Michael Reiss
Award-Winning Simpsons Writer
Mike Reiss has won four Emmys and a Peabody Award during his fifteen years writing for The Simpsons. He is a co-writer on The Simpsons Movie and was a contributing writer to the films Ice Age 1 & 2. Reiss co-created the animated series The Critic, and created Showtime's hit cartoon Queer Duck. Reiss has lectured at over one hundred colleges and institutions, on four continents on topics including The Simpsons, comedy and Judaism, gay cartoons, and the sorry state of television.
Mike Reiss is has won four Emmys and a Peabody Award during his twenty-one years writing for The Simpsons. He ran the show in Season 4, which Entertainment Weekly called "the greatest season of the greatest show in history." In 2006, Reiss received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Animation Writers Caucus.
Reiss co-created the animated series The Critic and created Showtime’s hit cartoon Queer Duck (about a gay duck). Queer Duck was named one of “The 100 Greatest Cartoons of All Time” by the BBC. Queer Duck: the Movie was released to rave reviews in July 2006, winning awards in New York, Chicago, San Diego, Sweden, Germany and Wales.
Reiss’s other TV credits include It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, ALF, and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
My Life in Ruins, a film inspired by his travels to 71 countries, was released in 2009. Reiss also co-wrote The Simpsons Movie and Ice Age 3, with a combined world-wide gross of $1.5 billion
His caveman detective story Cro-Magnon P.I. won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. He has published seventeen children’s books, including the best-seller How Murray Saved Christmas and the award-winning Late for School. Reiss also composes puzzles for NPR, and Games Magazine.
As a professional speaker, Reiss has lectured at over two hundred colleges and institutions, on six continents. His topics include The Simpsons, Comedy and Judaism, and The Sorry State of Television. Reiss is a former president of the Harvard Lampoon and editor of The National Lampoon.
He has been happily married for twenty-three years. Like most children’s book authors, he has no children.
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4. For GAY GROUPS:
My Life in QueertoonsMichael talks about his work in gay cartoons (he's straight, by the way), from Smithers on "The Simpsons", to his creation "Queer Duck". Queer Duck was named one of the "100 Greatest Cartoons of All Time" by the BBC. -
3. FOR BOOK CONFERENCES:
How to Write Children's BooksMichael describes his experiences publishing six children's books, including the best-seller How Murray Saved Christmas. -
2. FOR BUSINESS CONFERENCES:
Bart's Billions: Secrets of the Simpsons EmpireAn inside look at how a cult cartoon show went on to become an international hit and gross fifteen billion dollars...and counting! -
5. FOR JEWISH AUDIENCES:
The Simpsons and Other Gentiles I've KnownAn ecumenical look at Jewish comedy. -
1. The Simpsons Backstage Tour
It's an irreverent, gossipy, inside look at the Simpsons: dealings with censors, celebrity guest stars and angry sponsors.
