![]() Sounds corny, but thank you for the gift of laughter. Sam Simon, you gave the world something amazing & wonderful. Rest in Peace Sam Simon, absolutely unparalleled creative and comic genius #everysimpsonsever Just heard terrible news of death of A great man I owe him everything. Thanks for believing in me & all the encouragement, thanks for everything. Brilliant writer, so vital to shaping THE SIMPSONS in its crucial early years. Awful to lose such a gifted & genuinely good guy. Sam Simon's contribution to the spirit of sharp, well-observed comedy is incalculable. Many former Simpsons colleagues have been expressing their condolences on Twitter, giving an indication of how highly he was valued as a creative person: In 2013, he appeared on comedian Marc Maron’s WTF podcast to speak about his cancer diagnosis, where he announced his intentions to donate most of his remaining Simpsons royalties to charity. PETA released this tribute video yesterday: Simon donated much of his wealth to charities, including groups like the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), as well as through his own Sam Simon Foundation. “I think Sam Simon is brilliantly funny and one of the smartest writers I’ve ever worked with, although unpleasant and mentally unbalanced,” Groening once said. Groening, for his part, respected Simon’s contributions. “I go crazy I hate myself.” Simon, however, retained his title as executive producer and continued to receive tens of millions in annual royalties from the show. “Any show I’ve ever worked on, it turns me into a monster,” Simon told 60 Minutes in 2007. Matt Groening (left) and Sam Simon, 1989.Īs recounted in the New York Times obituary, Simon and Groening did not see eye to eye, and Simon left the show in 1993 after just four seasons. This Salon piece discusses his role in defining the tone of the show’s humor and establishing the characters’ relationships. I'm not sure you get that with a lot of.charities.He began working with cartoonist Matt Groening on The Simpsons in 1989, helping to hire many of the show’s initial writers and insisting they work together on creating each episode. ![]() There is stuff happening, really good stuff, every week. One of the things about animal rights, which is not the only thing I care about in this world, is that your money can bring success. Simon, who doesn't necessarily equate "the spirit of Hollywood" with a "spirit of generosity," is happy to admit that his own philanthropic work brings him pleasure. In addition to his own foundation, Simon has contributed to organizations such as Save the Children PETA, which in February named its headquarters the Sam Simon Center and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a global marine conservation organization that, in 2012, named one of the ships it uses to track illegal whaling and fishing operations the M/Y Simon. ![]() "The Sam Simon Foundation is going to be very well endowed, and there's a lot of stuff I want them to do." ![]() Simon, who still earns "tens of millions" a year from The Simpsons, told THR that he didn't know how much he had given to charity over the years, but that he plans to expand his philanthropic activities while he has time. With an endowment of nearly $23 million as of 2011, the foundation distributes vegan groceries at no cost to individuals and families in need, rescues dogs from shelters and provides free spay and neuter programs, and trains rescued dogs to serve as companions for veterans and the hearing impaired. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, television writer-producer Sam Simon, who announced in May that he had been diagnosed with terminal colon cancer, said he plans to donate nearly all his royalties as co-creator of The Simpsons to the Sam Simon Foundation and scale its work on behalf of dogs and people. ![]()
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