#305: Al Jean - No One Knows Anything

Funny In Failure

Emmy Award-winning producer/writer Al Jean has worked on THE SIMPSONS since it became a series in 1989. He has a credit on over 600 episodes and been showrunner for 22 seasons. In addition to nine Emmy Awards, he has won two coveted Peabody Awards and was nominated for two Golden Globes. Currently he serves as executive producer and showrunner. He also served as writer and producer on “THE SIMPSONS MOVIE” (which took in over $525 million worldwide), working heavily on the film throughout its entire four-year production and was producer and writer on the Oscar-nominated short film “THE LONGEST DAYCARE” and 2020 short “PLAYDATE WITH DESTINY”. In 2021 he wrote and produced the Disney+ shorts “The Force Awakens From Its Nap” (nominated for an Emmy) and “The Good, the Bart and the Loki.”

Al also co-created “The Critic” and “Teen Angel” and served as producer of “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” for which he won three CableACE Awards. Other television credits include “The PJ’s,” “Alf” and “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”

Episodes of THE SIMPSONS Al has written or co-written include “Moaning Lisa,” “The Way We Was,” “Treehouse of Horror II & III,” “Stark Raving Dad,” “Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala (annoyed grunt) cious,” “Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder,” “Day of the Jackanapes,” “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas”, “Mr. Lisa’s Opus”, “Daddicus Finch” and the Emmy-winning “HOMR.”

Al also co-wrote Funny or Die’s “SNL Presidential Reunion Video” which is credited with helping establish the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. A graduate of Harvard University, Jean served as vice president of the college’s humor magazine, “The Harvard Lampoon.”

We chat about being wanted by the FBI, the Simpsons, creating new shows, writing for The Harvard Lampon, working on Johnny Carson, going to Harvard at 16, The Critic, leadership, negative feedback, Hollywood reboots, Garry Shandling’s show, moving forward plus plenty more!

Check Al out on:

Twitter / X: https://x.com/aljean -------------------------------------------

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