Semi-Finalist for the 2019 James Thurber Award * One of
Vulture's Top-10 Comedy Books of 2018 * A "Must" pick by
Entertainment Weekly * An A.V. Club Best Books selection *
A "New and Noteworthy" selection by USA Today
In celebration of The Simpsons thirtieth anniversary, the show's
longest-serving writer and producer offers a humorous look at the
writing and making of the legendary Fox series that has become one of
the most revered artistic achievements in television history.
Four-time Emmy winner Mike Reiss--who has worked on The Simpsons
continuously since episode one in 1989--shares stories, scandals, and
gossip about working with America's most iconic cartoon family ever.
Reiss explains how the episodes are created, and provides an inside look
at the show's writers, animators, actors and celebrity guests. He
answers a range of questions from Simpsons fans and die-hards, and
reminisces about the making of perennially favorite episodes.
In his freewheeling, irreverent comic style, Reiss reflects on his
lifetime inside The Simpsons--a personal highlights reel of his
achievements, observations, and favorite stories. Springfield
Confidential exposes why Matt Groening decided to make all of the
characters yellow; dishes on what it's like to be crammed in a room full
of funny writers sixty hours a week; and tells what Reiss learned after
traveling to seventy-one countries where The Simpsons is watched
(ironic note: there's no electricity in many of these places); and even
reveals where Springfield is located! He features unique interviews with
Judd Apatow, who also provided the foreword, and Conan O'Brien, as well
as with Simpsons legends Al Jean, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta,
and more.
Like Cary Elwes' As You Wish, Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's
Seinfeldia, and Chris Smith's The Daily Show: An Oral History,
Springfield Confidential is a funny, informational, and exclusive look
at one of the most beloved programs in all of television land.
