News Service

02-26-08

'The Simpsons' writer and producer Mike Reiss will speak at Iowa State on March 6

AMES, Iowa -- Award-winning author and producer Mike Reiss will speak at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, in the Memorial Union Great Hall at Iowa State University. The event is free and open to the public.

Reiss, writer and producer of "The Simpsons" for 15 years, has won various awards including four Emmys and a Peabody Award. The show earned TIME magazine's honor as "the greatest TV show of the twentieth century" based on more than 200 episodes Reiss produced, including 12 he had written.

His presentation at Iowa State will provide viewers with details of the lives of the Simpson family, including how the show was almost canceled before airing, secret trivia of the show and dealing with network censors. He also will examine the current state of television and discuss what he thinks should be done to bring television back to its original standard.

A native of Connecticut, Reiss currently lives in California and continues as a consulting producer for "The Simpsons." He also is co-creator of "The Critic." Other television credits include "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson," "The PJ's," "Alf" and "It's Garry Shandling's Show."

The lecture is cosponsored by the Committee on Lectures, funded by the Government of the Student Body, and is part of the National Affairs Series: "Can Laughter Save America?".

For more information on lectures at ISU, visit http://www.lectures.iastate.edu or call (515) 294-9935.

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Mike Reiss

Quick look

Mike Reiss, writer and producer of "The Simpsons" for 15 years, will provide details on the lives of the Simpson family during a free, public presentation at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 6, in the Great Hall of ISU's Memorial Union. Co-sponsored by the Committee on Lectures and funded by the Government of the Student Body, the lecture is part of the National Affairs Series: "Can Laughter Save America?".