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
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
—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
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
,
is a funny, informational, and exclusive look at one of the most beloved programs in all of television land.