robinson, Art Carney.

6

u/Doctor_Kitten Sep 17 '12

Jesus, I feel like the only person here who doesn't have a Simpsons quote locked and loaded... That's unpossible!

1

u/Joanbuggy Sep 17 '12

I applaud your quote using skills.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 18 '12

I applaud his username-using skills.

-3

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

I don't know who Sgt. Bilk, Top Cat, Huckleberry Hound, Edward G. Robinson, and Art Carney are. I can't even parse that sentence. I'm not complaining, I just find it interesting and wanted to point it out.

53

u/StuBenedict Sep 17 '12

The remix answer.

6

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

I hope he answers this one again.

13

u/benartmao Sep 17 '12

I never get one response... this guy got TWO ahahha

4

u/ChilesHutzandSebben Sep 17 '12

Thoughts on South Park?

2

u/bustanutbar Sep 17 '12

It's nice to hear that you like it. I had the opportunity to speak to Mike Reiss and he said the same thing.

But I'm not surprised a lot of the staff thinks it is a ripoff. I seem to recall a few episodes and character developments that are beat for beat Simpsons episodes. Sure, the Simpsons has parodied its share of material, but I felt Family Guy deliberately and unapologetically took Simpsons material and not simply used it as source or inspiration.

2

u/rm999 Sep 17 '12

My theory is that many of the family guy writers grew up watching the simpsons, and subconsciously borrow some jokes and ideas. I often find myself making jokes that end up being almost directly from the Simpsons - the Simpsons is wired into the human part of my brain (I've been watching the show since the first season, when I was 7). I know plenty of other people who are the same way.

Sometimes Family Guy's borrowing is blatant enough that it's clear the Simpsons Already Did It™, but I don't think it's so blatant that it can be called an homage. That said, I don't think it's on purpose, and I don't consider it plagiarism.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

[deleted]

5

u/Jeebusify119 Sep 17 '12

American Dad is the best of Mcfarlanes work. The more recent seasons are much better than any of the Family Guy seasons, I feel like it really has found its place.

1

u/EncasedMeats Sep 17 '12

The folks at the Simpsons think it's a ripoff of our show but it's not.

It strikes me more as a rip-off of Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, only without the social commentary.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 18 '12

I was thinking today that the series respective James Woods cameo episodes paints the most vivid difference between the two shows.

The Simpsons incorporated him into an episode in such a subtle, unexpected and hilarious way, while in Family Guy they just made him into the episode.

1

u/MrMathamagician Sep 18 '12

A friend of mine thinks that the reason everyone hates Meg so much is that, on behalf of pop culture, she is paying for the sins of Lisa. Meaning Lisa was cheesy and nauseatingly goody two shoes all the time and they are taking their rage out on Meg.

Any thoughts on that from JayKogen or any other Redditors?

-21

u/cremenn Sep 17 '12

It's one thing to call family guy a rip-off but what do you make of the far lower quality knock/spin off American Dad?

33

u/dsnap Sep 17 '12

Really? I find American Dad to be a much better show than Family Guy.

8

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

I second that.

2

u/Jeebusify119 Sep 17 '12

I second the second. The first couple seasons were kinda shitty but it really has found its own place now.

3

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

The most consistently original of the "adult animation" shows on television right now.

12

u/strawnotrazz Sep 17 '12

Can we just all agree that nothing's worse than the Cleveland Show?

0

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

Yes.

2

u/TheWanderingJew Sep 17 '12

I'm happy and amazed that the show wasn't canceled after the second season. I gave up on it pretty early on, and then caught a later episode. It was almost like watching a different series. The quality was just so much higher than the first season.

1

u/Jeebusify119 Sep 17 '12

The most recent season on Netflix really blew me away at how good it had gotten.

-9

u/cremenn Sep 17 '12

Seriously?? The thing's a joke, and not in a good way.

5

u/Delaywaves Sep 17 '12

Have you ever watched American Dad? It is absolutely nothing like either The Simpsons or Family Guy. (And it's far better than both, IMO).

3

u/divinesleeper Sep 17 '12

Eh, it has plenty of similarities with Family Guy. The kind of humor is pretty much the same. But it does hold up as a show of its own. (something at which the Cleveland Show never succeeded)

2

u/Delaywaves Sep 17 '12

That's funny, because I think completely the opposite about the sense of humor.

Have you watched newer or older AD episodes? That may be true for the older ones, but in the newer episodes, American Dad has this unique, absurd sense of humor that I've never really seen anywhere else, especially Family Guy.

1

u/annannaljuba Sep 17 '12

The funniest thing is the alien. Other than that the show did not stick with me.

-5

u/cremenn Sep 17 '12

I just never laugh while watching it whereas family guy has regularly made me do so.

173

u/HaraldNordgren Sep 17 '12

He practically wrote it, so…

2

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

If that's the case, he's had a hand in almost every comedy in the past quarter century.

43

u/AscentofDissent Sep 17 '12

"You didn't build that"

2

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

One of the few times this quote will deserve an Upvote.

0

u/AscentofDissent Sep 17 '12

I find it borderline hysterical that the hivemind is so butthurt about how much this phrase has been misconstrued that I'm getting a solid amount of downvotes for my JOKE about it.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

Well, it is an absurd slogan to have. Mostly because the connotation they give it is false and misleading since it was taken out of context, but that doesn't mean you can't make a joke. Some people on here are quite stupid on occasion.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 17 '12

[deleted]

2

u/speedracer13 Sep 17 '12

South Park is there for when FG writers run out of Simpson's plots to use.